stayed undefeated against Penn State, Alabama upset Virginia, Cal slid past Washington. So we have a lot to talk about here.

The top prospects and starting to stack their rankings for an exciting class.

With that in mind, Mel Kiper Jr., Miller and Jordan Reid will size up CFB action through a draft-centric lens on Sundays all season long. (Save this link!) They will answer lingering questions on the best 2026 prospects, share insights from scouts, pick out risers to watch and pull back the curtain on their evaluation process. Here is what they've seen and heard through Week 11.

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Week 11 | Week 10 | Week 9 | Week 8
Week 7 | Week 6 | Week 5 | Week 4
Week 3 | Week 2

against Iowa, and more development time in college might be beneficial for his eventual NFL career. And despite great processing and accuracy, Simpson has only nine career starts, well below the 25-start mark that pro scouts consider ideal. Both are talented with Round 1 futures, but they also both look like 2027 prospects while Mendoza continues to elevate his game in crucial moments.

Simpson finished 24-of-43 for 253 passing yards and two touchdown throws against South Carolina. I thought his accuracy was inconsistent in the first three quarters -- including eight overthrows on passes, per ESPN Research. But what impressed me -- and what has impressed me throughout the season -- was Simpson's ability to battle through adversity and make the "got to have it" plays in critical situations. It happened against Fernando Mendoza, making him the QB2 in this class. He just needs to be more consistent with his accuracy throughout the entirety of games.

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Brendan Sorsby is putting together performances that require more attention. The 6-foot-3, 235-pound senior was once again crisp on Saturday with a two-touchdown performance in a blowout Mansoor Delane of LSU. He finished with three catches for 45 yards and a touchdown, but he also had a 79-yard punt return touchdown. Concepcion (5-11, 190) is a refined route runner who displays competitiveness after the catch and strong hands. The NC State transfer has been one of the more reliable targets in the SEC, as he now has five touchdown catches over the Aggies' past four games. After receiving middle-round grades coming into the season, Concepcion is likely a top-75 pick -- and he's still trending upward.

Kiper: Yes, Oregon safety

Reid: UConn receiver Trey Lance -- sells his routes well and displays good body control while working up sideline. He's good in tight coverage and can do damage after the catch. If I want to nitpick, I'd like to see Lance attack the ball with his hands more. But this is a good player with upside.

Chris Bell (Louisville) and

Kiper: Duke cornerback

Reid: Following his worst showing of the season last week in three weeks, and evaluators will be watching closely. Moore is still in Round 1 discussions, but the sample size is very small.

early-season injury. The 6-foot-4, 200-pounder is still a bit streaky, as he had consecutive games with fewer than 40 receiving yards in between two 100-yard performances. But the long strider has a wide catch radius, and I think Lane is someone to watch down the backstretch of the season -- especially with Lemon getting a lot of the attention from defenses. He looks like a second- or third-rounder.

Garrett Nussmeier was once again crisp on intermediate passes Drew Allar suffered a John Mateer was receiving Round 1 praise before missing three games with a Kadyn Proctor (6-7, 366) against the talented Mizzou edge rush of

Kiper: Defensive tackle

Kiper: In a year where there aren't a bunch of running back options, Texas'

Oct. 5

Chris Bell is a Day 2 prospect who could play his way into the Day 1 mix. After catching 10 balls for 135 yards and a TD last week Kaytron Allen. In the loss to UCLA, those two combined for 89 yards on just 19 carries as the Nittany Lions tried to keep pace with the Bruins' offense.

Singleton, who started the season as my No. 2 RB in the class, has struggled to find space behind an offensive line that has been pushed around all season. Allen has been the more productive of the two despite being the lesser-regarded prospect, making a name for himself as a 5-foot-11, 217-pound downhill power runner. Conference play will be important for both; will Penn State again rely on the run game?

At 6-foot and 224 pounds, Singleton's all-around ability as a runner, pass catcher and blocker had him ranked as a late-Round 1 prospect. Looking around the NFL, it's easy to see him as a seamless upgrade for numerous teams. For instance, Kansas City is struggling to find an explosive ground game, and Singleton's ability to break off big runs and make an impact in the passing game would be a great fit for the Chiefs.

Kiper: How about Cincinnati linebacker against Iowa State. He was all over the field. Through five games, Golday has 48 tackles. Turn on the tape, and you see a rugged tackler with sideline-to-sideline speed. As a former defensive end, his pass rush skills show up often, too. Since coming over from Central Arkansas before the 2024 season, Golday has made a big impact on the Bearcats' defense. And Cincinnati uses him all over -- in the slot, off the ball, wherever. The 6-foot-4, 240-pounder has the traits, talent and work ethic to be a big contributor in the pros, and I have him in the Day 2 conversation right now.

How many top-50 picks do you see on Ohio State's roster -- and which stood out the most Saturday?

Reid: An impressive victory against Washington showed just how much depth the Buckeyes have this season. I count five Buckeyes with top-50 grades for 2026: safety against Brown -- and no interceptions through two games, and he's completing 77.3% of his throws. I think he's a Day 3 pick right now, but the arrow is pointing up. I like what I'm seeing on tape, and a good all-star event showing could push him up boards even further.

against Iowa. With considerable pressure in his face all day, Mendoza (13-for-23, 233 yards, 2 TDs and one INT) made big-time throws with accuracy and timing. And he's still building chemistry with playmakers like running back

What does USC's win over Michigan State. He caught eight passes for 127 yards and a touchdown (40 yards), and then he also rushed twice for 11 more yards and an additional score. A polished route runner, Lemon transitions well in and out of his breaks. At 5-foot-11 and 195 pounds, he's capable of lining up in the slot or on the outside, and his reliability at the catch point has shined through four games this season. Lemon has also shown that he can be an adequate return specialist at the next level. At this point in the season, he looks like a potential early-Day 2 pick.

Of course, Lemon isn't even the highest-ranked WR prospect on USC's roster.

• Early mock drafts: Miller
• Reid's QB Hot Board
• Draft notes, risers from CFB games
• Read more

Mendoza is an on-time passer who gives his receivers plenty of time and room to run after the catch, and his best attribute is how accurately he delivers the ball. Passes were right where they needed to be Saturday. After transferring from California this offseason, the biggest question marks for Mendoza were his ability to play against better competition and whether he could cut down on turnover-worthy throws where he overtrusted his arm. He has done both of those things this season with 14 touchdown passes and no interceptions in four games. The 6-foot-5, 225-pound quarterback is easily one of the most improved players in the class.

There is no set-in-stone QB1 for next year, and Mendoza's play is putting him into that conversation. The success of on-target passers like

Reid: One prospect who immediately caught my attention while I was out on the scouting trail this weekend was USC linebacker

Reid: One of the best edge rusher duos in the country is at Missouri. Get all three for a price you'll love.

against Texas State. Tyson (6-foot-2, 200 pounds) had drop issues last year, but he has emerged as a more polished pass catcher (just one drop on 37 targets though three games). His deep-route-running ability and how well he separates over the top still has him as the top receiver in the class.

However ... the WR1 race is very wide open, and Alabama's

Miller: Scouts were buzzing all week after Oklahoma quarterback

Reid: After an injury-riddled 2024 season, Miami defensive lineman Arvell Reese was repeatedly mentioned as someone making the jump to another level this season. At 6-foot-4 and 243 pounds, Reese is a rangy second-level defender who wears multiple hats in the Buckeyes' scheme. He serves as a strongside linebacker, but defensive coordinator Matt Patricia also deploys him as an edge rusher. With explosive playmaking traits, Reese has 16 tackles and two sacks over three games. If his current level of play continues through conference matchups, he could start receiving Round 1 chatter, too.

Reid: After missing the first two games of the season with a foot injury, Florida interior defender

Which prospect caught your eye in against Ohio State in Week 1, which led to erratic accuracy, late reads and poor overall decision-making. Manning managed just 170 passing yards, one TD throw and an interception. He did have a much better performance in Week 2 against Virginia Tech, Sellers can overwhelm opponents with his mobility and arm talent, but he is still taking shots as a passer that are just too risky -- which lead to incompletions and turnover-worthy plays. He is completing 60.5% of his passes right now, and he has been off-target 10.5% of the time.

Sellers (6-foot-3, 240 pounds) is incredibly talented, but he has to become a better on-target passer, especially in the pocket, and improve his on-time rhythm to take that next step as a prospect. He's still holding firm as my QB1, but there are holes in his game that I'll be watching this season.

Miller: Make Your Picks

Kiper: Ethan Onianwa -- a highly regarded transfer from Rice with top-75 grades from NFL scouts -- did not start against Texas and played just 13 snaps after he eventually rotated into the game at right guard. The 6-foot-6, 333-pound senior had high expectations this season, but the early word from sources with the Buckeyes is he has struggled to pick up the offense.

Miller: Baylor quarterback against Rice.