Once we launched into rating all 136 FBS beginning quarterbacks for the upcoming school soccer season, we knew there can be loads of dialogue about who was too excessive and who was too low. We had these debates ourselves as we compiled the rankings.
Consulting with greater than 40 coaches and staffers throughout the nation helped our slotting efforts immensely, however it didn’t clear up each conundrum. Coaches’ opinions assorted on lots of the QBs, particularly those close to the highest, and so did ours. And although a lot of the main focus can be on the quarterbacks ranked the very best, we spent exhaustive efforts differentiating quarterbacks inside their very own convention.
Right here’s a rundown of the largest debates we got here throughout whereas inserting each workforce’s projected starter into The Athletic’s Faculty Soccer QB Tiers.
Who’s No. 1?
Sam Khan Jr.: The highest quarterback was not a slam dunk. Clemson’s Cade Klubnik and LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier have been our high two contenders, however we talked to some who showered lofty reward upon Florida’s DJ Lagway or South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers.
Within the remaining week, I agonized over whether or not we must always put Nussmeier at No. 1 or contemplate Sellers or Lagway, who each have elite athletic traits. What do you assume cinched it for Klubnik, Antonio?
Antonio Morales: Klubnik doesn’t examine all the containers, however he checks numerous them. He’s a very sturdy deep ball thrower who’s a stable athlete, too. He had the very best season of any of the gamers in Tier 1 once you stability particular person efficiency and workforce success. And he’ll have nice receivers to throw to this season, which can be his third yr with offensive coordinator Garrett Riley. It’s affordable to anticipate the 2022 five-star prospect to take one other leap this fall. And other people we actually respect have been very excessive on him.
The place to rank Arch Manning
Khan: I’m actually excessive on Arch, and in our preliminary rating, I had him at No. 5. However you satisfied me to decelerate the hype prepare only a tad. Why?
Morales: I’ve little doubt Manning can be good, however I’m somewhat hesitant to position him within the high 5 proper now. He has thrown 95 profession passes, with 72 of these coming in opposition to UTSA (which went 7-6 final yr), a sub-.500 Louisiana-Monroe squad and a horrible Mississippi State workforce. Some have forgotten that Texas went to Manning in opposition to Georgia for a collection throughout their regular-season assembly, and issues seemed like they have been shifting quick for him.
I imagine he’ll be good, however I simply wish to see him play extra in opposition to higher competitors earlier than placing him that prime.
Khan: It will not shock me if, by the top of the season, he’s at or close to the highest of this checklist primarily based on 2025 efficiency. However we tried to stability profession accomplishments with future projection when making this checklist. To me, Manning’s measurement, athleticism, arm power, accuracy and intangibles all level to a star within the making. Plus, he’s coached by top-of-the-line QB tutors within the recreation, Steve Sarkisian. And the opinions we’ve heard this offseason have been sturdy. However we haven’t seen as a lot of him as we’ve seen of Lagway or Sellers, which is why I felt comfy inserting him towards the underside of Tier 1.
The place to rank Drew Allar
Khan: Allar is one other one I struggled with. Scouts love the Penn State veteran’s traits, which is why The Athletic’s Dane Brugler has talked about he might discover himself within the QB1 dialog subsequent spring. He took the Nittany Lions to the Faculty Soccer Playoff semifinals (although his late interception is a tough picture to shake). However he hasn’t wowed opposing school coaches in the way in which you’d assume somebody along with his capacity would possibly. “I don’t assume he’s particular or nice,” a Energy 4 head coach advised us. However, Allar was in a brand new offense final yr and had an underwhelming receiving corps. Now that Penn State has loaded up on the place, will he take off?
Morales: I don’t anticipate his numbers to take a dramatic leap as a result of Penn State has two high-quality operating backs (Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen) and can possible stay dedicated to the run. Positive, on paper, the receivers look higher, however tight finish Tyler Warren was a fairly impactful cross catcher final season. Allar has been disappointing in almost all his large video games, however he has additionally led his workforce to the playoffs, and never many returning quarterbacks can say the identical.
The highest three Large 12 quarterbacks
Khan: I spent numerous time looking for the correct order for Arizona State’s Sam Leavitt, TCU’s Josh Hoover and Baylor’s Sawyer Robertson (whereas additionally contemplating Iowa State’s Rocco Becht). Hoover may be the very best pure passer of the bunch. Robertson principally saved Baylor’s season final yr. However Leavitt appears to be the whole bundle with the very best ceiling, and that shone by way of within the Peach Bowl thriller in opposition to Texas. If solely allowed to decide on one, most coaches we spoke with appeared to lean towards Leavitt.
Morales: I do know you wrestled with that pecking order, however I agree with placing Leavitt on the high. He actually got here alongside through the second half of final season, when the stakes have been at their highest. I’m excessive on his bodily traits as a passer and runner, too.
What about Nico Iamaleava?
Morales: This was a tricky one for me. Iamaleava was the beginning quarterback for a Playoff workforce final season at Tennessee, however he can be surrounded by a worse supporting solid this season at UCLA, so even when he does enhance, he’ll nonetheless have a tricky highway forward. And it’ll be straightforward to query his determination making after all of the NIL holdout drama surrounding his departure from Knoxville this spring. Do you assume he ought to’ve been decrease or increased than 19?
Khan: I struggled with this, too, and was tempted to maneuver him decrease. Iamaleava is immensely proficient (fast launch, sturdy arm, nice measurement). However the Vols’ nice operating recreation and protection carried the heaviest load final fall. Coaches we spoke with provided numerous skepticism about Iamaleava, and I’ve to think about a few of that’s due to his failed contract renegotiation and the firestorm that adopted. “If he can put all of it collectively, he ain’t far-off from being elite,” one coach who confronted him advised me. “He’s bought all of the instruments and expertise, however I used to be somewhat underwhelmed after I noticed him reside.”
The younger first-time starters (Julian Sayin, Dante Moore, Demond Williams, and many others.)
Khan: One of many challenge’s most difficult workouts was evaluating guys who haven’t began or have solely somewhat beginning expertise to guys with much more on their resume.
Morales: Moore was extraordinarily inconsistent after we final noticed him on the sector at UCLA in 2023. Sayin hasn’t proven a lot of something but, however it’s very easy to imagine in each gamers as a result of the expertise surrounding them at Oregon and Ohio State can be so good. Williams is the one I’m most excited to look at due to his mobility and creativity as a scrambler. Are there any of the three that you’ve questions on?
Khan: Moore is the one I bought essentially the most optimistic suggestions on. It looks as if he’s anticipated to interrupt out in an enormous means this yr. Sayin is the one who intrigues me essentially the most as a result of there’s a lot unknown. We’ve seen much less of him than the opposite two, however Jeremiah Smith had some excessive reward for his new quarterback. At minimal, we all know Sayin can have an ideal supporting solid.
(Photograph of Nico Iamaleava: Saul Younger / Information Sentinel / USA Right now Community by way of Imagn Photographs)
