We’re through Week 3 of the 2025 college football season, and things got wild Saturday. Georgia and Tennessee traded punches in an instant classic, with the Bulldogs taking it in overtime. Texas A&M upset Notre Dame, scoring a game-winning TD with 13 seconds left. South Carolina fell to Vanderbilt after LaNorris Sellers left the game, and Clemson lost to unranked Georgia Tech on a walk-off field goal.
The NFL season, meanwhile, kicked off last Sunday. All 32 teams are obviously focused on their regular-season schedules that lie ahead, and the 2026 draft is still more than half a year away. But our NFL draft analysts are always looking further down the road, taking early notes on top prospects and starting to stack their rankings for an exciting class.
With that in mind, Mel Kiper Jr., Matt Miller and Jordan Reid will size up CFB action through a draft-centric lens on Sunday mornings all season long (save this link!). They will answer lingering questions on the best 2026 prospects, share insights from scouts, pick out risers to watch and pull back the curtain on their evaluation process. Here is what they’ve seen and heard through Week 3.
Sept. 14
Has Carson Beck revived his draft stock at Miami? What are scouts saying about his status?
Reid: Coming into last season, Beck was viewed as a potential first overall pick for 2025 — but an inconsistent final year at Georgia created questions. He didn’t declare for the draft, instead transferring to Miami, where he aimed to reestablish and revive his draft stock.
Well, Beck has 812 passing yards, seven touchdown passes and two interceptions through three games, and his 89.9 QBR is fourth in the nation. He threw for 340 yards in Miami’s win against South Florida on Saturday. Beck (6-foot-4, 220 pounds) looks comfortable in the team’s adjusted offense (Miami ran more up-tempo, Air Raid-style last season) and has routinely stayed on-schedule and in rhythm — sneaky good traits in his skill set.
He entered the season with primarily Day 3 grades from scouts, and they are taking notice of his early-season play. He is certainly trending up. But evaluators aren’t ready to put Beck back into that first-round conversation just yet. Most still consider him for the middle rounds.
Has anything changed in the WR1 race through Week 3?
Miller: Arizona State’s Jordyn Tyson is still the front-runner. He’s averaging 104.7 receiving yards per game this season (tied for 10th in the FBS) and has four TD catches, including one Saturday against Texas State. Tyson (6-foot-2, 200 pounds) had drop issues last year, but he has emerged as a more polished pass catcher (just one drop on 37 targets though three games). His deep-route-running ability and how well he separates over the top still has him as the top receiver in the class.
However … the WR1 race is very wide open, and Alabama’s Germie Bernard is emerging in the mix. He has been the best thing about Alabama football so far this season. Scouts had him with a fringe Round 1-2 grade over the summer. But to me, he’s right in the WR1 convo with Tyson and has a game very similar to Emeka Egbuka as a college receiver. At 6-foot-1 and 204 pounds, he is already a high-end route runner with good physicality and strength. Bernard had two scores in Saturday’s blowout win over Wisconsin — one on the ground and another through the air.
What else are we seeing and hearing?
Miller: Scouts were buzzing all week after Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer carved up the Michigan defense last Saturday. “It’s going to be very hard to not think Round 1 with him if he keeps this up,” said an NFC West scout. The 6-foot-1, 224-pound Mateer, who transferred from Washington State, has another year of eligibility, but his red-hot start has his stock soaring in a QB class that does not yet have a lock on the top guy. We saw more classic Mateer Saturday against Temple, as he threw one touchdown pass and one interception while showing the arm angles and fun play in the pocket that makes him one of the most intriguing passers in the nation.
0:34
John Mateer takes it 51 yards to the house for OU
John Mateer takes it 51 yards to the end zone for the Sooners vs. the Owls.
Miller: Mateer might be the hottest name among draft-eligible quarterbacks, but Fernando Mendoza is playing as well as anyone at the position. The Cal transfer has been at home in Curt Cignetti’s offense at Indiana. Against Indiana State on Friday night, Mendoza went 19-for-20 with 270 yards and five touchdowns through the air and one on the ground. That’s as close to flawless as you can get. Scouts I talked to over the summer were high on him after his junior season but wanted to see him cut down on turnovers. So far this season at Indiana, Mendoza (6-foot-5, 225 pounds) has done that, throwing nine touchdown passes and zero interceptions. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him start getting attention from NFL scouts as a potential Round 1 player.
Reid: After an injury-riddled 2024 season, Miami defensive lineman Rueben Bain Jr. has been terrific in the early parts of 2025 — and he is in the first-round picture. At 6-foot-3 and 275 pounds, he’s a bit of a tweener, and I’ve heard mixed opinions on his position at the next level. There are some scouts who like him as a 3-4 defensive end, while others believe he could transition to 3-technique with added bulk. Regardless, Bain’s combination of power and disruption makes him arguably one of the three best defensive linemen in a loaded class at the position. He has 1.5 sacks and 10 tackles over three games.
Reid: When talking to scouts out on the road this week, Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese was repeatedly mentioned as someone making the jump to another level this season. At 6-foot-4 and 243 pounds, Reese is a rangy second-level defender who wears multiple hats in the Buckeyes’ scheme. He serves as a strongside linebacker, but defensive coordinator Matt Patricia also deploys him as an edge rusher. With explosive playmaking traits, Reese has 16 tackles and two sacks over three games. If his current level of play continues through conference matchups, he could start receiving Round 1 chatter, too.
Miller: Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik had summer hype as a first-rounder, but NFL scouts are backpedaling faster than the cornerbacks he faces. One AFC East scout said: “I think he’s a Day 3 guy, and you saw why today. When his weapons were missing [including Antonio Williams], he looked average. OK arm, OK processing speed. Way too overhyped.”
Reid: After missing the first two games of the season with a foot injury, Florida interior defender Caleb Banks made his season debut against LSU. But in the third quarter, Banks reaggravated the injury and was later seen on crutches and with a walking boot. The 6-foot-6, 330-pounder had significant buzz from NFL scouts over the summer, and some believed he had top-15 potential. His injury recovery is something to monitor moving forward.
Sept. 7
Which prospect caught your eye in Michigan-Oklahoma?
Miller: The Michigan defense was supposed to be the star of the show, but I couldn’t help but zero in on Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer. The Washington State transfer put the Sooners on his back with his strong right arm and mobility both inside and outside the pocket. Mateer rushed for 74 yards and a score, and he threw for another touchdown with 270 yards passing against a talented defense that features one of the country’s best D-lines.
Mateer (6-foot-1, 224 pounds) is a gunslinger, and he’ll take a lot of chances with passes that will make you hold your breath — but he also makes plays many other college QBs simply aren’t making at this point in the season. Mateer’s arm strength, mobility, moxie and playmaking mindset make for a great watch.
NFL scouts had a conservative Day 3 grade on Mateer this summer, but I’m seeing a player with enough starter traits to put him inside my top 50. And if he continues to play this well against SEC defenses, a Round 1 grade isn’t out of the question.
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John Mateer scores his 2nd rushing TD vs. Michigan
John Mateer gets great blocking and keeps it to give Oklahoma a 21-7 lead.
What have we learned about Arch Manning over two games?
Reid: Expectations for Manning were sky high entering the season. But he never got into a rhythm against Ohio State in Week 1, which led to erratic accuracy, late reads and poor overall decision-making. Manning managed just 170 passing yards, one TD throw and an interception. He did have a much better performance in Week 2 against San Jose State — 295 passing yards and four touchdown passes. There, Manning was more decisive, and the offense seemed to flow much better as a result. But he is very much still in the early stages of his first year as a starter.
Where Manning has been the most disappointing is his mechanics. His body hasn’t been in sync with his throwing motion, causing him inaccuracy on what should be routine throws. To really hit the next level, he needs to iron that out. As I’ve said since the summer, I still believe the earliest we’ll see Manning in the NFL is 2027.
Which potential first-round QB most needs a quick turnaround after a slow start to 2025?
Miller: LaNorris Sellers, QB, South Carolina. Let me start by saying I’m a Sellers fan. He’s my No. 1-ranked quarterback for the 2026 draft based on his potential and talent. That said, he has to be cleaner as a passer than he was on Saturday against South Carolina State. He was just 11-of-19 in a vanilla game plan. Much like we saw in the season opener against Virginia Tech, Sellers can overwhelm opponents with his mobility and arm talent, but he is still taking shots as a passer that are just too risky — which lead to incompletions and turnover-worthy plays. He is completing 60.5% of his passes right now, and he has been off-target 10.5% of the time.
Sellers (6-foot-3, 240 pounds) is incredibly talented, but he has to become a better on-target passer, especially in the pocket, and improve his on-time rhythm to take that next step as a prospect. He’s still holding firm as my QB1, but there are holes in his game that I’ll be watching this season.
Reid: Cade Klubnik, Clemson. Coming into the season, I was high on Klubnik as he showed a huge bump in his development throughout 2024. Based on the personnel and infrastructure in place at Clemson, there wasn’t a QB in the country who was better set up to succeed this year. But after watching him live against LSU last week, I see issues when he faces pressure. He was also indecisive and took too long to make decisions within the framework of the offense. Those concerns popped up again this weekend against Troy.
In talking to scouts around the league, Klubnik (6-foot-2, 210 pounds) is polarizing as a prospect because he has a lot of solid/average traits but lacks a dominant one. You need that one superior skill to catapult to the front of this QB class, and it’s why his draft grades are all over the place with NFL evaluators.
0:25
Cade Klubnik airs it out for 26-yard touchdown pass
Cade Klubnik connects for 26-yard TD pass
Which player is already rising your draft board based on his play so far — and how high could he go?
Reid: Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU. No other draft-eligible prospect impressed me more during my Week 1 scouting trip than Delane. One of the biggest transfer portal additions in the country across any position, he has been excellent through two weeks since arriving in Baton Rouge from Virginia Tech.
At 6-foot and 190 pounds, Delane is a smooth-moving corner with the ability to mirror-and-match the movements of opponent receivers. His ball skills have also been exceptional to start the season, with two pass breakups and an interception. Delane has the savviness and awareness to find the ball and make plays on it in the air. His technique is always relaxed, too, and he hardly ever allows wide receivers to speed up his process while sticking in coverage with them. And Delane has not only been consistent in man coverage; his zone instincts have shined as well.
Because of the spring injury to Tennessee’s Jermod McCoy, the CB1 race is wide open. Delane has strengthened his case through the early portions of the season and currently projects as a top-50 pick.
Miller: Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana. There was a good amount of summer hype and excitement surrounding Mendoza after he transferred into the wide-open Indiana passing game from Cal. And so far, the hype has been warranted. Mendoza hasn’t faced a quality opponent yet, but it’s obvious his traits are next-level.
Against Kennesaw State, Mendoza was 18-of-25 for 245 yards and four touchdown passes — the type of numbers you expect a top-tier prospect to put up against a lower-level opponent. He’s showing great command of the offense while building chemistry with senior wide receiver Elijah Sarratt (who had three scores on Saturday). Mendoza’s ability to layer the ball on deep throws stands out. And in a quarterback class where we’re very much waiting for someone to emerge, his showing through two weeks — even against not great competition — has been notable. Mendoza’s arm talent, size (6-foot-5, 225 pounds) and what he adds to the game as a runner could put him into the QB1 derby we’re seeing play out every Saturday.
What else are you seeing and hearing?
Kiper: I have been impressed with Oregon quarterback Dante Moore. He was a big recruit out of high school but struggled in Year 1 at UCLA and then sat behind Dillon Gabriel in Year 2 after transferring. Now he’s taking full advantage of this Will Stein offense in Eugene. Yes, the Ducks have only faced Montana State and Oklahoma State — two teams they should handle most of the time — but Moore is playing at a high level. The 6-foot-3, 206-pounder showed great accuracy on Saturday against the Cowboys. The touch on his deep balls was fantastic, and he routinely threw with precision from different arm angles and while rolling either direction. Moore has thrown for at least 200 yards, completed at least 75% of his throws and tossed at least three TD passes in both contests — and he hasn’t thrown any INTs yet.
Now, the schedule is going to get tougher. I have Moore’s trip to Penn State circled for late September. How will he handle a “white out” environment? But if Moore keeps playing like this, Round 1 will be in play.
Miller: During summer evaluations of the 2026 class, Ohio State safety Caleb Downs emerged as one of my favorite players to study now that he’s finally draft-eligible after two All-American seasons to start his college career. Downs ranks as my No. 1 safety and a top-five player overall. But that sentiment wasn’t shared by scouts I spoke with before the season. “He’s a liability in man coverage. He might be a [weakside linebacker] in the NFL with how often he plays in the box,” said an AFC East area scout.
The issue with that idea is that Downs is listed by Ohio State at 6-foot and 205 pounds, hardly linebacker size by today’s standards. In my view, Downs is a Kyle Hamilton-esque defender, and his play against Texas highlighted his versatility.
Kiper: Jordan touched on this, but I still think Manning goes back to school. He needs to become a great college quarterback before he can become a great NFL quarterback, and he hasn’t gotten there yet. The potential is here, for sure. But one full year as a CFB starter isn’t going to be enough to reach that next level before jumping to the pros. I wouldn’t put him on mock drafts or even rankings right now.
Kiper: Kevin Coleman Jr. has perfectly filled the Luther Burden III void in the Missouri offense. The 5-foot-11, 180-pound slot receiver has been all over the place. He was at Jackson State in 2022. Then Louisville in 2023. Then Mississippi State in 2024. Now he’s on to Missouri. And the production has been good so far, including 10 catches for 126 yards and a touchdown against Kansas on Saturday. Coleman displays the quick burst to separate underneath, and he can tag on extra yards after the catch. His body control is impressive, and he snags the ball in stride. And I really like how quickly Coleman reads zone coverage and finds openings. Toss in some punt return ability, and I see a potential Day 2 prospect.
Reid: One player who has NFL scouts already buzzing is Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq. They specifically call out his ability as a blocker at 6-foot-3, 245 pounds. “He’s an absolute weapon as a run blocker that tries to put guys in the dirt whenever he gets hands on them,” an AFC area scout said. Sadiq came into the season as my TE1, and he looks like one of the most consistent prospects in the country so far, regardless of position. Sadiq received Round 1 buzz coming into the year, and if his level of play continues, he could be a top-20 pick.
Miller: Ohio State offensive lineman Ethan Onianwa — a highly regarded transfer from Rice with top-75 grades from NFL scouts — did not start against Texas and played just 13 snaps after he eventually rotated into the game at right guard. The 6-foot-6, 333-pound senior had high expectations this season, but the early word from sources with the Buckeyes is he has struggled to pick up the offense.
Kiper: The Clemson defensive line is loaded, with the likes of T.J. Parker and Peter Woods. But how about Will Heldt? He’s leading the Tigers with two sacks so far, and he looked great against Troy this weekend. The Purdue transfer has good length, the ability to get pressure both inside or outside and solid closing speed. Heldt mixes up his pass-rush moves to get home, but don’t sleep on his ability to get off blocks and pursue laterally, and even drop in coverage. Dabo Swinney doesn’t typically use the transfer portal, but landing Heldt this year was a big win. The 6-foot-5, 260-pound edge rusher is playing like a first-rounder.
Miller: Baylor quarterback Sawyer Robertson is worth keeping an eye on as an emerging talent in the 2026 draft class. An AFC South area scout texted me on Saturday: “Robertson is the real deal. He’s got it all.” The 6-foot-4, 220-pound senior was phenomenal in a shootout with SMU on Saturday, throwing four touchdown passes and completing 34 of 50 passes for 440 yards in a double-overtime win.
Kiper: The Ole Miss defense lost a lot of talent this year, including Walter Nolen III. But defensive tackle Zxavian Harris (6-foot-7, 320 pounds) has been huge for the Rebels, with his second sack in as many games on Saturday against Kentucky. Harris moves well for his size, especially laterally, and he makes his presence felt against both the run and the pass. He still needs refinement as a pass rusher, but defensive coordinators can move him around to get advantages. His draft stock is still TBD — I need to see more.
Kiper: Tanner Koziol left Ball State for Houston before this season, and he has been outstanding. The early Day 3 prospect still has to improve his blocking, but he’s a dangerous pass catcher. Koziol is basically a receiver in a tight end’s body (6-foot-6, 250 pounds). He already has 13 catches on the season, including six for 52 yards on Saturday against Rice.
