Who will be the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft is a question that the college football world always has an answer to one year, if not two years in advance.
While a lot can happen in one year, here are the 10 players with the best odds of being selected with the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft (Odds according to DraftKings Sportsbook).
Top 10 Players With Best Odds to be Drafted First Overall in the 2026 NFL Draft
Fernando Mendoza played the first two seasons of his collegiate career at California. (Photo by Andrew Wevers/Getty Images)
After spending the first two seasons of his career at California (2023-24), Mendoza transferred to Indiana, with whom he’s expected to be the team’s 2025 starting quarterback. Last season, the 6-foot-5 Mendoza totaled 3,004 passing yards, 16 passing touchdowns, six interceptions and a 144.6 passer rating, while completing 68.7% of his passes. He joins a Hoosiers team that’s coming off an 11-2 season, highlighted by an appearance in the College Football Playoff.
Keldric Faulk had seven sacks in his sophomore season. (Photo by Michael Chang/Getty Images)
Faulk is one of the faces of an Auburn team that’s looking to break through in its soon-to-be third season under head coach Hugh Freeze. Last season, Faulk racked up seven sacks, 11 tackles for loss, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and 45 combined tackles.
Caleb Downs played his freshman season at Alabama before transferring to Ohio State. (Photo by Ric Tapia/Getty Images)
After shining at Alabama in his 2023 freshman season, Downs transferred to Ohio State in the wake of legendary Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban retiring. Year 1 in Columbus went quite well for the former five-star recruit. As a defensive back, Downs totaled two interceptions, six passes defended, eight tackles for loss and 82 combined tackles, while also returning six punts and running back one of them for a touchdown. Downs earned All-American honors in a season that saw the Buckeyes win the National Championship.
T.J. Parker led the ACC with six forced fumbles last season. (Photo by David Jensen/Getty Images)
After a solid freshman campaign, Parker was a force to be reckoned with for the Tigers in his sophomore season in 2024. In the latter year, Parker totaled 11.0 sacks, an ACC-high six forced fumbles, 20 tackles for loss, two fumble recoveries and 57 combined tackles on a Clemson team that won the ACC and reached the College Football Playoff. Parker will be an early favorite to win 2025 ACC Defensive Player of the Year honors.
Sam Leavitt transferred to Arizona State after one season at Michigan State. (Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images)
Leavitt transferred from Michigan State to Arizona State for the 2024 season in what turned out to be a fun ride for the program. In what was his first full year as a starting quarterback at the collegiate level, Leavitt flashed dual-threat ability. In the air, he totaled 2,885 passing yards, 24 passing touchdowns, six interceptions and a 150.2 passer rating, while completing 61.7% of his passes. On the ground, Leavitt rushed for 443 yards and five touchdowns. Leavitt and the Sun Devils finished 11-3, won the Big 12 and reached the College Football Playoff before a heartbreaking overtime loss to Texas in the quarterfinal round.
Cade Klubnik is entering his third season as Clemson’s starting quarterback. (Photo by Jack Gorman/Getty Images)
The 2025 season will be Klubnik’s third under center for the Tigers, and he’s coming off an encouraging 2024 campaign. In said season, Klubnik totaled 3,639 passing yards, 36 passing touchdowns, six interceptions and a 148.2 passer rating, while completing 63.4% of his passes. He also rushed for 463 yards and seven touchdowns. Klubnik led Clemson to an ACC title and subsequently a berth in the College Football Playoff.
LaNorris Sellers is entering his second season as South Carolina’s starting quarterback. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Sellers was South Carolina’s starting quarterback for all but one game in 2024 in what was a season that saw the freshman turn heads. As a passer, Sellers totaled 2,534 passing yards, 18 passing touchdowns, seven interceptions and a 151.9 passer rating, while completing 65.6% of his passes. He also rushed for 674 yards and seven touchdowns. The 6-foot-3, 240-pound signal-caller flashed a capable arm, while imposing his will on the ground in a season that saw the Gamecocks go 9-4.
Garrett Nussmeier is entering his second season as LSU’s full-time quarterback. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)
After sitting on the bench for the better part of three seasons, Nussmeier became LSU’s starting quarterback in 2024 and more than held his own. Nussmeier totaled 4,052 passing yards, 29 passing touchdowns, 12 interceptions and a 142.7 passer rating, while completing 64.2% of his passes in a 9-4 season for the Tigers. As with any season at LSU, Nussmeier and the Tigers have high expectations for the 2025 season, which will be their fourth season under head coach Brian Kelly. LSU will go as far as the gun-slinging Nussmeier, who led the SEC with 525 pass attempts last season, takes them.
Drew Allar helped Penn State reach the semifinal round of the College Football Playoff last season. (Photo by Peter Joneleit/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
After a 2023 season that saw Allar throw for a Big Ten-high 25 touchdowns, he put together an even more convincing 2024 campaign, which saw the quarterback throw with conviction and lead the Nittany Lions to the semifinal round of the College Football Playoff. Allar totaled 3,327 passing yards, 24 passing touchdowns, eight interceptions and a 153.5 passer rating, while completing 66.5% of his passes. He also rushed for 302 yards and six touchdowns.
Arch Manning was the No. 1 overall recruit in the Class of 2023. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)
Yes, there’s another, and this one is named after the grandfather. Manning will be the Longhorns’ quarterback next season after backing up Quinn Ewers in 2024 and appearing in just two games in 2023. Manning, the No. 1 overall recruit in the Class of 2023, actually made two starts for Texas last season and appeared in 10 games total, primarily as a rushing threat when he was brought in for select plays. In all, Manning totaled 939 passing yards, nine passing touchdowns, two interceptions and a 184.0 passer rating, while completing 67.8% of his passes and rushing for 108 yards and four touchdowns. He’s under center for a Texas team that reached the semifinal round of the College Football Playoff last season and has its sights set on a National Championship.
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