As the pre-draft process continues to unfold, the NFL Scouting Combine often serves as one of the most important checkpoints for evaluating quarterback prospects. Following this year’s event, Jordan Reid released his updated quarterback rankings for the 2026 NFL Draft — and one of the most intriguing names on the list belongs to Taylen Green.
The Arkansas Razorbacks football quarterback landed at No. 7 in Reid’s updated rankings, a spot that reflects both his immense upside and the areas of his game that still require development.
Jordan Reid Highlights Taylen Green's Elite Athletic Profile
Few prospects helped themselves at the combine more than Green.
In fact, his testing performance was one of the most impressive ever recorded for a quarterback. Green ran a blazing 4.36-second 40-yard dash, posted a 43½-inch vertical jump, and recorded an 11-foot-2 broad jump. At 6-foot-6 and 225 pounds, those numbers represent a rare blend of size, speed, and explosiveness.
That level of athleticism isn’t just confined to testing numbers either, it consistently appears on film.
Green’s ability to escape pressure, extend plays, and create explosive runs gives offensive coordinators a wide range of possibilities. His mobility allows him to stress defenses in ways that traditional pocket passers simply cannot.
One NFL evaluator told Reid that the upside alone makes Green an intriguing developmental prospect.
“If I have time to develop [a quarterback] over time, he's the one that I'd be willing to take a shot on,” an NFC assistant general manager said. “There's a lot of creative things that you could do with him while he's developing, but that type of profile is what you typically like to take a chance on.”
For teams willing to be patient, the combination of size and athletic ability makes Green one of the most fascinating quarterbacks in the class. He's in the same outlier tier of a Lamar Jackson when he came out for his draft class. Green testing the way he did will push some teams to want him as an athlete rather than a QB but that's not in the cards for the former Razorback.
High Risk-High Reward NFL Draft Prospect
While the physical tools are undeniable, scouts also point to several areas where Green still needs to grow as a passer.
One of the most notable concerns is the time it takes him to get the ball out. Last season, Green averaged 3.13 seconds to throw, which ranked 134th out of 138 FBS quarterbacks. That hesitation was often tied to indecisiveness in the short-to-intermediate passing game, where processing speed becomes critical. He never seemed to fully trust his instincts and eyes as a passer showing hesitancy before letting it rip.
Green was sacked 27 times last season, and every one of those sacks came against true defensive pressure. In those situations, he completed just 38.6% of his passes, highlighting the need for improved decision-making and pocket awareness.
The encouraging part for Green’s draft outlook is that many of the weaknesses scouts identify are areas that can improve with repetition and coaching.
Quarterback processing speed, timing, and anticipation often develop with additional game reps and film study. If Green can continue refining those aspects of his game, his physical traits give him a ceiling few quarterbacks in the class can match.
The key will be learning to rely less on pure athleticism and more on the fundamentals of quarterback play.
A Potential Draft Steal
At his size and athletic profile, Green represents the type of quarterback prospect that teams are often willing to gamble on during the later portion of the draft.
If Green lands in the right situation with a coaching staff willing to invest time into his development, he could eventually emerge as one of the biggest steals in the 2026 NFL Draft.
For now, he remains one of the most intriguing evaluations in the class, a quarterback whose rare athletic profile continues to draw attention from scouts across the league.