Quarterback trainer calls out media for hyping next year's draft class, cites Joe Burrow's late jump

There's already a lot of hype about the 2026 NFL draft quarterback class. The recently concluded 2025 draft was not quarterback-heavy right from the projections and the dramatic fall of Shedeur Sanders also contributed to having few quarterbacks picked in the early round.

However, with names like Cade Klubnik, Arch Manning, LaNorris Sellers, Drew Allar, Garrett Nussmeier and others eligible for the 2026 draft, there's already a series of projections. A couple of quarterbacks are already touted by fans and analysts to be drafted in the first round.

However, renowned quarterback trainer Quincy Avery of QB Takeover has called out the media and analysts about their early hype of the 2026 draft quarterback class.

In an X post on Saturday, he noted how most people don't know what they're looking at when watching tape on the players, if they've watched tape at all. He also suggested the possibility of players making a big jump late in college, citing a couple of QB examples.

“I really hate seeing y’all talk about the ’26 QB draft class. You haven’t studied them. Guys can make huge jumps late in college look at Burrow or Ward,” Avery wrote on X. “And even when you do watch film, most of you don’t know what you’re looking at.”

Tua Tagovailoa was projected as the No. 1 pick in the 2020 NFL draft heading into the college football season. However, the performance of Joe Burrow in the 2020 season, where he threw 5,671 yards and 60 touchdowns, made him the undisputed No. 1 draft pick.

Also, Cam Ward wasn't viewed as a first-round pick a year ago. The quarterback transferred to Miami from Washington State in 2024 and had a brilliant season with the Hurricanes, breaking the NCAA all-time touchdown pass record, which elevated him to the No. 1 overall pick.

Who are the quarterbacks that can be a first-round pick in 2026?

With the 2025 college football season fast approaching, a host of quarterbacks have what it takes to go as a first-round pick in the upcoming draft. However, the kind of season they have will very much determine where they'll eventually land in the draft.

Clemson’s Cade Klubnik, LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier, Miami’s Carson Beck and Penn State’s Drew Allar are among the seniors who could be first-round picks in 2026. Juniors like Texas’ Arch Manning, South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers and UCLA’s Nico Iamaleava could also be in contention for a first-round spot.

ESPN's early 2026 mock draft currently has Clubnik as the No. 1 pick. Meanwhile, Sellers, Nussmeier, and Allar are also touted to be picked in the top 10.

Overall, it's expected to be a quarterback-heavy draft class in 2026, with a possibility of having more first-round quarterback picks than ever. The highest number of quarterbacks selected in the first round is six, occurring in 1983 and 2024.