Top College Quarterbacks Arizona Cardinals Fans Need to Watch in 2026

ARIZONA -- The 2026 Arizona Cardinals season is being entered with minimal fanfare compared to previous campaigns - that is potentially an understatement.

A wildly disappointing 2025 season, the overall strength of the NFC West division, and grueling 2026 schedule are all reasons why expectations/fan engagement are tempered, but that doesn't mean that there aren't going to be days to look ahead to.

lm;;lmnm — Arizona Cardinals rookie quarterback Carson Beck during a news conference on May 7, 2026, at the Arizona Cardinals training facility in Tempe. | Rob Schumacher/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

While Carson Beck was drafted with the 65th pick in April's draft and the door isn't being shut on investing in Supplemental Draft bound Brendan Sorsby, there are many prospective quarterbacks that will be eligible next April that should catch the franchise's attention regardless of the way the roster looks heading into the regular season.

Arizona Cardinals on SI examines several intriguing future prospects that fans should become accustomed to during the 2026 college football season below.

Arch Manning, Texas

Manning is entering his fourth season at the University of Texas (second as a starter) and remains poised to take his talents to the NFL next year despite vocalized hesitation from Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian.

ewggrerg — Oct 25, 2025; Starkville, Mississippi, USA; Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) walks from the bus to Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field prior to the game against the Mississippi State Bulldogs. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

What Makes Manning Elite Prospect: Manning's physical traits jump off of the page. The soon-to-be senior has a more than sufficient (if not top tier) arm that gifts him the capability of making a play at all three levels of the field. His 6'4" frame gives him a prototypical advantage at the pro level, while his athleticism jumps off the page in compliment of his arm talent. He tangibly grew on a week-to-week basis during the 2025 season and improved as a processor/under duress.

Areas of Concern to Watch: He still has some way to go when it comes to locking onto his primary read, tweaking footwork, and shining through pressure moments. While he has improved a great deal, the 2026 season will be crucial to see if that improvement actually paid off.

Darian Mensah, Miami

lml;m — Dec 6, 2025; Charlotte, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils quarterback Darian Mensah (10) celebrates after the Blue Devils score a touchdown in overtime during the ACC Championship game at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Mensah in Ideal Situation: Mensah took the college football world by storm during the 2025 season at Duke following a fruitful freshman season at Tulane, leading the Blue Devils to an ACC title and a victory in the Sun Bowl over local Arizona State. A godfather offer from Miami pried him away from Durham, and now the 21-year old goes into the best situation in three seasons at the collegiate level.

Mensah's accuracy, poise, and maturity all shine through on a consistent basis, while he also owns a sneaky athleticism that allows for relatively seamless play extension capabilities.

lm;ml — Nov 8, 2025; East Hartford, Connecticut, USA; Duke Blue Devils quarterback Darian Mensah (10) throws a pass against the UConn Huskies in the first quarter at Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images | David Butler II-Imagn Images

What Could Hold Mensah Back: Mensah doesn't possess what would be considered a "rocket" arm by most, while he also attempts to make too many throws off-platform rather than resetting his feet. Many of the holes that can be poked into him as a prospect can be refined in the season ahead - expect Mensah to work his way up to top-five pick status by December.

Dante Moore, Oregon

Moore was widely considered to be in-play for the Cardinals and New York Jets ahead of the 2026 draft, but opted to stay at Oregon for one more campaign.

Moore is a natural quarterback - he has a smooth, consistent throwing motion, owns elite arm talent in the intermediate game, is adept at manipulating the pocket to avoid extreme pressure, is a plus athlete and is already relatively advanced when it comes to reading coverages.

kln — Oregon quarterback Dante Moore walks off the field following the Oregon Ducks annual spring game on April 25, 2026 at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

While he brings many glaring positives to the table, he also doesn't own a "Josh Allen" type of bazooka arm (much like Mensah), has a tendency to become rattled when pressure from the interior reaches him, and can be prone to make "safer" reads instead of taking open shots in the deep game.

C.J. Bailey, NC State

Bailey became one of the more under-the-radar passers in the nation last season, electrifying the ACC with 25 touchdown passes in his first full season at the starting quarterback in Raleigh.

Bailey's 6'6" frame, tantalizing arm talent, being able to put forward longer strides as a result of his frame, and knack to make plays out of structure will catch the attention of many NFL front offices. The main thing that has potential to hold Bailey back is his tendency to bail clean pockets too early, as this is an issue that many bemoaned former franchise player Kyler Murray for.

feewefe — Oct 25, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; North Carolina State Wolfpack quarterback CJ Bailey (11) warms up before the game against the Pittsburgh Panthers at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Others Worth Mentioning: C.J. Carr, Notre Dame; Drew Mestemaker, Oklahoma State; Jayden Maiava, USC; LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina; Trinidad Chambliss, Ole Miss; Sam Leavitt, LSU

Carr is heading into his second full season as Notre Dame's starter and is looked at as an intriguing prospect. However, he has much to prove in 2026 - as much of the Irish offense is reshaped. Mestemaker might project as more of a 2028 prospect, but his raw talent has a high chance of translating from the AAC to the Big 12. Maiava has been one of the most efficient passers in the nation over the last two seasons, but has physical limitations that may cap his ceiling as a prospect.

No one will deny that Sellers boasts a top-tier physical profile - the concern rests in the perceived "rawness" of his game, although South Carolina did Sellers no favors when it came to surrounding him with sufficient skill position talent. Chambliss had a successful 2025 season, but has a bit of a small frame and would by 25 by the start of his rookie year. Leavitt's talent isn't a question, but his recent injury, messy departure from Arizona State, and questionable playstyle are all concerns.

It remains to be seen what the Cardinals will do in the months ahead, but they will certainly be kicking the tires on what has potential to be a special draft class at the position.

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