A new season has begun, and so has the work that comes with it. Between scouting reports, mock drafts, big boards, and the endless stream of content the NFL provides, things can get lost in the shuffle; hunches left unconfirmed, sentences left unwritten.
Not everything can turn into a standalone article. And like defensive coordinators using simulated pressures and offensive playcallers giving their young quarterbacks play-action easy buttons, it's nice to have certain tools in one's arsenal. For that, I'll turn to a scouting notebook.
More of a public brainstorm than a well-researched essay, I hope some half-baked thoughts parlay themselves into a greater understanding of the 2026 NFL Draft.
How much stock should be put into Arch Manning's stinker?
There is no two ways about it. Manning looked out of his depth in Week 1 against Ohio State. He was facing a talented Ohio State defense with an NFL mind calling the shots, and he had the worst game of his collegiate career.
For the first time, Manning looked uncomfortable. He was inexcusably late on throws, put the ball in harm's way, and let his processing woes affect him physically. His mechanics were a mess, his accuracy suffered, and it wasn't until Texas went up-tempo that Manning hit his stride.
The game threw a wet blanket on his QB1 hype. It was a meaningfully bad performance, but it shouldn't disqualify him from being the top pick many expect him to be.
- Ohio State might be the most talented defense in the country, and an experienced play caller was licking his chops against the inexperienced Manning. Most passers would have struggled in that situation. It was the first road start of his career, and his first time facing real competition.
- Cratering was always possible, so it's important to be open-minded to that outcome. Having two starts to his name meant the error bars on Manning's production were significant. His stock remains volatile, and it could very well keep him in school.
- Texas still has Florida, Oklahoma, and Georgia on its schedule before a potential College Football Playoff berth. If he looks the part late in the season, the Ohio State-sized piece of the puzzle would grow smaller.
Ultimately, Manning should rebound nicely against San José State. It won't matter quite as much to NFL evaluators, but it's experience that could pay dividends for the games under brighter spotlights. Manning can play himself out of this hole; now it's just a matter of actually doing so.
Will Anthony Richardson impact this draft cycle?
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen was an incredibly polarizing prospect, but with the leash to make mistakes, a solid supporting cast, and third-party mechanical help, he became an incredible success story.
In the years since, teams have been willing to roll the dice on freakish talents. There's a model for how to develop them, and teams know it takes a titan to compete in today's game. However, the Anthony Richardson experience has shown just how ugly things can get when a gamble goes sideways.
MORE: NFL Mock Draft 2026: Overreacting to a wild Week 1
The Indianapolis Colts look destined to take a quarterback in April. I don't think they'll be interested in South Carolina star LaNorris Sellers.
- Richardson isn't a direct comparison for Sellers. But both are insane physical talents, sporting a rocket arm and limitless athleticism. While Richardson's size makes him a powerful runner to use between the tackles, Sellers is more explosive.
- Sellers has plenty of development ahead of him, and there's reason to believe he'll make those strides. His flashes of nuance over the middle of the field are tantalizing, and a team can justifiably fall in love.
- Richardson took 482 passing snaps in college. Sellers has 439 to his name after Week 1. That difference could prove significant. He must grow within structure and manage the pocket better to stay out of disadvantageous looks. There's plenty of time this season to showcase that progress.
With a strong enough season, Sellers could be the No. 1 pick. Richardson's struggles, though, may have restored the bar that Allen lowered with his development. How sourced media covers Sellers will be fascinating.
Matt Patricia might be onto something
Patricia deserves credit for the game he called against Texas. He took advantage of the opportunity to blitz Manning repeatedly, and before the Longhorns went up-tempo, he was happy to play some complex coverages.
It's this coffeehouse stunt that caught my (and seemingly all of social media's) attention in Week 1.
One thing former Pats guys said at OSU and North Carolina this offseason about dropping from the NFL to college: the pressures hit just as quickly, but the quarterbacks cannot process at the same speed. They're going to have fun. https://t.co/AaKJ70Q3Tu pic.twitter.com/T2CqgX786E
— Ollie Connolly (@OllieConnolly) August 30, 2025
Connolly -- who does fantastic work at his newsletter, The Read-Optional -- hits the nail on the head. Complex pressures against inexperienced passers are bound to find success. With Ohio State showing how much damage it can do in the spotlight, other teams will be sure to take notice. It has the potential to be the story of the season, much like how the NFL has seen years headlined by RPOs, tush pushes, and cheat motion.
Still, a few questions persist.
- Are former NFL coaches more likely to pull this off? Wink Martindale at Michigan comes to mind. Belichick, as Connolly notes, makes sense, too. I'm not convinced this will be the case. There's nothing about being paid by a professional team that gatekeeps these packages, but it's a trend to watch.
- How will offenses counter? Texas saw Manning thrown off course by these blitzed. Considering high-profile talent isn't necessary to pull these kinds of pressures off, Ohio State laid out the blueprint for the rest of the Longhorns' schedule. Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian has plenty of answers, but his quarterback has to be comfortable enough to deploy them.
Coffeehouse stunts aren't necessarily innovative, much like the RPOs and zone reads and many of the other schematic fixations we've seen. But that hasn't stopped the media from covering trendy concepts like they are. That isn't the end of the world, but football is a copycat sport, and if more teams follow the Buckeyes' footsteps, we might see stunt stories across the media landscape.
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