CBS Sports analyst Bud Elliott has Texas quarterback Arch Manning atop his list of the SEC’s best passers heading into the 2026 season.
That call fits the buzz surrounding Manning and the Longhorns, especially after the way he finished the 2025 campaign. Elliott pointed to that late-season jump when explaining why Manning landed at No. 1.
“He played really well down the stretch. The guy’s supremely talented.
He’s big, strong arm. He can run.
I expect big things this year from Arch,” Elliott said.
Elliott’s No. 2 quarterback is Ole Miss’ Trinidad Chambliss, who guided the Rebels to the College Football Playoff for the first time in 2025 and left them one win short of the national title game. Elliott was especially impressed by what Chambliss did in the biggest moments.
“(He) carved up Georgia obviously in that crazy (43-35) game. He took it to Miami in a loss (in the CFP semifinal).
Just the throws he makes down the stretch were nuts. Full command of that offense.
I think he keeps rolling,” Elliott said.
The biggest surprise in the ranking comes at No. 3: LSU’s Sam Leavitt, who transferred from Arizona State and is entering his first season with the Tigers.
Leavitt posted 2,885 passing yards, 24 touchdowns and six interceptions in 2024, and also ran for 443 yards and five scores. Injuries slowed him in 2025 before he joined Lane Kiffin in Baton Rouge.
“There’s a lot of teams out there in the SEC that wanted to bring this guy in and boot their incumbent starter out this off-season. When he’s healthy, and I expect him to be this year, he’s a dude,” said Elliott.
Elliott’s top five is completed by Alabama’s Keelon Russell at No. 4, with Elliott believing he’ll beat out Austin Mack, and South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers at No. 5.
In Other News...
Alabama Scrimmage Left One Big QB Question And Fresh Injury Concern
Alabamas second preseason scrimmage gave the staff a better look at where things stand across the roster, and it also offered a reminder that the most important battles in camp are still unresolved. The quarterback race between Keelon Russell and Austin Mack remains the headliner, with some around the program already viewing Russell as the favorite, while other young players such as wide receiver Derek Meadows and running back Traeshawn Brown helped themselves with encouraging work in the session.
There was also a more concerning note on the injury front, as true freshman EJ Crowell sat out while continuing to work back from an ankle issue. In a camp where every rep matters, Alabama is still sorting out both its top competition and its early health picture, and the final shape of the depth chart will depend on how those pieces come together over the next stretch. [Read more 🡒]
Former Alabama Player Just Won A Massive Case Tied To 2023 Shooting
A former Alabama basketball player has now won a major legal battle that reached far beyond the court. An Alabama jury ordered The New York Times to pay $9.25 million in damages to Kai Spears after finding the paper defamed him by wrongly reporting that he was at the scene of a fatal 2023 shooting, a claim Spears challenged in a lawsuit filed in 2023.
The nine-day trial ended with the jury siding with Spears, putting a sharp spotlight on how a mistaken report can follow an athlete long after his playing days. The Times had acknowledged the error in its original story and said it is reviewing its legal options after the verdict, leaving the case with another chapter still possible. [Read more 🡒]
Alabama Freshmen Are Forcing A Tough Secondary Question
Alabamas preseason camp has already brought a little extra buzz on defense, and a couple of freshmen are part of the reason why. Linebacker Xavier Griffin, the No. 1 linebacker in the 2026 class by 247Sports, has been drawing attention early, while defensive coordinator Kane Wommack has also singled out defensive back Jireh Edwards for the instincts and physicality he has shown since arriving in Tuscaloosa.
The bigger question may be how quickly the young defensive backs can force their way into a crowded mix. Griffin is expected to see the field, but he still has established competition in the safety room with Bray Hubbard and Keon Sabb, which gives Alabama a talent-heavy problem to sort through as camp unfolds. For a secondary that already has veteran options, the freshmen are making it harder to ignore the possibility that playing time could become a real battle before long. [Read more 🡒]