Thirsty for College Football? Well with only a few months away I decided to do a breakdown of the top 50 quarterbacks in College Football this season. Enjoy!
- Lamar Jackson – (Louisville) – Jr.
The reigning heisman trophy winner may not be the best pro ready quarterback but he’s certainly the best in college. - Josh Allen – (Wyoming) – Jr.
There’s already talk of Allen being the top pick in the NFL draft if he decides to come out, regardless Wyoming should be contenders in the Mountain West with Allen at the helm and watch out for a week 1 upset when they play at Iowa. - Baker Mayfield – (Oklahoma) – Sr.
Sure, Bob Stoops retiring was quite stunning but Lincoln Riley (the new head coach) has been running the sooners offense quite well the past two seasons. I don’t expect the wheels to come flying off under Riley who’s proven to be a great coordinator at Texas Tech & East Carolina before landing in Norman. - J.T. Barrett – (Ohio State) – Sr.
Barrett is the main reason why Ohio State has a great chance to be playoff bound yet again. He knows Urban Meyer’s offense and it seems he’s been under center in Columbus for a decade. - Sam Darnold – (USC) – So.
I got to be honest, I was shocked just how good Darnold was during USC’s run last year. A true freshman with big wins over Colorado and at Washington. Wow. One could argue that no one was playing better than the Trojans by the time December rolled around. - Trace McSorley – (Penn State) – Jr.
At some point last year it finally all clicked and the Penn State offense became a machine. They’re contenders now with McSorley at the helm. - Luke Falk – (Washington State) – Sr.
Falk knows the ins and outs of Mike Leach’s system and there is already talk that Wazzu could be playoff sleepers. If you get a chance tune in and see the air raid circus that is Falk and Washington State. - Mason Rudolph – (Oklahoma State) – Sr.
There’s already talk of Rudolph being a first round pick in the NFL Draft. Now add in the fact that Bob Stoops just stepped down and Rudolph and the Cowboys have a real shot to win the Big 12 and perhaps make the College Football playoffs. - Jalen Hurts – (Alabama) – So.
As the season went on Hurts seemed to get worse, but remember he was only a freshman. At times last year he showed us flashes of greatness. Expect more from Hurts as the season goes on this year. Bama will be right there at the end yet again. - Quinton Flowers – (South Florida) – Sr.
I know, I know. Who? Flowers plays in the American conference but let me tell you the guy is a playmaker. South Florida could be a sleeper this year as a mid major so watch out. - Deondre Francois – (Florida State) – So.
Can the season start already? The week 1 Francois vs Jalen Hurts of Alabama has me counting the days till the season starts. Francois could very well be better than my #11 spot but I guess i can figure that out after week 1. - David Blough – (Purdue) – Jr.
Maybe the best thing that happened to Blough was the hiring of quarterback guru Jeff Brohm. Blough played great last year and can only get better with the addition of Brohm. Watch that week 1 matchup vs Louisville and Lamar Jackson. - Jake Browning – (Washington) – Jr.
Year three in the Chris Peterson system should have Browning better than ever. If he can limit some of the turnovers this guy will be pretty damn good. - Josh Rosen – (UCLA) – Jr.
If this guy can stay healthy he could potentially be a top 5 quarterback. Instead I have him at #14. Week 1 will tell an awful lot about Rosen as the Bruins host Texas A&M. If it’s the Rosen of two years ago watch out Pac 12. - Brett Rypien – (Boise State) – Sr.
This guy has quarterback in his blood (Mark Rypien former super bowl winning QB is his uncle). Boise State should be ready for another shot at being the mid major that goes undefeated. The mountain west is loaded though with Wyoming, Colorado State and San Diego State all being legit. - Malik Zaire – (Florida) – Sr.
Zaire just transferred to Florida a few days ago as a grad transfer from Notre Dame. This addition instantly gives the Gators what they’ve been missing since Tebow, a good QB. Watch out Wolverine fans, week 1’s matchup of Florida vs Michigan just got a lot better. - Jarrett Stidham – (Auburn) – So.
Okay, so he took a year off because the Baylor program just about did everything terrible you can do on planet earth. Now’s Stidham’s at Auburn and Crimson Tide fans should watch out, during Stidham’s one year at Baylor he was pretty damn good. A new system could always change things but at this point he should be this high up. - Riley Ferguson – (Memphis) – Sr.
Ferguson played great last year in Mike Norvell’s first season. The former Tennessee transfer should be loaded this year as he also returns one of the American’s top wideouts in Anthony Miller. - Jacob Eason – (Georgia) – So.
Eason showed us plenty of flashes last year as a freshman. The guy has talent but needs to be more consistent. Year two he can only get better right? - Logan Woodside – (Toledo) – Sr.
You may not know who he is but you should, Woodside led the nation in touchdown passes last year and he’s ready to do it again. They have a game at Miami this year that could let the whole country know just how good he is. - Austin Allen – (Arkansas) – Sr.
Allen is in need of a big year for coach Brett Bielema who is reportedly on the hot seat. Look for Allen to have a solid year but I don’t see the Razorbacks doing too much in the SEC west. - Brandon Wimbush – (Notre Dame) – Sr.
Brian Kelly may be one hell of an asshole but he always has a pretty good QB. Look for Notre Dame to have somewhat of a rebound year with Wimbush at the helm. - Brent Stockstill – (Middle Tennessee) – Sr.
Stockstill is back after the injury that kept him out for the 2nd half of last season. Watch out Syracuse, Minnesota and well Vanderbilt again. Last year Stockstill threw for 400 yards against Vandy on the road, this year he gets them at home. - Nick Fitzgerald – (Mississippi State) – Jr.
Fitzgerald really came into his own last season. It’s one of the reasons why Mississippi State should be a player in the SEC west this year. I’m not expecting them to win the west but they should be a dangerous team to play. - Clayton Thorson – (Northwestern) – Jr.
Thorson and the Wildcats have quite a bit of hype coming into the season. Everything I read says this should be head coach Pat Fitzgeralds best team he’s ever had. Add up all of that and the fact NFL scouts have Thorson on their radar and the maybe Northwestern is a player in the Big 10 this year. - Brandon Silvers – (Troy) – Sr.
Silvers had Troy in the game last year against Clemson and almost pulled off the upset only losing by 6 to the national champions. This year Troy should be even better, and could be a dangerous matchup. Watch out Boise State, I’m talking to you. - Jesse Ertz – (Kansas State) – Sr.
If Ertz can steal healthy I expect the Wildcats to be one of college footballs feel good stories, let alone a sleeper playoff contender. - Eric Dungey – (Syracuse) – Jr.
Dino Babers did a great job in year one at Syracuse. Dungey was really starting to develop into something before he got injured. Now Dungey is back and its year two under Babers and several experts have Syracuse as one of their surprise teams for 2017. The main reason why is Dungey. Watch out ACC. - Kenny Hill – (TCU) – Sr.
The former Texas A&M starting QB had a solid season for the frogs last year but there’s room for improvement. In fact if the Hornfrogs want to be a player in the big 12 Hill was crack down on the turnovers and mistakes. Still, he’s a heck of a talent that should be one of the best QBs in the Big 12. - Wilton Speight – (Michigan) – Sr.
Speight had a decent year with the exception of the Ohio State game. Speight should be ready for another solid season and a chance to redeem himself as the Wolverines host the Buckeyes in Ann Arbor in November. - Nick Stevens – (Colorado State) – Sr.
Stevens is ready to take the Rams to the next level this year. Head coach Mike Bobo has raved about Stevens off season improvement. - Jake Bentley – (South Carolina) – So.
Bentley had a heck of a freshman year in Columbia for the Gamecocks. If they can put some pieces around him South Carolina could be a player in the SEC east. - Mike White – (Western Kentucky) – Sr.
White was one of the best quarterbacks in the country last year but head coach Jeff Brohm is now at Purdue, the hilltoppers should keep rolling though. The NFL scouts have had an eye on White on there’s plenty of reason why. Maybe it was the 500 plus yards he threw for against Rice. Don’t sleep on him. - Steven Montez – (Colorado) – So.
Montez played big as a freshman throwing for over 1,000 yards and getting big conference wins as the starting quarterback. The Buffs return their top 5 receivers so there’s no reason why the Buffs shouldn’t continue to improve with Montez behind center. - Taylor Lamb – (Appalachian State) – Sr.
Lamb is an experienced QB in this system and a dangerous QB on the ground. Passing wise he’s a game manager but he’s a winner. - Gus Ragland – (Miami Oh) – Jr.
Ragland saved the Redhawks season last year and was their key ingredient into reviving their 0-5 start and making a bowl game (almost knocking off Mississippi State). - Tanner Mangum – (BYU) – Jr.
I know Mangum is still best known for his hail mary against Nebraska but there’s more to the guy. If only he can stay healthy, If so Mangum could be a headache for LSU in the season opener. - Justin Herbert – (Oregon) – So.
Herbert had a great first year as a freshman QB but now in comes Willie Taggart and a brand new system, thus is the reason why I have him further back. Chances are he’ll be better than #38. - Daniel Jones – (Duke) – So.
Last year Duke lost their starting QB Thomas Sirk for the season about a week before the season started. Daniel Jones came in as a freshman and played great, the rest of the team, not so much. Still he was good enough that David Cutcliff passed on bringing back Thomas Sirk who’s now the QB at East Carolina as a grad transfer. - Brogan Roback (Eastern Michigan) – Jr.
Roback is one of the many reasons Eastern Michigan went bowling for the first time since the nineteen eighties. - Troy Williams – (Utah) – Sr.
Williams is experienced under center as a dual threat QB for the Utes. If Williams could develop his passing game some he’d move up the ranks some. - Shane Buechelle – (Texas) – So.
Buechelle was another one of the freshman quarterbacks to show us tons of great flashes but also tons of mistakes. Tom Herman is used to a mobile quarterback so it will be interesting to see how Buechelle does in the new system. - Ryan Finley – (NC State) – Jr.
Finley the former Boise State quarterback finally came into his own last year for the Wolfpack. They should of beat Clemson but couldn’t make a field goal. Finley should have the pack back bowling this year. - Drew Lock – (Missouri) – Sr.
Missouri has been a forgotten team since Gary Pinkel left. Lock is now a senior and head coach Barry Odom is now experienced as the head coach of the Tigers. Now its time for results/ - Thomas Sirk – (East Carolina) – Sr.
Sirk played great as the quarterback of Duke all up until he tore his ACL last August. Sirk is now back from injury and he teamed up with his former offensive coordinator at Duke Scottie Montgomery (East Carolina head coach). - Shea Patterson – (Ole Miss) – So.
Ole Miss fans were mad they had to burn Patterson’s redshirt last year when Chad Kelley got injured. Patterson had some moments that instantly reminded me of Johnny Manziel at Texas A&M. Now in year two he should be fun to watch. - Keller Chryst – (Stanford) – So.
Chryst was a big time recruit for the Cardinals and played pretty good for a freshman. Year two will really prove just how good he is now that McCaffrey is in the NFL. Still I expect Chryst to develop into one of the PAC 12’s best quarterbacks. - Danny Etling – (LSU) – Sr.
Etling played pretty well after Les Miles was let go, so there’s plenty of reason the Purdue transfer can excel under new offensive coordinator Matt Canada who came over from Pittsburgh. - Kyle Allen – (Houston) – Jr.
Allen makes his Cougars debut after spending two years at Texas A&M. Major Applewhite the former offensive coordinator takes over as head coach. Allen has a great receiving core so the transition should be smooth. - Alex Hornibrook – (Wisconsin) – So.
Hornibrook had an up and down year but he was a freshman. As the season went on you could see his improvement and I expect the same will happen for him this year.
