NFL Draft Wrap: Why So Many College Stars Chose Another Year on Campus
By faNILy Team ·
The 2026 NFL Draft is in the books, and Pittsburgh got the spotlight as host city.
The headline came on the first night. The Las Vegas Raiders took Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza, the reigning Heisman Trophy winner, with the first overall pick. NFL.com noted he joins Joe Burrow and Cam Newton as the only players in the common draft era to win the Heisman and a national championship and then go first overall in the following draft.
But for college fans, the more interesting story might be who wasn't on the board.
The stars who stayed
On3 counted more than 100 draft-eligible players who chose to go back to school, including nine quarterbacks. The list is loaded:
- Arch Manning, Texas
- Dante Moore, Oregon
- LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina
- Brendan Sorsby, Texas Tech
- John Mateer, Oklahoma
On3 noted that Moore still might have gone No. 2 overall had he declared. And according to his father, Cooper Manning, Arch never discussed leaving early for the draft.
NIL changed the math
Why would a likely top pick pass on the league? The short answer is money that didn't exist a few years ago. On3's reporting put it plainly: an established veteran college quarterback now commands a salary that only first-round picks can match in the NFL's rookie salary structure. If you're not a lock for the first round, another college season can pay as well as, or better than, your rookie deal.
ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. made the same point in an interview with On3 before the draft. He said that back in August, analysts were projecting six or seven quarterbacks in the first round, and that by spring the number had shrunk to one, maybe two. His summary of the new reality was blunt:
"You're getting paid to play college football. So why not stay and use that as kind of a minor league, a developmental league?" - Mel Kiper Jr., via On3
Kiper also flagged the flip side. Coming back carries injury risk and no guarantee your stock rises, and he wondered aloud whether getting paid could make some players complacent. He pointed to Jayden Daniels, who went from a projected Day 2 pick to No. 2 overall after returning, as the best-case version of the bet.
What it means for fans
For fans, this is mostly good news. Your favorite program's stars are sticking around longer, which means more time to follow their careers, buy their gear and build a real connection before they head to the pros. On3 noted the 2027 class is already being touted as one of the most talented in recent memory, with Manning among the headliners.
It also shows how much the NIL era has turned college athletes into brands with staying power. A player who spends four or five years on campus builds a following that lasts well beyond one season. That's a big part of why we think fan-to-athlete engagement is where college sports is headed.
The bottom line
The draft still made plenty of dreams come true in Pittsburgh. But the decisions made months earlier, in living rooms and agents' offices, may shape college football's fall even more. Expect to hear a lot of familiar names on Saturdays this season.