The Best of the College Football Offense Generals

Dude...

College is nearly back and after going through the spring scrimmage games across the county and everything from what we’ve seen before it’s time to conclude who the best players throwing the football will be in the country. Now these rankings have no ranking on who is most NFL-ready or best draft prospects as being great in college doesn’t always translate to the pro level. What this list will point out are the players most capable of leading their team to success and at the least who will look the most impressive on the field and get their stats. Here’s a look at who I believe are the top 20 quarterbacks in the nation going into the season.

#20: Taylen Green, Boise State

It wasn’t looking good for the Broncos after Hank Bachmeier did not live up to the expectations he once had with his injuries and glaring inconsistent performances on the field, but after becoming the starter in week 5 the redshirt sophomore Taylen Green had the eyes of every fan in the Mountain West watching him. The freshman of the year in the conference has all the physical capabilities alone to be a fantastic dual threat for years to come being able to move fast enough and have enough strength being 6’6” and 220 lbs to last in the pocket. Green’s accuracy is incredible as well being able to consistently throw it short, in the middle, or long distances down the field both standing still and on the move. The main problem someone who is as talented as Green is down here is not just because it’s his first season being named the week 1 starter, but his ability to never lose focus on what’s happening down the field before deciding to throw or run is way above the times for an average sophomore both true and a redshirt. Boise State has recognized Taylen Green to be the clear leader for the team and there’s no question that he is going to tear up teams in the Mountain West Conference in 2023.

#19: Joe Milton, Tennessee

I feel like this shouldn't be too bold of a choice and others may think differently, but I believe Joe Milton is gonna fill the shoes Hendon Hooker left behind just fine. Coming into Michigan he was looked at to be a better QB than many who have gone on and had more successful careers than Milton (including Will Levis and Brock Purdy), but now a year after transferring to the University of Tennessee he has looked like what he was once projected to become. The redshirt senior had at least one pass of 50+ yards in every game he came in and threw the ball more than one time which is something I can’t remember anybody doing. His biggest issue has always been his accuracy as the ball may travel far but there’s still sometimes it goes either too far or straight into the ground if it’s short, but he’s looked better with each year he’s received snaps in. This upcoming season will be the first year he goes into being the starting quarterback from day one and with five-star Nico Lamaleava on the bench he’s gotta be hungrier than ever knowing he has little room for error.

#18: Kurtis Rourke, Ohio

We saw and have been hearing about Michael Pratt’s ridiculous accuracy, but the Group of Five gunslinger who can possibly grow over what Pratt did last year is Kurtis Rourke. Out of the MAC conference, Rourke is a consistent “on the dot” passer who has no fear of making throws way down the field and now being a redshirt senior he can make the competition in his own conference look easy which is hard to do in the grittiest group of teams below the Power Five.

The leader of the Ohio Bobcats suffered an injury that ended his season and had him miss the Bobcats’ MAC championship game and their own bowl game and with Rourke being healthy for the championship game could’ve been a different story going into this season. Regardless, if he comes back this season staying healthy and can even improve on what he did last year this ranking could be very disrespectful by the end of the upcoming season.

#17: KJ Jefferson, Arkansas

Arkansas’ field general had a lot of highs and lows last season showing as many flashes as

question marks, but his performance against Kansas in their bowl game shows that he still has the ability to show out under the bright lights and his redshirt senior season should be his best season yet. Jefferson has always been an aggressive runner with his 240-pound size he’s bulldozed over many defenders each season, but what has improved in each season the most is his passing ability. I don’t know how much of a leap he will take compared to his last two seasons which is why he’s ranked lower on here than I would like. If he can shine any more putting the ball in the right areas and also continue his dangerous game fighting for yards with his feet he could make Arkansas’ offense way better than many are expecting it to look like.

#16: Taulia Tagovailoa, Maryland

The Big Ten quarterbacks average very little starting time altogether, but Maryland easily has the most experienced one on the field and the top QB in the conference going into the season. Taulia became the talk around America for more than being Tua’s brother in 2021 when he threw for nearly 4,000 yards, had a 69% completion percentage threw for 26 touchdowns on top of that. Last season was a bit of a drop-off, but his late-season performance against the Ohio State defense was a glimpse at his 2021 self with three total touchdowns and nearly 300 passing yards in a game where the tape was better than the numbers. As the Maryland Terrapins get some new faces at receiver and the offense looked very connected in the spring, especially after an impressive look from Taulia, the final-year quarterback could end his college career being a dark-horse Heisman candidate if he can get to the level he was at in 2021.

#15: Riley Leonard, Duke

If there is any stunning success once again for the Blue Devils it’ll be thanks to the man who

carried this offense last season. The third-year QB for Duke had a very underrated season for Duke to the point where people know he’s good but do not think he is even top 25 in the nation good. Riley Leonard had 20 passing touchdowns and 13 rushing touchdowns along with it which speaks to how he will make a play at all cost with rarely throwing an interception, and what makes all of this even wilder to think of was that this was his first full year of starts and he still isn’t even old enough to legally drink yet. His downfield throwing was rarely displayed last year by Duke’s playcalling system, but he made some of the most insane throws I saw all season last year in some big games (watch his highlights against Kansas and Wake Forest). Leonard did great at making plays on his own in the pocket last season and now with one of the more experienced and solid offensive lines in the country his potential is unlimited.

#14: Dillon Gabriel, Oklahoma

Following what was a more disappointing start to his career out of UCF Gabriel came into

Sooners territory at a time where change was the main theme after Lincoln Riley’s departure so I’m gonna give him the benefit of the doubt. He has excellent deep pass accuracy and had the best rushing season in his entire career last season before getting hurt. If you look at him from a statistical standpoint he had a very successful year that may be a shock seeing him somewhat low, but the main concern for me is how Brent Venables will run this team in a new season and head coaching experience under his belt. If Gabriel looks like the consistent pocket passer we saw in Orlando along with the run game he developed last season he could be the top QB in the Big 12 by the end of the year.

#13: Cameron Rising, Utah

If Rising comes back fully healthy and continues where he left off last season he’ll easily shoot up the ranks, but even if he’s a little banged up and not to the level he was previously playing at quite yet I still believe he can be a top 15 QB. The Utah quarterback made a huge name for himself in the 2022 Rose Bowl and hasn’t had a single glimpse of a downgrade since totaling 3,499 yards through the air and in the run game and 32 total scores it’s no secret that Utah’s offense runs through him. Rising led them to a dominant Pac 12 championship win over USC and threw a touchdown in the Rose Bowl last season before tearing his ACL in the middle of the game, so transitioning into the new season may show a lack of what he was able to display last season. Regardless, if he’s healthy and allowed to come back on the football field the senior QB has weapons around him this season to at the minimum do what he can to lead his team to another Pac 12 title game.

#12: Sam Hartman, Notre Dame

It was a slow start to Hartman’s career at Wake Forest from his injuries before having the best two-year span for 2021 and 2022 compared to quarterbacks going into 2023. The new transfer to Notre Dame will now be the offensive field general for one of the most storied schools in college football history and be under the most pressure he’s been under so far with having high expectations. Sam Hartman has one of the best passing yard totals reasonably as his accuracy and quick ability to know who to throw to under pressure are both skills that he possesses better than nearly anyone else in the country. The biggest issue behind the Irish’s new QB is the troubles he has throwing the ball down the field as the ball doesn’t get to the receivers in a hurry, but with how accurate and little intention he has to force throws and cause interceptions is very talented enough to have the deep ball problems not be too much of an issue. From the play the Irish have at the position last year Hartman should help Notre Dame make a huge jump back in New Year’s Six bowl contention.

#11: Jalon Daniels, Kansas

A year ago hearing anything about Kansas being good at football was hard to believe with their

last bowl game prior to 2022 being 2008 and Aqib Talib was still in college, but now coach

Lance Leipold has come to the helm and put his trust in Jalon Daniels. Last season Daniels blew many minds with how good of a start he had to the season eventually putting KU in the rankings which is insane from what they were just in 2021. The dual-threat QB was having a

Heisman-worthy season and giving the Jayhawks a run at the top of the Big 12 until he was hurt in the TCU game last season which became a huge blow to the team’s success. As long as Daniels stays healthy this year the sky is the limit for him as he was an incredible passer who looked to pass first even though he was one of the fastest QBs in the country at his best. For someone is such an athlete to specialize in other quarterback attributes this could be the year Kansas gets national recognition with the numbers this dude has the ability to put up.

#10: Jayden Daniels, LSU

After the struggles we saw from LSU’s new QB last season, it’s incredible to see what he did at the end of the year and his incredible offensive performance to beat Alabama last season. He struggled and played hurt in the conference championship which limited his run ability that was so consistent a year ago. The team around him was very inexperienced on offense last year, but he developed into Brian Kelly’s offense with the rest of them and his passing game once he was able to make reads before running made him a nightmare for how to play against him. After the nightmare he gave Nick Saban’s Crimson Tide trying to contain both the run and his decision-making on short plays, we saw a glimpse of what development he had really taken. If he starts off this year being more willing to pass as he was in late 2022 and this spring then Jayden Daniels could put his name in the history books setting some statistical record at LSU.

#9: Quinn Ewers, Texas

The collarbone injury he had against Alabama took away a lot of what Quinn Ewers had ahead of him in the 2022 season especially had he stayed in possibly beating Alabama. He had a very bad outing against Oklahoma State, but even then Texas never was completely out of the game until the very end when he was playing. Ewers has a very good receiver on his hands this year again in Xavier Worthy and a weapon like that can get you what you need alone, but the duo of his ball placement and the expected first-round pick receiver is worrisome for all Big 12 defenses. His composure in the pocket and little time needed to find open receivers is why NFL teams want him as he is showing a large level of maturity in what was only his first season designated as the starter. Now Archie Manning will have a chance to come in and get used to the team’s offense as Ewers comes in to improve all of what went wrong last season and potentially lead Texas to a Big 12 championship once again.

#8: Michael Penix Jr., Washington

Huskies fans were mixed up in emotions when Penix Jr. transferred from Indiana up to UW as he had a huge decline from what was a special one he had in 2021, but he responded by blowing that season out and having the best one of his entire life. Going into his fifth full season Penix had a passing season he showed little to no sign of beforehand, which we can give credit to the new play caller on offense in Ryan Grubb. The weapons around him are the best in the Pac 12 and arguably the best in the country which with his newly found throwing ability could make for a historic season. He found ways to fit passes in tight windows and even knew when to not throw hard and get it just over the defender and right where the receiver can catch it. It will be impressive just to see him do what he did last year again, but if the offense for Washington is only getting better it wouldn't be crazy to believe he can easily do better.

#7: Grayson McCall, Coastal Carolina

McCall had schools from the SEC knocking on his door showing interest in bringing him for

their QB, but a change of heart (and an academic issue) brought him back to the Sun Belt top contenders with the new head coach from NC State Tim Beck. Grayson McCall is arguably one of the most efficient quarterbacks in the history of college football and has always been in Group of Five football conversations when talking about the best QBs. Having the ability to spread the field so much with his accurate passes Last year was considered a “down year” for the gunslinger even though he had two interceptions on a career-high 297 pass attempts and 30 total touchdowns along with that. If the Chanticleers keep up the mysterious fast-paced offense they’ve had for years a redshirt senior season in the Sun Belt could cause some ridiculous numbers to be put up.

#6: Michael Pratt, Tulane

Nobody really knew what specific skill position was doing the most work between a single

receiver or running back, but if you know about Tulane you know there may not be this much

success without Michael Pratt. In 2022 Pratt shocked just about the whole nation bringing the

Green Wave to levels that only 16 other teams in the country could overpass. Tulane is going to lose a few weapons this year from their leading rusher to a couple of top wide receivers, but the quarterback should keep the offense afloat at the minimum if not back on the level it was before. Pratt is arguably the smartest QB on this list in how quick he is to make reads and knowing when and being able to stay composed no matter what pressure is coming towards him. With Pratt proving last year why he’s the heart and soul of the Tulane offense, the college football veteran should have another explosive season toward the end of his college career.

#5: Bo Nix, Oregon

Nix’s career was very underwhelming at Auburn and when Oregon got him from the transfer

portal in 2022 a lot of the country was laughing in the face of the Ducks due to how many

mistakes he made on the field in the SEC. Last season didn’t start well but eventually, like a

completely different QB after week 1 from what we saw just the year before as his stats alone were video game numbers with his 29 passing touchdowns, 14 rushing scores (both career highs by a lot), and first ever receiving touchdown along with it. He was so consistent in these performances of putting points up and moving the ball alone that he was at one point in little Heisman consideration. After knowing what Nix is capable of the Oregon Ducks should have many ways they are able to utilize him and put many NFL eyes on him if he’s able to keep rising in talent.

#4: Frank Harris, UTSA

Frank Harris coming back for another season at UTSA had even fans of their own school stunned after already being there for six seasons prior to the upcoming one, and for that along with his athletic ability he may have a ridiculous statistical year ahead. Harris has been a part of a UTSA program that completely flipped it’s expectations through the time he’s been a starting quarterback going from being at the bottom of the Conference USA to being too good to keep playing in the conference. Not even talking about his athleticism there isn’t a throw that the dual-threat QB can make along with making these passes from standing still or even on the run. At this stage of his career there’s little fear on any stage shown from him and is consistently putting passes right out of reach for even the best defenders to make a play on. The AAC may be a different animal in terms of competitive football but there’s not a better new Group of Five team like Frank Harris led UTSA going for a huge splash in their first season.

#3: Drake Maye, UNC

If each of the top three projected quarterbacks to be drafted in 2024 had their careers be over where each of them stand now Drake Maye would be the first QB to go off the board. Maye has shown a ridiculous cannon he has of an arm since the first day he saw the field in college and is already ahead of his time for how well he can move and read the field when there’s pressure in the pocket. His knowledge of knowing where and how to make throws to get passes out to the most open receivers to let them make a play is impeccable for someone who’s only going into their third collegiate season. He was a bit too ambitious in the second half of the season in 2022 throwing four interceptions in his last four games yet made up for those mistakes in the Holiday Bowl in North Carolina’s losing effort. If there’s any more upside to Drake Maye, or even doing how he started out last season, there may be a lot of debate on who is next year’s QB1 assuming the projected first pick isn’t him at the moment.

#2: Jordan Travis, FSU

If there’s any talk on which player is dethroning a Heisman player looking to get drafted at the

top next year it would be too easy to go with Jordan Travis after seeing him play last season. We had seen little improvement in the Seminoles’ QB in years prior to 2022 with his passing game but nothing could’ve prepared the nation for how him and Mike Norvell would turn everything around in 2023. After seeing him make positive plays multiple times with his speed and agility on what should’ve resulted in him getting sacked Travis time after time displayed how he can keep his team competing in every game until time expires. His passing ability on top of his athleticism is what made him so special compared to his past seasons having 20 of his 24 touchdown passes outside of the 10-yard line and doing so at times when no defender could stop it. This much of a threat with his arm and legs is as lethal as it gets facing a dual-threat QB and if he can have any improvement in his adaptations to coverages and consistently throw to his best options during a play he might skyrocket toward the top in next year’s draft board.

#1: Caleb Williams, USC

Now I will say Caleb Williams to me isn’t the perfect QB prospect at this point in time as he

showed to have sub-par footwork moving in the pocket and his ball security could improve on

the run also, but there wasn’t a person on this entire planet who could make some of the throws he made last season along with having his running speed. Williams has come a long way since his true freshman Oklahoma days playing very scared and making very avoidable mistakes as in 2022 he was responsible for 52 total touchdowns and passing for 4,537 yards. He also accomplished this with one of the worst offensive line units and, even though his receiving unit was good around him, there’s a reason why people are putting the “next Mahomes” tag on him. He is every defensive back's nightmare when it comes to how he reads the field as his ability to make passes while looking at another receiver is something that hasn’t been successfully done more than once. It’s been proven to be very rare to see a player win Heisman in back-to-back seasons let alone win twice overall while in college, but any further improvement from what we saw of Caleb Williams last year could make USC Football a priority to watch every time he’s out on the field.