Julian Sayin is heading into 2026 as the top returning quarterback in college football-at least according to Pro Football Focus’ passing grades-and it’s hard to argue with the numbers. The Ohio State signal caller is coming off a season where he threw for 3,610 yards and 32 touchdowns, showing off the kind of poise, accuracy, and decision-making that makes NFL scouts take notice. Sayin leads a stacked group of returning QBs, and while he sits at No. 1, the rest of the top 10 is filled with playmakers who are poised to shake up the college football landscape this fall.
Right behind Sayin is Oregon’s Dante Moore, who transferred from UCLA and is coming off a strong season of his own. Moore threw for 3,565 yards and 30 touchdowns while completing a sharp 71.8% of his passes. That kind of efficiency, paired with his arm talent, makes him a perfect fit for Oregon’s high-octane offense.
Brendan Sorsby lands at No. 3 after transferring to Texas Tech from Cincinnati. He’s now the centerpiece of a Red Raiders squad that has Big 12 title aspirations. His placement this high speaks to his growth and the belief that he’s ready to take over in Lubbock.
At No. 4 is Drew Mestemaker, who lit it up at North Texas last season with 4,379 yards and 34 touchdowns before committing to Oklahoma State. He’s one of the most prolific passers in the group and brings a gunslinger mentality to Stillwater.
Byrum Brown rounds out the top five. He’s taking his dual-threat abilities from South Florida to Auburn after a 2025 season where he threw for 3,158 yards and added 1,008 yards on the ground. Brown’s versatility gives Auburn a dynamic option under center.
Coming in at No. 6 is Darian Mensah, who’s transferring from Duke to Miami and might be one of the most underappreciated names on this list. Mensah had a monster year in 2025-3,973 passing yards, 34 touchdowns, just six interceptions-and led Duke to an ACC championship.
He also earned second-team All-ACC honors along the way. Miami made sure to clear the path for him to land in Coral Gables, and it’s easy to see why.
Mensah fits perfectly into what the Hurricanes want to do offensively, and you could make a strong case that he deserves to be even higher on this list.
The rankings continue with a tie at No. 7 between CJ Carr and Noah Fifita-two young QBs who’ve shown promise and will be looking to take another leap in 2026. At No. 9 is Anthony Colandrea, and the top 10 wraps up with a tie between Jayden Maiava and Arch Manning, both of whom bring pedigree and potential to the table.
PFF’s passing grade, which evaluates quarterbacks on a play-by-play basis, takes into account more than just the box score. It looks at decision-making, throw quality, timing-things that don’t always show up in the stat line but matter just as much. And while Sayin sits at the top, this list is a reminder of just how deep the quarterback talent pool is heading into the 2026 season.
From Sayin’s precision at Ohio State to Mensah’s all-around brilliance now headed to Miami, there’s no shortage of storylines to watch. The quarterback play in college football is shaping up to be must-see TV this fall.