Does SEC have college football's best QBs? A stacked group is not without questions

The Athletic launched its faculty soccer quarterback tiers on Wednesday, rating all 136 projected FBS starters forward of the 2025 season. Spoiler alert: The ACC has the No. 1 quarterback, however the SEC got here out on prime general.

5 SEC quarterbacks are within the prime 10 in Tier 1, and the 16 projected starters within the convention have a mean rating of 29.5 — practically 9 factors forward of the second-place Huge 12 (common rating: thirty eighth).

Our rankings help a well-liked speculation heading into the season: The SEC would be the strongest league within the nation for quarterbacks with LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier (No. 2), South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers (No. 3), Oklahoma’s John Mateer (No. 4), Florida’s DJ Lagway (No. 5) and Texas’ Arch Manning (No. 10) main the way in which.

Which will certainly be the case. Nevertheless, even an SEC this stacked with proficient quarterbacks isn’t resistant to query marks on the sport’s most necessary place. Some wouldn’t be shocked if its standing is challenged.

“I believe the Huge 12 most likely has the most effective assortment of (quarterbacks),” a former SEC scouting director stated. “When you get previous these first 5 or so, there’s a fairly large drop-off to the following tier.”

How sure is it that the SEC may have faculty soccer’s greatest assortment of quarterbacks? Let’s dive into the SEC’s 5 most urgent questions at QB.

1. Can 5-star recruits flip potential into actuality?

It’s a large yr for former five-star recruits now moving into bigger roles, beginning with Manning at Texas, Lagway at Florida and former Oklahoma quarterback Jackson Arnold (No. 35) at Auburn. Are they prepared for larger issues to match the recruiting hype?

Manning is probably the most intriguing, each due to his well-known final title and due to what awaits Texas in Week 1: a highway recreation at defending nationwide champion Ohio State. The backup to Quinn Ewers for the previous two seasons, Manning enters 2025 having performed in 12 profession video games, with two begins in opposition to Mississippi State and Louisiana-Monroe, throwing for 969 yards with 9 touchdowns and two interceptions in whole. He has spent the previous two seasons studying the Texas offense and learning underneath Ewers to organize him for his third yr in coach Steve Sarkisian’s system.

It’s onerous to recollect the final time Texas had the sort of buzz across the program — the Longhorns have an opportunity to be The Related Press’ preseason No. 1 for the primary time — and Manning is the large cause why. Nevertheless, even he appears able to pump the brakes on the hype, particularly on the subject of Heisman Trophy discuss, the place he’s the betting favourite.

“I’ve solely performed, what, two video games?” he stated at SEC media days earlier this week. “I’ve acquired loads to show.”

Lagway and Arnold enter their sophomore seasons having began seven and 4 video games for the Gators and Sooners, respectively. Lagway, who flashed immense potential in an inconsistent debut season, could have coach Billy Napier’s destiny in his palms. Arnold, who completed final within the SEC in cross effectivity score in Oklahoma’s convention debut, might want to present that his freshman yr struggles have been distinctive to Oklahoma and gained’t carry over to the Tigers, the place he has a contemporary begin underneath coach Hugh Freeze with extra confirmed receiver expertise.

2. Are new faces able to degree up?

The SEC has a handful of transfers heading into the season, three of whom are transferring up in competitors and should present they’re prepared for brighter lights.

Mateer involves Oklahoma by the use of Washington State, which performed a Mountain West-heavy schedule following the demise of the Pac-12. Joey Aguilar (No. 60) has arrived at Tennessee within the Nico Iamaleava “commerce” after a fast offseason pit cease at UCLA and two seasons within the Solar Belt, the place he starred for Appalachian State. And Kentucky journeyman Zach Calzada (No. 63) is again within the league after two seasons at Incarnate Phrase, which adopted stops at Auburn and Texas A&M.

Mateer is probably the most confirmed participant of the trio and arrives in Norman because the hope for Oklahoma forward of a important yr for head coach Brent Venables. At Washington State, Mateer threw for 3,139 yards and 29 touchdowns in opposition to seven interceptions final season earlier than changing into some of the sought-after gamers within the portal.

The Sooners’ offense was a multitude a season in the past, switching backwards and forwards between Arnold and true freshman Michael Hawkins Jr. whereas rating fifteenth within the SEC in scoring. If Mateer can cling with SEC defenses, he’ll present some stability.

Calzada is extra of an enigma as he heads into his seventh season of school soccer at his fourth faculty — a run that began with promise when he led Texas A&M to a memorable upset of Alabama in 2021.

Aguilar stands out as the most attention-grabbing switch, in that he solely arrived in Tennessee in mid-Might after the Vols’ falling out with Iamaleava. Aguilar starred at Appalachian State in 2023 and 2024, throwing for six,760 yards and 56 touchdowns in two seasons. Nevertheless, he additionally tossed 24 picks and has gotten a late, post-spring begin with Josh Heupel’s offense.

3. Will long-term growth repay for CFP hopefuls?

Alabama and Georgia at all times have Playoff hopes, and Ole Miss remains to be hoping to recover from the hump after an in depth name final yr. If any of the three groups make the ultimate 12-team bracket, it’ll be on the again of a brand new Tier 4 quarterback being developed from inside.

Former five-star recruit Ty Simpson (No. 47) is predicted to take over for the Crimson Tide in Kalen DeBoer’s second yr with this system. Simpson replaces Jalen Milroe, and although he’s in his fourth yr with Alabama, he has simply 50 profession cross makes an attempt.

Georgia is in an identical state of affairs: Gunner Stockton (No. 48) is in control of the offense now that the Carson Beck period with the Bulldogs is over. Stockton acquired beneficial expertise within the SEC Championship Sport in opposition to Texas and within the School Soccer Playoff in opposition to Notre Dame. Nonetheless, he’s unproven with simply 588 profession passing yards in two seasons.

Austin Simmons (No. 37) at Ole Miss might need the largest sneakers to fill. A 3rd-year participant at an Ole Miss program that has turn into identified for its heavy utilization of the switch portal, he replaces first-round NFL Draft choose Jaxson Dart and enters the season with simply 32 profession cross makes an attempt.

4. What’s Beau Pribula’s ceiling at Missouri?

Pribula (No. 38), the previous Penn State backup, transferred throughout the CFP to take over at Missouri. A number of sources for our QB Tiers advised Antonio Morales that Pribula could have been their No. 1 goal within the switch portal. Nonetheless, he stays a little bit of a thriller for a staff attempting to duplicate final yr’s 10-3 success.

The excellent news: Pribula needs to be well-prepared for SEC defenses, having spent his complete profession training in opposition to the Nittany Lions. He additionally performed in 24 video games throughout his profession, backing up Drew Allar. The dangerous information: Pribula has zero profession begins and was used primarily as a change-up runner by Penn State. How he performs in an expanded function will dictate how far Mizzou goes.

5. What occurs at Texas A&M and Arkansas?

Maintain your eye on the Aggies (8-5 final yr) and Razorbacks (7-6), which return arguably underappreciated beginning quarterbacks in Marcel Reed (No. 26) at Texas A&M and Taylen Inexperienced (No. 21) at Arkansas, whose play may dictate their groups’ makes an attempt to interrupt via in opposition to rugged schedules.

Each have the potential to compete with anybody within the SEC in the event that they take the following step. Their velocity and skill to make defenders pay with their legs is plain. Nevertheless, each must be extra correct. Reed threw 15 touchdowns in opposition to six interceptions a season in the past, and Inexperienced tossed 15 touchdowns with 9 picks.

(Photograph of John Mateer: Kevin Jairaj / USA In the present day Community by way of Imagn Photographs)