College football analysts far and wide have been saying for months that the group of quarterbacks in 2026 has the potential to be special.
A year after only two QBs were selected in the first two rounds of the NFL draft last April — Alabama’s Ty Simpson and Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza — a half-dozen or more could be taken in next year’s draft, experts say.
BYU sophomore Bear Bachmeier is not on that list, but he is on a list of 43 signal-callers that ESPN is calling “the top returning quarterbacks” in 2026.
Monday, ESPN.com college football analysts Adam Rittenberg published a piece on those QBs after having spoken with “coaches, coordinators and several general managers across college football” to get the skinny on Bachmeier, Utah’s Devon Dampier, former Arizona State quarterback Sam Leavitt (who is now at LSU), and dozens of others.
Some coaches and coordinators are quoted anonymously, while some, such as BYU offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick, are not.
“My goal was to get a range of perspectives, not only about established players but up-and-coming ones in key roles,” Rittenberg wrote, calling this year’s crop a “memorable collection.”
Here’s more on what he wrote about Bachmeier:
From Roderick: “I don’t want to put too much on him or overstate it, but he’s like a veteran player now. He knows what we’re doing as well as any player we’ve coached, he’s only in the second year. He’s a really smart guy, very competitive, very smart.
“We need him to be great. We would like to run him a little less this year and throw it a little more,” Roderick continued. “It’s no secret, our opponents probably know that too, but he’s a very good passer, and I think he’s up to the task.”
Several Big 12 coaches expect Bachmeier to make considerable progress in 2026.
“He’s like Charlie Hustle, a grinder,” one Big 12 coach said.
A Big 12 defensive coordinator said the following: “He got better as a thrower as the year went on. He can run the crap out of it, but he’s actually a lot better thrower than people give him credit for.”
There’s considerable concern over BYU’s receiving corps, but at least one Big 12 coach said Bachmeier has some talent surrounding him.
“The guys that he’s throwing to, what’s the relationship they have there? They’ve got some good young skill talent for sure. He is really smart.”
However, Rittenberg notes that at least one Big 12 coach isn’t expecting a huge step forward from Bachmeier.
“He’ll be the same type of player as he was last year,” a Big 12 coach said. “What you saw last year, though, worked. His style — hard to sack, don’t take negatives — is a formula to win a lot of football games. His style of play wins games.”
