Ranking the 10 best college football quarterbacks heading into the
10:50 AM ET ESPN personnel With an end in sight to spring practice and spring games on the horizon, it’s formally time to begin anticipating the coming season.Our writers came together to cast their votes on the leading 10 quarterbacks heading into the 2023 college football season.From a Heisman winner to fifth-year seniors returning for another run at a College Football Playoff berth or a clean slate
at a historic program, these quarterbacks will dictate the road to the CFP and national championship.Fall practice will be here before we know it, so study up on these names to bear in mind in August.Our 12 authors voted on a ballot with 10 points to the first-place quarterback to one point for the 10th-place QB. Caleb Williams returns to USC wanting to become the second-ever player to win back-to-back Heisman Trophies. Todd Van Emst/Heisman Trust Swimming Pool Picture by means of U.S.A. TODAY Sports Upcoming year: Junior 2022 data: 4,537 backyards passing, 42 touchdown passes, 5 interceptions, 382 rushing yards, 10 hurrying goals, 87.6 QBR.Points: 119(11 of 12 first-place votes)Williams will find himself in a rare area when the Trojans open the season against San Jose State as a reigning Heisman Prize winner back on school. It has become more typical over the previous years– Johnny Manziel, Jameis Winston, Lamar Jackson , Bryce Young– however none of them, or any quarterback prior to them, achieved what Ohio State running back Archie Griffin did by winning back-to-back Heisman Trophies. Can Williams buck the trend? The chances are low for a variety of elements, however that does not suggest expectations for Williams in his second year in Los Angeles will not be even greater than previously. The weight of USC’s revival rests greatly on his shoulders, and after he led the Trojans back from competitive irrelevance in Year 1, anything except a conference title and playoff berth could be considered as disappointment.Last year’s statistics will be difficult to duplicate, too. Williams threw for 4,537 yards with 42 touchdown passes to five interceptions with a QBR of 87.6. He likewise ran for 382 backyards and 10 goals, implying he had a hand in approximately 3.7 touchdowns per game. If he does repeat as the Heisman winner, it will suggest USC is near the top of the polls– something that will be more reliant on USC’s capability
to field an enhanced defense than on anything to do with Williams. Either way, this figures to be his last season of college football prior to departing for the NFL.– Kyle Bonagura Upcoming year: Fifth-year senior 2022 statistics: 4,167 passing lawns, 31 passing goals, 8 interceptions, 92 yards hurrying, 2 rushing touchdowns, 81.1 QBR.Points: 97 It’s fantastic what the best system and simply a bit of excellent injury luck can do for you. For a while, it looked like a profession in reverse for Penix. The player from Tampa,
Florida, shined as a redshirt
freshman for Indiana in 2019, however his numbers regressed the longer he was in Bloomington. From an 81.6 Total QBR in 2019(which would have ranked 10th nationally with adequate snaps), Penix was up to 67.7 in 2020(44th )and, after a late-2020 knee injury presented a heavy layer of rust to his game, 51.1 in 2021(89th). His conclusion rate was 69 %in his very first year as a starter and 54% in his third.A promising profession appeared to have actually lost its promise. However Penix got healthy and relocated to Washington to reunite with head coach Kalen DeBoer, his 2019 offensive coordinator at IU. It was as if the 2 had actually never ever parted. Beginning for a complete season for the very first time, Penix threw for 4,641 backyards and 31 goals; his Total QBR: 81.1 (13th). He flaunted a big, precise arm and quick decision-making, and after going simply 7-9 over the previous 2 seasons, the Huskies surged to 11-2 and completed the year on a seven-game winning streak. Then Penix pulled off an even larger surprise: He elected to go back to college.”As I look back on this unique season we had,”he said on social networks,”I recognized there were numerous excellent moments and things to celebrate, however I KNOW for sure there is a lot more out there for this group and the job is still not complete.”The majority of his getting corps and both offensive takes on return, too. There’s lots of speak about USC’s possible out West, but the extremely resistant Penix and Washington might be significant consider the Pac-12 and top-10 races.– Costs Connelly Upcoming year: Sophomore 2022 stats: 4,321 yards, 38 goal passes, 7 interceptions, 698 hurrying yards, 7 hurrying touchdowns, 82.4 QBR.Points: 93(1 of 12 first-place votes)It is exceptional that at this time last year, Maye was in the middle of an uncertain quarterback competitors with Jacolby Criswell, considering what unfolded in 2022. Maye– a player who
was not declared the starter till fall camp– ended up becoming one of the most prolific quarterbacks in the nation, beginning 14 games and winning ACC Gamer of the Year, ACC Offensive Player of the Year, ACC Novice of the Year and ACC Offensive Rookie of the Year. His firm grip of the Phil Longo offense enabled him to set multiple single-season records, including passing lawns and passing touchdowns, and his capability to make plays with his legs likewise helped. In short, if Maye had been qualified to go into the NFL draft after last season, he would be in the discussion to be the No. 1 quarterback taken.He certainly will remain in that conversation headed into the 2024 draft. However first, he has another season to polish his qualifications and assist the Tar Heels try to win an ACC title. This season comes with its fair share of concerns. Longo left for Wisconsin, and new offending organizer Chip Lindsey takes control of. Maye was spoken with on the brand-new organizer hire, for apparent reasons, but there is no question there will be a little bit of a learning curve in the new plan. Maye likewise needs to break in a brand-new group of receivers, with Josh Downs and Antoine Green off to the NFL. Despite those questions, Maye has shown himself to be an elite thrower and a trainee of the game, with an elite capability that will once again put him in position to turn heads and make plays.– Andrea Adelson Upcoming year: Fifth-year senior 2022 statistics: 3,593 passing lawns, 29 goal passes, 7 interceptions, 510 yards hurrying, 14 hurrying touchdowns, 85.1 QBR.Points: 80 Nix’s transfer to Oregon ended up working out along with it might for both parties. His veteran presence was a major difference-maker for a team that had gotten mediocre QB play the previous
two years after Justin Herbert’s departure for the NFL. Nix was one of the most effective quarterbacks in the nation, publishing an 85.1 QBR with a career-best 29 goal passes
(he never had more than 16 in a season in three years at Auburn). Nix was also sacked just 5 times and ran for 510 lawns and 14 touchdowns.This year, he’ll be working under a brand-new organizer (Will Stein)after Kenny Dillingham left to become the head coach at Arizona State. How that modification will impact Nix remains to be seen, however there are plenty of factors for optimism after Stein co-coordinated an excellent offense at UTSA that ranked No. 9 in overall offense as QB Frank Harris ranked second in the country in total offense.– Bonagura Expectations are high in Tallahassee after Jordan Travis revealed he was returning for another season. Image by David Rosenblum/Icon Sportswire Upcoming year: Redshirt senior 2022 statistics: 3,124 passing backyards, 24 passing touchdowns, 5 interceptions, 417 backyards rushing
, 7 rushing touchdowns, 85.8 QBR.Points: 58 When Travis transferred to Florida State in 2019, he was considered a runner more than a passer, and was utilized much more as a way to keep defenses off balance during essential stretches– in four games, he had 23 rushes and only 11 passing attempts. His confidence was so low when coach Mike Norvell arrived in 2020 that he asked to change positions so he could play. Then-offensive planner Kenny Dillingham told him never. This new personnel saw him as a bona fide passer and was going to reveal him why. That is why his improvement from neglected to elite is so plain. Travis has actually put in countless hours working himself into among the most efficient quarterbacks in the nation. Can he still run? Absolutely. And now, he is an elite-level passer, coming off a 2022 season in which he set career bests in conclusion portion( 64% ), passing yards(3,214 )and passing touchdowns(24)in his first season as the full-time starter– putting up numbers not seen in Tallahassee since Jameis Winston a decade ago.Travis became the fourth Florida State player with a minimum of 3,000 total backyards and 30 total goals last season, joining the 3 Heisman Prize winners in school history (Charlie Ward in 1993, Chris Weinke in 2000 and Winston in 2013). That is pretty good company. The expectation heading into this season is for an even larger year. Florida State anticipates to be better on the offending line and has almost every substantial contributor returning at receiver and at running back. When Travis showed up, Florida State was below par along the line and at receiver. Now those are considered strengths. So is Travis. A minimum of on paper, that must make for a big season in Tallahassee.– Adelson Upcoming year: Redshirt senior 2022 stats: 3,034 passing backyards, 26 passing goals, 8 interceptions, 465 yards rushing, 6 rushing touchdowns, 83.1 QBR.Points: 38 Editor’s Picks 2 Related He swaggers. He rocks long hair and a mustache. And over the past two seasons, only five quarterbacks have ranked greater in Overall QBR than Increasing: C.J. Stroud,
Stetson Bennett, Caleb Williams,
Bryce Young and Hendon Hooker. That’s the best quarterbacking college football can use, and Increasing has been only slightly off of that rate. He
took control of as Utah’s starter 2 weeks into the 2021 season, and he has now tossed for 5,572 yards with 46 touchdowns, just 14 interceptions and just 16 sacks. He likewise has rushed for 953 backyards at over 4 yards per carry after contact. He has helped the Utes win a pair of Pac-12 titles, and he has actually begun two Rose Bowls.Just about the only thing Rising hasn’t done at this moment: complete a Rose Bowl. He left both of them injured, and after he participated in Utah’s 2022 Senior Day event, it appeared his college career would end with him on the sideline in Pasadena. However, possibly since his most recent leg injury threw his professional potential customers into concern, Increasing decided the best thing he could do was stay in Salt Lake City for another year. He’s” running it back,”
and he persuaded some of his fluctuating teammates, such as tight end Brant Kuithe and receiver Devaughn Vele, to do the very same. In a conference packed with high-caliber quarterback play and enthusiastic contenders, he’s going to offer Utah a chance at a 3rd straight crown.– Connelly Upcoming year: Redshirt senior 2022 stats: 3,071 lawns passing, 38 touchdowns, 12 interceptions, 276 hurrying backyards, 2 rushing touchdowns.Points: 37 Some quarterbacks have college careers that pass in a blink of an eye. Not Hartman. His achievements and experiences might fill 2 or three professions, and he’s not done yet. The ACC’s profession touchdown passes leader started
games in each of the past four seasons at Wake Forest and left as the most productive passer in team history. He now starts a final go-round at Notre Dame and a prospective push for the College Football Playoff. Hartman rose in his final 2 seasons with Wake Forest, accumulating 7,929 pass backyards and 77 goals, and last fall lastly eclipsing 60 %conclusions( 63.1 ). He operated a distinct and efficient plan, taping 21 profession games of 300 pass yards or more, and the second-highest death backyards amount to in ACC history (12,967, behind just the 13,484 of Philip Rivers). His consistency is a hallmark, as he represented a goal in his final 34 games with Wake Forest.Hartman has actually remained in huge games, including the 2021 ACC championship, and won MVP honors in the Gator and Gasparilla bowls. He also has actually dealt with difficulties adjacent to football, including anxiety, which he has actually spoken honestly about, and a blood clot that needed surgery before the 2022 season. Hartman will go into a brighter spotlight at Notre Dame but has revealed he can handle just about anything at the college level. If he can duplicate his production this fall, he ought to get
Notre Dame closer to the CFP.– Adam Rittenberg Approaching year: Junior 2022 statistics: 2,719 passing lawns, 22 passing touchdowns, 5 interceptions, 306 rushing lawns, 5 rushing goals, 79.1 QBR.Points: 35 Before last season, the knock versus Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh carried a bit of irony: He had not discovered a true difference-maker at quarterback, the position where he starred for the Wolverines. McCarthy arrived with excitement,
as ESPN’s No. 25 general hire in the 2021 class. Although Michigan returned a starter at quarterback(Cade McNamara)from its very first CFP group– and McCarthy had actually missed
much of the offseason with a shoulder injury– Harbaugh looked towards the future entering last season. After McCarthy delivered a near-perfect performance in his first career start, albeit versus Hawai’i, the QB1 title became his own. He operated a mostly safe passing game with precision, eclipsing 69 %completions in each of his very first six starts.McCarthy went through some growing pains late in the season, but he also showed electric playmaking ability when Michigan leaned more on its passing game after star running back Blake Corum went down with a knee injury. McCarthy represented 4 goals(3 pass, one rush)in Michigan’s road upset of No. 2 Ohio State, and followed with 3 more scoring strikes in the Big 10 championship against Purdue. His difficulty going forward is mixing precision with creativity/explosiveness, and limiting significant mistakes like the 2 pick-sixes he threw versus TCU in Michigan’s CFP semifinal defeat. McCarthy does not do not have any self-confidence and uses meditation and viewpoint to direct his mental approach. He wants to sign up with Harbaugh amongst Michigan’s terrific quarterbacks and ultimately lead the group toward more success in the postseason.– Rittenberg Approaching year: Fifth-year senior 2022 statistics: 2,913 passing yards, 17 passing goals, 3 interceptions, 855 rushing lawns, 11 rushing touchdowns, 79.2 QBR.Points: 25 One of the leading recruits in the nation coming out of high school, Daniels has actually been around so long he was the 2019 Sun Bowl MVP when he led Arizona State to a 20-14 win over Florida State. The 6-foot-4 QB progressed into a real double danger at ASU, where he tossed for 2,943 backyards,17 TDs and two INTs
as a true freshman. After ASU played just 4 games in 2020, he had a mediocre 2021 season, tossing 10 interceptions to his 10 TDs.Daniels decided to move to LSU prior to last season, won the starting task and had a productive very first season under Brian Kelly, tossing for 2,913 lawns and 17 goals with just three interceptions and rushing for 885 backyards and 11 more scores as the Tigers declared the SEC West. He led LSU in each classification on the ground, with 180 carries that led to those backyard and TD tallies. He showed his guarantee in two straight games last fall, leading LSU to a 45-20 win over Ole Miss while completing 21 of 28
passes for 248 backyards and two TDs and hurrying for 121 lawns and three scores. The next week, he finished 22 of 32 passes for 182 lawns and 2 TDs against Alabama and included 95 hurrying yards, including a 25-yard score in overtime and the winning 2-point conversion pass to Mason Taylor in a thrilling 32-31 win. Kelly said just recently that he recruited Daniels back for one final season when he could’ve checked the NFL draft, assembling a year-round training program for him and assisting his player from California find an elite QB fitness instructor on the West Coast. With 41 profession begins under his belt, Daniels said he was returning in hopes of leading LSU to a championship.– Dave Wilson Upcoming year: Senior 2022 statistics: 2,014 passing yards, 18 passing touchdowns, 4 interceptions, 419 rushing yards, 7 hurrying goals, 87.9 QBR.Points: 19 It’s been an amazing rise for Daniels, a late bloomer who was an unheralded hire (he turned from Middle Tennessee to Kansas right prior to signing day )prior to earning Heisman hype last season while leading the Jayhawks to a 5-0 start after tossing 11 TDs to 1 INT over that period. Daniels, a 6-0, 215-pound future senior , gotten here in Lawrence from Lawndale, California, in the Los Angeles area, and began as a freshman under then-coach Les Miles.In 2021, brand-new coach Lance Leipold took over and transfer Jason Bean showed up from North Texas and won the starting job. However when Bean was injured after a 1-8 start, Daniels began and led the Jayhawks
to a 57-56 upset of Texas in Austin. The Jayhawks then lost by one rating to TCU and West Virginia to end the season, and Daniels showed sufficient flashes to win the job heading into 2022. Lastly, Daniels got the Jayhawks off to a scorching start after years of battles, tossing for 2,014 lawns, completing 66% of his passes with 18 TDs while running for 419 lawns and seven TDs. But in a”College GameDay”match with undefeated TCU, he hurt his shoulder and missed out on a number of games, returning late in the season for losses to Texas and Kansas State. But after ending up being the very first quarterback to lead Kansas to a bowl game given that 2008, he set several records in the Liberty Bowl trying to lead the Jayhawks to a return over Arkansas. He ended up with 544 passing backyards and five TDs, also hurrying for another score.Daniels and Bean both return this year, however Daniels is poised to hang on to the starting task and has Kansas positive for a second straight bowl game. It will not be easy, however absolutely nothing about Daniels’career to this point has been, either, and he has developed into among the leading quarterbacks in the country.– Wilson Also receiving votes: Will Rogers, Mississippi State(14 ), KJ Jefferson, Arkansas(11 ), Frank Harris, UTSA(8), Michael Pratt, Tulane (8), Spencer Rattler, South Carolina(4), Cade Klubnik, Clemson(3 ), Devin Leary, Kentucky (3), Brennan Armstrong, NC State(2), Joe Milton III, Tennessee(2 ), Austin Reed, Western Kentucky(1), Dillion Gabriel, Oklahoma(1), Kurtis Rourke, Ohio (1), Spencer Sanders, Ole Miss(1).