The 2025 NFL Draft felt a bit anticlimactic when it came to quarterback talent — at least in the lead-up. Unlike other years, this draft didn’t have the usual hype around the signal-callers.
Cam Ward went first overall to the Tennessee Titans, but the next quarterback wasn’t taken until Round 2, when the New Orleans Saints selected Tyler Shough.
That looks like it’s going to change in the 2026 NFL Draft. This upcoming class seems loaded with quarterback potential. Names like Drew Allar, Garrett Nussmeier, LaNorris Sellers, and Arch Manning are already expected to become starters in the league.
Fans are fired up about the next crop of stars who could hear their names called in Pittsburgh, Pa. It’s also sparked early debate over who should land on the cover of EA Sports College Football 26.
No Homer Picks Here: Ashton Jeanty Picks Arch Manning for EA Sports College Football 26 Cover
EA Sports experienced a surge in popularity in the late 1980s with the release of John Madden Football, which later evolved into Madden NFL. The game became so popular that it was later launched in a college version in the 1990s.
After more than a decade away from the college game, EA finally made a comeback in 2025 with EA Sports College Football 25, much to the excitement of fans and gamers everywhere.
Being chosen for the cover of Madden has long been considered an honor — one that also comes with talk of a “curse.” The college version hasn’t carried the same mystique just yet, but players still see it as a big-time honor.
The 2025 cover featured Travis Hunter (Colorado), Quinn Ewers (Texas), and Donovan Edwards (Michigan). In a video posted to X, the NFL asked rookies who they think should be on the 2026 cover.
Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty, the sixth overall pick, went against the trend of players picking guys from their own school. His choice? One of the most hyped quarterbacks in recent memory.
“I would hope it would be me, but I’m gonna say Arch Manning, bro,” Jeanty said about the next Manning set to enter the league.
Manning is a third-generation quarterback headed for the NFL. His grandfather, Archie Manning, was the No. 2 overall pick in 1971. His dad, Cooper Manning, is the brother of Eli (No. 1 in 2004) and Peyton (No. 1 in 1998).
Manning saw some action at Texas in 2024, but the 2025 season is expected to be his first as a full-time starter. The buzz around him is sky-high.
Jeanty wasn’t the only rookie to pick himself for the cover, though. That came up a lot — and shows just how much things have shifted in college football since EA’s last go-round.
Who would you like to see on the @EASPORTSCollege cover this year? 👀 pic.twitter.com/FmBWh05PxY
— NFL (@NFL) May 26, 2025
Before the name, image, and likeness (NIL) era, cover athletes had to be players whose college eligibility had expired. But now, current stars can make the cover, thanks to the rule changes.
EA Sports says the selection process includes multiple factors: A fan vote, input from the game’s design team, and the chance of having multiple athletes on the cover to showcase different positions and conferences.
Other names in the conversation include Carson Beck, CJ Allen, Marcel Reed, Jalon Walker, Gunner Stockton, and more. But the clear fan favorite so far is wide receiver Jeremiah Smith from Ohio State. He’ll be a sophomore in 2025 and was the top-ranked recruit in the 2024 class.
EA Sports College Football 26 is set to release on July 10, with cover athletes announced in late spring/early summer.