Every year, a quarterback starts the season as a mid to late-round prospect and ends it as a legitimate draft riser. In 2026, that player could be Baylor’s Sawyer Robertson. According to NFL Draft Buzz, he’s currently ranked as the 507th-best prospect, and NFL Mock Draft Database has him at 664th overall. Those rankings are wildly off. I’ve got a third-round grade on him entering the season, and even that might be too low.
Productive season and NFL traits
Robertson put together a strong 2024 season, especially considering he didn’t take over as the starter until Week 3. He threw for 3,071 yards, finished sixth in program history in passing touchdowns, and ranked seventh in both passing yards and efficiency. He closed the season with nine straight games of at least 200 passing yards, capped by a 445-yard showing against LSU in the Texas Bowl.
He also checks the physical boxes. Robertson has prototypical size at 6-foot-4 and 220 pounds, with the athleticism to move the pocket and pick up yards as a scrambler when needed. His arm strength is also NFL caliber. He can make all the throws, including a clean, natural deep ball. Last year, he attempted 52 passes of 20 yards or more, showing confidence and consistency when pushing the ball downfield.
"If you want a dude that's going to come out of nowhere, it's (Sawyer Robertson). He's what everyone wants Drew Allar to be. Big, big arm, and he can move."AFC South scout to ESPN
From a mental standpoint, Robertson has more polish than most first-year starters. Baylor trusted him to make pre-snap checks and adjust protections, and he often got the offense into the right look. According to Pro Football Focus, he averaged a 2.57-second release time and did a solid job processing through reads. That said, he can rush things under pressure, which contributed to 12 interceptions across 14 starts. His performance against Houston, when he threw three picks, will likely be the game scouts scrutinize the most.
Footwork is another area that needs improvement. Too often it breaks down when he's off-platform or under duress, leading to accuracy issues that could be cleaned up with better mechanics.
Why the Los Angeles Rams would be a great fit
As for his NFL outlook, the Los Angeles Rams make a ton of sense. Robertson fits what Sean McVay wants in a quarterback—a traditional pocket passer who can still move when needed and deliver the ball quickly. With Matthew Stafford aging and battling injuries, L.A. is going to need a successor soon. Robertson should be available when the Rams are on the clock late in the second round if things go to plan. And if he follows a Cam Ward-style rise this fall, the Rams have two first-round picks in 2026 and could use one of them to land their next franchise quarterback.