There isn’t a quarterback in college football heading into the 2026 season with more college starts than Rocco Becht. Yet, somehow, the redshirt senior who has thrown for 9,274 yards and 64 touchdowns in his career is still being overlooked.
Not considered a Heisman Trophy candidate, and maybe rightfully so, in Taylor Mouser's offense that leans on the run game, uses heavy personnel, and asks its quarterback to manage the game, Becht is also ignored in the 2027 NFL Draft class.
At 6-foot-1, 210 pounds with good but far from elite arm strength, he won’t be challenging Arch Manning and Dante Moore for the No. 1 overall spot next spring, but could he be a Day 2 selection? That’s not out of the question. Yet, when ESPN draft analyst Jordan Reid put together a list of names to know in the 2027 draft class, 21 different QBs were slotted above Becht, who was listed among “other QBs to watch.”
Rocco Becht’s NFL readiness could thrust him into draft discussion in a loaded class
The 2027 NFL Draft looks as though it could be loaded with quarterback talent. Veteran returners like Manning and Moore, who would’ve been first-rounders this year, combined with the emerging crop of third-year players like CJ Carr, Julian Sayin, and Oklahoma State transfer Drew Mestemaker, who will be eligible for the first time.
That list doesn’t even include Trinidad Chambliss, Darian Mensah, Jayden Maiava, CJ Bailey, Sam Leavitt, LaNorris Sellers, and others who could play themselves into an early-round discussion and who earned a mention from Reid. Becht’s physical tools won’t measure up well against most, if not every player Reid listed, but there’s much more to playing the QB position.
Yes, there is a real threshold of arm strength and athleticism that you have to clear to be an NFL quarterback. That’s even true for backups. No amount of accuracy, anticipation, and intangibles is going to give Dillon Gabriel, who was a third-rounder in the 2025 class, a legitimate shot to succeed in the league.
Does Becht clear them? Last year, with a sprained AC joint in his throwing shoulder and a torn labrum in his other, probably not. Even at his healthiest, he’s probably not franchise QB material in the NFL. Even Brock Purdy, Becht’s predecessor in Ames, who is about the same size and became the last pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, has at times bumped his head on the ceiling of his traits in one of the most favorable offensive ecosystems in the NFL.
However, Becht is incredibly tough and a good runner, especially on late downs. He doesn’t always drive the ball deep outside the numbers, but he throws with good touch and timing to give his receivers a chance. He understands how to play the position, and unlike most of the players on that list, who up to and in many cases through college have been the best athlete on the field, Becht understands his limitations. In the NFL, sometimes that’s half the battle.
Sure, maybe Becht doesn’t deserve a blurb in any early draft watch list because he’ll likely never truly enter the first-round discussion. Still, I’d be willing to bet he has a longer NFL career, if it is as a backup, than half, if not more, of the quarterbacks who did.
Add us as a preferred source on Google