NCAAF Quarterback Rankings: Top 10 college football QBs entering the 2023 season
Quarterback is the most important position in maybe all of sports. This is especially true in college football, where elite quarterback play can be the difference between a championship and losing.
Here is a ranking of the 10 best quarterbacks in college football.
Top 10 QBs in college football
#10, Michael Pratt, Tulane
The name you haven’t heard on this list might also have the most inspiring story as well. Michael Pratt didn’t play football until high school. That is a “road less traveled” from others on this list who had been groomed to be quarterbacks since elementary school.
It only shows how high Pratt’s ceiling could reach. Pratt is a fantastic athlete, scoring 10 touchdowns and running for over 450 yards in 2022. Pratt was electric in 2022, throwing 27 touchdowns to just five interceptions with over 3,000 yards through the air.
#9, Bo Nix, Oregon
A polarizing player if there ever was one, Bo Nix is far away from his time at Auburn. Settling in with Dan Lanning as his coach, Nix threw for 3,594 yards in 2022 and eclipsed 10,000 passing yards for his career. A dynamic playmaker, Nix was responsible for 44 touchdowns in his first season as the Ducks' starting quarterback.
The son of Auburn star Patrick Nix, Bo Nix has completely rehabilitated his image as an elite QB in the NCAA.
#8, Quinn Ewers, Texas
3 days 🤘
@QuinnEwers https://t.co/bAJDPMDL0L
Ewers showed exactly who he could be in the first half of the Texas-Alabama game. However, he went down with a non-throwing shoulder injury near halftime.
Despite Arch Manning being the most high-profile quarterback on campus, Ewers cemented himself late in the season with a dominating performance in the Red River Rivalry.
One of the best pure pocket passers on this list, expect a breakout season from the Longhorns quarterback.
#7, Michael Penix Jr., Washington
Michael Penix Jr. is a story of resiliency. Every season he played as an Indiana Hoosier was ended by injury.
Once he transferred to Washington, he finally got to showcase his rare ability to sling it. As a first-year starter, he shattered the school's single-season passing records while throwing for 31 touchdowns.
Penix, the 2022 AP Comeback Player of the Year, is pinpoint accurate from inside and outside of the pocket. Could he exceed his production from 2022 and make Washington a dark-horse candidate for the College Football Playoff?
#6, KJ Jefferson, Arkansas
The Arkansas quarterback is what makes the Hogs offense go. He is one of the most consistent performers in the NCAA and has led the Razorbacks to back-to-back winning seasons. This is a serious feat.
KJ Jefferson rarely makes mistakes, with just nine interceptions in the past two seasons.
A point guard-like QB, Jefferson distributes it around and takes it himself sometimes, running for 1,200 yards and scoring 15 times on the ground in the past two seasons.
#5, Sam Hartman, Notre Dame
Hartman has earned his spot as Notre Dame's starting quarterback. He dominated at Wake Forest in the Demon Deacons' unique “slow-mesh” offense and made the biggest transfer portal splash of 2023 when he committed to the Fighting Irish.
Sam Hartman announces he's transferring to Notre Dame 🍀 https://t.co/ASWTWQbeKF
Hartman has thrown for 12,967 yards and 110 touchdowns over the past five seasons. Hartman can zip the ball to any and every blade of grass on the field, and his addition makes Notre Dame legit CFP contenders.
#4, Jayden Daniels, LSU
Jayden Daniels transferred to LSU from Arizona State and brought new life to Brian Kelly’s first season as the Tigers' coach. While he threw for just 17 touchdowns in 14 starts, Daniels rarely made bad decisions and got the ball to LSU’s explosive threats.
In just one offseason, Daniels has gone from being a bust to the best QB in the SEC. Now, he needs to elevate that going into second season as the Tigers starter.
#3, Jordan Travis, FSU
The most improved player in college football, Jordan Travis looked like a completely different quarterback in 2022. He was accurate, incredible as a playmaker, intelligent in breaking down defenses and making the right reads and could still do everything he could before as a runner.
Travis is a legitimate Heisman frontrunner. FSU is loaded, and that is spearheaded by him. His highlight reel is something you have to see, and many believe he could do as much as double his 3,200-yard, 24-touchdown season in 2023.
#2, Drake Maye, UNC
Drake Make started his first game in 2022, and it took all of one game for people to question why he didn’t start over Sam Howell as a freshman.
Maye has it all. The 2022 Atlantic Coast Conference player of the year has elite size and a bazooka arm; is a machine inside the structure of the pocket; and is an elite ball-carrier. What more could you ask for?
Williams might go No. 1 in the NFL draft, But Drake Maye isn’t as far off as some would think. He has a far less supporting cast as others on this list and is still putting up video game numbers
#1, Caleb Williams, USC
There is little doubt who is the best quarterback in college football. The 2022 Heisman Trophy winner has drawn comparisons to Patrick Mahomes for his unbelievable ability to make every throw from any angle. Williams transferred to USC with Lincoln Riley, and the two are perfect for each other.
Williams will be the first draft pick whenever he decides to declare. But this season he has the ability to chase all-time status: become a two-time Heisman winner. As of today, he is the frontrunner, and it’s easy to see why.