NFL Draft Summer Scouting Primer: Quarterbacks
Need to know the names to watch at the quarterback position as you get into Summer Scouting? I've got you covered
We are getting into summer scouting here now, after taking a bit of a break after the 2026 NFL Draft. And as I get into these position groups, a great starting point per position will be to break down the bigger names in the class and provide a bit of context for each name.
We know that Texas’s Arch Manning and Oregon’s Dante Moore will enter the season as the headliners in the class, but there are plenty of names that either need to be punted to the 2028 class completely, have the makeup of NFL backups (this is not a bad thing!), or have what it takes to be a potential riser this season.
So, that’s what I do here in this quarterback primer. I have divided the names out for easy sorting and have provided a quick blurb for a flurry of quarterbacks in this year’s draft class.
DISCLAIMER: This is not a positional rankings piece. This is simply a primer to provide names and initial thoughts on quarterbacks in the class for those interested in doing a deeper summer scouting dive
Not ready to talk about them this year
Julian Sayin, Ohio State
My comparison for Julian Sayin, even going back to last year, has been former Georgia quarterback Aaron Murray. Sure, he is accurate, but the tools are underwhelming, he’s tiny, and when pressure ramped up last year, he wilted. Sayin is only a Redshirt Sophomore, and I’m not really willing to have the NFL Draft conversation with him yet.
CJ Bailey, NC State
This is a quarterback that I just have not seen it with. The arm is not overly powerful despite the long frame, the decision-making is extremely rough, and the accuracy is all over the place. I’ll need to see a massive stride from Bailey early in 2026 for me to consider a charting profile or an in-season write-up.
Nico Iamaleava, UCLA
The accuracy has always been an issue with Nico Iamaleava. He now has a fun head coach to pair him with, and a leap is certainly possible. What he has done through his college career at both Tennessee and UCLA to this point, however, has not warranted much NFL attention despite the high-end tools.
Sam Leavitt, LSU
Sam Leavitt is entering the ideal college offense for his style of play, which is currently laser a throw to his primary target or tuck and run to look for action with his legs. He’s too much of a “live on the fringes” kind of quarterback for my liking from an NFL evaluation perspective, but the tools are wiry.
Demond Williams, Washington
Williams is undersized and a bit frenetic and scatter-shot as a quarterback, playing in structure and from an accuracy perspective. I am not saying he couldn’t take a leap, but he’s not one I’ll prioritize in summer scouting.
