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College football fans are set to be treated to another exciting season of SEC football. The conference that has won six College Football Playoff titles will once again be one of the most competitive leagues in the country. While a few teams are considered heavy favorites, it’s a wide-open race that will be determined over the last few weeks of the season. It could all come down to quarterback play in the SEC, and the teams with the top QBs should separate themselves over the year. Here, we’re looking at every projected starting quarterback in the SEC and how they rank against their competition.
16. Payton Thorne — Auburn
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It was a rough season for Payton Thorne and the Tigers in ’23. The Michigan State transfer finished the year with 16 TDs and 10 INTs. Across 13 appearances, Thorne threw for over 200 yards just twice all season. He was constantly under fire from opposing defenses, absorbing 31 sacks including 11 over the final three games (all losses). It will be Year 2 for Thorne in Hugh Freeze’s offense. We’ll see if he can adapt better to the scheme now that he’s gained some experience.
15. Diego Pavia/Nate Johnson — Vanderbilt
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A couple of starting jobs are up for grabs in the SEC, but it feels like the only true, open QB competition is at Vanderbilt. Veteran Diego Pavia is the early favorite, after throwing for 2,973 yards and 26 TDs at New Mexico State last year. Pavia beat an SEC school last year, leading the Lobos to a 31-10 at Auburn in November. However, we can’t count out Utah transfer Nate Johnson. The Fresno product is one of the fastest QBs in the country and could offer another dimension to Vanderbilt’s attack.
14. LaNorris Sellers — South Carolina
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LaNorris Sellers is set to take over for South Carolina in ’24. The redshirt freshman sat behind Spencer Rattler last season and appeared in three games. Sellers completed all four passes he attempted for 86 yards and two scores. He has the makeup of a player who could thrive in the SEC. Sellers is a dynamic athlete with the speed, size, and arm strength to flourish for a Gamecocks team that boasts some intriguing skill players on the offensive side of the ball.
13. Blake Shapen — Mississippi State
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Low expectations out of Starkville heading into ’24, though the team could do a whole lot worse than Baylor transfer Blake Shapen at quarterback. The former Bear threw for 36 TDs over three seasons in Waco. New Mississippi State coach Jeff Lebby’s offense is catered around a strong-armed quarterback who can spray the ball around the field. There’s no doubting Shapen’s arm strength, but will he be consistent enough for the Bulldogs to shock people in the SEC?
12. Taylen Green — Arkansas
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In a conference filled with athletic marvels, new Arkansas QB Taylen Green stands out. The 6-foot-6 hurler is a dynamic dual threat who can torch defenses with his arm or legs. In two seasons as a starter for Boise State, Green accounted for 44 total touchdowns — 19 of which came on the ground. The Razorbacks offense boasts a ton of speed on the perimeter, and having to account for Green’s scrambling ability will make Arkansas a difficult matchup for most defenses.
11. Brock Vandagriff — Kentucky
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We haven’t seen much of Brock Vandagriff just yet. However, Vandagriff was a five-star prospect in high school and is ready to break out for his new team. Vandagriff backed up Stetson Bennett and Carson Beck at Georgia. Losing position battles to either of those guys isn’t a massive indictment on Vandagriff’s talent. He attempted just 21 passes for the Bulldogs over his career. While it’s a step down from Georgia’s talent, Kentucky has no shortage of gifted athletes at receiver. We’ll see if sitting on the sideline for three years will pay off for the former top prospect.
10. Graham Mertz — Florida
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Graham Mertz will be entering his sixth year of college football and is coming off a strong debut season with the Gators. In his first year at Florida, Mertz shattered his previous career highs across the board. He finished the season with 2,903 yards, 20 TDs, and three INTs while posting one of the best completion percentages in the country (72.9). Still, Florida’s offense ranked 59th nationally in PPG and 9th among SEC schools. Mertz will have to take another step in Year 6 if the Gators want to improve on their 5-7 record from a season ago.
9. Jackson Arnold — Oklahoma
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With Dillon Gabriel bolting for Eugene, the keys to Oklahoma’s offense have been passed to Jackson Arnold. The 2022 Gatorade Football Player of the Year winner is oozing with potential. Arnold took over for Gabriel in the Valero Alamo Bowl and threw for 361 yards and two scores (plus three interceptions) in a loss to Arizona. Earlier in the year, Arnold checked into a blowout and completed 11-of-11 pass attempts versus Arkansas State. He has all the tools to succeed for a Sooners team that will be among the league’s best. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see Arnold rise through these rankings throughout the season. It’s only a matter of time until he starts lighting up SEC defenses.
8. Garrett Nussmeier — LSU
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Garrett Nussmeier sat patiently behind Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels last season and is now prepped to take the role of starting QB for the LSU Tigers. While we haven’t seen much of Nussmeier just yet, there’s reason to be optimistic about his ’24 outlook. Nussmeier will enter a QB-friendly offense that will put him in the best possible position to succeed. He’s been allowed the ability to develop over the last few years and is unlikely to make the same mistakes that typically riddle first-year starters. Being accurate with the football and getting the ball to his skill players will be key for Nussmeier’s success this coming season.
7. Nico Iamaleava — Tennessee
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College football fans better get used to Tennessee QB Nico Iamaleava. The SoCal product was arguably the top overall recruit in the 2023 class. Tall, strong, and accurate with the football, Iamaleava has a chance to quickly establish himself as one of the best QBs in the nation. He saw limited action during his redshirt campaign a year ago but started for the Volunteers against Iowa in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl. Iamaleava looked excellent against the stingy Hawkeyes defense, accounting for four TDs and zero turnovers en route to a 35-0 victory. His all-around skillset makes him an ideal fit for Josh Heupel’s veer and shoot offense.
6. Conner Weigman — Texas AM
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Aggies starter Conner Weigman’s ’23 was shortened due to a foot injury. Before getting hurt, Weigman was off to a strong start — 68.9 completion percentage, 979 yards, 8 TDs, and two rushing touchdowns. Texas A&M went 3-1 with Weigman as a starter and went 4-5 without him. He’s arguably one of the best pro prospects among all QBs in the conference. Weigman’s arm talent will be on full display for an A&M team that could make some waves in the SEC.
5. Brady Cook — Missouri
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Suddenly, Brady Cook has become one of the grizzled veterans of the SEC. Cook has been at Mizzou since 2020 and has been the team’s starter for the last two seasons. ’23 was an excellent year for Cook and the Tigers. Cook threw for 3,317 yards, 21 TDs, six INTs, and added eight rushing touchdowns. Cook led the Tigers to an 11-2 record and a Bowl win over the Ohio State Buckeyes. More offensive responsibility will fall on Cook now that All-American running back Cody Schrader is gone. Will Cook be up for the task?
4. Jalen Milroe — Alabama
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There’s a case to be made for Alabama’s Jalen Milroe ranking even higher on this list. He got better throughout the season and was a one-man wrecking crew at points. There might not be a more dynamic dual-threat QB in the entire country. Milroe was the team’s leading rusher for the last month of the season and finished with a team-high 12 rushing scores. He added 2,834 passing yards and 23 TDs through the air for good measure. Milroe finished sixth in Heisman Trophy voting a season ago. The five players that finished ahead of him are all in the NFL now.
3. Jaxson Dart — Ole Miss
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Big things are expected out of Jaxon Dart and the Ole Miss offense as we head into the 2024 season. Dart was electric in his second year with the Rebels, throwing for 3,364 yards and 23 TDs. The former USC passer led Ole Miss to an 11-2 record — the most wins in school history. In the Peach Bowl versus Penn State, Dart accounted for four TDs and nearly 400 yards of total offense. While the team did say goodbye to RB Quinshon Judkins in the offseason, Dart will have one of the country’s best WR groups at his disposal.
2. Quinn Ewers — Texas
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Ewers has already had quite a run throughout his collegiate career. The former No. 1 prospect began his career at Ohio State where he backed up C.J. Stroud during the 2021 campaign. Ewers transferred to Texas where he started as a true freshman. Some believed his starting job could be in jeopardy following the arrival of Arch Manning, but Ewers now enters 2024 as one of the top quarterbacks in all of college football. For Texas to thrive in their first year in the SEC, Ewers will have to be great. He certainly has the ability to do something special.
1. Carson Beck — Georgia
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It took Carson Beck four years on campus to finally earn the starting role. He was worth the wait. Beck dazzled in his first year as a starter for the Bulldogs, throwing for nearly 4,000 yards while completing passes at a 72.4-percent clip. And, he was able to play at a high level despite his two top pass catchers — Brock Bowers and Ladd McConkey — both missing time throughout the year. Beck will enter the year as the top QB in the SEC, a Heisman candidate, and the potential No. 1 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
