Final 2025 MLB draft rankings: Which college ace is No. 1 in our top 250 prospects?
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Kiley McDaniel
It’s 2025 MLB draft week, so it is time to expand my ranking of the top prospects in this year’s draft class to 250 players.
While my mock draft later this week will attempt to predict which teams will draft specific players, this list is based on how good I think the players actually are.
Behind the scenes, I’ve updated my overall minor league top 100 rankings (here’s my recent top 50) to make adjustments and remove the graduated players, so I can tell you roughly where the top players in the draft would slot on that list the moment they sign. I’ve also included Future Value grades (FV) so you can see where those players would slot in your team’s overall prospects rankings (now updated monthly). I’ve also included present and future tool grades for all of the players with a 45-plus FV or better.
This year’s class is highlighted by a group of college left-handed pitchers near the top of the rankings. Which one is No. 1? It’s time to find out.
More draft coverage: Mock draft 2.0 | Big question for all 30 teams
Watch: July 13 at 6 p.m. ET on ESPN
55 FV tier
1. Kade Anderson (21.0), LHP, LSU
Fastball: 50/55, Slider: 55/60, Curveball: 45/50, Changeup: 50/55, Command: 45/55
Where he ranks in an MLB top 100 prospects list: 25
If it doesn’t work out, what happened? His durability doesn’t continue to progress, his stuff and/or command dips below 55-grade and he’s a back-end starter.
Anderson had Tommy John surgery in high school that took him off the trajectory he was on as an underclassman, to be a seven-figure prospect out of high school. He’s eligible as a sophomore because of his age and showed flashes during the 2024 season as a freshman but threw only 38⅓ innings.
Entering this season, he was seen as a speculative comp/second-round prospect because of his lack of history. Then, he struck out 180 hitters this spring as the ace for national champs, not that far behind Paul Skenes’ 209 strikeouts on a similar journey at LSU.
Anderson’s elbow surgery and slighter frame make some evaluators hesitate about his long-term ability to post 180-plus innings as a potential frontline starter. The other hesitation is he has more good, above-average stuff than truly standout plus or better stuff. Max Fried is a name that comes up a lot, as a similarly framed lefty who overcame those questions and has a similar ability to create four or more good, distinct shapes and hit spots with some precision.
Given the track record of ACC/SEC aces taken in the top 10 picks rushing to the big leagues of late, Anderson is seen as a likely quick-mover who might need only slight tweaks — throwing his slider out of the zone more for chases, throwing his curveball a tick or two harder, maybe adding/tweaking his pitch shapes slightly, making a timing tweak or adding muscle to deliver a little more velocity — to reach his potential.
Chase Burns (No. 2 pick last year) was a better draft prospect, but I think Anderson is right there with Hagen Smith (No. 5 last year) as a draft prospect. I’m not worried Anderson will go down the path of other top-10-pick lefty college starters who became MLB relievers (A.J. Puk, Drew Pomeranz, Andrew Miller) because of his feel to execute. Also, his supinator lean (like Fried) gives him more avenues to find new shapes to attack hitters, while his left-handedness and polish give some margin for error.
2. Ethan Holliday (18.3), SS, Stillwater HS (OK), Oklahoma State commit
Hit: 25/45, Game Power: 30/65, Raw Power: 60/70, Speed: 45/40, Fielding: 40/50, Throwing: 55/55
Where he ranks in an MLB top 100 prospects list: 31
If it doesn’t work out, what happened? His hit tool is closer to a 40 (.230ish hitter), and the lower contact rate limits his power upside to around 20 homers.
I’ve taken a journey when it comes to Holliday over the past year, from being lower on him than the industry consensus until the middle of this spring, then eventually coming around to rank him basically where the vast majority has him — as virtually a co-No. 1 in the class with Anderson. I broke down that journey in detail here after I scouted him this spring, and I also wrote a feature about him and fellow prospect Eli Willits in which Holliday explained how he lived that journey that I scouted without me even asking him about it directly.
The short version is Holliday hasn’t performed that well in the summer, when the best pitchers in the class face the best hitters — who hit with wood bats. That period is seen as the best proxy for pro ball, and teams weigh it heavily in their draft models because it is proven to be predictive.
I noticed Holliday didn’t pull a fastball in any of the games charted by Synergy last summer, and his timing with his hands seemed to be to blame. He fixed that this spring but wasn’t facing much pro-level velocity, so it isn’t battle tested, though it looks like he’s now ready to perform at the level of his tools. Teams that are heavily model oriented don’t think Holliday belongs up here because of his weaker summer performance and unproven timing adjustment.
I’m now most of the way to believing he’ll live up to his tools but that he will be something like a .250 hitter with a strong walk rate and 25-30 homers while playing an above-average defensive third base.
There’s still some risk in that projection, so that’s why I give Anderson the slight edge right now. Because there’s a larger-than-normal error bar on my Holliday projection, he could move up significantly on my pro top 100 ranking if he demolishes A-Ball like his brother Jackson did; the potential is there to be the top prospect in this draft class and in all of baseball if it clicks like some expect.
3. Eli Willits (17.6), SS, Fort Cobb-Broxton HS (OK), Oklahoma commit
Hit: 30/60, Game Power: 20/45, Raw Power: 40/50, Speed: 60/55, Fielding: 45/55, Throwing: 55/55
Where he ranks in an MLB top 100 prospects list: 37
If it doesn’t work out, what happened? His athleticism backs up a tick and he’s a 10-15 homer type playing second base.
I’ve written a lot about Willits this spring, from detailing why he’s in the mix at the top of the draft despite medium tools and profiling him and fellow Oklahoman Holliday’s journey to this point — like how Willits moved hay bales on his family’s ranch the day before I spoke to him. The short version is Willits is another in the line of medium-framed, medium-tooled players with excellent performance and skills that the industry tends to overlook.
I pounded the drum about this with Kevin McGonigle and hit a home run on that call; he’s now a top-15 prospect in the game after getting the 31st-highest bonus in the 2023 draft as the 37th pick after I ranked him 21st predraft.
Willits is younger, faster and a better defender than McGonigle at the same point, so there’s even more here. Willits’ upside is becoming one of the better hitters for average and on-base in the majors, with 20/20 potential as a shortstop — still not the face of the sport but one of the top 20 players in the league.
50 FV tier
4. Seth Hernandez (19.0), RHP, Corona HS (CA), Vanderbilt commit
Fastball: 55/60, Slider: 40/50, Curveball: 45/50, Changeup: 60/70, Command: 40/50
Where he ranks in an MLB top 100 prospects list: 43
If it doesn’t work out, what happened? His velocity slips a bit, the fastball and breaking pitches play average at best and he begins to pitch backward, as a streaky back-end starter or two-pitch reliever.
Hernandez could be the rare prep righty to go high in the draft and go wire-to-wire becoming an ace, similar to fellow two-way SoCal standout Hunter Greene, but this player demographic is seen as the riskiest in the draft because the hits are less frequent than you might think while the busts are spectacular and numerous.
Hernandez is also a comp/second-round prospect as a third baseman, similar to Green or Jared Jones (another two-way SoCal standout now finding success in a big league rotation), and has been a fireballer with athleticism and a standout changeup for a while. This spring his curveball and slider both improved from both being below-average pitches, with the curveball the better of the two, to flashing above average at times.
There are theories in pitching development circles that standout position players (check; I detail the long list of examples here), changeup-forward pitchers (check again), and above-average athletes (three for three!) are the three most important markers for developing from where Hernandez is now to making the adjustments necessary to be a big league ace. Others say that fastball shape and breaking ball/spin capacity are keys though and those are the two spots that Hernandez is notably below average.
Some GMs/presidents have told their draft rooms that they will never take a prep righty in the top 10 picks under any circumstances — at least one of those teams is picking in the top 10 this year, and I think there are a few. Hernandez might be the best prep righty prospect in over a decade, or … well, I’d rather be optimistic.
5. Jamie Arnold (21.2), LHP, Florida State
Fastball: 45/55, Cutter: 40/50, Slider: 55/60, Changeup: 50/60, Command: 40/50
Where he ranks in an MLB top 100 prospects list: 51
If it doesn’t work out, what happened? His fastball plays average, he pitches backward, and his command isn’t fine enough to be a No. 2/No. 3 starter, so he’s a solid backend type instead.
I have Arnold and Doyle ranked back-to-back on the pro top 100 because they’re very different versions of a generically similar thing: an accomplished college lefty starter.
Arnold throws from a low slot that gives him a number of advantages and is the type of pitcher some teams love to stockpile in their minor leagues. He has a flatter approach angle that allows him to get a solid plane for his four-seam fastball but also a lower slot that gets more dive on his sinker and changeup along with letting him get around the ball to generate above-average sweep on his slider.
Facing him is an uncomfortable at-bat that became harder this year as his changeup and cutter became bigger parts of his arsenal.
The hesitations are that Arnold’s fastball got hit a little too hard, his cutter is just an OK pitch that he needs to bridge his heater and slider, and he has more control (throwing it over the plate) than command (hitting spots). He could be a No. 2/No. 3 starter with three above-to-plus pitches if it clicks, but there’s still some work to do.
6. Liam Doyle (21.0), LHP, Tennessee
Fastball: 60/65, Cutter: 50/55, Slider: 45/50, Splitter: 45/55, Command: 40/50
Where he ranks in an MLB top 100 prospects list: 52
If it doesn’t work out, what happened? His frame/delivery/approach doesn’t allow him to turn over a lineup, so he pitches 60 to 100 inning per year with some impact in a lesser role.
Doyle was a second-round follow after last season, then burst onto the scene this spring throwing harder and more strikes and showing crisper off-speed stuff. Scouts still hesitate given the effort of his delivery, his heavy fastball usage, the fact that his stuff can fade a bit late in games and his poor performances down the stretch.
That said, his fastball could probably get big league hitters out right now, and he can throw it in the right part of the zone. His cutter and splitter are both above average, so you could argue that the fastball usage and control (throwing it over the plate) over command (hitting spots) can both be fixed almost immediately.
The question then becomes whether his general power approach to pitching and delivery with some effort will hold him back from turning over a lineup and make him a reliever. Doyle might be in the big leagues in the first half of 2026 in shorter stints while he’s looking to answer that question. Some teams like the idea of an immediate return on their pick with a shot for a home run if he then can prove he’s a starter, similar to what former Vols lefty Garrett Crochet did.
7. JoJo Parker (18.8), SS, Purvis HS (MS), Mississippi State commit
Hit: 30/60, Game Power: 30/50, Raw Power: 45/55, Speed: 50/45, Fielding: 40/45, Throwing: 55/55
Where he ranks in an MLB top 100 prospects list: 55
If it doesn’t work out, what happened? He’s a tick worse offensively than expected, say .260 with 15 homers, while playing second/third base.
Parker has steadily climbed from a second- or third-rounder last summer to a late first-rounder early in the spring to now a clear top-10 prospect in the class.
The sales pitch is clear: Many evaluators think he’s a 70-grade hitter with 70-grade makeup, excellent performance and polish, while everything else he does is around average.
Parker is not the biggest, strongest or fastest but could be one of the rare players who is such a good hitter that it floats his whole profile, helping him get to all of his solid-average raw power (roughly 20 homers annually), and then if he ends up at second/third base long term, he’d offer some of the upside of a high school player with some of the certainty of a college player. His twin brother, Jacob, is a seven-figure prospect this year (ranked 99th below), and some teams have shown a willingness to draft them both.
8. Billy Carlson (19.0), SS, Corona HS (CA), Tennessee commit
Hit: 30/50, Game Power: 30/50, Raw Power: 50/55, Speed: 50/50, Fielding: 50/60, Throwing: 80/80
Where he ranks in an MLB top 100 prospects list: 85
If it doesn’t work out, what happened? The offensive adjustments don’t take, and he has to choose hit or power but can’t be average to above average at both, despite the raw tools
Carlson has been one of the top players in the class for years and physically looks like a lesser version of Bobby Witt Jr. because of his bouncy athleticism in all phases. Carlson is in the mid-90s on the mound, has one of the best infield arms I’ve ever seen and projects as a plus defender at shortstop. His batting practice is impressive, with above average-to-plus raw power projection. He has above-average bat speed and, while his run times are inconsistent, he has shown above-average speed at times.
So you might be wondering why he isn’t ranked higher. It’s the accumulation of some smaller quibbles. His swing is too big (his hands get too far away from his body for some scouts to think he can hit pro pitching with those mechanics). Konnor Griffin had a much bigger question about his swing in last year’s draft (could he change his path through the zone?) and has already fixed it, so Carlson’s issue isn’t seen as huge, but teams want certainty in the top 10 picks.
If and when it’s fixed, that will probably undermine his raw power a bit, and some evaluators are wary of projecting him to be average or better as both a hitter and power hitter, thinking he’ll eventually have to choose one as he progresses through the minors.
On top of that is his age, which is a big historical negative factor to the point that many analytically minded teams wouldn’t consider him in this tier. Adding all of these things together is making teams pause enough, but don’t forget Carlson could be above average to plus at almost everything on the field if it all clicks.
9. Aiva Arquette (21.7), SS, Oregon State
Hit: 30/45, Game Power: 30/55, Raw Power: 55/60, Speed: 50/50, Fielding: 40/50, Throwing: 60/60
Where he ranks in an MLB top 100 prospects list: 95
If it doesn’t work out, what happened? He slides over to third base and is a .230 or .240 hitter with a worse-than-average walk rate, which limits his power upside to 18-20 homers per year.
At 6-foot-5 and 220 pounds, Arquette still has a chance to stick at shortstop, though it would be more as an acceptable, average defender, and most teams like to have an above-average defender at the position.
The other question on Arquette is tied to his bat-to-ball and pitch selection, which are both average at best, and that makes some sense given his size and big power.
Arquette could be a big league shortstop who hits 25-30 homers, or he could be a third baseman who hits .235 with 18-20 homers. He’s a big leaguer and almost certainly a useful one, but there’s still some uncertainty.
45-plus FV tier
10. Kyson Witherspoon (20.9), RHP, Oklahoma
Fastball: 55/60, Cutter: 50/60, Slider: 45/50, Curveball: 45/50, Changeup: 40/50, Command: 40/50
If it doesn’t work out, what happened? His delivery/arm action doesn’t allow for his command to improve, and his fastball/cutter play more 55-grade than 60-grade, so he’s a back-end starter or reliever.
Witherspoon (along with his brother, Malachi, ranked below) was a bit of a prospect out of high school in Florida but then fell off the radar as his velo slipped down the stretch, and he went to junior college. He reemerged in the past year as he remade his delivery and arm action, causing a spike in stuff and performance.
His shorter arm circle looks like Dylan Cease or Lucas Giolito, while his arsenal is very similar to Gage Wood (ranked below), with a four-seam fastball; hard cutter; and big, power curveball as their primary pitches. I tend to like betting on pitchers with athleticism, a hard-breaking pitch and an upward development trajectory, and Witherspoon fits. Some scouts think he’s on the verge of making a big jump.
11. Ike Irish (21.6), RF, Auburn
Hit: 35/55, Game Power: 35/55, Raw Power: 50/55, Speed: 40/40, Fielding: 40/50, Throwing: 55/55
If it doesn’t work out, what happened? He’s a good-not-great hitter with medium power (.260 with 15-18 homers) who is streaky enough as a corner outfielder to get platooned
Irish entered the spring as an offensive catcher with real questions about his defense and the need for a big spring to prove to scouts that he was the hitter they hoped he’d be. He delivered offensively with some of the best in-conference numbers in the SEC and comes with other indicators that analytical draft models love: long track record in the best conference, left-handed hitter, has a secondary position that’s more valuable and was a real prospect out of high school.
Some teams think he’s a 60-grade hitter (I think that’s a touch aggressive) with 55-grade power and plus makeup who also might be able to catch, at least as a backup who moves around the diamond based on matchups.
He has a lot of interest in the top 10 picks, likely on a deal, and most teams think he lands a few spots higher than I have him ranked. Irish is a classic lower-ceiling/higher-floor pick teams like to make with savings when their targeted players aren’t available, akin to James Tibbs at the 13th pick last year.
12. Gavin Fien (18.2), 3B, Great Oak HS (CA), Texas commit
Hit: 25/55, Game Power: 30/55, Raw Power: 55/60, Speed: 45/45, Fielding: 40/50, Throwing: 55/55
If it doesn’t work out, what happened? His uneven spring is more indicative of his future, and he has a below-average hit tool that limits the power and makes the corner profile tough to fill.
Fien had arguably the best pure hit/power combo on the summer circuit last year and has grown into plus projections for his raw power along with enough defensive ability to stick at third base. I basically had him ranked here entering the spring based on that and have chosen to leave him here despite a rough spring that has confused scouts.
The players couldn’t be more different, but James Wood had a similar situation — good summer, bad spring, but the tools and swing were the same — and scouts had trouble ignoring what they saw in the spring, and now he is an All-Star. Aidan Miller was somewhat similar, and he is now a top-25 prospect in the sport.
That bias is easy to understand when a room full of scouts have only mixed/negative things to say spread over a dozen looks that cost their team 10s of thousands of dollars. Why would they go to games in the spring to just ignore what they saw? I get the benefit of not having seen Fien in person since the summer and thus taking a more 30,000-foot view. That might not be the correct way to evaluate him, but I feel like I’ve read this story before.
13. Steele Hall (17.9), SS, Hewitt-Trussville HS (AL), Tennessee commit
Hit: 25/50, Game Power: 25/50, Raw Power: 40/50, Speed: 70/70, Fielding: 45/55, Throwing: 55/55
If it doesn’t work out, what happened? His contact ability is at the low end of expectations, so he’s more of a utility guy with some speed/defense and tools that he can’t quite get onto the stat sheet
Hall reclassified from the 2026 class last fall, so he’s one of the youngest players who will be picked on Day 1, a huge positive indicator historically speaking. I’ve compared his ability to pack tools into a smaller frame (5-foot-11, maybe shorter) and also lift/pull the ball in games to Anthony Volpe, Jett Williams and Trea Turner.
Hall has shown enough yellow flag swing-and-miss at times over the past year that some teams have him in the back half of the first round; others say he’s a little too aggressive when ahead in the count, and that issue is easily fixable. I’m on the high side.
45 FV tier
14. Brendan Summerhill (21.7), CF, Arizona
15. Wehiwa Aloy (21.4), SS, Arkansas
16. Gage Wood (21.5), RHP, Arkansas
17. Josh Hammond (18.8), SS, Wesleyan Christian HS (NC), Wake Forest commit
18. Tyler Bremner (21.2), RHP, UC Santa Barbara
19. Daniel Pierce (18.9), SS, Mill Creek HS (GA), Georgia commit
20. Gavin Kilen (21.2), SS, Tennessee
21. Jace Laviolette (21.6), CF, Texas A&M
22. Marek Houston (21.2), SS, Wake Forest
23. Caden Bodine (21.6), C, Coastal Carolina
24. Andrew Fischer (21.0), 3B, Tennessee
25. Kayson Cunningham (19.0), SS, Johnson HS (TX), Texas commit
26. Xavier Neyens (18.7), 3B, Mount Vernon HS (WA), Oregon State commit
27. Cam Cannarella (21.8), CF, Clemson
28. Dax Kilby (18.6), SS, Newnan HS (GA), Clemson commit
29. Kruz Schoolcraft (18.2), LHP, Sunset HS (OR), Tennessee commit
30. Ethan Conrad (21.0), RF, Wake Forest
31. Jaden Fauske (18.7), RF, Nazareth Academy HS (IL), LSU commit
32. Aaron Watson (18.5), RHP, Trinity Christian HS (FL), Florida commit
33. Patrick Forbes (20.9), RHP, Louisville
34. Slater de Brun (18.1), CF, Summit HS (OR), Vanderbilt commit
35. Sean Gamble (18.9), 2B, IMG Academy HS (FL), Vanderbilt commit
36. Quentin Young (18.2), 3B, Oaks Christian HS (CA), LSU commit
37. Tate Southisene (18.8), SS, Basic HS (NV), USC commit
Summerhill’s exit velos were 55-grade (something like 20-25 homers annually in pro ball) last spring and summer, then were just above 40-grade (10-15 homers annually) this spring, but there wasn’t a clear injury or mechanical change to explain it. Some teams think he could revert back to that old level of power and will be an average defensive center fielder; that player would rank somewhere around No. 5 to No. 8 on this list if that had happened this spring.
I don’t think Aloy is that far behind Arquette, and they might be a fun duo to track going forward because every team I’ve asked has them ranked this way, but the margins between them as players are very small. Aloy’s teammate Wood would rank right with Liam Doyle and Jamie Arnold if he was healthy and posting the whole spring, but he has had shoulder issues in the past, so teams are operating like he is a definite reliever who might start. If those concerns are unfounded, he’ll be a steal.
Hammond is my third pound-the-table player this year behind Willits and Fien. There are some teams picking in the twenties that are very interested, while some have no interest and there’s spottier interest in the teens. He looked like a young Austin Riley last summer as a standout, right-handed two-way talent who wasn’t getting much position-player scouting attention but outperformed others who were. This spring, he slimmed down, got stronger and looked like prime Josh Donaldson, with 65- or 70-grade raw power, a solid shortstop glove and limited range that will likely slide him over to third base. Hammond visually looked like a power-over-hit type with this adjustment, and his spring was just OK (yes, like Fien) but in large part because he faced awful pitching. Hammond was up to 97 this spring, and his teammate Sam Cozart was also regularly in the mid-90s, but Hammond never faced anyone like that this spring. A summer performer who got even toolsier but didn’t give scouts the spring look they wanted, though he’s still the same guy, if not better than he was in the summer.
The biggest risk to end up not signing in this group is Schoolcraft. There are a handful of teams that I think would pay him a bonus in line with slots in the twenties (which I think is the asking price), but there are also a number of teams that aren’t close to that because of concerns about his breaking ball. The Padres and White Sox are his two most rumored landing spots.
There are probably a few high school prospects in this range who will get pushed beyond the top 40 picks, but they should all get bonuses commensurate with the areas where I have them ranked.
I know some people are reading this wondering who is the sleeper with star potential but is ranked lower. Your guy is Quentin Young. He’s a nephew of former big leaguers Dmitri and Delmon, has true 80-grade power potential and can play third base if not shortstop, but he had the worst contact rate of any prospect last summer. You have to believe he’s an outlier who has outlier skills and also can make outlier adjustments. The Padres and Dodgers seem to be all over him, which helps me believe. Neyens is a lefty hitter with 70-grade power and can also play third base, with shades of Joey Gallo.
40-plus FV tier
38. Luke Stevenson (21.0), C, North Carolina
39. Devin Taylor (21.5), LF, Indiana
40. Marcus Phillips (21.0), RHP, Tennessee
41. Riley Quick (21.1), RHP, Alabama
42. J.B. Middleton (21.6), RHP, Southern Miss
43. Mason Neville (21.5), CF, Oregon
44. Matthew Fisher (19.3), RHP, Evansville Memorial HS (IN), Indiana commit
45. Anthony Eyanson (20.8), RHP, LSU
46. Josh Owens (18.5), SS, Providence Academy HS (TN), Georgia Southern commit
47. J.D. Thompson (21.8), LHP, Vanderbilt
48. Zach Root (21.4), LHP, Arkansas
49. Malachi Witherspoon (20.9), RHP, Oklahoma
50. Michael Oliveto (18.4), C, Hauppauge HS (NY), Yale commit
This is a fascinating group of players who should go in the comp to early second round. Phillips has a 20-grade arm action in the opinion of some scouts, while with some command progress he could be a frontline starter with four plus pitches. Quick is a former four-star offensive tackle prospect who could have five plus pitches, but he has already had Tommy John surgery and his command is below average.
Owens and Oliveto were both late risers who are big with plus raw power from the left side and have a shot to play a premium position but also haven’t been high-profile summer performers for years like some others ranked around here. And yes, Malachi is Kyson’s twin brother.
40 FV tier
51. Cooper Flemming (18.9), SS, Aliso Niguel HS (CA), Vanderbilt commit
52. Nick Becker (18.6), SS, Don Bosco HS (NJ), Virginia commit
53. Josiah Hartshorn (18.4), LF, Orange Lutheran HS (CA), Texas A&M commit
54. Kane Kepley (21.3), CF, North Carolina
55. Brock Sell (18.7), CF, Tokay HS (CA), Stanford commit
56. Jordan Yost (18.5), SS, Sickles HS (FL), Florida commit
57. Max Belyeu (21.5), RF, Texas
58. Mitch Voit (20.9), 2B, Michigan
59. Alex Lodise (21.4), SS, Florida State
60. Charles Davalan (21.6), LF, Arkansas
61. Jack Bauer (18.5), LHP, Lincoln Way East HS (IL), Mississippi State commit
62. Jake Cook (22.0), CF, Southern Miss
63. Brandon Compton (21.7), LF, Arizona State
64. Ryan Mitchell (18.5), SS, Houston HS (TN), Georgia Tech commit
65. Taitn Gray (17.8), C, Grimes Community HS (IA), Oregon commit
66. Angel Cervantes (17.8), RHP, Warren HS (CA), UCLA commit
67. A.J. Russell (21.0), RHP, Tennessee
68. Chase Shores (21.0), RHP, LSU
69. Coy James (18.3), SS, Davie County HS (NC), Ole Miss commit
70. Alec Blair (18.7), CF, De La Salle HS (CA), Oklahoma commit
71. Mason Pike (18.9), RHP, Puyallup HS (WA), Oregon State commit
72. Cam Appenzeller (18.5), LHP, Glenwood HS (IL), Tennessee commit
73. Briggs McKenzie (18.8), LHP, Corinth Holders HS (NC), LSU commit
74. Dean Moss (19.1), CF, IMG Academy HS (FL), LSU commit
75. Ethan Petry (21.0), 1B, South Carolina
76. Landon Harmon (18.8), RHP, East Union HS (MS), Mississippi State commit
77. Easton Carmichael (21.7), C, Oklahoma
78. Dean Curley (21.1), 3B, Tennessee
79. Lucas Franco (18.1), SS, Cinco Ranch HS (TX), TCU commit
80. Aiden Stillman (18.6), LHP, Trinity Prep HS (FL), Vanderbilt commit
81. Jayden Stroman (18.1), RHP, Patchogue-Medford HS (NY), Duke commit
82. Cade Obermueller (22.0), LHP, Iowa
83. Kyle Lodise (21.8), SS, Georgia Tech
84. Daniel Dickinson (21.5), 2B, LSU
85. Miguel Sime Jr. (18.1), RHP, Poly Prep Country Day HS (NY), LSU commit
86. Gavin Turley (21.7), LF, Oregon State
87. Joseph Dzierwa (21.1), LHP, Michigan State
88. Korbyn Dickerson (21.7), CF, Indiana
89. James Ellwanger (21.0), RHP, Dallas Baptist
90. Cade Crossland (21.4), LHP, Oklahoma
91. Brian Curley (22.0), RHP, Georgia
92. Gustavo Melendez (17.8), SS, Colegio La Merced HS (PR), Wake Forest commit
93. Michael Lombardi (21.9), RHP, Tulane
94. Sam Horn (21.8), RHP, Missouri
95. Kaleb Wing (18.5), RHP, Scotts Valley HS (CA), Loyola Marymount commit
96. J.T. Quinn (21.1), RHP, Georgia
97. Aidan West (18.1), SS, Long Reach HS (MD), North Carolina State commit
98. Johnny Slawinski (18.3), LHP, Johnson City HS (TX), Texas A&M commit
99. Jacob Parker (18.8), CF, Purvis HS (MS), Mississippi State commit
100. Henry Godbout (21.7), 2B, Virginia
101. R.J. Austin (21.6), CF, Vanderbilt
102. Max Williams (20.9), RF, Florida State
103. Micah Bucknam (21.9), RHP, Dallas Baptist
104. Henry Ford (21.0), LF, Virginia*
105. Drew Faurot (21.7), 2B, Florida State
106. Cam Leiter (21.4), RHP, Florida State
107. Talon Haley (19.5), LHP, Lewisburg HS (MS), Vanderbilt commit
108. Marcos Paz (18.7), RHP, Hebron HS (TX), LSU commit
109. Frank Cairone (17.8), LHP, Delsea Regional HS (NJ), Coastal Carolina commit
110. Parker Rhodes (18.8), RHP, Greenfield Central HS (IN), Mississippi State commit
111. Tanner Franklin (21.0), RHP, Tennessee
112. James Quinn-Irons (22.0), CF, George Mason
113. Mason Ligenza (18.4), CF, Tamaqua Area HS (PA), Pitt commit
114. Will Rhine (18.1), SS, John Carroll HS (MD), Alabama commit
115. Brady Ebel (17.9), 3B, Corona HS (CA), LSU commit
116. Ethan Hedges (21.2), 3B, USC
117. Tim Piasentin (18.3), 3B, Foothills Composite HS (CAN), Miami commit
118. C.J. Gray (18.4), RHP, A.L. Brown HS (NC), North Carolina State commit
119. Brayden Jaksa (18.4), C, Irvington HS (CA), Oregon commit
120. Trent Caraway (21.2), 3B, Oregon State
121. Reagan Ricken (18.8), RHP, Great Oak HS (CA), LSU commit
122. Nathan Hall (21.9), CF, South Carolina
123. Brock Ketelsen (18.0), CF, Valley Christian HS (CA), Stanford commit
124. Jase Mitchell (18.8), C, Cape Henlopen HS (DE), Kentucky commit
125. Griffin Enis (18.8), CF, Corinth HS (MS), Duke commit
126. Rory Fox (21.4), RHP, Notre Dame
127. Shane Sdao (21.8), LHP, Texas A&M
128. Jared Spencer (22.0), LHP, Texas
129. Sean Youngerman (21.0), RHP, Oklahoma State
130. Mason Morris (21.9), RHP, Ole Miss
131. Antonio Jimenez (21.1), SS, UCF
132. Ethan Frey (21.3), RF, LSU
133. Murf Gray (21.6), 3B, Fresno State
134. Blaine Bullard (18.9), CF, Klein Cain HS (TX), Texas A&M commit
135. Michael Winter (18.0), RHP, Shawnee Mission East HS (KS), Dartmouth commit
136. Nolan Schubart (21.1), 1B, Oklahoma State
137. Ethan Rogers (18.2), LHP, Lone Jack HS (MO), Wichita State commit
138. Luke Hill (21.3), 3B, Ole Miss
139. Cade Kurland (21.3), 2B, Florida
140. Cooper Underwood (18.5), LHP, Allatoona HS (GA), Georgia Tech commit
141. Ben Jacobs (21.1), LHP, Arizona State
142. Colby Shelton (22.6), SS, Florida
143. Nico Partida (18.7), SS/RHP, Pearland HS (TX), Texas A&M commit
144. Riley Kelly (21.1), RHP, UC Irvine
145. William Patrick (19.0), CF, St. Frederick HS (LA), LSU commit
* signifies the player has committed to another school in the portal.
Some high schoolers known to be very tough signs are Brock Sell, Jayden Stroman, Marco Paz, Reagan Ricken, Brock Ketelsen and Nico Partida. Closer to 50/50 odds to sign are: Nick Becker, Jordan Yost, Jack Bauer, Ryan Mitchell, Alec Blair, Cam Appenzeller, Aiden Stillman, Parker Rhodes and Michael Winter. There are some others with $1 million to $1.5 million bonus demands that I think will be met, but there are always a handful of players with a smaller group of teams on them, and those teams just run out of money before they can pay all of their targets.
On the college side, Henry Ford committed to Tennessee in the portal and Cade Kurland is widely expected to return to Florida. Henry Godbout also has some chance to return to school, but most of the other college players are expected to sign without a hitch.
Jacob Parker is JoJo’s twin brother and, yes, one half of the Parker brothers.
If you read my breakdown here (search for “Mickey Moniak”), I think this draft might have a disproportionate number of stars in the late second round and later, like the 2016 draft, so let’s try to find some prospects with traits that fit historical breakout types.
Some potential quick movers (polished college arms with some traits that suggest shorter stints/relief): A.J. Russell, Chase Shores, Cade Obermueller, Brian Curley and Mason Morris.
Some college relievers or split duty types that teams want to start: Tanner Franklin, J.T. Quinn. Sean Youngerman, Sam Horn and Michael Lombardi.
And some injured pitchers: Jared Spencer (shoulder), Cam Leiter (elbow), Shane Sdao (elbow) and Marcos Paz (just returned from elbow surgery but has thrown only bullpens).
Lastly, let’s jump into some huge upside guys and sleepers to keep an eye on, first with high schoolers.
Prep LHP Jack Bauer hit 103 mph this spring (the hardest high school pitch ever thrown) and has a plus-plus slurve/sweeper, but he also walked a ton of hitters, so some teams aren’t interested at a seven-figure price and some might be willing to take him in the comp/second round for big money. Josiah Hartshorn was a hit-first corner type who grew into big power this spring. Ryan Mitchell offers a lower-tier version of the Eli Willits toolset. Taitn Gray has plus-plus raw power and standout athletic testing, and he might be able to catch but hasn’t faced much high-end pitching.
I didn’t love my look at Coy James this spring, but he’s an infielder with plus power, and I think he’ll go in the comp round. Cam Appenzeller looked like a first-rounder last summer and had a terrible spring but could still emerge in the next few years. Miguel Sime is up to 100 mph, and his offspeed pitches have really progressed this year.
The low-seven-figure prep lefty group — Briggs McKenzie, Aiden Stillman, Johnny Slawinski, Talon Haley, Frank Cairone, Cooper Underwood and Ethan Rogers — is deep and probably has a few standout big leaguers. C.J. Gray is one of the most athletic and loose prospects in the draft and had 20-grade command early this spring but really came on late. I’ll hold my breath, but that isn’t wildly different from Jacob Misiorowski’s early journey.
On the college side, Jake Cook is an 80-grade runner who converted from pitching, can really put the bat on the ball and has lots of second-round interest — sort of like Chandler Simpson did a few years ago. James Ellwanger improved the mediocre shape of his fastball late in the season, adding a few inches of vertical movement, and now has late second-round buzz, because he has always been big and physical with mid-90s velocity and multiple swing-and-miss breaking pitches.
Michael Lombardi was my semi-secret reliever-to-starter conversion pick early in the spring, but the industry has come around and there is a chance he also goes in the second round. J.T. Quinn was one player I got on board with later in the spring, but then he shoved as a starter on the Cape and now teams are jumping on board with that idea, too. Cade Crossland wasn’t completely optimized in college and has a shot to be a No. 3 starter with some tweaks. Sam Horn has an above-average sinker/slider combo but a fresh arm because of elbow surgery and playing quarterback at Missouri. Rory Fox is another pitcher with two-way history who showed a starter fit and flashes of above-average stuff, but his stuff tailed off down the stretch.
Shortstop Antonio Jimenez draws extremely varied responses from the industry but should go around the fourth round and could develop into a power-over-hit shortstop with a shot to play a big league role. Ethan Frey came out of nowhere to be one of the best hitters for LSU and has some history catching; he’ll be taken as a DH with a short track record of success but might be more than that.
35-plus FV tier
146. C.J. Hughes (17.8), SS, Junipero Serra HS (CA), UC Santa Barbara commit
147. Landyn Vidourek (21.6), RF, Cincinnati
148. Colin Yeaman (21.2), SS, UC Irvine
149. Davion Hickson (21.8), RHP, Rice*
150. Jacob Morrison (21.9), RHP, Coastal Carolina
151. Ty Harvey (19.0), C, Inspiration Academy HS (FL), Florida State commit
152. Uli Fernsler (17.9), LHP, Novi HS (MI), TCU commit
153. Dean Livingston (18.9), RHP, Hebron Christian HS (GA), Georgia commit
154. Justin Lamkin (21.0), LHP, Texas A&M
155. Mason White (21.8), SS, Arizona
156. Jaiden LoRe (18.4), SS, Corona Del Sol HS (AZ), BYU commit
157. Ethin Bingaman (18.8), RF/RHP, Corona HS (CA), Auburn commit
158. Remo Indomenico (18.0), CF, First Academy HS (FL), Oklahoma State commit
159. Ethan Grim (18.0), RHP, Governor Mifflin HS (PA), Virginia Tech commit
160. Will Hynes (18.0), RHP, Lorne Park HS (CAN), Wake Forest commit
161. Jason Reitz (21.0), RHP, Oregon
162. Trent Grindlinger (19.0), C, Huntington Beach HS (CA), Mississippi State commit
163. Xavier Mitchell (19.0), LHP, Prestonwood Christian HS (TX), Texas commit
164. Cam Maldonado (21.7), CF, Northeastern
165. Caden Hunter (21.8), LHP, USC
166. Matt Barr (19.5), RHP, Niagara County JC (NY), Tennessee commit
167. Adonys Guzman (21.6), C, Arizona
168. Kaeden Kent (21.9), SS, Texas A&M
169. Aaron Walton (21.3), CF, Arizona
170. Ben Abeldt (21.6), LHP, TCU
171. Angel Laya (18.8), RF, Eastlake HS (CA), Oregon commit
172. Ty Peeples (18.8), CF, Franklin County HS (GA), Georgia commit
173. Reid Worley (19.0), RHP, Cherokee HS (GA), Kennesaw State commit
174. Brent Iredale (22), 3B, Arkansas
175. Josh Flores (18.0), RHP, Lake Central HS (IN), Kentucky commit
176. Brett Crossland (18.9), RHP, Corona Del Sol HS (AZ), Texas commit
177. Sean Episcope (21.4), RHP, Princeton
178. John Stuetzer (18.8), CF, Pope HS (GA), Florida State commit
179. Matt Ferrara (18.0), SS, Toms River East HS (NJ), Pitt commit
180. Chris Arroyo (20.9), 1B, Virginia
181. Tre Phelps (21.0), RF, Georgia
182. Jake Munroe (21.9), 3B, Louisville
183. Gavin Lauridsen (18.6), RHP, Foothill HS (CA), USC commit
184. River Hamilton (18.8), RHP, Barlow HS (OR), LSU commit
185. Brendan Brock (20.9), C, Southwestern Illinois JC, Oklahoma commit
186. Aidan Teel (21.0), CF, Virginia*
187. Jacob McCombs (21.0), CF, UC Irvine
188. Jack Gurevitch (21.4), 1B, San Diego
189. Lorenzo Meola (21.7), SS, Stetson
190. Cameron Millar (18.1), RHP, Alhambra HS (CA), Arizona commit
191. Richie Bonomolo Jr. (21.8), CF, Alabama
192. Jack Lafflam (18.8), RHP, Brophy Prep HS (AZ), Arizona commit
193. Caleb Leys (22.0), LHP, Maine
194. Eli Pitts (18.7), CF, Parkview HS (GA), USF commit
195. Anthony Martinez (21.2), 1B, UC Irvine
196. Cody Bowker (21.7), RHP, Vanderbilt
197. Nick Dumesnil (21.3), CF, Cal Baptist
198. Ethan Moore (18.8), SS, Oak Park & River Forest HS (IL), Tennessee commit
199. Karson Bowen (21.0), C, TCU
200. Conor Essenburg (18.8), RF/LHP, Lincoln-Way West HS (IL), Kentucky commit
201. Michael Salina (21.5), RHP, St. Bonaventure
202. Josh Tate (21.9), CF, Georgia Southern
203. Griffin Hugus (21.4), RHP, Miami
204. Josh Jannicelli (18.2), RHP, Cardinal Newman HS (CA), UC Santa Barbara commit
205. Ryan Wideman (21.7), CF, Western Kentucky*
206. Justin Mitrovich (21.8), RHP, Elon
207. Carson Brumbaugh (18.8), SS, Edmond Santa Fe HS (OK), Arkansas commit
208. Blake Gillespie (21.8), RHP, Charlotte
209. Brooks Bryan (21.0), C, Troy
210. Hudson Barrett (21.5), LHP, UC Santa Barbara
211. Nelson Keljo (21.9), LHP, Oregon State
212. Nick Monistere (21.5), 2B, Southern Miss
213. Joe Ariola (21.5), LHP, Wake Forest
214. Jake Clemente (21.7), RHP, Florida
215. Landon Hodge (18.4), C, Crespi Carmelite HS (CA), LSU commit
216. Linkin Garcia (19.1), SS, A3 Academy HS (FL), Texas Tech commit
217. Evan Hankins (19.2), 1B, Miller School HS (VA), Tennessee commit
218. Riley Nelson (21.6), 1B, Vanderbilt
219. Tucker Biven (21.3), RHP, Louisville
220. Zane Taylor (23.1), RHP, UNC Wilmington
221. Jalin Flores (21.9), SS, Texas
222. Zach Strickland (19.1), RHP, Maranatha HS (CA), UCLA commit
223. Gabe Davis (21.7), RHP, Oklahoma State
224. Pico Kohn (22.9), LHP, Mississippi State
225. Mason Peters (21.6), LHP, Dallas Baptist
226. Peter Mershon (19.2), C, Eastside HS (SC), Mississippi State commit
227. Marcelo Harsch (18.1), RHP, Seton Hall Prep HS (NJ), Wake Forest commit
228. Brody Walls (18.9), RHP, McKinney Boyd HS (TX), Texas commit
229. Nate Snead (21.3), RHP, Tennessee
230. Grady Westphal (18.9), RHP, Blue Valley HS (KS), Texas commit
231. Mason Braun (18.3), LF, Penn HS (IN), LSU commit
232. Trevor Cohen (21.8), CF, Rutgers
233. Landon Beidelschies (21.3), LHP, Arkansas
234. Emilio Barreras (21.7), SS, Grand Canyon
235. Ethan Young (21.5), RHP, East Carolina
236. Ryan Weingartner (21.0), SS, Penn State
237. Dylan Brown (21.0), LHP, Old Dominion
238. Brandon Shannon (18.7), RHP, McHenry West HS (IL), Louisville commit
239. Grayson Boles (18.8), RHP, St. Augustine HS (CA), Texas commit
240. Matt Klein (21.8), C, Louisville
241. Zion Theophilus (19.0), RHP, Moeller HS (OH), LSU commit
242. Grady Lenahan (18.8), CF, Pro5 Academy HS (NC), East Carolina commit
243. Hunter Allen (22.0), RHP, Ashland
244. Cal Scolari (21.2), RHP, San Diego
245. Dixon Williams (21.5), 2B, East Carolina
246. Kolten Smith (21.5), RHP, Georgia
247. Wyatt Vincent (18.9), SS, Nixa HS (MO), Missouri State commit
248. Hunter Elliott (22.9), LHP, Ole Miss
249. Jared Jones (22.0), 1B, LSU
250. Anthony Frobose (17.9), SS, Lakeland HS (NY), Rutgers commit
-
Adam Rittenberg
Among the teams that reached the initial 12-team College Football Playoff, four brought back starting quarterbacks for this fall, and two others saw their QBs transfer but remain in the college game.
Normally, the focus of the sport would be on the returning signal-callers. Players such as Penn State’s Drew Allar, Clemson’s Cade Klubnik, Arizona State’s Sam Leavitt, SMU’s Kevin Jennings and an intriguing group of incumbents in the Big 12, SEC and elsewhere would be generating the most buzz.
But 2025 is different. The quarterback discussion is dominated by a 2024 backup who didn’t attempt a pass in four postseason games and had just 12 pass attempts after his first two career starts. Texas quarterback Arch Manning might be the biggest name in the sport as he prepares for his first season as QB1. The guy with the attention-grabbing name now has the platform to showcase his talents.
After a season in which the Heisman Trophy race came down to two non-quarterbacks — Travis Hunter and Ashton Jeanty — perhaps Manning will meet the outsized expectations. Or will another quarterback — Allar, Klubnik, LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier, South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers, Miami’s Carson Beck — step forward in the race?
I spoke with coaches and others around the sport to assess several of the more notable quarterbacks. Other than Manning, I focused on quarterbacks with a good amount of game experience, as we’ll see how things play out with freshmen such as Michigan’s Bryce Underwood, Ohio State’s Julian Sayin and Notre Dame’s CJ Carr.
Here’s a conference-by-conference look:
Jump to a conference:
SEC | ACC | Big Ten | Big 12
SEC
Nussmeier’s path through college used to be the norm but has become increasingly rare — a quarterback who waits his turn behind top players, then takes over the starting job when he’s more seasoned, both physically and mentally. Along with Clemson’s Klubnik, Nussmeier received the most consistently strong reviews from opposing coaches.
“Cade and Nussmeier are two studs,” an ACC coach said. “I love both of them.”
Added an SEC coach: “Garrett is a really talented quarterback. He’s obviously going to take a really good step second year as a starter, too.”
Nussmeier is the first LSU quarterback and just the fourth in SEC history to return to his team following a season with at least 4,000 passing yards.
“He’s in the top two or three in the whole country, without question,” said a defensive coordinator set to face Nussmeier this fall. “We’ve got to affect him somehow.”
Sellers grew up admiring Cam Newton and hopes to mimic Newton’s Heisman Trophy-winning breakthrough season of 2010. Like Newton, Sellers has physical gifts that jump out — a 240-pound frame and quickness that makes him difficult to tackle, as Clemson found out in last year’s rivalry loss to the Gamecocks. Sellers rushed for 166 yards and two touchdowns against Clemson, and showcased his dual-threat playmaking ability in games against Texas A&M, Missouri and LSU.
“Sellers really got hot down the stretch,” an SEC coach said. “He’s such a big, imposing, physical kid. Now, can he take the next step in the throw game?”
Other coaches echoed the review on Sellers, whose ability to make head-turning plays is unquestioned. He also showed better accuracy as the season went along, finishing at 65.6% completions.
The key is identifying the right run-pass blend and ultimately being at his best when surveying the field to pass.
“It’s run when you want to, not when you have to,” South Carolina offensive coordinator Mike Shula told ESPN. “We just want him to use [the running ability] as an added layer, icing on the cake. He’s moving toward that, but as he continues to get better on processing mentally and then timing-wise, where he’s trusting himself and the wideouts, that’s when he can really excel.”
Some coaches aren’t quite sold on Sellers.
“I can’t get behind the LaNorris Sellers hype,” an SEC coach said. “He reminds me of Anthony Richardson, and I know Anthony Richardson went fourth overall [in the NFL draft]. Physically, he’s a freak, but is he a great quarterback?”
Mateer has generated a lot of attention from opposing coaches as he makes the jump to Oklahoma from Washington State, alongside offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle. The lightly recruited Texan shined last fall as the Cougars’ starter, leading the FBS in touchdowns responsible for during the regular season (44), and producing the best rushing season for a WSU quarterback — 826 yards, 15 touchdowns — to go with 3,139 passing yards and 29 touchdowns on 64.6% completions.
“He’s a triple threat,” an SEC defensive coordinator said. “He can throw it, he can scramble and they can call runs for him. Those kinds of guys are the ones hard to defend. Very fearless. He’s got all the moxie and the intangibles to go with it.”
Mateer’s intrepid approach jumped out to those who faced him in 2024. But how will he transition to the SEC?
“He’s going to be one of the better quarterbacks in the SEC,” said a coach who faced him in 2024. “If he can stay healthy — because they run him like a running back — they’ll be a much better team. He’s the type of guy who can change your whole culture.”
Mateer’s durability could be the biggest factor in his performance. He’s solidly built at 6-foot-1 and 224 pounds. After setting a WSU record with 178 rushing attempts in 2024 — fifth among quarterbacks and tied for 53rd nationally — Mateer’s workload as a ball carrier will be closely watched.
“He doesn’t look very big,” an SEC defensive coordinator said. “The human body can only take so many hits, and if you’re not a big dude in this league, it’ll take its toll.”
3:34
John Mateer highlights the improvements of Oklahoma’s offense
Mateer joins SEC Now and discusses his plans of stepping up as a leader this season and the impact that offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle has already made on the Sooners’ offense.
Lagway played more than Manning did in 2024, but the two quarterbacks are often paired because of their relative youth and potential. Mississippi State coach Jeff Lebby, who saw both players in 2024 and will face them in consecutive weeks this fall, said of the tandem, “Those are both guys that have got a chance to be elite players, and probably guys that are going to have great control of the offense and their systems.”
After taking over for the injured Graham Mertz, Lagway went 6-1 as Florida’s starter and helped the team to signature wins against Ole Miss and LSU, while capping the season by winning Gator Bowl MVP honors against Tulane. Lagway’s overall arm strength and the variety of throws he makes, especially as a relatively inexperienced quarterback, jump out to coaches.
“He’ll throw off the weirdest platforms,” an SEC coach said. “His feet won’t be in the ground, and the guy still throws at 60 yards. Like, what the f—? It shouldn’t be humanly possible.”
The 6-foot-3, 247-pound Lagway enters the season with some injury concerns, as lingering shoulder issues limited him during the spring, and he sustained a calf injury shortly before training camp.
“With DJ, it’s being able to keep things alive, arm strength, arm angles, all the off-platform things that he can do,” Lebby said. “DJ’s just a great talent.”
Everyone around college football is buzzing about Manning, but coaches understandably are taking a more measured approach toward evaluating a quarterback who hasn’t logged significant snaps. So what do they know about him? He has handled the spotlight well so far, and he brings a new element of athleticism to Texas’ offensive backfield.
“I’ve been watching a lot of his press conferences, and he seems like a pretty level-headed kid,” said a coach who will face Texas this year. “Pretty low-key.”
The coach’s opinion echoes what Texas has seen internally with Manning, with one source there saying, “It’s not lost on him that he’s Arch Manning, that he’s a Manning, what the expectations are. None of that stuff is lost on him. He’s just learned to manage it internally.”
Another of his strengths is movement, which Manning showed last season when he received his most significant playing time against UTSA and Mississippi State. When starting quarterback Quinn Ewers returned from injury, Texas used Manning mostly as a running threat. A Texas source noted that although comparisons will be made to Manning’s uncles, Peyton and Eli, Manning plays more like his namesake, grandfather Archie Manning, who rushed for 2,197 yards in his NFL career, significantly more than Peyton and Eli’s combined total of 1,234 yards.
“He comes from a good bloodline,” an SEC defensive coordinator said. “I know he’ll have all the attributes, the want-to and how to work, all those things.”
Reed opened the 2024 season as Conner Weigman‘s backup but soon became Texas A&M’s starter, displaying impressive dual-threat skills that helped him lead SEC quarterbacks in both rushing yards per game (49.4) and yards per carry (4.7). He had a big performance at Florida and rallied Texas A&M past then-No. 8 LSU with three rushing touchdowns.
The redshirt freshman finished the season with 1,864 passing yards, 15 touchdowns and 6 interceptions. When training camp opened, Reed addressed the perception that he’s a run-first quarterback with limited passing ability, and there’s hope internally that he will display significant growth this fall.
“You’re hoping to see the natural development of him as a leader,” coach Mike Elko told ESPN. “This is his offense now. He’s had the ability to make those connections, to do the leadership things behind the scenes, and then him on the field, it’s him being fully comfortable in the schemes, in the progressions and the passing game. He got a little bit more comfortable, and we got more comfortable, too.”
Reed’s development has been consistent, and Texas A&M’s coaches think he can thrive in throwing the ball to NC State transfer KC Concepcion, among others.
“He threw the ball well,” an SEC defensive coordinator said. “They return a lot, offensive line, him. They had a bunch of receivers transfer out, but I think they did a good job in the portal.”
ACC
Coaches view Klubnik through a similar lens to Nussmeier, with respect for his talent level, experience and development.
The difference is Klubnik will be entering his third season as Clemson’s starter and third under offensive coordinator Garrett Riley. Klubnik has amassed 7,180 career passing yards and 57 career touchdowns, and made significant jumps for both yards (795) and touchdowns (17) from his sophomore to junior season.
“He’s gotten so much better,” an SEC coach said. “When you watch him versus Georgia [in the 2024 opener] to the Texas game, it’s incredible. What makes him dangerous is his ability to tuck the ball and get vertical. … Their best play is quarterback draw.”
Several coaches echoed that observation about Klubnik, who last fall had about the same number of carries as he did in 2023 but saw a nice jump in rushing yards to 463 and had seven rushing touchdowns.
“He’s not just like a pure dropback, that’s not him,” a Power 4 defensive coordinator said. “He’s good at that, but that’s not his strength. It’s when he has to create something, that’s what makes him dangerous.”
Klubnik has established himself as a top college quarterback, but coaches think there’s another step to his game.
“He’s good, but he ain’t Trevor Lawrence,” an ACC coach said. “I don’t think he’s a first-rounder. He’s a good player, but if it’s covered, he’s not throwing it. He doesn’t have the faith to do that.”
2:16
Cade Klubnik’s best TDs from this season
Check out some of Cade Klubnik’s best touchdowns from this season as he announces his return to Clemson.
Beck is one of the more fascinating quarterbacks to analyze, and also among the most polarizing for coaches. He had an undeniably great season in 2023, when he completed a blistering 72.4% of his passes for 3,941 yards and 24 touchdowns with Georgia. Without two-time John Mackey Award winner Brock Bowers and others last season, Beck looked shakier, throwing 12 interceptions during a six-game midseason stretch.
He completed at least 69.7% of his passes in four of the first six games but then eclipsed 65% just once the rest of the season. After surgery to repair the ulnar collateral ligament in his right (throwing) elbow, Beck joined Miami for his final college season.
“He always played well against us, and I thought a lot of him,” an SEC defensive coordinator said. “He maybe threw some balls he shouldn’t have, but he was super talented and he has a lot of confidence. It’ll be interesting [at Miami].”
Miami coach Mario Cristobal has been very pleased with Beck since his arrival this winter.
“You start observing practice and you see some of the things that he gets us into in an awesome way, and some of the things he can get us out of,” Cristobal told ESPN. “And then the autocorrect when we don’t have a positive play, the ability to bounce back from that and take ownership for it, even if it’s somebody else’s doing. He’s going to find a way to bring people together.”
Some coaches can’t get past Beck’s midseason struggles in 2024.
“He’s a turnover machine,” an SEC coordinator said. “There might have been some drops, but there might have been some dropped interceptions, too. The guy just throws it to the other team. He makes some good throws, but as a quarterback, that’s tough to overcome. He was just fortunate how good they were on defense.”
Beck averaged 1.62 yards per carry as Georgia’s starter, raising some questions about his mobility. “Beck’s good, but Beck can’t move,” an ACC coach said. But Cristobal has been surprised by how Beck moves around
“He’s athletic, man,” Cristobal said. “He can throw it, he can throw it on the run, he can run it. He’s a big cat. I didn’t realize how big he was until he got here. So there’s a lot of things to be excited about.”
1:57
Carson Beck’s best plays of the season for Georgia
Take a look at Carson Beck’s best plays of 2024 for Georgia after announcing his intention to enter the transfer portal.
Jennings is another interesting quarterback to evaluate, as he helped SMU to an unlikely playoff appearance in its first year as an ACC member but fell apart at Penn State in a first-round loss, throwing three interceptions, two of which were returned for Nittany Lions touchdowns. Jennings also was intercepted in an ACC championship game loss to Clemson and threw three picks in an overtime win at Duke.
He completed 65% of his passes for 3,245 yards and 23 touchdowns, and was a solid run threat, especially in the first half of the season.
“He’s unorthodox,” an ACC defensive coordinator said. “When you first watch him, you think, ‘OK, this kid’s not fundamentally sound, and his footwork is bad, and his mechanics aren’t great honestly,’ but then it’s like, dang, he just keeps making accurate throw after accurate throw on the move. He’s so unorthodox, but he’s so effective, and he can run. So I think he’s legit good.”
SMU coach Rhett Lashlee likes what he has seen from Jennings since the Penn State game, both from a physical approach and mentally.
“He’s probably put on 10 or 12 pounds in the offseason, which is great,” Lashlee said. “Just a bustle that helped his frame. And mentally, he’s an unquestioned leader of our team. He’s been awesome. He’s got a lot of confidence. He’ll be him, he’ll be fine.”
Moss had his breakout performance at USC against Louisville in the 2023 Holiday Bowl — 372 passing yards, six touchdowns — and now joins the Cardinals as the latest transfer quarterback under coach Jeff Brohm. He had some good moments with the Trojans, including the 2024 opening win against LSU, but struggled with interceptions and in road games.
A fifth-year senior, Moss follows NFL second-round draft pick Tyler Shough with Brohm, whose creative and aggressive offensive system gives Louisville a chance in every game.
“Miller Moss is good. I liked him, always, out of high school, and then Brohm’s really good,” an ACC coach said. “Miller is in a system that fits him.”
Moss is a smart and skilled quarterback, but some wonder about his ability to improvise.
“He’s a really good system guy,” a Big Ten defensive coordinator said. “Brohm will do really well with him because he’s such a quarterback-friendly coach. Moss is very systematic. If things get off schedule, he struggles. He can’t create with his legs. He doesn’t make a lot of creating-type plays, but if everything’s on schedule, he’s a machine. He’s a robot.”
Brohm told ESPN that Moss, like Shough in coming in from Texas Tech last year, is eager to prove himself. Brohm has tried to put Moss in pressurized situations against the starting defense to improve his decision-making and limit the mistakes that surfaced during the middle part of the 2024 season.
“He’s an intelligent quarterback,” Brohm said. “He can control where he’s throwing it, which not everyone can do. When he’s confident and things happen in rhythm and he knows where to go with the ball, he can produce. It’s the times when things aren’t in rhythm and the timing isn’t quite there and he’s got to adjust and he’s got to make decisions and be a quarterback who can handle a broken play here and there.”
Mensah wasn’t the biggest name on the quarterback transfer market, but his move to Duke — and the reported $8 million deal that came with it — generated significant attention. Duke went all-in to land Mensah, who has three years of eligibility left after an impressive redshirt freshman season at Tulane, where he completed 65.9% of his passes for 22 touchdowns and never had a multi-interception performance.
The Mensah move showed that “Duke is serious about football,” coach Manny Diaz told ESPN, especially coming off three consecutive seasons with eight or more wins. Diaz also liked how Mensah fits with offensive coordinator Jonathan Brewer’s vision. Duke was willing to part ways with quarterback Maalik Murphy, who had a team-record 26 touchdown passes last season.
“He can make the throws similar to what we have to have in our offense, but the mobility is key,” Diaz said. “Not just in terms of QB run game, but the ability to extend plays, make things happen, scramble to throw, scramble to run. Those things, you can already see the difference.”
Some coaches are curious about whether Mensah, who thrived in Tulane’s play-action passing attack, will perform in a Duke offense that has emphasized tempo and quick screens and other passes.
“He’s not a no-brainer,” a Power 4 coach said. “Maalik has a bigger arm than he does.”
“It was a head-scratcher for some that they invested what they did in him,” an ACC defensive coordinator added.
King turns 25 in January and has seen just about everything at the college level. He could be set for his last and best season this fall with Georgia Tech, which is hoping to eclipse seven wins for the first time since 2016 and become an ACC contender. King is among the toughest quarterbacks in the country, having fought through several significant injuries.
He showed much greater accuracy in 2024, throwing only two interceptions in 269 pass attempts and completing an ACC record 72.9% of his passes. King became the first FBS player since at least 1956 to record 2,000 passing yards, 10 touchdown passes, a 70% completion percentage and two or fewer interceptions in a season.
“The sky’s the limit for Haynes,” Georgia Tech offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner told ESPN. “The biggest thing we’ve hammered is: If we can make the routine plays all the time, we’re going to be really tough to handle. It’s continuing to shorten up his stride, shorten up his delivery. He’s a very conscious kid, great football player. We want to hone in the fine details of playing quarterback.”
The challenge for King is staying on the field without overly limiting his aggressive style of play. After recording 737 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns in 2023, King ran for 587 yards and 11 touchdowns last fall.
“Haynes is a tough sucker,” an ACC defensive coordinator said. “Just a great, great player, and a great fit for what they do.”
BIG TEN
Arguably no national championship contender has greater urgency than Penn State, and no quarterback carries a heavier burden than Allar. He looks like a top NFL draft pick at 6-foot-5 and 235 pounds. After two seasons as the starter, he ranks among the top 10 in team history in most statistical categories and in the top five in several, including first in career completion percentage (62.9) and interception percentage (1.19).
The knock on Allar, fair or unfair, is the same as the one against Penn State under coach James Franklin — the inability to win the biggest games. He’s still searching for his first win against Ohio State, Michigan or Oregon, and his struggles against Notre Dame in a CFP semifinal loss left him teary-eyed and determined to rewrite his story.
“He played so poorly against Notre Dame that he just got destroyed the whole offseason, but in some ways that can be good,” a Big Ten defensive coordinator said. “He’s got all the tools. Obviously he’s big, his body looks good. He’s got better receivers around him. The receivers have been so ineffective there.”
The additions of transfer wide receivers Trebor Pena (Syracuse), Devonte Ross (Troy) and Kyron Hudson (USC) should help Allar, who hasn’t seen an 800-yard wide receiver during his time at Penn State. Franklin told ESPN that Allar has “gotten better every single year,” and he should benefit from his best supporting cast.
“Whether it’s his understanding, whether it’s his command, whether it’s his athleticism, he’s made significant jumps,” Franklin said. “The other thing is going out and finding some guys that are going to make some more plays for him.”
New Penn State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles has a distinct perspective on Allar, having faced him the past two seasons at Ohio State, and now seeing him daily in practices.
“I didn’t know him as a person, but he’s got a great work ethic and wants to learn,” Knowles told ESPN. “It’s like when I first got to Ohio State and CJ Stroud was asking me all kinds of questions. You don’t know any of this when you play them, but he’s got those leadership skills and traits, and the team really follows him.”
0:58
How will Drew Allar respond to pressure this season?
A.Q. Shipley joins “The Pat McAfee Show” to discuss how Drew Allar will respond when his back is against the wall.
Altmyer grew up loving the SEC and began his college career in his favorite conference, but he has made a much bigger impact since leaving Ole Miss for the Big Ten and Illinois, where he enters his third season as the starter. He can go down as an Illini legend, as the team has a realistic chance for its first CFP appearance and consecutive 10-win seasons for the first time.
Despite receiving overtures from Tennessee to transfer, Altmyer is back with Illinois, where he went through some challenges in 2023 and nearly quit after the season, only to return and pass for 2,217 yards with 22 touchdowns and only six interceptions last fall.
“He’s a good player; he’s going to be third year in the system,” a Big Ten defensive coordinator said. “I think he’s a good athlete. He can throw it.”
Last season restored Altmyer’s confidence, and Illinois’ coaches expect him to adjust well to the inevitable ebbs and flows.
“The biggest difference in him is his volume [of play], which is reflected in his confidence, not just for him, but his players around him, and then just the experience,” Illinois coach Bret Bielema told ESPN.
Added Illinois offensive coordinator Barry Lunney Jr.: “You’re going to come up short and make mistakes, but he’s at the point of his career, he’s played enough ball that he knows how to navigate away from those.”
The Hoosiers have given themselves a chance to sustain success, in part because of key portal pickups including Mendoza, who started 19 games at Cal and last season had one of the school’s top 10 passing seasons (3,004 yards, 144.59 rating, 68.7% completions). Although Kurtis Rourke is a big loss, Mendoza brings Power 4 experience and had success despite some trouble spots around him at Cal.
“He’s a big, tall guy, very mobile, and has a quick release with a strong arm, throws the ball well from the pocket and on the move,” Hoosiers coach Curt Cignetti told ESPN. “He’s got a body of work from Cal. He’s got areas to improve and he knows that, but he certainly has a lot of talent. I feel really, really confident in him.”
The 6-foot-5, 225-pound Mendoza had only 191 net rushing yards during two seasons at Cal, but he can scramble to find space to throw. He cut down his interceptions total last fall and improved his completion percentage by 5.7 points. A Big Ten general manager said of Mendoza, “You’re watching a first-round quarterback when you watch that guy throw routes.”
“He’s very similar to the guy they had last year, Rourke,” a Big Ten recruiting director said. “They’re similar builds, they have similar games. They’re both not going to kill you with legs, they’re not going to be able to really drop it into a bucket from that far out. But they have the arm strength, there’s a big frame, they work well within the offense, and they play to their skill set.”
Williams is technically a new starter but gained valuable experience last fall, starting the rivalry game against Oregon and the Sun Bowl against Louisville, where he threw a pick-six on his first pass attempt, then proceeded to complete 26 of 31 attempts for 374 yards and four touchdowns, while adding 48 rushing yards and a score.
He also saw meaningful playing time against UCLA, Iowa and Penn State, and finished the season with 944 passing yards, completing 78.1% of his attempts.
“Starting those last two games was huge for him, and it was great that he played in all the games,” Washington offensive coordinator Jimmie Dougherty told ESPN. “You see those reps have added up. Now he has some experience to draw from, and he’s just getting rid of the ball. He’s making great decisions. And he’s always been a great decision-maker.”
Williams, who followed the coaching staff from Arizona to Washington, has become the “unquestioned leader of the team” this offseason, Dougherty said. While many quarterbacks with Williams’ athleticism lean toward running the ball when the opportunity arises, the redshirt freshman has shown an inclination to remain in the pocket. A Power 4 coordinator said he has some Kyler Murray in his style of play.
“It’s much harder to coach guys the other way, the guys who have relied on their feet most of their careers, to now get them to be comfortable sitting in the pocket and going through a progression,” Dougherty said. “We love the fact that he wants to get rid of the ball and hit his receivers on time, get the ball out of his hand. That’s been the biggest thing that I’ve seen in fall camp is how fast he’s getting rid of the ball now, making good, clean decisions in the pocket.”
Coaches outside of Eugene, Oregon, haven’t seen much of Moore since the 2023 season, which he opened as UCLA’s starter after arriving as the nation’s No. 2 overall recruit. He went through some predictable struggles that fall, and one coach who faced the Bruins said it “looked messy” back then.
But Moore transferred to Oregon and has had more than a year to prepare for the starting job, playing behind Dillon Gabriel last fall and attempting only eight passes in four games.
“I see the arm talent, the ability to operate, very similar to what Bo [Nix] and Dillon had done,” Oregon coach Dan Lanning told ESPN. “He can check plays. He’s probably more similar to Dillon from a pocket presence standpoint, but more similar to Bo in the ability to really put us in really advantageous plays.”
Lanning views Moore more in line with predecessors Gabriel and Nix, but opposing coaches don’t expect him to be nearly as mobile. Gabriel had 25 rushing touchdowns in his final three college seasons (one at Oregon), while Nix rushed for 20 scores during two seasons at Oregon.
“Dante is pro-style,” a Power 4 coach said. “If Dante ran a 40, he’d run a 4.9.”
UCLA made the biggest splash of the spring portal in adding Iamaleava, who helped Tennessee to a CFP appearance last season, his first as the Vols starter. A former top 25 national recruit, Iamaleava grew up not far from UCLA’s campus but went to Tennessee on a then-historic NIL deal.
The 6-foot-6, 215-pound Iamaleava has undeniable physical gifts and a full year as an SEC starter under his belt. But he had only the late spring and summer to connect with his teammates and absorb the offense under new coordinator Tino Sunseri. Iamaleava had 2,930 passing yards and 21 touchdowns at Tennessee, while throwing only five interceptions and adding 435 rushing yards and six scores.
“He’s a true leader and I just love how he approaches the day, how he just approached our players, how he approached coming into the team so late,” Bruins coach DeShaun Foster told ESPN. “It wasn’t just like, ‘I’m Nico’ and this. He wanted to really get in there and work. I wanted to see him in the huddle. I had already seen him in high school and all of that before, so that was good. It was just more, I wanted to see him command, and how is he around the other players? But he’s been great.”
The talent is there with Iamaleava, whose ability to adjust quickly will be tested.
“That’s a kid that is tough as nails,” said a defensive coordinator who will face UCLA this fall. “When he runs, he doesn’t look to slide. He can sling it. With development, he’s going to be one of the top dudes in the country. He’s 6-6, tough to take down, can throw every ball. Needs a little bit more accuracy in the deep ball, but can throw it wherever he needs to put it. His eye progression needs a bit of work, but my guess is with another year, he’s worked through that.”
BIG 12
Leavitt led Arizona State to an unlikely Big 12 title and CFP appearance in his first season as the Sun Devils’ starter last fall. He displayed a skill set that coach Kenny Dillingham expects will propel him to the NFL, setting a team freshman record with 3,328 yards of total offense, and posting a 21-4 touchdown-to-interception ratio during his final nine games.
His decision-making stood out for a young quarterback, and he didn’t shy away from shot plays, recording eight completions of 50 yards or more, most in the Big 12 and tied for second most in the FBS. Leavitt handled pressure well and was an effective scrambler with 435 yards, second most among FBS quarterbacks.
“The way this guy can make plays with his feet, he’s got great instincts,” said a coach who faced Arizona State in 2024. “He can diagnose. Really an elite player for them. The plays he was able to make on third down and create with his legs, it was all year long and pretty special.”
Arizona State finished 18th nationally in third-down conversion rate, as Leavitt moved the chains both with passes under pressure and scrambles. Leavitt told ESPN his goal this fall is “to get to the point where I feel like me and my coach are at the same spot in how we view the game.”
“All the football stuff, everybody sees, everybody sees the talent,” Dillingham said. “He cares. He’s intelligent, he’s competitive, he has the off-the-field X factors that allow him to achieve that level.”
A Big 12 defensive coordinator added of Leavitt: “If you’re going to say, ‘Who’s your top competitor?’ It’s probably that kid.”
Hoover has started the past season and a half for TCU and last fall set the team single-season passing record with 3,949 yards. He was a chunk-play machine, leading the Big 12 and ranking fifth nationally in completions of 20 yards or longer (61). His performance hasn’t generated much national attention, partly because of the team’s uneven starts.
But Hoover will be in the spotlight right away this fall as TCU opens at North Carolina in a standalone Monday game, the first of the Bill Belichick era with the Tar Heels.
“He’s really talented,” coach Sonny Dykes told ESPN. “He throws the ball as well as any of the guys I’ve coached, and we’ve been lucky to coach some good ones. He’s not as big as some of them, he’s not as fast as others, but just purely throwing the football, he’s really, really good. That can get you in trouble sometimes because he’s like, ‘I can make this throw,’ or he gets bored of checking it down and he wants to challenge himself a little bit more.”
If Hoover balances the wow plays with the mundane ones, he could be among the nation’s best quarterbacks this season.
“He does not take sacks,” a Big 12 defensive coordinator said. “He gets rid of the ball quickly, makes good decisions. I really liked him. He’s tough, good decision-maker, gets the ball out on time.”
When Will Howard transferred from Kansas State to Ohio State, there was a sense within some corners of the Big 12 that the Wildcats would upgrade at quarterback with Johnson. A blazing-fast top 100 recruit from the state, Johnson gave Kansas State a different dimension in the explosive run game. He set a team record with 25 passing touchdowns last fall, while throwing 10 interceptions and adding 605 rushing yards and seven touchdowns.
Johnson’s accuracy and efficiency fell off during the back half of the season, but he entered this fall with higher expectations as a passer. He accounted for all three touchdowns — two passing, one rushing — in Saturday’s season-opening loss to Iowa State in Ireland, completing 21 of 30 attempts for 271 yards with no interceptions.
“It’s just not trying to do so much,” Johnson told ESPN. “Getting the ball to playmakers, letting guys do their things with the ball, not trying to force things, taking checkdowns and then whenever you do get big-play opportunities, you’ve got to connect on them.”
Coaches see Johnson’s throwing ability but say he still must master the nuances of the passing game.
“Extremely athletic,” said a coach who faced Kansas State last year. “As a freshman, he still needed so much more polish, and then the ability to sit in the pocket and go through reads. Looks like he’s still needing some of that.”
Anyone who watched Iowa State’s Week 0 win against Kansas State in Ireland got to see the essence of Becht, who is in his third year as the starter. He had some early struggles on a slick field and would end up completing only half of his passes (14 of 28). But Becht avoided an interception and accounted for all three ISU touchdowns — two passing, one rushing — and the game-clinching pass to Carson Hansen on fourth-and-3.
Becht’s resolve to make winning plays might be his best trait.
“He is a really good quarterback, and he’s got escape-ability, he’s got an incredible feel for the game of football, he can use his feet to make the special play,” ISU coach Matt Campbell told ESPN. “But I think one of the things that makes him really special is that locker room. Boy, they believe in him, maybe as good as any football player that I’ve coached.”
Campbell added of Becht’s best on-field trait: “He’s never pressed to make the wild plays, always makes the right decision on every play. Can he keep doing that at an elite level?”
Becht’s numbers are solid but not league-leading. He was 10th in the Big 12 in completion percentage last season (59.2) and fifth in passing yards per game. But he has a lot of respect around the conference.
“I’m always impressed with what he does for Iowa State,” a Big 12 coach said. “He’s so consistent and steady. He’s kind of like [Brock] Purdy was for them. He just wins games.”
Added a Big 12 defensive coordinator: “I have so much respect for that kid. Tough kid.”
0:37
Rocco Becht dives into the end zone for a Cyclones TD
Rocco Becht scrambles his way into the end zone to put the Cyclones up 24-14.
After being recruited to Mississippi State by the late Mike Leach, Robertson transferred to Baylor and started four games in 2023 with shaky results. He then became Baylor’s QB1 in Week 3 last season and looked very much like the top-60 national recruit he was coming out of Lubbock, Texas. Robertson eclipsed 3,000 passing yards while throwing 28 touchdowns and only nine interceptions.
Despite only 14 starts at Baylor, Robertson ranks among the top eight in team history for categories like passing efficiency (fifth, 144.4), yards per pass attempt (sixth, 8.113) and completion percentage (eighth 60.8). He also has played in three offensive schemes with Leach and Baylor offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes and Jake Spavital.
“I’ve developed a lot as a quarterback,” Robertson said. “I learned a lot from Leach, mentally, how you approach the game, all that stuff, and getting to play for Grimes, pro-style, under center, getting reps at that were great for me. And then now playing for Spav, he’s such a good mental leader. … It’s not something I had on my bingo card playing for three different offensive coordinators, but I think it’s just helping me develop.”
Big 12 coaches are mixed on Robertson, as one said he’s “not as dynamic as the others” in the league’s top QB group. But his strong finish to the 2024 season, plus some long-awaited continuity under the same playcaller, should help his development.
“Just the variations of coverages and blitzes and stuff like that, I thought he handled it well,” a Big 12 defensive coordinator said. “He played pretty comfortably, so they’ve got a chance to be pretty good.”
Daniels is certainly a familiar name around the Big 12 after starting games in each of the past five seasons. He has been a big-play juggernaut when healthy but lost most of the 2023 season to injury and portions of others. Daniels finally made it through a season last fall and had solid passing (2,454) and rushing (439) yards totals, but his accuracy fluttered and he and the team didn’t really surge until later in the season.
He’s back for a sixth year, playing in an offense directed by longtime KU quarterbacks coach Jim Zebrowski. Daniels was near-flawless in Saturday’s season opener against Fresno State, completing 18 of 20 passes for 176 yards and 3 touchdowns, while adding 47 rushing yards.
“I really like the Kansas guy, he’s probably my favorite in the league,” a Big 12 coach said. “When push comes to shove, that guy knows how to just stay calm and make stuff happen.”
Other coaches need to see more consistency from Daniels, especially after last season.
“The Kansas kid is hit and miss,” a Big 12 defensive coordinator said. “He’s kind of hot and cold, but he’s a heck of an athlete.”
The Big 12 is heavy on returning starters, but the most intriguing quarterback transfer in the league arrives at Utah, where quarterback play cratered the past two seasons largely because of Cam Rising’s injuries. Utah went the package-deal route to repair the offense, plucking both Dampier and offensive coordinator Jason Beck from New Mexico, where they averaged 6.9 yards per play and finished No. 24 nationally in scoring on a shaky team.
Dampier earned first-team All-Mountain West honors in 2024 after finishing second in the league in passing yards (3,934) and third in rushing yards (1,116), while leading the league in yards per carry (7.5) and finishing second — behind Heisman Trophy runner-up Ashton Jeanty — with 19 rushing touchdowns. Although Rising had some mobility when healthy, Dampier will bring a dramatically different element to the offense.
“Having him here in spring was huge for us,” coach Kyle Whittingham told ESPN. “He was like another coach on the field because obviously he knows Jason’s offense inside and out. So being able to install a new offense with a new coordinator, with a quarterback who knows it, that’s a big advantage for us. He’s been a huge help for his teammates.”
The challenge for Dampier and Beck is how much to run the 5-foot-11, 210-pound junior, who had 15 or more carries in half of New Mexico’s games last season.
“With a running quarterback, you’ve got to stay healthy,” a Big 12 defensive coordinator said.
Another coach in the league added: “He’s going to see a different kind of athlete in the Big 12, and he was used to in the Mountain West. It’s hard to stay healthy when you’re playing like that.”
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Chris Low
Alabama could be without team captain and starting defensive tackle Tim Keenan III for Saturday’s opener against Florida State after he suffered a lower-body injury in practice.
Coach Kalen DeBoer said Wednesday that Keenan would “probably not” be full go for the game and that he was still being evaluated.
“We’re waiting for the update,” DeBoer said. “I don’t know if I can give you a percentage (on Keenan’s status) and be confident on that. We’ll see.”
Keenan, a fifth-year senior, is one of the anchors of an Alabama defensive line that should be one of the strengths of the team. He’s a two-year starter and one of the strongest leaders on the team.
The Crimson Tide were already without starting running back Jam Miller, who dislocated his collarbone in a scrimmage and is expected to miss multiple games.
Offensive lineman Jaeden Roberts‘ status for Saturday’s opener is also uncertain, according to DeBoer. The fifth-year senior, who has started 21 games over the past two seasons, has been “very limited” in recent practices as he works his way through the NCAA’s concussion protocol.
“He’s making progress, but it’s slow and steady,” DeBoer said.
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