Rivals Rankings Week: Storylines to follow with top 2026 quarterbacks

The first full Rivals250 for the 2026 class has been released and now it’s time to break down each position. We start with quarterbacks by looking at four big storylines moving forward.

NEW 2026 POSITION RANKINGS: Pro-Style QB | Dual-Threat QB | Running Back | All-Purpose Back | Wide Receiver | Tight End | Offensive Tackle | Offensive Guard | Center

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RIVALS RANKINGS WEEK

Sunday: Who could unseat Jahkeem Stewart in the 2026 class?

Monday: Five-Star Countdown | Meet the new five-stars

Tuesday: Rivals250 released | Ten highest debuts | Position-by-position

Wednesday: Offensive position rankings released

Thursday: Defensive position rankings released

Friday: State rankings released

Saturday: Roundtable on the 2026 rankings

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FINAL 2023 TEAM RANKINGS: Comprehensive (overall) ranking | High school/JUCO ranking | Transfer portal ranking

CLASS OF 2024 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State

CLASS OF 2025 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State

TRANSFER PORTAL: Latest news | Transfer portal player ranking | Transfer portal team ranking | Transfer Tracker | Message board

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California quarterbacks are back en vogue.

Newbury Park’s Brady Smigiel and Folsom’s Ryder Lyons were bumped up to five-star status in the new 2026 rankings release after phenomenal, almost mind-boggling sophomore seasons, and then tremendous offseasons at numerous events including the Rivals Camp Series in Los Angeles two weekends ago.

They’re different but equally lethal. Smigiel is more of a cerebral pocket passer, coach’s son, hard on himself, perfectionist with a massive arm. Lyons is more of the gunslinger, happy to sit in the pocket and dissect defenses but also so creative throwing on the run, as he rushed for nearly 1,000 yards last season.

Both are great, both are different and it will be a debate as to whether Smigiel or Lyons – or even someone else – emerges as the No. 1 quarterback in the 2026 class when all is said and done.

The 2026 quarterback class is shaping up as a very good one with not only quality at the top but quantity. Smigiel and Lyons have emerged as the early five-stars but there definitely could be others along the way.

Nashville (Tenn.) Nashville Christian School’s Jared Curtis comes in at No. 19 overall so unless he slides out of the top 30 or so (or others jump him from other positions) there’s a decent chance he ends up with five-star status. He’s really talented but hasn’t done many national events yet.

Plantation (Fla.) American Heritage’s Dia Bell, whose father Raja played in the NBA for more than a decade, is also someone who could be in that conversation along with two other Florida quarterbacks in Lake Mary’s Noah Grubbs and Cocoa’s Brady Hart.

Notre Dame has made it clear to numerous prospects that it’s in the market for a quarterback in the 2026 class and by our count the Irish have offered 19 of them so far.

Of course, there is a priority list with Smigiel, Lyons, Hart and others. But after talking to many of them about this, it’s an interesting situation. Most of the the top quarterbacks in the 2026 class don’t want to rush a decision but they are highly interested in the Irish as well and don’t want to miss the boat.

Either way, it looks like Notre Dame will land one of them, at least. If the Irish strike out that would be hard to fathom with the program’s reputation and how focused the Notre Dame coaching staff is on bringing in one or more of them.

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Something that’s going to be up for debate that could change numerous times as this recruiting cycle shakes out is the order of quarterbacks in the state of Florida.

Not traditionally a loaded state at QB, Florida has an elite group in 2026 with some potential five-star candidates and many others along the way. Hart had such a phenomenal sophomore season and could be the one to emerge as the five-star candidate. But Grubbs, Bell, Will Griffin and others are right there.

Florida always has elite talent across the board. Now it also has a boatload of talented quarterbacks all vying for those top spots.