It hasn’t been a easy street for the quarterback recruits within the Class of 2022. Solely three of the highest 20 prospects within the 247Sports Composite have began greater than 15 video games on the Energy 4 degree, and 14 of the highest 18 have already transferred not less than as soon as.
There could be some late builders within the group, however three years is lengthy sufficient to offer us an concept of how most of those quarterbacks match into the school soccer panorama. So it’s time to re-rank the Class of 2022 QBs.
(Listed below are our seems again on the 2020 and 2021 quarterbacks.)
1. Cade Klubnik, Clemson
Unique rating: No. 6 general participant, No. 1 QB
Why he’s right here: There was some debate about Klubnik versus Drew Allar for the highest spot, however Klubnik took a constructive step ahead this season. The Clemson sign caller handed for 3,639 yards with 36 touchdowns and solely six interceptions whereas additionally speeding for 463 yards and 7 scores. He led the Tigers to an ACC championship and performed nicely in a first-round Faculty Soccer Playoff loss to Texas. Additionally, Klubnik’s efficiency in that sport was higher than any Allar efficiency in opposition to an elite protection. So the No. 1 QB within the 2022 recruiting cycle nonetheless holds the highest spot. Expectations will likely be extraordinarily excessive for each Klubnik and the Clemson offense in 2025.
2. Drew Allar, Penn State
Unique rating: No. 32 general, No. 4 QB
Why he’s right here: Allar is a polarizing participant. All of the bodily instruments are there. He’s athletic and has an enormous arm. His numbers are strong, too. He’s handed for 49 touchdowns, 10 interceptions and 5,958 yards over the previous two seasons, and he simply led Penn State to the CFP semis. Nevertheless it’s tough to disregard Allar’s struggles within the Nittany Lions’ greatest video games over his two years as a starter. The most recent misstep was a backbreaking interception within the last minutes in opposition to Notre Dame that led to the Preventing Irish’s game-winning area aim. Allar is nice and did enhance in 2024, however extra will likely be wanted from him in 2025 with heightened expectations for Penn State.
3. Rocco Becht, Iowa State
Unique rating: No. 572 general, No. 33 QB
Why he’s right here: The highest two quarterbacks on this re-ranking had been extremely touted recruits. Becht is the primary of a number of we’ll see on this checklist who’ve outperformed their recruiting pedigree. He wasn’t even among the many high 25 quarterbacks within the 2022 cycle however has handed for six,625 yards, 48 touchdowns and 17 interceptions over his two seasons because the starter. He additionally led the Cyclones to 11 victories (the primary 10-win season in program historical past) and a Massive 12 title sport look in 2024. With Becht again, Iowa State needs to be a darkish horse within the Massive 12 title race subsequent season.
Iowa State HC Matt Campbell displaying his QB Rocco Becht some love after taking down the Hawkeyes 🌪️@CycloneFB pic.twitter.com/swfVC4h4if
— FOX Faculty Soccer (@CFBONFOX) September 7, 2024
4. Kevin Jennings, SMU
Unique rating: No. 1,535 general participant, No. 95 QB
Why he’s right here: Preston Stone, one of the vital extremely ranked SMU signees of the trendy recruiting period, opened the season because the starter after a productive 2023 season. However Jennings surprisingly unseated Stone early within the 2024 season and by no means appeared again. He handed for 3,245 yards with 23 touchdowns and 11 interceptions and rushed for 354 yards and 5 scores. Jennings had a disastrous sport within the first spherical of the CFP, throwing three interceptions in a 38-10 loss at Penn State. That positioned an unsightly stain on his 2024 season however doesn’t change the actual fact he led SMU to the ACC title sport, a spot within the Playoff and its first top-15 end in 40 years. He’ll be one of many high returning quarterbacks within the ACC subsequent season.
5. Fernando Mendoza, Indiana (by way of Cal)
Unique rating: No. 2,149 general participant, No. 140 quarterback
Why he’s right here: Mendoza was dedicated to Yale however flipped to Cal late within the cycle. He rose to the highest of the depth chart through the 2023 season and have become a strong starter for Cal. Because the full-time starter in 2024, Mendoza handed for 3,004 yards, 16 touchdowns and 6 interceptions and led Cal to a bowl for a second consecutive season. He entered the switch portal after the common season and have become one of the vital coveted sign callers obtainable this winter. He transferred to Indiana, which hopes to re-create the identical success it had with one other switch, Kurtis Rourke, who led the Hoosiers to the Playoff in 2024..
6. Noah Fifita, Arizona
Unique rating: No. 690 general, No. 38 QB
Why he’s right here: Fifita was missed as a recruit popping out of Southern California due to his peak (5 toes 10). He had simply two Energy 5 presents and signed with Arizona, the place he backed up Jayden de Laura till an harm thrust him into the beginning lineup early within the 2023 season. He handed for two,869 yards with 25 touchdowns and 6 interceptions and led Arizona to 10 wins and an Alamo Bowl victory. He stayed with the Wildcats regardless that coach Jedd Fisch left for Washington. With Fifita and star receiver Tetairoa McMillan again, expectations had been excessive in 2024, however the offense struggled below head coach Brent Brennan and offensive coordinator Dino Babers. To make issues worse, the Wildcats went 4-8 and misplaced all momentum from the breakthrough 2023 season. Babers wasn’t retained after the season, and Arizona employed Marshall offensive coordinator Seth Doege to run the offense. Fifita stayed in Tucson regardless of rumors he’d enter the portal. One in every of Doege’s primary goals will likely be to get Fifita again to his 2023 type.
7. Josh Hoover, TCU
Unique rating: No. 709 general, No. 41 QB
Why he’s right here: Hoover was a three-star prospect who redshirted as a real freshman. He earned his first profession begin halfway by the 2023 season and handed for 439 yards, 4 touchdowns and two interceptions in his debut, a 44-11 win in opposition to BYU. He misplaced 4 of his 5 begins to complete that season however got here again and had a robust 2024 with 3,949 yards passing, 27 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. Most significantly, Hoover acquired TCU again on monitor with a nine-win season, which was wanted after the Horned Frogs had a disappointing 5-7 marketing campaign in 2023. We’ll see if he can elevate TCU’s win complete once more in 2025.
8. Maalik Murphy, Oregon State (by way of Duke by way of Texas)
Unique rating: No. 179 general, No. 12 QB
Why he’s right here: Murphy was a extremely touted prospect regardless that he was a bit uncooked and began just one full season in highschool. He was the backup at Texas in 2023 however began two video games when Quinn Ewers was injured, and he carried out nicely sufficient to maintain the Longhorns on the trail to incomes a spot within the four-team Faculty Soccer Playoff. With Ewers more likely to return in 2024 and Arch Manning set to enter his second season, Murphy left this system in December 2023 — earlier than the CFP — and landed at Duke. He threw for two,933 yards, 26 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in his first full 12 months as a starter, main Duke to a 9-3 report within the common season. The whole lot appeared fantastic on the floor, however Duke sought to improve at quarterback this offseason — the Blue Devils ultimately signed Darian Mensah from Tulane — and Murphy entered the portal as soon as once more. He’s in line to be the starter at Oregon State in 2025.
9. Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi, Colorado State
Unique rating: No. 1,385 general, No. 86 QB
Why he’s right here: Nicolosi has been inconsistent all through his two-year stint because the Rams starter. He’s handed for 36 touchdowns and 6,256 yards over that span but additionally threw 25 interceptions. Fowler-Nicolosi did lead Colorado State to a bowl sport in 2024 — its first since 2017 — which was necessary for the trajectory of this system below Jay Norvell. His numbers declined in 2024 due partly to not having high wideout Tory Horton for half of the season. With Horton off to the NFL, Fowler-Nicolosi might want to step up in 2025, particularly if the Rams have aspirations of competing for a Mountain West championship after narrowly lacking the convention title sport in 2024.
10. Byrum Brown, USF
Unique rating: No. 1,178 general, No. 73 QB
Why he’s right here: Brown had an incredible debut season as USF’s full-time starter in 2023, throwing for 3,292 yards with 26 touchdowns and 11 interceptions whereas speeding for 809 yards and 11 scores. Expectations had been excessive for Brown and the Bulls in 2024, however a damaged bone in his leg restricted him to only six video games. Brown practiced through the second half of the season and performed two snaps within the Hawaii Bowl. If he’s absolutely wholesome, he needs to be probably the greatest Group of 5 quarterbacks within the nation in 2025.
Regulate
Beau Pribula, Missouri (by way of Penn State), No. 464 general, No. 29 QB: Pribula was an attention-grabbing chess piece for the Nittany Lions this 12 months. He was a gadget participant in Andy Kotelnicki’s offense, passing for 275 yards and 5 touchdowns and speeding for 242 yards and 4 scores. He entered the portal earlier than the Playoff and transferred to Missouri, the place he’ll have an expanded position.
Caden Veltkamp, Florida Atlantic (by way of Western Kentucky), No. 838 general, No. 50 QB: Veltkamp had a really productive 2024, accounting for 32 complete touchdowns and passing for 3,108 yards in his first season as a starter. He transferred to FAU, the place he’ll be part of new head coach Zach Kittley, who has produced prolific offenses because the coordinator at Houston Baptist, Western Kentucky and Texas Tech.
Jayden Maiava, USC (by way of UNLV), No. 852 general, No. 53 QB: You all the time must be careful for Lincoln Riley’s beginning quarterback. Maiava remains to be very uncooked and inconsistent, however he’ll have an offseason with one of many sport’s high QB coaches, which might assist. Maiava led the Trojans to a 3-1 report in 4 begins in 2024. He accounted for 15 touchdowns and handed for 1,201 yards.
Ethan Vasko, Liberty (by way of Coastal Carolina by way of Kansas), No. 1,561 general participant, No. 97 quarterback: Vasko’s numbers haven’t been eye-popping — 54.6 completion share, 2,110 yards, 14 TD passes and eight INTs together with 447 speeding yards and 5 speeding TDs at Coastal Carolina in 2024 — however he’s now taking part in for Jamey Chadwell, who has a historical past of productive QBs.
What occurred to the opposite high 10 QBs?
Conner Weigman (No. 22 general, No. 2 QB): Weigman entered the previous two seasons as Texas A&M’s beginning quarterback however has been injured or too inconsistent to carry down the beginning job. With Marcel Reed taking up the position, Weigman transferred to Houston this offseason.
Ty Simpson (No. 26 general, No. 3 QB): Simpson was the first backup at Alabama this season and can probably be seen as the favourite to begin in 2025.
Walker Howard (No. 40 general, No. 5 QB): Howard has tried solely 10 passes throughout his faculty profession. He transferred to Ole Miss after one season at LSU however did not beat out Jaxson Dart. He transferred to Louisiana this offseason and needs to be in line to begin for a staff that received 10 video games in 2024.
Devin Brown (No. 43 general, No. 6 QB): Brown spent the previous two seasons as the first backup at Ohio State. The Buckeyes appear excessive on freshman Julian Sayin, a former five-star prospect, and incoming five-star Tavien St. Clair, so Brown introduced his switch to Cal after Ohio State received the nationwide championship.
Gunner Stockton (No. 124 general, No. 7 QB): Carson Beck’s elbow harm pushed Stockton to the highest of the depth chart. He helped Georgia beat Texas within the SEC title sport and performed fantastic in a loss to Notre Dame within the Sugar Bowl. With Beck transferring to Miami, the trail towards turning into the full-time starter appears clear for Stockton — except Georgia provides somebody through the spring portal window.
Sam Horn (No. 139 general, No. 8 QB): Horn has thrown simply eight passes in his faculty profession. Horn, who additionally performs baseball for Missouri, missed the 2024 season whereas recovering from Tommy John surgical procedure.
Nick Evers (No. 172 general, No. 9 QB): Evers signed with Oklahoma out of highschool and lasted one season in Norman earlier than transferring to Wisconsin. He performed only one season with the Badgers earlier than transferring to UConn, the place he performed in 9 video games and handed for 918 yards, 5 touchdowns and 5 interceptions in 2024. That was the primary prolonged taking part in time of his profession.
Brady Allen (No. 175 general, No. 10 QB): Allen has tried 4 passes in three faculty seasons. He began his profession at Purdue and adopted coach Jeff Brohm to Louisville. Brohm has began switch quarterbacks in every of the previous two seasons and can probably achieve this in 2025, as USC switch Miller Moss is the robust favourite to win the job in 2025.
(Illustration: Demetrius Robinson / The Athletic; pictures: Luke Lu / Diamond Pictures, Jack Gorman, Megan Briggs, Mitchell Leff / Getty Pictures)
