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Pac-12 quarterback rankings for 2026

Athlon Sports · Jul 21, 2026 16:18 · 5 min read

Pac-12 Quarterback Rankings for 2026 — texas-state-bobcats-quarterback-brad-jackson-8-looks-to-pass-against-the-southern-miss-golden-eagles-at-mm-roberts-stadium

Athlon Sports' Steven Lassan ranks Pac-12's quarterbacks for 2026.

High-scoring offenses and standout quarterback play were staples of the Pac-12 before conference realignment shuffled teams to the Big Ten, Big 12 and ACC. After essentially a two-year hiatus, the Pac-12 is back as a full college football conference in 2026. The new eight-team league features an intriguing blend of offensive styles this fall, but quarterback play is a question mark for a handful of teams.

Texas State’s Brad Jackson and Boise State’s Maddux Madsen are easily the top signal-callers in the conference. But after that? A strong case could be made for any of the remaining quarterbacks to be ranked third through eighth. UC Davis transfer Caden Pinnick was an intriguing pickup for Washington State, and optimism is high for new Oregon State coach JaMarcus Shephard to get the most out of Maalik Murphy. Transfers such as Colorado State’s Hauss Hejny (Oklahoma State), Fresno State’s Khristian Martin (Maryland) and Utah State’s McCae Hillstead (BYU) also bring a level of intrigue and upside. San Diego State’s Jayden Denegal aims to take a step forward in his second year in coach Sean Lewis’ attack.

Ranking the quarterbacks by conference or nationally is no easy task. To help compile the rankings, some projection was involved for 2026. This was not a ranking of quarterbacks based only on accomplishments so far or pro potential. All factors — pure talent, supporting cast, having a clear hold on the No. 1 position, previous production, '26 projection, and scheme changes (just to name a few) — were considered to rank the quarterbacks in the Pac-12 for 2026.

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All-America Team | Bowl Projections | Ranking All 138 Teams for 2026

With just 49 snaps and five appearances over two years at Maryland, Martin has a limited sample size on his resume. The Virginia native flashed potential in those snaps with the Terrapins, throwing for 105 yards and a touchdown on 11 completions. Considering the limited experience, Martin will need time to learn on the job with the Bulldogs. However, his dual-threat ability could spark a Fresno State attack that managed only 5.4 yards a play in ‘25. The talent and skill set are intriguing. Still, it’s hard to rank Martin much higher until we see him produce on the field.

Hillstead is back at Utah State after a two-year stint at BYU. The Utah native played in eight games as a freshman with the Aggies in 2023 and threw for 1,062 yards and 11 touchdowns to eight picks. Hillstead played sparingly during his time in Provo with just five pass attempts over five games in ‘25. The junior should benefit from the arrival of veteran play-caller Robert Anae as the team’s new coordinator. Also, despite some turnover, Utah State’s supporting cast and offensive line should be solid this fall.

Colorado State is the third stop in Hejny’s career after previous stints at TCU and Oklahoma State. The Texas native displayed intriguing potential in the season opener with the Cowboys last year, completing five passes for 96 yards and a touchdown and adding 27 yards and a score on the ground before suffering a season-ending foot injury. The former four-star prospect has plenty of upside. Can new Colorado State coach Jim Mora and play-caller Pryce Tracy get the most out of Hejny in ‘26?

Denegal had an up-and-down first season at San Diego State in ‘25. Over 12 games, the Michigan transfer threw for 1,807 yards and nine scores to eight picks. The 6-foot-5 signal-caller also chipped in four rushing touchdowns. Although Denegal’s accuracy (58.8 percent) and yards per attempt (7.4) showcase a player with room to improve, 12 of his 143 completions went for 40-plus yards, a sign of his big-play ability. With the Aztecs rebuilding the bulk of a standout defense, coach Sean Lewis needs more from Denegal to contend for the Pac-12 title in ‘26.

After throwing for 2,933 yards and 26 touchdowns at Duke in 2024, Murphy was a huge get from the transfer portal for Oregon State prior to last season. However, optimism quickly faded. A variety of issues hindered the offense, with Murphy eventually losing the starting job in a 2-10 season. Over 10 appearances, Murphy threw for 1,805 yards and nine touchdowns to eight picks. The senior was locked in a tight battle with a pair of transfers in Mercer’s Braden Atkinson and Western Michigan’s Brady Jones for the starting job at the end of spring. That competition will continue into fall practice, with Murphy likely owning a slight edge for the No. 1 spot on the depth chart. Physical talent has never been in question for the California native during his time in Corvallis or previously at Duke and Texas. Can new coach JaMarcus Shephard and play-caller Mitch Dahlen get the most out of his talent?

Related: Pac-12 Predictions for 2026

A three-man competition between Pinnick, Julian Dugger and Owen Eshelman for the starting job in Pullman will resume in the fall after new coach Kirby Moore did not name a No. 1 quarterback after spring ball. Although a starter wasn’t officially named, it’s hard to pick against Pinnick in this battle. In 12 starts at UC Davis last season, Pinnick threw for 3,206 yards and 32 touchdowns and rushed for 437 yards and three scores. The California native must adapt to tougher competition, but the skill set displayed at the FCS level is an intriguing fit for Moore’s offense.

Boise State’s standout ground game will lead the way for the offense again in ‘26, but Madsen provides steady play under center for coach Spencer Danielson. Despite missing a couple of contests due to injury last year, Madsen threw for 2,334 yards and 18 touchdowns and guided the Broncos to the Mountain West title. Those numbers were down a bit from his ‘24 totals (3,018 passing yards and 23 touchdowns). However, Madsen could use more help in the passing game after Boise State’s receivers dropped 26 passes last year. Entering his senior campaign, Madsen has passed for 6,586 yards and 50 touchdowns in 35 appearances for the Broncos.

A prolific offense is a big reason why Texas State can contend for a finish in the top half of the Pac-12 this season. In his first year as the starter for coach GJ Kinne’s high-powered attack, Jackson threw for 3,224 yards and 21 touchdowns to just seven picks. He also ran for 744 yards and ranked second among FBS signal-callers with 17 rushing scores. Per Hudl IQ, Jackson had the highest success rate (49 percent) among returning starters at quarterback for Pac-12 teams last season.