No. 1 College Football QB Recruit Delivers Bad News to Two Major Programs

These two Power Four college football programs have received bad news following the commitment of the top 2027 quarterback prospect.

Chandler quarterback Will Mencl (7) throws against Basha during the Open state championship at Mountain America Stadium in Tempe on Dec. 6, 2025. | Patrick Breen/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The top 2027 college football recruits are beginning to commit more frequently in April of the 2026 offseason.

A sizable portion of the prospects committed well before April, opting to make their decision before taking official visits. Another larger portion will go into their official summer visits without a commitment as they continue to pare down their lists of options.

One of the latest decisions in the 2027 cycle came from five-star quarterback Will Mencl, who committed to Oregon on Wednesday. Mencl is listed as the No. 1 quarterback in the Rivals300. He is also rated as the top player from Arizona and the No. 49 overall prospect in the class of 2027 by Rivals.

Chandler High School has started Mencl at quarterback in each of the last two seasons, the latter of which saw it appear in the Arizona Open Division Championship.

Mencl has tallied 4,885 yards, 44 touchdowns and five interceptions in the air to go along with 924 yards and 22 touchdowns on the ground in those seasons.

247Sports director of scouting Andrew Ivins said Mencl "can make a variety of different throws while playing both in and out of structure" and that he "will find some easy exit velocity, but likes to utilize touch on deeper shots" in a scouting report he released in December of 2025.

With Mencl's commitment, Oregon now possesses a clear outline for its future at quarterback. Returning starter and probable 2027 top-10 NFL draft choice Dante Moore will start in 2026, and former Nebraska starter Dylan Raiola will start for at least the 2027 season before passing the baton to Mencl.

The fight for Mencl's pledge did not come without its challenges due to his high ranking. Hayes Fawcett of Rivals reported that a pair of Power Four programs were in the mix to land Mencl's commitment.

Auburn

Auburn Tigers head coach Alex Golesh talks with his team during practice at Woltosz Football Performance Center in Auburn, Ala. on Thursday, April 16, 2026. | Jake Crandall/ Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Tigers began their recruitment of Mencl in December of 2025, roughly a month after they had parted ways with head coach Hugh Freeze. Mencl made a visit to Auburn during one of its spring practices in March.

Mencl is not the first quarterback the Tigers have recruited in the 2027 class who has committed elsewhere. Four-star Gunner Rivers chose his father's alma mater, NC State, over Auburn near the end of February. Four-star Israel Abrams chose Miami over Auburn at the beginning of April.

Auburn added a trio of quarterbacks from the NCAA transfer portal, most notably former USF starter Byrum Brown. Three-star Rhys Brush is the lone incoming freshman in the class of 2026.

Penn State

Matt Campbell poses for a photo after being announced as the Penn State Nittany Lions head coach | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

Like Auburn, Penn State got off to a later start in its recruitment of Mencl due to a coaching change. The Nittany Lions offered Mencl his scholarship toward the end of January and received a spring visit from him at the beginning of April.

Matt Campbell brought former Iowa State starter Rocco Becht with him to start for the 2026 season. Fellow Cyclones transfer Alex Manske and three-star freshmen Peyton Falzone and Kase Evans will comprise the rest of the Nittany Lions' quarterback room. Penn State is also in hot pursuit of 2027 four-star Peter Bourque, who decommitted from Michigan in February.