College football future Power Rankings: Quarterbacks
ESPN’s annual future power rankings series begins with the most important — and seemingly fluid — position in college football: Quarterback.
This winter didn’t feature as much movement among marquee quarterbacks as the previous transfer cycle, but notable players changed uniforms and impacted depth charts. Sam Hartman, the ACC’s touchdown passes leader, left Wake Forest for Notre Dame. Drew Pyne, who started 10 games for the Fighting Irish last season, is an Arizona State Sun Devil.
The ACC’s decorated quarterback class entering 2022 didn’t pan out and mostly splintered, as Devin Leary transferred from NC State to Kentucky, Brennan Armstrong from Virginia to NC State and D.J. Uiagalelei from Clemson to Oregon State. Two prominent ACC quarterbacks who stayed put are Florida State’s Jordan Travis and North Carolina’s Drake Maye, who will lead their teams through 2023.
Other key holdovers include USC’s Caleb Williams, the reigning Heisman Trophy winner, Washington’s Michael Penix Jr., Oregon’s Bo Nix, South Carolina’s Spencer Rattler, Utah’s Cam Rising, LSU’s Jayden Daniels, Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy, Oklahoma’s Dillon Gabriel, Arkansas’ KJ Jefferson, Mississippi State’s Will Rogers, UTSA’s Frank Harris and Western Kentucky’s Austin Reed, the nation’s passing yards leader in 2022.
But most if not all will be gone in 2024, and the challenge here is to project the top 25 quarterback groups in college football during the next three seasons — 2023, 2024 and 2025. Assessments are based on current rosters and committed recruits, while taking into account the likelihood of transfers, both in and out of programs. Programs that have continuity and success with coaching quarterbacks also received special consideration.
Here’s a look at last year’s quarterback rankings. Now, let’s get started.
2022 ranking: 2
Returning starter: Caleb Williams
Coach Lincoln Riley needed just one season at USC to again show he’s the sport’s premier developer of quarterbacks. Williams, who moved with Riley from Oklahoma to USC, became the third Riley-coached quarterback to win the Heisman Trophy (joining Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray). He led the nation with 42 touchdown passes and ranked third in passing yards with 4,537, while completing two-thirds of his attempts. Williams will spend one more season with the Trojans before likely becoming the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft. But USC is well stocked behind him, especially after signing Malachi Nelson, ESPN’s No. 1 overall recruit in the 2023 class.
Nelson could compete with Miller Moss, who returns for his second year in Riley’s offense and third overall at USC. Moss was ESPN’s No. 39 overall recruit in the 2021 class. If he stays for 2024, he will have the experience edge over Nelson. But both are good options in the post-Williams era. The Big Ten will represent an adjustment for USC, but Riley’s long-term success with quarterbacks puts the Trojans on top.
2022 ranking: 1
Returning starter: None
Despite never winning the Big Ten with C.J. Stroud at quarterback, the Buckeyes will miss the two-time Heisman Trophy finalist, who passed for 8,123 yards and 85 touchdowns the past two seasons. Like Riley, Buckeyes coach Ryan Day has established enough credibility to churn out top quarterbacks every year, either from recruiting or the portal. Kyle McCord is likely the next man up. He was ESPN’s No. 31 overall recruit in 2021 and could become Ohio State’s QB1 for multiple seasons. Day also brought in Devin Brown, ESPN’s No. 81 recruit in the 2022 class, and No. 4 pocket passer.
Although Ohio State’s long-term outlook took a hit when Dylan Raiola, ESPN’s No. 1 recruit in the 2024 class, decommitted from the team, the staff acted quickly in adding Lincoln Kienholz — initially a Washington commitment — late in the 2023 cycle. The key for Ohio State is McCord or possibly Brown panning out like Stroud did, as a productive multiyear option.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — A Tallahassee judge has ordered Florida State and the Atlantic Coast Conference to enter mediation in hopes of settling a high-profile lawsuit that could dramatically impact the future of the league.
Judge John C. Cooper technically approved the ACC’s motion to dismiss Monday but gave FSU seven days to amend its complaint because the university needs more specificity regarding key facts in a case he said “is worth up to half a billion dollars.” The conference would have 20 days to respond afterward, and another hearing would be set.
“The case is not over,” Cooper said. “The case will continue.”
Cooper ordered the sides to begin mediation within 120 days. But a mediator cannot force an agreement, so the case could end up back in court.
“I send every case to mediation except mortgage foreclosures,” Cooper said. “This is not being done any differently.”
The Seminoles are pushing to exit the ACC and explore a more lucrative landing spot, potentially the Big Ten Conference.
The hearing Monday was the latest in dueling lawsuits lodged in December. They include back-and-forth arguments pertaining to jurisdiction, a highly guarded grant-of-rights agreement between member schools and the league, and a confidential TV deal between the ACC and ESPN.
The ACC wants the case heard in Charlotte, North Carolina, where the league is headquartered, and doesn’t want the broadcasting contract made public. Florida State wants to move the venue to Tallahassee and prefers the documents be unsealed for financial transparency.
FSU had been signaling discontent for a year about the ACC falling further behind the Big Ten and the Southeastern Conference in payouts even while raking in record revenues.
The ACC’s revenue increased to nearly $617 million during the 2021-22 season, with an average distribution of nearly $39.5 million per school for full members. Still, that leaves ACC schools receiving about $10 million a year less than SEC schools even though ESPN is partnered with both leagues in broadcast deals.
Clemson, another ACC school, has joined FSU in challenging the ACC’s right to charge hundreds of millions of dollars to leave the conference.
Clemson’s complaint filed in South Carolina said the ACC’s “exorbitant $140 million” exit penalty and the grant of rights used to bind schools to a conference through their media rights should be struck down.
Neither Clemson nor Florida State has filed formal notice to withdraw from the ACC.
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Tom VanHaaren, ESPN Staff Writer
Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin, after losing starter Quinshon Judkins via transfer to Ohio State, has added yet another option to the running backs room with Miami Hurricanes‘ Henry Parrish Jr.
Parrish started his career at Ole Miss, rushing for more than 800 yards and five touchdowns over the 2020 and 2021 seasons. After transferring to Miami, Parrish ran for more than 1,200 yards and 10 touchdowns over two seasons.
He has one year of eligibility remaining.
Judkins led Ole Miss in rushing last season with 1,158 yards and 15 touchdowns during an All-SEC season, but the staff has since filled the room with potential contributors.
Parrish will be joining former LSU back Logan Diggs, who transferred after rushing for 653 yards and seven touchdowns this past season, as well as former New Mexico back Jacory Croskey-Merritt, who led the Lobos with 1,190 rushing yards and 17 rushing touchdowns.
Kiffin and his coaches also return the team’s second-leading rusher from last season in Ulysses Bentley IV, who had 540 yards and four touchdowns.
Ole Miss has added 18 transfers, including Texas A&M defensive tackle Walter Nolen, who was a No. 1 overall prospect; Florida defensive end Princely Umanmielen; South Carolina wide receiver Antwane Wells Jr.; Arkansas linebacker Chris Paul Jr.; and Alabama corner Trey Amos.
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Adam Rittenberg, ESPN Senior Writer
Colorado continued to bolster its roster from the transfer portal with former Ohio State running back Dallan Hayden, a source confirmed to ESPN on Monday.
Hayden entered the portal earlier this month after going through spring practice at Ohio State, where he had 663 rushing yards and six touchdowns over two seasons.
The 5-foot-10, 205-pound Hayden saw the field extensively as a freshman at Ohio State following a string of injuries to others and recorded 553 yards and five touchdowns, including 146 yards and three scores in a win over Maryland. Despite another round of injuries at the position last season, Ohio State elected to redshirt Hayden, who appeared in only three games.
The Memphis native went through spring practice alongside Buckeyes returning starter TreVeyon Henderson and prized Ole Miss transfer Quinshon Judkins before he entered the portal. He joins a Colorado program that brings back leading rusher Dylan Edwards but recently lost Alton McCaskill to the portal.
Hayden will play behind a revamped Colorado offensive line that has added several transfers, most recently Texas‘ Payton Kirkland.
Hayden’s decision to transfer to Colorado was first reported by On3.
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