The legend of Matt Rempe: Inside the Rangers rookie’s wild first days in the NHL
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Greg Wyshynski, ESPN
Matt Rempe‘s eye looked like a wall of paint samples at a hardware store. A lot of black, some blue, a touch of chartreuse around the edges. Facial bruising is a commonplace sight on an NHL rink. Rempe’s shiner was more noticeable because he stands around 6-foot-8 without skates.
“It’s nothing. Just a little … I don’t know, nothing,” Rempe said to an unusually large group of reporters on Tuesday after the New York Rangers‘ morning skate. “It’s awesome. Just part of what goes along with hitting. You get bumps and bruises along the way.”
Matt Rempe took pictures with @NYRangers fans at a @Cheesecake Factory, which just exponentially grows the legend of Matt Rempe.
“I’ve got all the time in the world for the fans. They’re the ones cheering me on,” he said. pic.twitter.com/aRvl5fmMw0
— Greg Wyshynski (@wyshynski) February 27, 2024
Rempe is a 21-year-old rookie whose first NHL games sparked a leaguewide obsession few could recall witnessing. He had three fights in his first five NHL games. He might have had a fourth had he not been ejected for an illegal check to the head against the rival New Jersey Devils.
Through six NHL games, Rempe has more penalty minutes (32) than minutes spent playing (28).
To counterbalance that disobedience, his first professional goal was also the game winner in a nationally televised game against the Philadelphia Flyers.
“It’s gotta be one of the craziest NHL debuts that there’s ever been,” Rangers center Jonny Brodzinski said… I don’t know if there’s been anything else like it.”
The Rangers promoted Rempe from AHL Hartford ahead of their Stadium Series game against the New York Islanders at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. He was an injury replacement for winger Blake Wheeler, whose season ended with a lower-body injury on Feb. 15.
In front of 79,690 fans, on his first NHL shift, Rempe fought the Islanders’ Matt Martin, immediately earning cult hero status in New York. In his fourth game, he fought Philadelphia Flyers pugilist Nicolas Deslauriers three minutes into the first period, and then later scored the game-winning goal when a Barclay Goodrow shot bounced off Rempe’s lanky frame into the net. In his fifth game, he fought Columbus Blue Jackets forward Mathieu Olivier 2:12 into the first period, which is why his left eye turned several different colors after Olivier pummeled him.
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Rangers rookie Matt Rempe gets into fight on first NHL shift
New York Rangers rookie Matt Rempe gets into a fight just minutes into his NHL debut.
Does Rempe like fighting?
“I’m not going to lie: It’s good. I enjoy it,” he said. “I want to get better at it. I want to learn. I want to do everything.”
Rempemania has run wild on Rangers fans for a number of reasons. It’s his unusual size and enthusiastic physical play, including those fights. It’s also his endearing personality and inherent goofiness, such as when he pridefully described taking photos with Rangers fans at a local Cheesecake Factory “while rocking the black eye.”
The crowd cheered for him at his first regular-season game at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday night, a rematch against Columbus. The NHL’s flagship retail store, located about two blocks from the Garden, had Rempe’s jersey displayed in its front window, available for purchase. That doesn’t usually happen for a player that hadn’t played more than eight minutes in a game yet in his NHL career.
But Matt Rempe’s debut was anything but usual.
“I think you’ve seen it all over the internet. He’s definitely created a buzz,” Rangers winger Jimmy Vesey said. “It’s been a while. You don’t really see fighting like that anymore.”
It’s not just the frequency of fights that has created that buzz. It’s how he fights, according to John Scott, who was one of the NHL’s leading heavyweights for eight seasons until his retirement in 2016.
“It’s a rarity these days, just because fighting is such an anomaly. I know it’s still around, but the types of fights that Rempe is having, you don’t see them anymore. I think guys who fight are more strategic and defensive, whereas he came in and he just throws,” Scott said. “He doesn’t care if he gets hit. He just wants to inflict pain and hurt people, like back in the 1970s where you just grab on and just start chucking. So people aren’t used to that. That’s why I think it’s such a novelty now.”
The thing about novelties is that they wear off.
Can Rempe become something more than a two-week sensation for the Rangers?
REMPE HAS AN aw-shucks way of handling his sudden and inexplicable fame.
“It’s been awesome. My dream is playing in the NHL. Got a goal, got an assist, and we’re winning hockey games. Had some good fights. And you know just playing hard, playing good,” he said. “I am just trying to keep a level head, just try to stay down to earth. I’m at the beginning of my career. I’ve got a long, long way to go.”
He said he’s avoiding all media, social or otherwise, to remain focused on his growth as an NHL player. Rempe said he’s relying on his usual diversions to avoid getting caught up in his own hype.
“I love reading books. I love to do that. I’m a big fantasy book guy, so I like to read my books,” he said. “I go home, read my books, talk to my family, do that type of stuff. Play my guitar.”
Matt O’Dette, head coach of the Seattle Thunderbirds, where Rempe played junior hockey from 2019 to 2022, said this is the “multifaceted kid” that he got to know well in the Western Hockey League.
“He is a really intelligent kid, really smart kid. He’s an authentic guy. He’s a reader, he’s a musician, he’s got a personality,” O’Dette told ESPN. “People are seeing him as this 6-foot-8 monster. He plays the game a certain way. He wants to protect his teammates. I’m excited for the people to get to know him more.”
As Rempe’s teammate in the AHL and NHL, Brodzinski has had the same experience.
“When you meet him and when you get to know him, he’s the nicest guy ever. Such a family man and just a good all-around human being. And then he gets out on the ice and something clicks, and it just switches,” he said. “You hear that about a lot of great NFL players: Great guys off the field that just turn into absolute killers during the game.”
Rempe is from Calgary and has two older twin sisters obsessed with hockey. Steph and Alley Rempe went on to play at Brown University.
They lost their father, Rom Rempe, to a heart attack in February 2018. Matt Rempe called his father his best friend, someone who fueled his love of the game. His NHL debut in the Stadium Series was on the six-year anniversary of his father’s passing.
O’Dette, who welcomed Rempe to the Thunderbirds in the 2019-20 season, noted how difficult losing his father was for the young player.
“We were supportive of him and anything he needed,” he said. “And I tried to be the best mentor I could for him. But that’s a very tough thing to deal with as a kid that age.”
O’Dette mentored Rempe on and off the ice. One particular challenge was his height. Rempe plays a physical game. But because of the height disparity between him and his opponents, checks that were intended to be legal ended up being penalties or, in some cases, suspensions.
“Oh, it was extremely difficult. You have to understand that Matt Rempe is not a malicious guy. He’s not a predator. He is a very nice kid, very smart kid. He is just trying to play hockey and finish his checks and do it in as clean a way as possible,” O’Dette said. “Just him being bigger has led to some violent looking hits that were, in our opinion, more on the clean side.”
That scenario has already played out in the NHL. In a recent game against the Devils, Rempe went to deliver a check to forward Nathan Bastian and made primary contact with Bastian’s head. Rempe earned a match penalty, ending his night after just 13 seconds of ice time, but wasn’t given any supplemental discipline from the NHL Department of Player Safety.
“That’s a play where he doesn’t want to do that. That’s not the type of guy that he is, either,” Brodzinski said. “After looking at it, he did everything right. He tucked his elbow. It’s just unfortunate that the main point of contact was his head, but he’s like 6-foot-7. It’s a learning curve for him, obviously, being that tall. He has to play a certain way, so you’re never going to really get around it.”
O’Dette said that hitting at his height was something Rempe struggled with in the WHL. He was suspended four times during the 2021-22 season and five times total in his Thunderbirds career.
“He was profiled, you know, for his size. The refs always had an eye on him,” O’Dette said. “So anytime there was a heavy hit, it more often than not led to a major.”
“I remember at times he would get so frustrated and be in tears some days. He’d say, ‘I’m not meaning to hurt anybody’ or ‘These aren’t dirty hits.’ And he just continued to get kicked out of games and suspended. So it was really frustrating,” the coach added.
Rempe wasn’t a prolific fighter in the WHL. O’Dette said it wasn’t for a lack of trying, but that there weren’t a lot of takers, given his size.
“I just think he’s just learning about what he can do [as a fighter]. He is still relatively inexperienced in that area,” he said. “Seeing him do as well as he has, it’s been impressive. But yeah, it’s, still relatively new for him.”
Brodzinski said it was the same story in the AHL, although Rempe did fight more there.
“I think around six or seven fights this year, maybe a couple more in preseason. So he has fought quite a bit,” the Rangers center said. “I don’t think a lot of guys really wanted to fight him. He’d ask a bunch of guys, and people would just say ‘no.'”
But Rempe has heard “yes” in the NHL, starting with Martin in the Stadium Series game, who likened Rempe’s reach to that of Zdeno Chara, the retired defenseman listed at 6-foot-9.
“Matt Martin didn’t have to say ‘yes’ at that point at all. So it was kind of a nice old guy giving the young guy a fight, and the young guy showing up to the show and saying, ‘Here I am,'” Scott said.
When Scott, the 2016 NHL All-Star Game MVP, played his first full season with the Minnesota Wild in 2009-10, his inaugural fight was with Anaheim Ducks enforcer George Parros.
“He said before the fight, ‘I shouldn’t fight you. But any time I ask you to fight going forward, you have to say ‘yes,’ because I’m doing you a favor.’ And I was like ‘absolutely.’ So I kind of treated it like that where the young kids come up and I’d give ’em a shot whenever they would ask,” Scott said.
Now, Scott is looking out for another young fighter.
SCOTT SAID HE CONNECTED with Rempe through social media and has been offering advice to the Rangers rookie.
“If you don’t use your reach, it’s useless. It’s almost a hindrance,” he said. “Being a tall guy too, I know how to protect myself, but still be able to do my job and inflict some damage.”
Some have expressed concerns about Rempe’s future health with the way he has taken punches in these fights. It turns out one of the NHL’s most prolific fighters of the last 15 years shares those concerns.
“I’ve just been trying to give him a few tips on how to protect yourself a little bit and prolong your career,” Scott said. “If he keeps doing what he’s doing, he will have a short career. He’ll get concussions and it’ll just be hard for him to come back.”
Rempe’s home debut for the Rangers was notable for what didn’t happen. Despite being in MSG in front the fans that had embraced him, despite being on the ice against Olivier for a potential rematch, Rempe didn’t have a fight. He threw a couple of good hits in 7:42 ice time and had a team-low 11 shifts.
Rangers coach Peter Laviolette wouldn’t detail the conversations he has had with Rempe about when or when not to fight. But Laviolette, in his 22nd year as an NHL head coach, acknowledged that he has told players in the past to keep the gloves on.
“I think in Carolina we told the whole team not to fight. It was the end of the year. We were locked in for the playoffs and just didn’t want to lose anybody,” he said. “I think there’s always situations that happen where you got to defend yourself or you got to defend your teammate. Those things happen out there. But we’ve definitely had those conversations.”
Scott said he wouldn’t be shocked if the Rangers had discouraged Rempe from fighting so frequently.
“As a young kid, you don’t pick your spots. You just ask everybody at all times. The Olivier fight was great. I don’t think it was a good spot for him to fight because the Rangers are a better team and obviously Columbus got momentum from it,” Scott said. “So it would not surprise me if they sat him down. If not [the coaches], just a veteran on the team who could just say, ‘Hey, we know you’re tough now. You don’t have to do it every single shift. Maybe pick your spots a little better.'”
Rangers captain Jacob Trouba said he hasn’t had that talk yet and wouldn’t tell Rempe to change his behavior.
“I’m sure he’s had some conversations with some people, but from my standpoint, he is doing what he wants to do to contribute to the team,” the veteran defenseman said. “I think he’s come in and provided something that we didn’t have. I think there’s a lot of value to it. I have a lot of respect for what he’s doing. It’s not an easy thing to do, especially coming as a young player, but he’s contributing.”
Rempe believes he has more to contribute beyond fighting. He has worked on his skating, his wall play as a winger and his speed when playing center. He has tried to go from a wrecking ball on the forecheck to someone more aware of the details on a play. While no one’s going to confuse him with Artemi Panarin, Rempe believes he has some offensive upside, having scored 17 goals in 56 games in the WHL back in 2021-22.
“I want to continue to show my skill set,” he said.
But his greatest asset is his energy. O’Dette talked about how the Thunderbirds used Rempe as the template when talking about commitment, long after he had left the organization. “First guy at the rink, last guy to leave the ice. He shifted our culture,” he said.
It was the same story in Hartford, according to Brodzinski, who said Rempe was a pacesetting teammate before and during games. “He’s always high-tempo. He’s very assertive when he plays, so you’re going to get that from him every night,” he said.
Trouba has now seen Rempe bring that energy to the Rangers. “I think it raises everyone’s level in a way. I think you have a guy on your team that goes out there and puts it on the line every night like that, I think it’s a message to the room,” he said.
No one’s sure about the shelf life of Rempemania. The Rangers’ lineup could change by the March 8 trade deadline, leaving Rempe out in favor of a veteran addition on the wing. Laviolette could decide to go in another direction with his forward depth as the playoffs draw closer. Maybe Rempe ends up not being as effective after this initial euphoric blast.
Rempe said he’s not worried about sticking around in the long term. He’s too busy trying to make the most of this “dream come true” that he’s experiencing on every shift.
“I’m 21, so I’m going to play my heart out every time and every practice, every game,” he said. “I love this game. I think it’s so fun. I love getting better. I love practice, I love it all. I love every aspect of it. I’d love to be a New York Ranger for a long time, but I want to take it day by day. I don’t know what tomorrow brings. I don’t know what the next day brings. If I just do my job, that’s all I can control.”
No matter how it ends up, it has been a myth-making few weeks for Matt Rempe, both in New York and around the NHL.
“We haven’t seen someone come in the league and do what he’s done in a long time,” Trouba said.
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Jordan Reid
After only two first-round picks at quarterback in the 2025 NFL draft, the 2026 NFL draft is expected to have a lot more exciting options. Several already stand out — Cade Klubnik (Clemson), LaNorris Sellers (South Carolina), Drew Allar (Penn State) and Garrett Nussmeier (LSU) jump to mind — and that doesn’t even include ballyhooed Texas sophomore Arch Manning, who has started just two college games.
While Manning might stay in college until 2027, I’m going to group him in with the top 22 draft-eligible passers below. I’ll also answer a couple of questions about NFL teams that might be taking a long look at these signal-callers. Players in each section are listed in alphabetical order.
Jump to a section:
Top names | Best of rest | Questions
Top names to know
Height: 6-5 | Weight: 238
Class: Senior
Where he excels Allar experienced a leap in his development in 2024, increasing his completion percentage from 59.9% in 2023 to 66.5%. The big, prototypical pocket passer excelled under first-year offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki, throwing for 3,327 yards and 24 touchdowns with eight interceptions. His upper-tier arm strength gives him the confidence to test challenging throwing windows in intermediate areas. He also has enough mobility for his size to escape defenders in the pocket.
Where he needs work: While Allar’s completion percentage made a major leap, his ball placement was still inconsistent. He too often puts the ball on the wrong shoulder and his throws can be too high or too low on what should be easy completions. His performance against top-ranked teams has also been woefully inconsistent. Scouts will be watching him closely against Oregon (Sept. 27) and Ohio State (Nov. 1). Penn State is the top-ranked team in ESPN’s post-spring Way-Too-Early Top 25, but it will need Allar to play better in showcase games to live up to that billing.
Height: 6-4 | Weight: 220
Class: Sixth-year senior
Where he excels: Beck was regarded as a candidate to be the No. 1 overall pick in 2025 but had a disappointing final season at Georgia, throwing for 3,485 yards and 28 touchdowns with 12 interceptions. He now has a chance to revive his stock at Miami, which just produced the No. 1 pick in April’s draft in Cameron Ward. Beck is a rhythmic passer who plays well when he gets into an early groove. He gets the ball out in a hurry and is a true distributor who can spread the ball around the field.
Where he needs work: Beck experiences rough stretches with accuracy, especially when he isn’t sharp early. Last year’s Alabama game perfectly encapsulated Beck’s inconsistency, as he threw two interceptions while completing 47% of his first-half passes. Then, he turned it around with 339 passing yards and three touchdowns in the second half to lead a near-comeback. He was a roller coaster in 2024, but there’s a reason many evaluators had him as the QB1 entering last season. Miami’s offense has Air Raid principles, which should accent his gifts as a passer.
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Carson Beck’s best plays of the season for Georgia
Take a look at Carson Beck’s best plays of 2024 for Georgia after announcing his intention to enter the transfer portal.
Height: 6-foot-2 | Weight: 210 pounds
Class: Senior
Where he excels: Klubnik entered 2024 with question marks after a rough sophomore season but emerged as a star, finishing with 3,639 passing yards and 36 touchdown passes to only six interceptions. He’s able to repeat his mechanics and keep his eyes, feet and throwing motion in sync while going through his progressions. Klubnik saved his best game of the season for the first round of the College Football Playoff, throwing for 336 yards and three touchdowns against Texas. He should be set up for success in 2025, as Clemson returns its top three receivers. That’s a big reason why he was the No. 1 pick in my Way Too Early 2026 mock draft.
Where he needs work: Scouts around the league I’ve talked to have raised concerns about Klubnik’s arm strength and whether he can build on his 2024 success. Questions about his arm surface when he’s forced to test tight windows in underneath coverage and with his inconsistent trajectory on deep passes. Klubnik averaged only 8.56 air yards per passing attempt in 2024, ranking 58th in the FBS. He must be more assertive and willing to challenge coverage in intermediate and deep areas.
Height: 6-2 | Weight: 210
Class: Redshirt sophomore
Where he excels: Leavitt was a revelation last season after transferring from Michigan State, passing for 2,885 yards, 24 touchdowns and 6 interceptions while leading the Sun Devils to a Big 12 championship and the College Football Playoff. He’s a calm and poised passer whose 80 QBR was the 10th-best rate in the FBS. Leavitt always seems to be in control and consistently makes the correct play from the pocket. He’s at his best in play-action, as he can turn his back to the defense and reset his eyes to make throws.
Where he needs work: Leavitt has only 13 career starts, so the sample size is relatively small. He tends to be too bouncy in the pocket and needs to be more consistent in taking options that are available to him early in progressions. He’ll also face a lot more pressure this season, with star running back Cam Skattebo off to the NFL and the Sun Devils not being a sleeper team anymore after their conference title win. Leavitt will be counted on as the catalyst of Arizona State’s offense.
Height: 6-4 | Weight: 222
Class: Redshirt sophomore
Where he excels: Manning has started just two college games, throwing for 583 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions in those starts. He has a well-put-together frame, allowing him to avoid defenders in the pocket and bounce off tacklers in open space as a runner. Manning has a picture-perfect base and smooth delivery as a passer. He doesn’t have much experience in that department, as Texas used him primarily as a runner in 2024, but his prototypical build and physical tools were apparent on tape and give him immense potential. He will be under the tutelage of one of the country’s best QB developers in Steve Sarkisian, but Manning’s lack of experience makes him more likely to be in the 2027 draft class at the earliest.
Where he needs work: Manning has only 95 career passing attempts, so his sample size is small and more development is necessary. He had a habit of sticking to his primary read too long in his starts, leading to poor decision-making. He will need to improve his timing in getting through progressions and knowing when to move off his first read. He could also use his mobility much more on non-designed QB runs to help string together positive plays. He’ll be tested on these things early, as the Longhorns start the season at defending national champion Ohio State.
Height: 6-1 | Weight: 224
Class: Redshirt junior
Where he excels: Mateer joins the Sooners after three seasons at Washington State. He broke out in 2024, finishing with 3,139 passing yards and 29 touchdowns to only seven interceptions. He’s an aggressive playmaker who has all sorts of funky releases, allowing him to reposition his body and still get the ball out effectively. He has easy arm strength and isn’t hesitant to make far-hash throws. Mateer is a fierce competitor and an extremely effective runner on scrambles and designed QB runs, rushing for 826 yards and 15 touchdowns last season. He represents a clear upgrade for an Oklahoma offense that struggled mightily in 2024.
Where he needs work: Thanks to Washington State’s schedule, Mateer was able to get away with bad habits in the pocket that won’t fly in the SEC. He tends to be a tick slow on reads, relying on his arm power to alleviate tardiness in his progressions. The arm overconfidence also leads to him passing up easier shallow reads for more challenging deeper throws. He’ll be tested against a schedule featuring eight SEC schools and a Week 2 nonconference game against Michigan. If he passes with flying colors, Mateer could climb draft boards quickly.
Height: 6-5 | Weight: 225
Class: Redshirt junior
Where he excels: Mendoza arrives at Indiana after being the hub of Cal’s offense in 2024, throwing for 3,004 passing yards and 16 touchdowns with six interceptions. He has a snappy release that helps the ball come out of his hand with plenty of life. Mendoza is a precise passer who puts the ball in the proper place for his receivers, as evidenced by his FBS-best 5.1% off-target percentage last season. He is effective throwing from inside or outside the framework of the offense, ranking ninth in the FBS with a 91.1 QBR on throws outside of the pocket. He also excels at identifying and attacking advantageous one-on-one coverage situations.
Where he needs work: Mendoza’s escapability and effectiveness throwing from outside the pocket can lead to him being impatient and breaking the pocket prematurely. He needs to have more patience in letting concepts unfold, especially now that he will face upgraded defenses in the Big Ten. But Indiana’s offense is eerily similar to what he operated at Cal, giving Mendoza a chance to be a breakout candidate in 2025.
Height: 6-2 | Weight: 200
Class: Fifth-year senior
Where he excels: Nussmeier was up and down in his first season as a starter after replacing Jayden Daniels, throwing for 4,052 yards, 29 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. The son of Saints offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier, Garrett has a firm grasp of defensive structures and coverages. He has the most jaw-dropping highlight tape of any QB in the class, as he routinely delivers the ball to where his targets are supposed to be. He also has a flexible arm, which allows him to alter his arm slots while maintaining accuracy.
Where he needs work: Nussmeier’s confidence and daredevil mentality can sometimes backfire. Though he doesn’t get sacked often (his 2.9% sack percentage was the 12th lowest in the FBS), he can be careless with the ball, especially against better defenses. He had three games of two or more interceptions against ranked teams in 2024. A lot of these mistakes happen when he is flushed from the pocket, where his decision-making must improve.
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Garrett Nussmeier launches a 41-yard dime to Chris Hilton Jr. for an LSU TD
Chris Hilton Jr. catches a 41-yard throw from Garrett Nussmeier to pad the Tigers’ lead.
Height: 6-3 | Weight: 242
Class: Redshirt sophomore
Where he excels: Sellers is a toolsy, explosive dual-threat passer who completed 65.6% of his passes for 2,534 yards and 18 touchdowns. On the ground, he rushed for 674 yards and seven touchdowns last season. He can easily throw to every level of the field and his compact, strong frame makes him a game changer on designed QB runs. Sellers’ unique strength and vision in the pocket allows him to make plays in unfavorable situations. Many of his top highlights last season were the result of him avoiding and shaking off tacklers. His raw ability, tools, youth (he’s 20 years old) and projected ascension are selling points teams are willing to bet on early in the draft.
Where he needs work: The offense Sellers ran last season was a simplistic mixture of mesh concepts, pre-snap reads and an occasional go route. He threw 27.4% of his passes at or behind the line of scrimmage, which ranked 92nd in the FBS. Along with increasing his understanding and advancement of concepts, Sellers needs to take better care of the ball. He had 11 fumbles (six lost) last season. He also needs to make decisions quicker — his 3.06-second average time to throw was the 11th-slowest in the country.
Best of the rest
Rocco Becht, Iowa State
Becht was steady as a third-year sophomore in 2024, throwing for 3,505 yards and 25 touchdowns with nine interceptions. The son of former NFL tight end Anthony Becht has a sudden over-the-top release that fits perfectly in a Cyclones offense that primarily operates in 10 and 11 personnel sets. The 6-1, 210-pound Becht doesn’t have the physical tools of other passers in the class, but he is consistent in keeping his eyes down the field and can make tough throws with pressure in his face.
Aidan Chiles, Michigan State
Chiles transferred to Michigan State from Oregon State prior to the 2024 season. He passed for 2,415 yards, 13 touchdowns and 11 interceptions with the Spartans and has an explosive throwing release, leading to exciting flash plays when protected. But protection was a problem for the 6-3, 217-pound Chiles, who was pressured on 42.3% of his dropbacks (eighth highest in FBS). That led to a lot of turnover-worthy plays, especially early last season.
Taylen Green, Arkansas
Green enters his second season with the Razorbacks after spending his first three years at Boise State. He’s a big, dynamic dual-threat passer at 6-6, 230 pounds who had 602 yards and eight touchdowns on the ground last season. He threw for 3,154 yards with 15 touchdowns and nine interceptions. Green’s throwing motion is a bit elongated, and he needs to work on his consistency in rhythm from the pocket.
Mark Gronowski, Iowa
Gronowski had a historic career at South Dakota State, leading the Jackrabbits to two national championships and tying for the most-ever wins (49) for an FCS starting quarterback. He flirted with entering the 2025 NFL draft and even got an invite to the combine but decided to go to Iowa, whose offense showed improvement in 2024. The 6-3, 230-pounder is a densely built passer who can also make plays with his legs.
Eli Holstein, Pittsburgh
Holstein thrived as Pitt’s starter last season after transferring from Alabama, throwing for 2,225 yards and 17 touchdowns with seven interceptions. The 6-4, 225-pound Holstein is a strong-armed passer who can push the ball down the field with ease. He needs to play with more control and improve his ball placement, as his 14.7% off-target percentage ranked 100th in the FBS.
Josh Hoover, TCU
Hoover broke out as a redshirt freshman in 2024 with 3,949 passing yards and 27 touchdowns to 11 interceptions. The 6-2, 200-pounder possesses a compact release that allows him to get the ball out in a hurry. His 25 completions on passes of 20-plus air yards were the 12th most in the FBS last season.
Nico Iamaleava, UCLA
Iamaleava’s offseason was eventful and ended up with him leaving Tennessee to play for the Bruins. He finished his first season as a starter with 2,616 passing yards, 19 touchdowns and 5 interceptions. The 6-6, 215-pound Iamaleava is a slender, fluid passer with the arm talent to get the ball to his desired spots, but he struggled with his touch and accuracy on deeper passes. That will be worth watching this fall, as will his adjustment from the Vols’ unconventional passing offense to a more pro-style UCLA scheme.
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How Nico Iamaleava ended up at UCLA
Check out the timeline that led to Nico Iamaleava going from Tennessee to UCLA.
Kevin Jennings, SMU
Jennings was a breakout star in his first season as a starter, throwing for 3,245 yards and 23 touchdowns with 11 interceptions while adding 354 rushing yards and five ground touchdowns. The 6-0, 189-pounder is a blur that defenses struggled to contain thanks to his mobility and decision-making as a passer. His lack of size and quickness with the ball in his hands could make Jennings a candidate to play another position in the NFL.
Avery Johnson, Kansas State
With 2,712 passing yards and a school-record 25 touchdown passes, Johnson was the engine of Kansas State’s offense last season. The thinly built 6-2, 192-pounder also ran for 605 yards and seven touchdowns. He’s equally effective throwing and running, as he rushed for 50 or more yards in seven games last season. He needs to continue to develop as a passer, having thrown 10 interceptions last season, but Johnson is one of the most dangerous dual-threat QBs in the country.
Haynes King, Georgia Tech
King is entering his third season as Georgia Tech’s starter after playing his first three seasons at Texas A&M. His passing numbers fell from 2,842 yards and 27 touchdowns in 2023 to 2,114 and 14, respectively, in 2024. But the 6-3, 215-pound King took care of the ball last season (two interceptions) and was effective on designed runs, rushing for 587 yards and 11 touchdowns. He can be explosive on the ground, but King needs to unlock the next level of his passing development.
Darian Mensah, Duke
Mensah was a big transfer portal pickup for Duke, as he passed for 2,723 yards and 22 touchdowns with six interceptions for Tulane last season. The 6-3, 200-pounder throws from a balanced, strong base and has good ball placement, completing 65.9% of his passes. The third-year sophomore plays with lots of poise and control while showing strong mechanics and pocket presence. Scouts will be monitoring how well Mensah handles the step-up in competition from the AAC to the ACC.
Miller Moss, Louisville
Moss transferred to Louisville after spending four seasons at USC. He started nine games in 2024, finishing with 2,555 passing yards and 18 touchdowns to nine interceptions. The 6-1, 205-pounder has below average arm strength, so he relies heavily on anticipation in short and intermediate throws. He’s capable of buying time with his legs and creating out of structure. He steps into a good situation, as Louisville coach Jeff Brohm is one of the best QB developers in the country. Brohm helped Aidan O’Connell and Tyler Shough become NFL draft picks.
Sawyer Robertson, Baylor
Robertson ignited Baylor’s offense in 2024, finishing with the seventh-best QBR in the FBS (82.9). The 6-4, 220-pound Robertson is a decisive passer who understands how to attack different coverage looks. He was especially effective down the stretch, throwing for 17 touchdowns to only four interceptions during the Bears’ six-game win streak to end the regular season. Robertson will aim to build on that run in his second year as a full-time starter.
Other QBs to watch: Ty Simpson (Alabama), Conner Weigman (Houston), Maalik Murphy (Oregon State), Tommy Castellanos (Florida State), Noah Fifita (Arizona), Byrum Brown (USF), Kyron Drones (Virginia Tech), Dante Moore (Oregon), Kaidon Salter (Colorado), Brendan Sorsby (Cincinnati), Jayden Maiava (USC), Luke Altmyer (Illinois), Jalon Daniels (Kansas), Joey Aguilar (Tennessee), Diego Pavia (Vanderbilt), Behren Morton (Texas Tech), Jake Retzlaff (BYU)
Big QB questions for NFL teams
At this point, which team most needs to draft a QB to build around?
Pittsburgh Steelers. Drafting Will Howard in Round 6 this year hardly answered the Steelers’ long-term quarterback questions. The team is set to sign Aaron Rodgers, but he’ll be 42 years old in December. The Steelers currently have eight picks in 2026 (their seven selections plus Dallas’ third-rounder from the George Pickens trade) and could get up to four additional compensatory selections. Expect the Steelers to be aggressive next spring in their search for a franchise quarterback, especially since the 2026 draft will be in Pittsburgh.
Who is a sleeper team to watch at QB?
Los Angeles Rams. The Rams have two first-round picks in 2026 and could get aggressive with a trade up for Matthew Stafford‘s heir apparent. Stafford is entering his age-37 season on a reworked two-year contract, so the Rams have time to identify a signal-caller from what should be a strong 2026 crop. They could draft a passer next year and be afforded the luxury of having him learn behind Stafford for a full season.
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Chris Low
Kierston Russell, the twin sister of Alabama freshman quarterback Keelon Russell, died Wednesday, according to a statement from Tuscaloosa police officials.
Her death “at this time appears to be non-criminal in nature,” according to the police statement, which added that the family had given permission to confirm Kiersten Russell’s death to help quell media inquiries. Police said Thursday that no other information would be released at this time and asked that the privacy of the family be respected.
Keelon Russell reposted a message on his Instagram page with four emojis of a hand in a heart formation. The message read: “My deepest condolences are with you guys dearly. Losing a twin sister and daughter is a pain no one could ever imagine.”
Kierston and Keelon Russell went through high school graduation ceremonies together last month in Duncanville, Texas, and Kierston was scheduled to join her brother at Alabama in August.
Keelon enrolled at Alabama early and went through spring practice. He was a five-star prospect and ESPN’s No. 2 overall prospect.
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