The football season is right around the corner. College football kicks off with its Week 0 slate, while the NFL closes out preseason action. In this week’s mailbag, we look at why Drew Allar may be overrated, highlight a breakout undrafted free agent, and explain why Clemson might be the most talented roster in the country.
Q: In your preseason top five quarterback rankings, you didn’t have Drew Allar listed. How do you view him as a prospect?
I’m a bit lower on Allar than most draft analysts. He carries a consensus draft grade as the 16th-best player in the 2026 NFL Draft according to NFL Mock Draft Database, but I see him more as a second-round quarterback and have him rated as the sixth-best QB in this class.
The biggest concern is his lack of mobility. Modern quarterbacks need to move in the pocket and extend plays, and Allar looks too much like a statue under pressure. His footwork suffers when he is forced to move, often struggling to reset his base and deliver accurate throws. That is part of why he struggled against top competition last season. He completed just 54% of his passes in Penn State’s four losses and threw more interceptions than touchdowns in those games.
On the positive side, he has NFL-caliber traits including solid arm strength to hit deep shots, ideal size at 6’5”, 236 pounds, and good touch on his passes. Still, the mobility and footwork concerns make me view him as more of a mid-second round pick.
Q: Who is an undrafted free agent who has impressed this preseason?
New England’s Efton Chism III clearly fits the bill. So far this preseason, Chism has caught 12 of 14 passes thrown his way for 121 yards and has led the team in receiving yards in both preseason games. In his latest game, where he played just one half, he caught all six passes for 71 yards and a touchdown.
Efton Chism III dominated that @Patriots drive with 3 huge plays, including a TD!
— NFL (@NFL) August 16, 2025
Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/QJta7x4QKe
Chism showed this same type of production during his collegiate career at Eastern Washington, where he led the FCS with 120 receptions, finished second with 1,311 receiving yards, and earned first-team FCS All-American honors.
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He is also displaying the traits that first drew my attention back in February, including impressive strength, which head coach Mike Vrabel has praised. That strength helped him catch 58% of passes thrown into tight coverage and break 28 tackles last season, according to Pro Football Focus.
Chism’s hands continue to stand out, as he has yet to drop a pass this preseason and has made multiple difficult catches. During his time with the Eagles last season, he dropped just 2.4% of passes thrown his way, one of the best marks in college football. Another key trait is his quickness and ability to change directions, allowing him to create separation efficiently.
With just one preseason game left, it looks like Chism has already locked up a spot on the Patriots roster and should make a meaningful impact in the regular season.
Q: Who is the most talented team in college football?
While Clemson and Georgia are tied with 16 players on my draft board, Clemson stands out as the team with the most high-end talent. The Tigers have ten players with draftable grades, including five projected in the first or second round.
On offense, they are led by quarterback Cade Klubnik, the second-highest rated quarterback on my board and a likely top-10 pick. His top target is wide receiver Antonio Williams, who earned first-team All-ACC honors last season after catching 75 passes for 904 yards and 11 touchdowns. Williams has even been projected as high as the 14th overall pick by Todd McShay.
The strength of this roster, though, is on defense. Clemson’s defensive line features three prospects with first-round potential: defensive ends T.J. Parker and Will Heldt, along with defensive tackle Peter Woods. They also have my top-ranked cornerback in the draft, Avieon Terrell, whose quickness and instincts helped him break up 13 passes last season, the most by a Clemson player since 2014.
With that level of talent across the board, Clemson looks absolutely loaded and should be one of the favorites to win the National Championship this season.