It’s pretty rare that we see any substantial season-changing outcomes in Week One of College Football. Usually, the ranked powerhouses are able to take care of the less-talented schools that they schedule - unless, of course, you’re a B1G team.
That doesn’t mean that we don’t get to see how standout players perform. Without overreacting, I think it’s safe to say we have a pretty loaded 2027 NFL Draft class, even if some of the players end up going back to school for another season.
In the last two drafts, the biggest missing link has been the number of potential franchise quarterbacks. Even with players like Cam Ward and Fernando Mendoza, we haven’t been treated to true superstar quarterbacks in the draft in quite some time.
I believe that will change this time around. Yes, people say this every year, but the quarterbacks people have hyped up in the past two cycles don’t hold up against the talent in this year’s class.
With Week One setting the stage, let’s take a look at some of the quarterbacks that can potentially save an NFL franchise next April.
Showstoppers
I’m not sure there was a bigger performance from a quarterback last week than what Darian Mensah did in his first start for the Canes. Primed with his star receiver Malachi Toney (who had his own stellar showing), Mensah threw for 401 yards and 5 touchdowns, at 90% (27/30) completion.
I won’t pretend that Samford is a premier football program. However, numbers like these are hard to ignore.
Mensah is at his third program any as many years as a starting quarterback. After leading Tulane two years ago and helping Duke to an ACC Title last season, Mensah will have more talent around him this season to help show off his traits.
If there are more performances like this one throughout the rest of the season, don’t be surprised to hear Mensah’s name be the first or second called on draft night next April.
Another draft-eligible QB that had a sensational performance last weekend was Trinidad Chambliss. Chambliss, who was given an injunction in the spring to play another year of college ball, has already taken advantage of the opportunity to raise his draft stock.
396 total yards and 4 total touchdowns (one rushing) aren’t quite as impressive as Mensah’s stats, but given that Chambliss faced off against a ranked Louisville team at a neutral site, his showing is worthy of inclusion here as well.
Chambliss was already a highly-touted quarterback during last year’s draft cycle. If he can continue to play under control without having the Lane Kiffin tax attached to him this season, Chambliss will be just as highly-regarded coming into the 2027 Draft.
Lastly, I wanted to include a quarterback that isn’t eligible for the 2027 NFL Draft, but will likely headline the 2028 class. Cal’s Jaron Keawe-Sagopolutele (JKS) had one of the best true-freshman season from a quarterback in the last few years.
QB play comes natural to him, and despite it looking a bit off as a left-handed player, JKS can sling the rock across the field. There are almost shades of another former Cal quarterback when watching JKS, with his natural ability to access any area of the field and scramble to find throws.
For now, JKS continue to lead the Golden Bears against tough B1G matchups. When it comes to next year - be on the lookout for what JKS is able to do as he raises his own draft stock.
Steady Performers
A handful of other highly-drafted hopefuls also had good performances over the weekend. The headliner of this group is Arch Manning, perhaps the most highly-anticipated draft prospect ever.
Manning wasn’t bad whatsoever - and frankly has had a major upswing since the game against Florida last season - but there are still some quirks to his game, including his throwing motion.
The Longhorns’ signal-caller has all the talent in the world, but still needs a bit of refinement in order to follow in the footsteps of his uncles and becoming a top pick in the 2027 NFL Draft.
Manning isn’t alone in this group either, players like Dante Moore, Julian Sayin, and Jayden Maiava all have high ceilings for this season.
For Moore, consistency seems to be the key to unlocking the Oregon QB’s potential. Many times last year, Moore was considered in the QB1 conversation. If he can consistently take advantage of the talent around him, Moore will be a first round pick.
Maiava is in a similar boat. A trendy pick as a dark horse Heisman candidate, Maiava has also had a favorable supporting cast in his time as a starter. Now, in Year 4 as a starter, Maiava needs to string together multiple high-level performances to live up to the lofty expectations.
Lastly, Ohio State’s Julian Sayin was a player last season that finished as a Heisman finalist. Given that he was throwing to the No. 4 overall pick (Carnell Tate) and the best player in the sport (Jeremiah Smith), one would expect Sayin to have a great season.
Now, in his presumed draft season, Sayin needs to show that he isn’t overly-relying on his supporting cast. Sayin is generally effective and accurate, but his arm tends to be little more than average, especially in tight window throws.
Proving that he can be a creator and more reliable downfield thrower will do wonders for Sayin throughout the scrutiny of this year’s draft process.
Show Us Some More
Kienholz
Last season, one of the best stories across the league was the emergence of Drew Mestemaker as a rising star. During his first season as a starting QB since middle school, Mestemaker threw for nearly 4400 yards, 34 touchdowns, and helped lead North Texas to an 11-2 record.
Once Head Coach Eric Morris left for Oklahoma State in the offseason, Mestemaker followed him, and was expected to continue his ascension at a Power Four program.
Mestemaker did not leave a great impression in his first game this season. Against Tulsa, he threw for more interceptions than touchdowns, and generally looked behind on plays, especially when facing pressure.
While it’s only been one game, Mestemaker will have to adjust to more difficult competition - Week 2 brings Dante Moore’s Ducks into town. Hopefully, Mestemaker will be able to bounce back and put himself back into top QB contention.
The final quarterback in today’s article is a bit of a wild card. While Trinidad Chambliss was able to pull off a win against Louisville, the Cardinals’ QB Lincoln Kienholz was able to keep the game close.
It was a bit of a tale of two halves for Kienholz, starting slow but ending the game with 3 total touchdowns and just over 300 yards passing. Not a bad performance, given the opponent was a Top 10 team and it was Kienholz first ever start.
Through the first three years of Kienholz college career, he spent time at Ohio State, backing up guys like Kyle McCord, Will Howard, and Julian Sayin. Now, at Louisville, Kienholz has a chance to show off his talent without being stuck behind a logjam at QB.
If the Cards’ quarterback can play more like his second half version throughout the rest of the season, don’t be surprised to hear his name called on the first night of the 2027 NFL Draft.
Player of the Week
While the majority of the focus was on the quarterbacks kicking off the season, I believe that a running back had the best performance of any draft-eligible player last weekend.
Florida’s Jadan Baugh has not flown under the radar by any means. Over the last two seasons, Baugh has dragged an anemic Gators offense, gaining almost 2000 rushing yards and 15 rushing touchdowns.
Junior year Baugh is moving differently. In game one with new Head Coach Jon Sumrall, as well as a new offensive staff and quarterback, Baugh rushed for 160 yards and 3 touchdowns, ON 14 CARRIES.
That’s about 11.4 yards per rush, for a Florida offense that hasn’t been able to produce much over the last half-decade. Adding new offensive infrastructure helps, but Baugh still seems to have taken his game to the next level.
It’s still early, but Baugh looks to be the leader for RB1 in the 2027 class. If Baugh can keep a similar pace throughout the season, it won’t be a question of whether or not Baugh will go in Round 1.
The question will become: Can we take another running back in the Top 10?
As the season goes on, we won’t only focus on the quarterbacks like we did today. This class is filled with talent at almost every position, and we’ll continue to look into standout players and draft risers as the season marches on.
For Week 2, here are some matchups to keep an eye on:
(23) Missouri vs Kansas
(11) Oklahoma at Michigan
(6) Oregon at Oklahoma State
(12) Alabama at Kentucky
Utah State at (19) Washington
(1) Ohio State at (4) Texas