play0:44Dan Lanning calls Dante Moore the ‘best quarterback in college football’Dan Lanning has high praise for Dante Moore after Oregon’s double-overtime win against Penn State.
play0:33Ty Simpson throws pass to 6-foot-7, 366-pound tackle Kadyn ProctorTy Simpson throws it out to Kadyn Proctor, who barrels over everyone to set up first-and-goal.
play0:21John Mateer plows into the end zone for a big-time OU TDJohn Mateer breaks the plane to give the Sooners a lead late in the fourth quarter.
play0:28Justice Haynes breaks off for 75-yd rushing TDJustice Haynes takes it 75 yards to the house to put Michigan back in front vs. Nebraska.
play0:34John Mateer takes it 51 yards to the house for OUJohn Mateer takes it 51 yards to the end zone for the Sooners vs. the Owls.
play0:31John Mateer scores his 2nd rushing TD vs. MichiganJohn Mateer gets great blocking and keeps it to give Oklahoma a 21-7 lead.
play0:25Cade Klubnik airs it out for 26-yard touchdown passCade Klubnik connects for 26-yard TD pass
Nico Iamaleava takes off for his third TD for UCLA (0:30)Nico Iamaleava skirts in for a 7-yard UCLA touchdown and a 42-28 lead. (0:30)
Dan Lanning calls Dante Moore the ‘best quarterback in college football’Dan Lanning has high praise for Dante Moore after Oregon’s double-overtime win against Penn State.
Ty Simpson throws pass to 6-foot-7, 366-pound tackle Kadyn ProctorTy Simpson throws it out to Kadyn Proctor, who barrels over everyone to set up first-and-goal.
John Mateer plows into the end zone for a big-time OU TDJohn Mateer breaks the plane to give the Sooners a lead late in the fourth quarter.
Justice Haynes breaks off for 75-yd rushing TDJustice Haynes takes it 75 yards to the house to put Michigan back in front vs. Nebraska.
John Mateer takes it 51 yards to the house for OUJohn Mateer takes it 51 yards to the end zone for the Sooners vs. the Owls.
John Mateer scores his 2nd rushing TD vs. MichiganJohn Mateer gets great blocking and keeps it to give Oklahoma a 21-7 lead.
play0:29Carson Beck connects for 40-yard TD passCarson Beck connects for 40-yard TD pass
play0:13Carson Beck to Joshua Moore for an 8-yard TDCarson Beck to Joshua Moore for an 8-yard TD
We’re through Week 6 of the 2025 college football season, and this weekend’s games were highlighted by a wild upset. For the first time since 1985, a top-10 team lost to a team with an 0-4 or worse record. UCLA — led by quarterback Nico Iamaleava — held off No. 7-ranked Penn State, winning 42-37. The Nittany Lions weren’t the only top-10 school to lose Saturday, though; Florida took down Texas.
The 2026 NFL draft is still roughly half a year away. But our NFL draft analysts are always looking down the road, taking early notes on top prospects and starting to stack their rankings for an exciting class.
With that in mind, Mel Kiper Jr., Matt Miller and Jordan Reid will size up CFB action through a draft-centric lens on Sunday mornings all season long. (Save this link!) They will answer lingering questions on the best 2026 prospects, share insights from scouts, pick out risers to watch and pull back the curtain on their evaluation process. Here is what they’ve seen and heard through Week 6.
So what does it all mean for his draft stock? At 6-foot-6 and 215 pounds, Iamaleava has dual-threat traits and a big arm, but he needs time. He’s still just a redshirt sophomore. He has 19 career starts, and he is still inconsistent with accuracy and decision-making. I don’t expect Iamaleava to declare for the 2026 draft. I’d put him in the Day 3 conversation right now for next year, but it makes sense for him to keep developing before entering the 2027 or even 2028 class.
Reid: This was Beck’s fourth game with four touchdown passes and zero interceptions over the past two seasons — tied for the most in the FBS during that span, per ESPN Research. A true pocket passer, Beck stays in-rhythm in the Hurricanes’ offense. I had Beck graded as a middle-round prospect prior to this season, but he’s trending upward. Like Matt, I have him entering the early-round discussion with his play through the first quarter of the season.
Carson Beck connects for 40-yard TD passCarson Beck connects for 40-yard TD pass
Miller: The Penn State rushing attack hasn’t found its footing throughout the first month, and scouts are wondering why coach James Franklin isn’t leaning more on running backs Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen. In the loss to UCLA, those two combined for 89 yards on just 19 carries as the Nittany Lions tried to keep pace with the Bruins’ offense.
Singleton, who started the season as my No. 2 RB in the class, has struggled to find space behind an offensive line that has been pushed around all season. Allen has been the more productive of the two despite being the lesser-regarded prospect, making a name for himself as a 5-foot-11, 217-pound downhill power runner. Conference play will be important for both; will Penn State again rely on the run game?
At 6-foot and 224 pounds, Singleton’s all-around ability as a runner, pass catcher and blocker had him ranked as a late-Round 1 prospect. Looking around the NFL, it’s easy to see him as a seamless upgrade for numerous teams. For instance, Kansas City is struggling to find an explosive ground game, and Singleton’s ability to break off big runs and make an impact in the passing game would be a great fit for the Chiefs.
“He’s still way too panicked in the pocket. Keep it clean and simple, and he’ll carve you up, but any pressure, and his eyes go to the rush,” is how one NFC East area scout put it.
Despite Allar’s 43 starts in college so far, an AFC West area scout said, “To me, he looks like a player that needs upper-level quarterback development still. Not mechanically or athletically, but from a processing standpoint, he’s not seeing it fast enough.”
Name recognition, program legacy and his great physical tools will keep Allar in early-round conversations, but his tape isn’t consistent enough to earn him a starting QB label from NFL teams. I polled six scouts Saturday night, and all of them see him as a likely Round 3 option.
Reid: An impressive victory against Washington showed just how much depth the Buckeyes have this season. I count five Buckeyes with top-50 grades for 2026: safety Caleb Downs, linebacker Arvell Reese, wide receiver Carnell Tate, linebacker Sonny Styles and tight end Max Klare.
Dan Lanning calls Dante Moore the ‘best quarterback in college football’
Dan Lanning has high praise for Dante Moore after Oregon’s double-overtime win against Penn State.
Craig has six TD passes — including four Saturday against Brown — and no interceptions through two games, and he’s completing 77.3% of his throws. I think he’s a Day 3 pick right now, but the arrow is pointing up. I like what I’m seeing on tape, and a good all-star event showing could push him up boards even further.
Ty Simpson throws pass to 6-foot-7, 366-pound tackle Kadyn Proctor
Ty Simpson throws it out to Kadyn Proctor, who barrels over everyone to set up first-and-goal.
Now, missing a month could keep Mateer outside the top 50 picks. Returning for a late-season stretch of games against ranked opponents — including Alabama, Missouri and LSU — could help him salvage his Round 1 potential. Evaluators are taking a wait-and-see approach following his injury. It should be noted that Mateer also has the option to return to school because he has another year of eligibility.
John Mateer plows into the end zone for a big-time OU TD
John Mateer breaks the plane to give the Sooners a lead late in the fourth quarter.
At 6-foot-1 and 225 pounds, he plays with an aggressive mentality and fearlessness. He operates well inside the pocket, isn’t afraid of testing tight windows and throws with anticipation in the Sooners’ up-tempo offense. Mateer was off to a fast start this season with 1,215 passing yards and six TD passes — and the underrated runner added another 190 rushing yards and five more scores on the ground through four games.
Miller: Mendoza turned in the single best performance of any player in the country this week. Facing the No. 9-ranked Fighting Illini — a team that had allowed just 22 points all season — Mendoza was nearly flawless. He completed 21 of 23 passes for 267 yards and five touchdown throws. His command from the pocket stood out consistently throughout the game, as he was comfortable and confident standing tall and throwing darts downfield.
There is no set-in-stone QB1 for next year, and Mendoza’s play is putting him into that conversation. The success of on-target passers like Jared Goff — whom Mendoza reminds me of — will only help to boost his stock if his strong play continues.
Kiper: Michigan running back Justice Haynes is making a case to be a third- or fourth-round pick next April. He’s the son of Verron Haynes, a former Georgia running back who I scouted before he went in the fifth round of the 2002 draft to the Steelers. The younger Haynes was great Saturday against Nebraska, carrying the ball 17 times for 149 yards and a score.
Justice Haynes takes it 75 yards to the house to put Michigan back in front vs. Nebraska.
Miller: One of the best matchups of the day was the Texas Tech pass-rush duo of David Bailey and Romello Height against Utah offensive tackles Caleb Lomu and Spencer Fano. This was a résumé game with best-versus-best attributes, and Bailey walked away from the field the clear winner of the four prospects.
Young, meanwhile, is more versatile in that he can put his length to use as both a run defender and pass rusher. He had two tackles for loss and a sack Saturday. With an explosive first step and the hand power to match, Young is viewed as a top-50 prospect.
Miller: Arkansas’ close loss to Memphis perfectly summarized the Taylen Green experience. The Razorback quarterback is a playmaker with a big arm and the running ability to go through or around defenders. Each week he’s putting the team on his back and carrying the offense. But on Saturday, a late interception in the fourth quarter cost the team, before a fumble by running back Mike Washington Jr. while driving for a go-ahead field goal ultimately kept Arkansas from winning.