Gorney’s Predictions: Michigan, Auburn, 2026 QBs

Rivals national recruiting director Adam Gorney has a trio of predictions on who will end up No. 1 in the 2026 class, Bryce Underwood and how Auburn’s season will turn out next season.

No offense to Jackson Cantwell because he’s an awesome offensive tackle with all the elite skills of someone who could be a superstar in the NFL – plus he has the pedigree since both of his parents were Olympic athletes – but the 2026 quarterback class is too good not to have one of them No. 1 overall.

And the NFL Draft history is such that if there is an elite quarterback then they should almost always be No. 1 since they’re way more often than not taken off the board first.

We give Folsom, Calif., standout Ryder Lyons a slight edge because of his dual-threat capabilities and incredible playmaking abilities, but he’s also taking a Mormon mission after high school so we do wonder how he will come back and how that will translate to him dominating at the college level and beyond.

Right behind Lyons is Tennessee commit Faizon Brandon, another big-time playmaker who could definitely push to No. 1 after a huge season at Greensboro (N.C.) Grimsley.

Fourth overall in the class is Nashville (Tenn.) Christian QB Jared Curtis, who was committed to Georgia early on but backed off that pledge because he wanted to have an open mind when taking other visits. Curtis is a phenomenal playmaker, can throw from every arm angle and has a gunslinger mentality, but plays below-average competition.

It’s not a total lock but the prediction is that at the end of this cycle – or even before – a quarterback takes over the No. 1 spot.

Recently, I did a story on 10 players to watch in the Heisman race for 2025 but I left off someone who might not only be in the discussion but has the talent to win it. He will certainly have the opportunity as Michigan didn’t bid up huge – and get Oracle billionaire Larry Ellison involved – for Bryce Underwood to stand on the sidelines.

One of the biggest stories around National Signing Day was the five-star quarterback from Belleville, Mich., flipping his pledge from LSU to Michigan. The Wolverines are in dire need of quarterback help after numerous attempts this season didn’t work out and they slid from national champions to 7-5 (although they did beat Ohio State for the fourth-straight year).

Underwood has all the tools to not only be a special college quarterback and a first-round pick but he is an accurate passer and a great runner. His dual-threat stats – and his platform as Michigan’s quarterback – will propel him into the Heisman talk.

Maybe Oklahoma’s John Mateer or Texas’ Arch Manning run away with the prize but Underwood is not only good enough to be in the conversation, he is good enough to win the whole thing as a freshman.

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Auburn has not won nine games since 2019 and the Tigers have endured four-straight losing seasons so I might be jumping the gun here but I actually believe not only will Auburn be far better next season but with an elite quarterback now, coach Hugh Freeze’s offensive vision can finally be realized.

Former coach Bryan Harsin was fired before his two-year span showed an 11-14 record. Guess what Freeze’s record is after two years? Yep, 11-14.

But Auburn has recruited so much better under Freeze, the team is loaded with playmakers at receiver, the defense is more than solid and now quarterbacks Jackson Arnold, Ashton Daniels to some extent and high four-star Deuce Knight are coming to town.

Arnold got a bad deal at Oklahoma as he waited his turn and then got yanked early in the season only to be reinstated as the starter when the Sooners had no healthy receivers. He should shine in Freeze’s offense.

The schedule is never easy in the SEC but it’s manageable. Beat Baylor, Ball State and South Alabama to start the season. Beat Missouri, Arkansas, Kentucky, Vanderbilt and Mercer late in the season. That’s eight wins right there and then the remaining games are Oklahoma, Texas A&M, Georgia and Alabama plus a bowl game. It’s not easy, but it’s doable and that’s a big step in the right direction.

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