Two years ago, I ranked the SEC quarterbacks using “The Bill Parcells Rules” for drafting a quarterback, just for a bit of fun. I wondered if the legendary Hall of Fame coach’s methods held any weight in today’s game, which has changed so much since his heyday. For any younger readers or those newer to the game, Bill Parcells was a two-time Super Bowl-winning head coach with the New York Giants. His career also included being the head coach of the Dallas Cowboys, New York Jets and New England Patriots. Under his coaching regime, his quarterbacks had a winning record, so I sought to test his rules against current NFL players and the crop of devy quarterbacks to see if the Bill Parcells Rules are an outdated methodology or a secret to winning your devy and dynasty leagues!
Ranking the 2026 College Football Quarterbacks Using “The Bill Parcells Rules”
What Did Parcells Say?
Parcells’ rules are somewhat outdated and shockingly do not look at anything a quarterback puts on tape. This is a shock to a film junkie like me, but hopefully you’ll see the “rules” still add an interesting wrinkle in helping us separate incoming classes of quarterbacks. Parcells’ rules focused on traits and personality more than what showed up on tape. He believed the biggest thing his quarterback needed was the ability to lead; one must have played at a high level, acquired significant reps to master the system and demonstrated the commitment needed to succeed in life, not just in football.
Of course, the game itself has changed and some of the benchmarks are easier to reach today with the modern passing attacks being utilised in the college game. All of this got me thinking, could the legendary coaches’ rules help us find the right quarterbacks for our devy and dynasty rosters? With that in mind, I investigated and the results were interesting to say the least.
The Rules
For Parcells to consider drafting a quarterback, they must meet the following seven criteria:
- Be a three-year starter
- Be a senior in college
- Graduate from college
- Start 30 games
- Win 23 games
- Post a 2:1 touchdown-to-interception ratio
- Complete at least 60% of passes thrown
Hits & Misses Using the Parcells Rules
Using this methodology over the years, there have been several noticeable hits and misses. While Bill Parcells certainly did have some hits, there are also many quarterbacks he wouldn’t have selected that went on to have excellent careers.
Hits
Misses
It’s clear the system isn’t perfect; some of these guys have been or are currently elite NFL quarterbacks and dominant fantasy football assets. Therefore, you do not need to apply the rules stringently like Parcells did; rather, use them as a guideline.
Avoiding Busts
This is where I think the focus should be when seeing how Parcells’ rules can be applied. The system would have helped us avoid these significant bust picks at the most important position in a superflex league
Note: Next to the names are how many of the seven criteria they hit.
- Mitchell Trubisky (2/7)
- Trey Lance (2/7)
- Zach Wilson (3/7)
- Justin Fields (2/7)
- Anthony Richardson (1/7)
Implementation & Case Studies
An Interesting Winner in 2023
When I completed this exercise two years ago, the runaway winner was a certain LSU quarterback named Jayden Daniels. Daniels met every criterion of Parcells’ rules before taking a snap in his final college season. One year later, Jayden Daniels became a Heisman Trophy winner and was the second overall pick in the NFL Draft, selected by the Washington Commanders. Then, in 2025, Daniels was the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, leading the Commanders to the NFC Championship Game.
However, nobody was expecting such an incredible ascension by Daniels. Should we have been more aware of him coming into his final season as a real fantasy prospect? As a keen devy player, he was available in depleted rookie drafts in over 80% of my leagues. We missed him!
Does Lightning Strike Twice?
Was I on to something? There was only one way to find out, so I ran it back last year and tested my theory on the 2025 NFL Draft crop of quarterbacks. As a heavily scrutinized group with no standout star heading into the season, this would be a real test. Carson Beck and Jalen Milroe were the bookie’s early favorites and were drafted highly in devy drafts. But this theory had a different runaway winner. Like Jayden Daniels before him, the first overall pick, Cam Ward, entered his final season having already met all seven of Parcells’ Rules. Only time will tell if he’s a success; after all, Kenny Pickett and Desmond Ridder also scored highly using Parcells’ rules and they’re warming benches for teams who didn’t draft them this year. But we can see things on tape that Daniels and Ward can do that Pickett and Ridder couldn’t. While Bill Parcell did not, incorporating film analysis is a layer that we can add to our decision-making process as dynasty General Managers.
RELATED: Learn how to scout rookie tape
The Summer 2024 List in Review
- Cameron Ward (7/7)
- Shedeur Sanders (6/7)
- Jalen Milroe (5/7)
- Carson Beck (4/7)
- Jaxson Dart (4/7)
- Riley Leonard (3/7)
- Quinn Ewers (2/7)
- Conner Weigman (2/7)
- Drew Allar (1/7)
Cam Ward went on to finish fourth in Heisman voting and despite that, the Tennessee Titans selected him with the first overall pick in the NFL Draft. He put up over 4,000 passing yards, completed 67.2% of his passes and posted a 39:7 touchdown-to-interception ratio. He’s definitely a hit! Shedeur Sanders entered his final season having already met six of the seven criteria and went on to meet all seven by the time he entered the Draft. His now-infamous draft slide is well documented, but he still scores well using Parcells’ rules. Jalen Milroe is worth mentioning because, despite meeting six of the seven criteria before he entered the Draft, he never developed well enough as a passer. The tape didn’t match the rules and subsequently, his draft stock slid, but his unique skill set meant he was still a relevant fantasy prospect. In 2023, Jaxson Dart only met one of the criteria. Then by 2024, he scored a 4/7 and by the time he was drafted, he achieved 7/7. Could we have predicted first-round draft capital? He represents a great value at his current Average Draft Position (ADP) of 83 overall in start-up drafts. Given Dart’s rise, would it be unreasonable to expect a similar progression from Drew Allar, who entered last season scoring one out of seven on the Parcells list?
Looking Forward to 2026
Currently, the forthcoming quarterback class doesn’t have a standout QB1. There isn’t a Caleb Williams or Bryce Young who won a Heisman as an underclassman and became a locked-in NFL top pick.
However, unlike last year, there is an optimism and buzz about the upside and talent of this current crop and we are eagerly awaiting to see who goes on to set themselves apart. Way-too-early superflex fantasy mock drafts regularly have four quarterbacks going in the first round. While they currently struggle to set themselves apart, could Parcells’ rules be a way of identifying the quarterbacks we should be targeting or avoiding? Let’s look at how some of the likely 2026 quarterback crop currently measures up.
Carson Beck (Miami Hurricanes)
Criteria Met:
- Be a three-year starter (Third season incoming)
- Be a senior in college
- Graduate from college (degree in Sports Management Communications and Public Relations)
- Win 23 games (currently 24 wins)
- Post a 2:1 touchdown-to-interception ratio (58:20)
- Complete at least 60 percent of passes thrown (68.0%)
Criteria Not Met:
- Start 30 games (currently 27 games)
Current Score: 6/7 – In the eyes of many, Carson Beck needs a bounce-back season to recover his floundering draft stock. Miami should be the perfect location to do this as he looks to fill Cam Ward’s shoes. He should smash his remaining win metric and projects to score seven out of seven by the 2026 Draft.
Arch Manning (Texas Longhorns)
Criteria Met:
- Post a 2:1 touchdown-to-interception ratio (9:2)
- Complete at least 60 percent of passes thrown (67.8%)
Criteria Not Met:
- Be a three-year starter
- Be a senior in college
- Graduate from college
- Start 30 games
- Win 23 games
Current Score: 2/7 – After sitting behind Quinn Ewers for two seasons in Austin, Arch Manning is set to be handed the keys to the Longhorns offense this season. Statistically, he would be an outlier applying for the NFL Draft in 2026 and many think he’s likely to return to school and declare in 2027.
LaNorris Sellers (South Carolina Gamecocks)
Criteria Met:
- Post a 2:1 touchdown-to-interception ratio (17:7)
- Complete at least 60 percent of passes thrown (65.7%)
Criteria Not Met:
- Be a three-year starter (Currently a one-year starter)
- Be a senior in college (Entering his redshirt sophomore season)
- Graduate from college
- Start 30 games (Currently 11 starts)
- Win 23 games (Nine wins as a starter)
Current Score: 2/7 – Parcells Rules would suggest avoiding LaNorris Sellers if he declares in 2026. This flies in the face of common consensus, where many have him pegged as an emerging star. However, we have seen the range of outcomes for physically gifted dual-threat quarterbacks when teams “bet on traits.” Look at Anthony Richardson drafted fourth overall to the Indianapolis Colts in the 2023 and Jalen Milroe drafted in the third round to the Seattle Seahawks in the most recent draft. It’s hard not to fall in love with the traits of certain players, but the Bill Parcells Rules show this strategy to be a risky investment.
Garrett Nussmeier (LSU Tigers)
Criteria Met:
- Be a senior in college (This will be his redshirt senior season)
- Graduate from college (Unconfirmed but likely, given it is his fifth year)
- Post a 2:1 touchdown-to-interception ratio (40:19)
- Complete at least 60 percent of passes thrown (62.6%)
Criteria Not Met:
- Be a three-year starter (This will be his second season)
- Start 30 games (14 games started)
- Win 23 games (10 wins)
Current Score: 4/7 – Garrett Nussmeier should finish close to the desired wins and starts metrics if LSU makes the College Football Playoff, but otherwise it looks like the pocket passer only meets four out of seven criteria. One would also hope his completion percentage and touchdown-to-interception ratio would improve this year.
Drew Allar (Penn State Nittany Lions)
Criteria Met:
- Be a three-year starter (This will be his third season)
- Be a senior in college
- Win 23 games
- Post a 2:1 touchdown-to-interception ratio (53:10)
- Complete at least 60 percent of passes thrown (62.9%)
Criteria Not Met:
- Graduate from college (studies in Recreation, Parks and Tourism Management)
- Start 30 games (Currently 29 starts)
Current Score: 5/7 – Drew Allar is following the Jaxson Dart progression plan and will enter the draft in a year, having met all seven criteria, pending completing his degree. This helped Dart become a first-round pick and should strengthen Allar’s chance to do the same.
Cade Klubnik (Clemson Tigers)
Criteria Met:
- Be a three-year starter (This will be his third season)
- Be a senior in college
- Post a 2:1 touchdown-to-interception ratio (57:18)
- Complete at least 60 percent of passes thrown (63.4%)
Criteria Not Met:
- Graduate from college (studies in Marketing; given that he’s in his fourth year, it’s highly likely that he has his undergraduate degree, but it is unconfirmed)
- Start 30 games (Currently 28 starts)
- Win 23 games (Currently 19 wins)
Current Score: 4/7 – There is a very real chance that this is already 5/7 but Cade Klubnik’s degree status is unconfirmed. About to complete his third season as a starter, Klubnik will hit 30 starts and 23 wins. He is a player on an upward trajectory after a strong end to 2024 and will likely enter the NFL Draft in 2026 with perfect criteria.
Sam Leavitt (Arizona State Sun Devils)
Criteria Met:
- Post a 2:1 touchdown-to-interception ratio (26:8)
- Complete at least 60 percent of passes thrown (61.9%)
Criteria Not Met:
- Be a three-year starter (This will be his second season)
- Be a senior in college (This will be his redshirt sophomore season)
- Graduate from college
- Start 30 games (Currently 13 games)
- Win 23 games (Currently 11 wins)
Current Score: 2/7 – In his first season as a starter, Sam Leavitt led the Sun Devils to an 11-win season and a Big 12 Championship. But crucially for this ranking, the experience is lacking, as is his time on task. Could he consider going back to school and declaring in 2027? It could help his development and ensuing draft stock.
Nico Iamaleava (UCLA Bruins)
Criteria Met:
- Post a 2:1 touchdown-to-interception ratio (21:5)
- Complete at least 60 percent of passes thrown (63.6%)
Criteria Not Met:
- Be a three-year starter (This will be his second season)
- Be a senior in college (This will be his redshirt sophomore season)
- Graduate from college
- Start 30 games (Currently 14 games)
- Win 23 games (Currently 11 wins)
Current Score: 2/7 – Nico Iamaleava has been one of the names of the off-season after a highly publicized fall-out with Tennessee over Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) rights. Ultimately, he has found his way to UCLA for the forthcoming season. How will a change in system and scheme affect his chances of hitting win metrics? I’ve called him a devy sell this off-season and I would be desperately trying to get out of my shares if he declared for the 2026 Draft!
Fernando Mendoza (Indiana Hoosiers)
Criteria Met:
- Be a three-year starter (This will be his third season)
- Complete at least 60 percent of passes thrown (66.5%)
Criteria Not Met:
- Be a senior in college (This will be his redshirt junior season)
- Graduate from college
- Start 30 games (Currently 19 games)
- Win 23 games (Currently has nine wins)
- Post a 2:1 touchdown-to-interception ratio (30:16)
Current Score: 2/7 – Playing on a struggling Cal Bears team has hurt Fernando Mendoza’s chances of hitting the wins total. The shots he takes with his gunslinger mentality also mean he misses the 2:1 touchdown-to-interception ratio. His transfer to Indiana to play under head coach Curt Cignetti should help him get closer to several of these thresholds.
Eli Holstein (Pitt Panthers)
Criteria Met:
- Post a 2:1 touchdown-to-interception ratio (17:7)
- Complete at least 60 percent of passes thrown (61.9%)
Criteria Not Met:
- Be a three-year starter (This will be his second season)
- Be a senior in college (This will be his redshirt sophomore season)
- Graduate from college
- Start 30 games (Currently has ten starts)
- Win 23 games (Currently has seven wins)
Current Score: 2/7 – Ultimately, Eli Holstein lacks experience. He has high-end traits and I love the film. In time, he can develop into a potential first-round prospect, so Holstein may decide to head back to school and declare in 2027. But right now, it would be difficult to project using this model due to a lack of experience.
Bill Parcells Rules Power Rankings
- Carson Beck (6/7)
- Drew Allar (5/7)
- Cade Klubnik (4/7)
- Garrett Nussmeier (4/7)
- LaNorris Sellers (2/7)
- Arch Manning (2/7)
- Sam Leavitt (2/7)
- Fernando Mendoza (2/7)
- Nico Iamaleava (2/7)
- Eli Holstein (2/7)
In all my years of doing this exercise, this is the first time we haven’t gone into the season with a player already on 7/7. This adds an interesting twist. Some talented players also don’t fit the methodology due to a lack of experience. Do we see those who are lacking experience return to school? It leaves us with a cluster at the top who could all go on to hit six or seven for seven, with Carson Beck, Drew Allar, Cade Klubnik and Garrett Nussmeier looking like the most solid choices. I am particularly high on Cade Klubnik as I feel the development in his game film complements his scoring, and he’d be my pick here if I’m on the clock in my 2026 dynasty draft.
My Advice
Yes, this methodology is dated. Yes, the game has moved on since the Bill Parcells Rules were used in the league. No, you shouldn’t use this and this alone to guide you to draft your devy or dynasty team’s quarterbacks. I hope I’ve shown you that that would be silly, especially since it’s now easier than ever for fantasy football players to incorporate game film into their evaluation.
However, there are nuggets we can take away to add to our process as a devy or dynasty general manager.
- The 60% completion rate is a must: It’s a low number for today’s game. If they can’t hit it in college, they’re not hitting it in the big leagues, no matter how athletic they may be and from what arm angles they can release.
- Snaps matter: Look for guys with an established record of playing and winning games.
- Avoid one-year starters: Unless there are truly exceptional circumstances, this is a must.
- Don’t use these rules as commandments for drafting. Otherwise, you end up with a team of players like Ridder and Pickett. Look at them alongside what you see on tape to help clear up your own rankings.
- Watch out for the Carson Beck bounce back: Could you buy him low in devy leagues?
Thanks for reading my article on Ranking The 2026 College Football Quarterbacks Using “The Bill Parcells Rules”! For more Devy and College Fantasy Football content, follow me on Twitter/X @PoshplaysFF.
