The crop of starting quarterbacks across college football in 2026 is one of the strongest in recent memory.Each Power Four conference boasts multiple productive returning starters, and many of the programs with a new face at quarterback brought in a productive starter from another program by way of the NCAA transfer portal.ESPN NFL draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. revealed his top five quarterback prospects with Field Yates on ESPN's "First Draft." The majority of Kiper's top five prospects were returning starters, although he did include a transfer quarterback at the end of his rankings.5. Drew Mestemaker (Oklahoma State)Oklahoma State's Drew Mestemaker throws a touchdown pass during a spring football for the Oklahoma State University Cowboys at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, Okla., Saturday, April 18, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters ConnectCollege football's most productive passer in 2025 occupies the No. 5 spot on Kiper's list.Drew Mestemaker finished his first and only full season as North Texas' starter, throwing for an FBS-high 4,379 yards, 34 touchdowns and nine interceptions. He is one of several key components head coach Eric Morris is bringing with him to Oklahoma State from the Mean Green's 2025 offense.The American Conference is arguably the strongest Group of Six league year to year, but transitioning to the Big 12 is still a major jump for this offense. Mestemaker's ability to make this transition could make or break his stock for the 2027 NFL draft.4. Trinidad Chambliss (Ole Miss)Ole Miss starter Trinidad Chambliss seamlessly transitioned from Division II Ferris State into SEC football in 2025.The 6-foot, 200-pounder threw for 3,937 yards, 22 touchdowns and three interceptions and ran for 527 yards and eight touchdowns last season. Chambliss will be surrounded by new faces at wide receiver and offensive tackle, but he had no issue adapting to new surroundings in his jump to the SEC last season.Chambliss' age is something that may work against him in the 2027 NFL draft. Most organizations look for starters who have been in college three to four seasons, but Chambliss is entering his sixth season of college football.3. CJ Carr (Notre Dame)Apr 25, 2026; Notre Dame, IN, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarterback CJ Carr (13) throws a pass during the Blue-Gold game at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Michael Caterina-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectCarr edged out current Kentucky starter Kenny Minchey in a tightly contested competition to become Notre Dame's starter in 2025.The first two starts of Carr's college career were losses, but they were against College Football Playoff teams. Carr combined for 514 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions in the Fighting Irish's losses to Miami and Texas A&M, and he led them to victories in each of the last 10 games.Notre Dame faces another friendly schedule in 2026, but its marquee games against BYU and Miami are in the back half of the season. With that in mind, Carr should be more fit to handle the Fighting Irish's toughest competition than he was at the beginning of 2025.2. Arch Manning (Texas)Manning survived the fiery baptism that was the first half of Texas' 2025 season.The Longhorns won seven of their final eight games last season, including ranked victories over Oklahoma, Vanderbilt, Texas A&M and Michigan. Manning finished the year with 3,163 yards, 26 touchdowns and seven interceptions in the air and 399 yards and 10 more touchdowns on the ground.Texas took measures to improve Manning's supporting cast this offseason, upgrading at running back, wide receiver and on the offensive line via the transfer portal. Those upgrades, coupled with Manning's Pro Football Hall of Fame-caliber lineage, make him one of the most intriguing prospects in the 2027 NFL draft.1. Dante Moore (Oregon)Oregon quarterback Dante Moore throws downfield during the Oregon Spring Game at Autzen Stadium in Eugene April 25, 2026 | USA TODAY Network via Reuters ConnectMoore was set to be taken second overall by the New York Jets in the 2026 NFL draft had he not made the decision to stay at Oregon in January.After starting the majority of the 2023 season at UCLA, Moore utilized his redshirt when he transferred to Oregon the following offseason. Moore threw for 3,565 yards, 30 touchdowns and 10 interceptions while guiding the Ducks to the College Football Playoff semifinals last season.The familiar faces across the Ducks' offense in 2026 should serve Moore well. Oregon should boast one of the strongest receiving corps nationally, and it returns a pair of running backs that went for more than 600 yards a season ago in Jordon Davison and Dierre Hill.Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow