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David Hale, ESPN staff writer
It’s been a strange year for quarterbacks in college football.
In 2023, Caleb Williams and Drake May headline our annual tiered rankings, which is no surprise. One had the Heisman Trophy. The other is projected as a top-five NFL draft pick. They were established stars with real cachet even among casual college football fans.
Williams and Maye were preceded by Bryce Young and C.J. Stroud; Stetson Bennett before them; They were preceded by Justin Fields and Trevor Lawrence; Before them were Tua Tagovailo and Lamar Jackson and Baker Mayfield and Deshaun Watson and Marcus Mariota and Jameis Winston and Johnny Manziel.
Since 2012, there has only been one other season that didn’t open with at least two quarterbacks who finished in the top 10 in the Heisman balloting or won a national championship the previous season — and that was the Covid year of 2020 (which was followed by one of the big-time recruits season, taking over as the starting quarterback with serious name recognition such as Young and DJ Wagaleli and, due to the new NIL rules, national advertising coverage). In 2013, 2014, 2017, 2022 and 2023, the defending Heisman winner returned. In 2014, 2015, 2018, 2019 and 2022, the defending champion’s quarterback returned.
In 2024, we have Jalen Milroe. That’s it. He is the only quarterback to finish in the top 10 in Heisman voting (sixth) and returns for 2024, the most successful of a QB class the year after six quarterbacks were selected in the first 12 picks of the NFL Draft.
That doesn’t mean there aren’t some big names. Quinn Ewers graces the cover of the new EA Sports College Football 25 game, but perhaps ironically, he garnered more attention during his recruitment and early struggles than he did going over the top at quarterback last season. Shedeur Sanders is a bona fide star, but in a unique twist, he may be more famous among people with only a casual appreciation of college football. Many brand him as a genius (though he has plenty of both). Carson Beck is widely projected as the top NFL prospect in this group, and yet, ask the average fan of a team named Georgia what they remember most about Beck and the image of him buying a Lamborghini for NIL money will be.
Going through our rankings, you’ll find some real talent and plenty of potential. And yet, as the kids say, the vibes are all wrong. Have steak, but have sizzle?
Go back to 2012 when we were last faced with something like this mess. From the ashes emerged Manziel, arguably the most famous — or infamous — quarterback of college football’s social media era.
That’s our Tier 1 for now, but where a reputation void exists in college football, it stands to reason someone — perhaps someone completely unexpected — will step up to fill it. Nevertheless, let’s break down the QB situations of all 134 FBS programs by level.
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