Todd McShay Names College Football QB Who 'Looks the Part' Entering 2026

Texas A&M quarterback Marcel Reed spent most of the 2025 season looking like one of the best players in college football. He led the Aggies to an 11-0 start, orchestrated the largest comeback in program history against South Carolina and had his name firmly in the Heisman Trophy conversation before a late-season collapse dimmed the momentum.

Reed threw a combined four interceptions and zero touchdown passes in losses to Texas and Miami to close the year, leaving a bitter taste in the mouths of everyone in College Station.

It was a frustrating finish to an otherwise remarkable campaign, and it raised fair questions about whether Reed could take the next step as a passer heading into 2026.

But NFL draft analyst Todd McShay saw something different when he watched Reed throw at the 2026 Manning Passing Academy in late June. And the transformation apparently left an impression.

McShay's take on Reed after Manning Passing Academy

During a recent appearance on The Rich Eisen Show, McShay detailed what he observed from the Aggies' redshirt junior signal-caller at the annual event in Thibodaux, La.

"Marcel Reed was frustrating at times ... after watching his tape and seeing a lot of the same missed throws and missed opportunities, and then I saw him at the Manning Passing Academy, and I'm like, 'Oh, this young man has been grinding,'" McShay said. "[Looks] thicker, looks the part, ball's coming out quicker, more accurate."

McShay went on to emphasize the broader significance of a single offseason for young quarterbacks still finding their way at the college level.

"It's amazing what one offseason of reset, refine and go repeat can do for a quarterback," McShay said. "When you've got to remember, we're talking 18- to 19-year-olds. So there's a lot of hope, but also a lot of work that has to be done."

On3's Wilson Alexander backed up what McShay saw, naming Reed one of his early standouts from the Academy's throwing sessions. Alexander noted Reed's success on vertical and post routes, connecting with receivers in stride on deep balls with tight spirals.

It was a notable showing for a quarterback whose arm strength has never been questioned but whose accuracy and ball placement have been points of contention.

What a Reed leap would mean for Texas A&M in 2026

The offseason work has been extensive and intentional. Reed has been training with Jeff Christensen, the renowned private quarterback coach known for his work with Patrick Mahomes and Baker Mayfield.

According to 247Sports' Tony Catalina, Christensen was expected to log over 60 hours of on-field work with Reed this offseason, focusing on refining his mechanics and speeding up his release. Reed was also throwing to Alabama transfer wide receiver Isaiah Horton during those sessions, building chemistry with a new weapon who slots in as the Aggies' primary X receiver alongside returning star slot receiver Mario Craver.

Texas A&M Aggies head coach Mike Elko will look to improve on last season's late collapse. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Head coach Mike Elko summed up the trajectory in June: "He went from a guy who you guys were asking me if he could throw a football, to a Heisman contender."

Reed himself has acknowledged what is at stake. "We've been one game away from the SEC Championship two years in a row, so we should let that sink in and do something about it," he told On3.

He also made his intentions clear about how he wants to be perceived going forward. "I'm a quarterback," Reed said. "They haven't said that for a while."

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