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The Athletic has produced a comprehensive list of the top quarterbacks in college football, ranking all of the projected starters. The publication has also grouped these rankings by conference, giving us an idea of the pecking order in the SEC.
The ranking takes into account input from “roughly three dozen coaches, general managers, personnel directors, scouts and front office staffers across the country, representing every conference.” The panel that compiled the ranking spoke on condition of anonymity.
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Finally, The Athletic’s ranking of the 138 FBS starting quarterbacks was divided into seven tiers. We’ve broken down the SEC projections and included a description of the tiers below. Check it out and be sure to visit The Athletic to see the full list, including quarterbacks from all other conferences.
Tier 1
Description: The best of the best. They have a strong combination of proven production and elite traits and are among the Heisman Trophy frontrunners. Coaches want to build their teams around them.
1. Trinidad Chambliss, Ole Miss: Topping the national ranking is the Ole Miss star, who was granted an additional year of eligibility by the courts this offseason. Chambliss was electric in guiding the Rebels on a deep College Football Playoff run a year ago. Expectations this fall in Oxford will be to reproduce that feat and there’s ample talent around him once again to aid in that quest.
7. Arch Manning, Texas: One of the Heisman Trophy front-runners this season, Manning checks in at No. 7 nationally and second in the SEC among The Athletic’s quarterbacks ranking. He was clearly better in the second half of 2025 and needs to build on that momentum. Texas invested heavily in the transfer portal, so he’ll have no shortage of weapons. He just needs to be a little more consistent.
8. Sam Leavitt, LSU: The health is the big question mark for Leavitt after he missed all of spring ball and a good chunk of the summer. The Tigers insist he’ll be ready to go, but staying right will be paramount. Then there’s the question of how well he meshes in a new system with fresh faces all around him. The talent itself is unquestionable if those other things fall into place.
Tier 2
Description: They have produced and teams win because of them. They might be more circumstances-dependent than Tier 1, or there may be a shortcoming keeping them from there, but they are close to the elite group.
11. Gunner Stockton, Georgia: When it comes to quarterbacks, you could do a lot worse than Stockton. He doesn’t jump off the page physically, but he gets the job done routinely. He was absurdly good in a win over Ole Miss last fall, offering a glimpse of his potential ceiling. If he can begin to replicate that level of play on a more consistent basis, watch out.
13. Marcel Reed, Texas A&M: To use an awfully Dickensian metaphor, it was a tale of two Reeds in 2025. The one that guided the Aggies to 11 wins was excellent. The one that struggled in the final two losses? Forgettable. Can a new offensive coordinator help coax a little more consistency out of one of the nation’s most uber-talented quarterbacks? We’ll see. Reed has a lot of potential that can still be tapped into.
16. John Mateer, Oklahoma: On a similar note, albeit due to injury, Mateer wasn’t the same in the second half of the 2025 season. Of course, you give most quarterbacks a hand injury and they’re going to struggle. There’s no questioning Mateer’s fight or leadership. That much is clear. But can he return to that elite level of play that saw him as a Heisman front-runner in the first month of the 2025 season?
Tier 3
Description: A mix of proven veterans who might not check all the elite trait boxes, rising up-and-comers who have bright futures and players who have elite traits but have not consistently played to their physical potential.
18. LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina: There’s some question as to whether Sellers could be utilized a little more effectively at the college level, perhaps running a bit more than he has. He struggles as a passer at times. The tools are all there, and perhaps it’s on coaching that he hasn’t fully realized his potential just yet. He needs to show a bit more, though.
19. Byrum Brown, Auburn: Brown’s a unique prospect. The Athletic points out that among the quarterbacks, he’s one of the most physically impressive while having one of the funkiest throwing motions in the game. He produced at a very high level at USF, though. And he has the luxury of following his coach over to Auburn, so the transition should be smoother than most transfers. That could pay early dividends.
26. Austin Simmons, Missouri: The former Ole Miss product lost his job to Chambliss while hurt, and it wasn’t necessarily through any real fault of his own. Who would gamble on replacing a guy like Chambliss as well as he was playing? Still, Simmons will be itching to prove himself now at Missouri, facing many familiar foes.
Tier 4
Description: Some of the stars of tomorrow, like inexperienced QBs who coaches believe in but lack a proven resume, and there are also veterans who are looking to redeem themselves and journeymen looking to make the most of their last stops.
32. KaMario Taylor, Mississippi State
33. Keelon Russell, Alabama
34. Kenny Minchey, Kentucky
55. Aaron Philo, Florida
57. Jared Curtis, Vanderbilt
Tier 5
Description: A mix of some of the top Group of 6 QBs, Power 4 first-time starters, unproven QBs and productive veterans with a lower ceiling or who are looking for a fresh start. These are quarterbacks teams can win with and who have distinct traits, but they are missing something that can vault them to the next level.
63. KJ Jackson, Arkansas
Tier 6
Description: Former Power 4 blue-chip recruits who have found new homes and are trying to make the most of their new opportunities, plus some veterans who have not put it all together yet and young QBs with bright futures who are just now getting their chance. And there are a lot of quality Group of 6 QBs teams can win with.
75. Faizon Brandon, Tennessee
