There are 41 bowl games this holiday season, providing talent evaluators and college football fans with a smorgasbord of storylines. 

With many of the top players preparing for their final college games, we've waded through the bowl slate gauntlet to identify the top NFL prospect at each position.

For this exercise, we're spotlighting the best prospects who have not opted out and are expected to compete in one of either the traditional bowls or the first round of the College Football Playoff. (Apologies to quarterfinalists Indiana, Ohio State, Georgia and Texas Tech, whose top players will be covered in future articles.)

In the meantime, here is a rundown of prospects to watch all over the field in the coming days. 

Quarterback: Dante Moore, Oregon

With all due respect to Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza, Moore is the most gifted quarterback potentially available in the 2026 NFL draft. He is a composed and deadly accurate passer hailing from a pro-style offense whose ability to throw receivers open projects beautifully to the NFL. He is well protected by an offensive line recently voted the best in all of college football and rarely throws under duress, which admittedly complicates his projections slightly. 

However, he’s also shown great maturity in throwing to a receiving corps that has sometimes struggled with drops. In fact, the redshirt sophomore shows a poise which belies his relative lack of starting experience, playing well on the road in high-pressure situations at Penn State and Washington and better in losses to Indiana and Ohio State than his marginal statistics in those contests would suggest. 

James Madison lacks the top NFL prospects defensively likely to impact Moore’s NFL stock — potential future playoff opponents won’t – but scouts want to see him excel under the bright lights regardless. If he does, being the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft is a realistic possibility. 

Projected NFL Draft grade:Top 10
NFL comparison:C.J. Stroud, Houston Texans
How to watch him:College Football Playoff first-round game vs. James Madison, Saturday, Dec. 20 at 7:30 p.m. ET

Dante Moore #5 of the Oregon Ducks gestures after a touchdown during the fourth quarter of the game against the Washington Huskies at Husky Stadium on November 29, 2025 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images)