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Quarterback play is always one of the biggest storylines in college football, and according to a recent ranking from The Athletic, West Virginia will face a wide range of challenges at the position this fall.
The publication ranked all 138 projected FBS starting quarterbacks and placed them into seven tiers based on input from coaches, scouts and personnel staffers from around the country. While the Mountaineers have yet to publicly name a starter, Oklahoma transfer Michael Hawkins Jr. was projected to win the job and landed at No. 72 overall in Tier 6.
That ranking puts Hawkins in the middle of the national pack, but several quarterbacks on West Virginia’s schedule are viewed more favorably heading into the season.
The top quarterbacks on the schedule
West Virginia won’t face any Tier 1 quarterbacks in 2026, but the schedule still features some of the Big 12’s most respected passers.
Oklahoma State transfer Drew Mestemaker led all of FBS with 4,379 passing yards last season at North Texas and checked in at No. 6 overall. One Big 12 personnel staffer called him the best quarterback in the conference, while another said his arm talent is “freaky.”
Arizona’s Noah Fifita wasn’t far behind at No. 10. The veteran has started 34 games during his career and rebounded from a down 2024 campaign by throwing 29 touchdown passes against just six interceptions last season.
Utah quarterback Devon Dampier rounded out the upper tier of opponents at No. 22 overall. Dampier is one of the most dangerous dual-threat players in the country after accounting for 34 touchdowns compared to only six turnovers in 2025.
Houston’s Conner Weigman also earned a spot in Tier 3 at No. 28 after helping guide the Cougars to a 10-win season.
Plenty of experience in the middle
The middle of West Virginia’s schedule features a number of proven veterans and intriguing transfers.
TCU’s Jaden Craig, a transfer from Harvard, landed at No. 38 after throwing 52 touchdowns and only 12 interceptions during his Ivy League career. Virginia transfer Beau Pribula checked in at No. 46, while Iowa State newcomer Jaylen Raynor was slotted at No. 50 after starting 36 games at Arkansas State.
Cincinnati’s JC French IV (No. 79)and Texas Tech’s Will Hammond also made the list. Hammond, who starred in relief appearances as a freshman before suffering a knee injury, was ranked No. 35 overall and is viewed as one of the league’s rising talents.
Questions remain around Hawkins
For West Virginia, the national perception of Hawkins is clear. Evaluators see an athletic quarterback with significant upside, particularly when paired with transfer running back Cam Cook.
The Athletic even suggested that combination could bring back memories of Pat White and Steve Slaton from Rich Rodriguez’s first stint in Morgantown.
“Hawkins has legit athleticism,” one Big 12 personnel director said.
But there are still concerns. Hawkins backed up Jackson Arnold at Oklahoma in 2024 and John Mateer in 2025, and some evaluators questioned his sidearm delivery and consistency as a passer.
That uncertainty is reflected in his ranking. Hawkins sits behind six quarterbacks on West Virginia’s schedule: Mestemaker, Fifita, Dampier, Weigman, Craig and Hammond.
Of course, rankings in July rarely tell the full story. But heading into Rodriguez’s second season back with the Mountaineers, they provide an interesting look of how outsiders view both West Virginia’s quarterback room and the challenges that await in the Big 12.
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