Ranking College Football Starting Quarterbacks: Who are the best QBs among all power conference teams for the 2025 season?
The 2025 college football season is just around the corner. Which teams will rise and surprise? Which teams will disappoint? Who will make the College Football Playoff? And who will see their preseason hopes come crashing down far earlier than expected?It's too early to answer any of those questions completely, but the quarterback position quite […]
The 2025 college football season is just around the corner. Which teams will rise and surprise? Which teams will disappoint? Who will make the College Football Playoff? And who will see their preseason hopes come crashing down far earlier than expected?
It's too early to answer any of those questions completely, but the quarterback position quite often ends up deciding every single one of them. With that in mind, our team of college football analysts here at A to Z Sports took a deep dive into the position, ranking all 68 of the most likely starting quarterbacks for every power conference team (plus Notre Dame) this season.
For this exercise our team utilized a balance of detailed film analysis (when available) and meaningful metrics to help predict exactly which quarterbacks will be best for the 2025 college football season. Where does your favorite team's quarterback stack up against the best in the nation?
Tier 1 College Football Quarterbacks
1. Cade Klubnik, Clemson
2. LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina
3. Sam Leavitt, Arizona State
4. Arch Manning, Texas
5. DJ Lagway, Florida
6. John Mateer, Oklahoma
7. Drew Allar, Penn State
8. Garrett Nussmeier, LSU
Cade Klubnik (Clemson) was the consensus number one overall quarterback among our A to Z Sports analysts thanks to his strong blend of experience with nearly 40 starts and the massive steps he took forward last season, leading Clemson to an ACC Championship and College Football Playoff bid. Our entire team expects him to take the Tigers back to the playoff once again and continue the momentum he was gaining last year with so many returning pieces around him.
However, there was plenty of disagreement on the number two quarterback. LaNorris Sellers of South Carolina ended up just edging out Sam Leavitt from Arizona State (barely). Brandon Little, our Ohio State Buckeyes beat writer, shared his bullish thoughts on Sellers as he ranked him second overall:
Sellers had a mini breakout season for South Carolina last year, putting him firmly on the national radar. In 2025, he’s poised to fully break out. He possesses all the physical tools NFL teams covet in a quarterback. At 6-foot-3 and 240 pounds, he combines impressive running ability with a big, live arm capable of delivering the ball to every area of the field. If the game continues to slow down for him and he cuts down on mistakes, the sky’s the limit. He’s a quarterback with No. 1 overall NFL Draft potential and traits that are easy to fall in love with. – Brandon Little
I myself ranked Sam Leavitt second overall among power conference college football quarterbacks seeing as he carried Arizona State to the College Football Playoff last year. Leavitt's 22 total touchdowns, 9.3 yards per pass attempt, and impressive rushing production in the Sun Devils' final eight games ahead of the playoff gave him one of the best quarterback profiles in the country last fall. That was just his first year as a starter. He should take a huge step forward this season.
Still, others felt another second year starter in DJ Lagway (Florida) should be the number two overall passer instead:
For DJ Lagway, his physical gifts and potential really excite me going into the 2025 CFB season. Even with an inconsistent group of pass catchers last year, he showed legitimate flashes as one of the best deep ball passers of the football in the country. I’m really intrigued to see what he looks like as he takes the next step in his development journey. – Adam Holt
Outside the battle for the one or two spot there were several other top quarterbacks our staff thought extremely highly of, despite disagreeing quite a bit on where exactly we should rank them. John Mateer was one that our staff disagreed on quite a bit, but most all our writers agreed that his dual threat upside is high:
One of the elements that makes this list different from others out there is that it's based upon how good you are solely as a college quarterback, which means I'm not including pro potential.
Mateer offers some intrigue at the next level due to his mobility and playmaking ability, but the reason why he lands so high on this list is the knack to simply make a play. In Ben Arbuckle's offense last year, Mateer thrived as a first-year starter both through the air and on the ground, with a certain element of pizzazz in his game. He goes to Oklahoma playing in the same offense, but with better surroundings. The two biggest issues for the Sooners last year were at quarterback and injuries to the wide receivers. They fixed the first issue, and Mateer's likely ascension could prove to be huge in keeping Brent Venables' job. – Tyler Forness
The one quarterback our staff disagreed on more than any other in our first tier was Drew Allar of Penn State. He ranged all the way from third to tenth best in the nation. It seems his struggles in a few key high leverage moments may have held too significant an influence on a few of our writers. That wasn't the case with Rob Gregson, one of our contributors who covers the Alabama Crimson Tide:
"I understand the argument that right now. Drew Allar is rough around the edges. Some might even label him a "bad quarterback". I think when we get to this time next year, however, if Allar has taken the appropriate steps, you're talking about a top 10 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft who might just go first overall. Why? Because traits win out in the NFL, especially at the QB position. Outside of Joe Burrow, it's hard to name one elite, and frankly top 7-10, passer in the NFL whose profile doesn't ooze with arm talent, size, and mobility. Even Burrow is at least above average in said categories. Allar has all three in spades. He's no Josh Allen or Ben Roethlisberger yet, but that doesn't mean he isn't close. That should make him one of the best in college football this year." – Rob Gregson
Arch Manning (Texas Longhorns) and Garrett Nussmeier (LSU Tigers) both fell firmly within "Tier 1" for college football quarterbacks, which shouldn't surprise anyone. Manning still needs to play a larger sample of games, but the five star and Manning-legacy potential flashed last season in limited action. He ranked as high as second, and no lower than seventh among our team.
Nussmeier didn't rank top three for any of our analysts, but he stacked up no worse than ninth in the nation according to our A to Z Sports crew.
Tier 2 College Football Quarterbacks
9. Sawyer Robertson, Baylor
10. Fernando Mendoza, Indiana
11. Julian Sayin, Ohio State
12. Darian Mensah, Duke
13. Carson Beck, Miami
14. Haynes King, Georgia Tech
15. Kevin Jennings, SMU
16. Nico Iamaleava, UCLA
17. Austin Simmons, Ole Miss
18. Diego Pavia, Vanderbilt
19. Dante Moore, Oregon
20. Jalon Daniels, Kansas
21. Rocco Becht, Iowa State
22. Demond Williams, Washington
23. Avery Johnson, Kansas State
Tier 2 quarterbacks could all see themselves vault into the top group with a strong showing this season, but mostly felt like they had at least one or two questions with their game.
Take Sawyer Robertson (Baylor) for instance, even our most bullish writers couldn't put him above sixth in the nation. However, the physical potential is clearly there for types like Robertson in this tier, even for Rob Gregson who ranked him the lowest at 12:
It's funny because in a lot of ways Sawyer Robertson is viewed as the "discount" Drew Allar due to similar physical trait profiles. However, if you think Allar needs some refinement, then Robertson needs a bit of a rebuild. That doesn't mean he isn't impressive. And much like Allar, Sawyer Robertson can certainly improve given his impressive skill set. But the narrative, "Why draft Allar in round one when you can get a slightly worse version on day three?", in someone like Robertson is asinine to me. The difference in competition level, the fact that one plays for Baylor while the other could win a national title this year, and the cleanup needed with Robertson's mechanics and footwork leave me a little less bullish. – Rob Gregson
Fernando Mendoza is another obvious arm talent at quarterback who transferred over from California to Indiana in hopes to continue the Hoosiers' newfound success. However, just like Robertson, he needs his traits to translate into more consistent down to down success against some of the best competition in the country. I ranked him lower than any of our staff at 17th overall because his meaningful metrics ranked outside the top 30 last season. His physical traits still could push him up among the best if he takes a step forward.
Speaking of physical traits, that's about all college football fans have to go off of with Julian Sayin at Ohio State, but that didn't stop our staff from ranking him 11th in the nation. Is that too high? According to our Florida Gators writer Tyler Forness, we might need to keep our expectations in check:
With Julian Sayin, I'm surprised that I'm the lowest on a player (at 16th overall) who has proven absolutely nothing at the college level. Yes, he's a five star recruit from the 2024 recruiting class who spent a year learning behind both Will Howard and Devin Brown, but there were major question marks coming out of Columbus that he could be the guy moving forward. Will he be? I'm going to need some convincing.
Sayin is lucky enough to inherit a tremendous group of wide receivers led by Heisman Trophy candidate Jeremiah Smith and 2026 first round hopeful Carnell Tate, which will help him grow right away within the Buckeyes' offense, but he feels far from a sure thing right now. I reserve the right to change my mind after a few games are in the books, but I'm hesitant to put Sayin any higher. – Tyler Forness
One quarterback who ranked highly in Tier 2 that may surprise many casual college football fans is Darian Mensah (Tulane last year, now with Duke). He was the best Group of 5 conference quarterback last year by most all of the meaningful metrics. Even our own Ian Valentino, who wasn't quite as impressed as many of the analysts on our team, still had him on his "must watch" list:
Darian Mensah's first season as a starter at Tulane was intriguing enough to land him in my "must watch" list for this fall. He has good size and is capable of creating some terrific bucket throws. His aggressiveness is a catch-22, as his penchant for putting the ball at risk wasn't quite reflected in his turnover numbers, but were certainly present.
Now at Duke, Mensah was one of the most dangerous vertical passers to the center and right of the field for good reason. There's a bit of Dillon Gabriel to his game, and that level of player can be an excellent starter for multiple years. – Ian Valentino
Nico Iamaleava got dragged through the mud on his way out of Tennessee, but he's still very much one of the better quarterbacks in college football. Nearly all of our analysts here at A to Z Sports ranked Nico Iamaleava firmly inside our top 20 passers, except for Adam Holt, who has some questions:
Nico is a bit of an enigma in my head. I may be a bit clouded from the offseason shenanigans, but his play from last season just underwhelmed me in about every way imaginable. In an offense under Josh Heupel that’s built to make life easy on the quarterback, far too many plays looked harder than they actually were for Iamaleava. Add in some processing and decision-making issues that he hasn’t kicked yet, and I’m just not sold that his physical tools will take him far enough to find consistent success at UCLA. – Adam Holt
Austin Simmons has some big shoes to fill as he steps in at Ole Miss for Jaxson Dart. Dart broke most every record in school history, then went on to be selected inside the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Rebels fans will certainly be expecting a lot from Simmons, especially after what he did on his drive against Georgia last season (5/6 for 64 yards on that touchdown drive). However, our Ohio State beat writer Brandon Little is still a bit skeptical given his limited action:
Simmons is a left-handed quarterback with just nine game appearances heading into his junior season, so he still lacks significant experience. As a former three star recruit, he’s not someone who can be fairly evaluated until he gets a few starts under his belt. With Jaxson Dart having been efficient—though limited—at Ole Miss, there’s an opportunity for Simmons to take control of the offense. Now it’s up to him to prove it. – Brandon Little
This entire tier of quarterbacks has questions with inexperience, inconsistent play, or elite physical traits (or lack thereof), but every single one of them looks in good position to put together strong seasons in 2025. In many cases, they could lead their teams to the College Football Playoff. After this tier things get quite a bit murkier in terms of projecting 2025 upside and high level success.
Tier 3 College Football Quarterbacks
24. Kaidon Salter, Colorado
25. Luke Altmyer, Illinois
26. Behren Morton, Texas Tech
27. Gio Lopez, North Carolina
28. CJ Carr, Notre Dame
29. Josh Hoover, TCU
30. Marcel Reed, Texas A&M
31. Gunner Stockton, Georgia
32. Dylan Raiola, Nebraska
33. Eli Holstein, Pittsburgh
34. Aidan Chiles, Michigan State
35. Miller Moss, Louisville
Kaidon Salter was one quarterback our team disagreed on more than almost any other passer in the country as he was ranked as high as 14th and as low as 41st. Why the wild variance in perception? Simply put, he was phenomenal in 2023, but quite terribly inconsistent in 2024. Despite that, our Ian Valentino still believes he could be one of the lone exceptions in this tier to become one of the best quarterbacks in the nation this season:
The former Liberty QB was one of the most dynamic dual-threats in the country in 2023 before the program lost momentum last season. While Deion Sanders isn't known as a QB whisperer or scheme savant, I do think he'll put Salter into position to rise as a playmaker and re-establish himself as a feared game-changer.
Salter has plus accuracy and could be an upgrade as a player under pressure versus what Shedeur Sanders was last year, but their play styles and overall traits are quite similar. He doesn't boast a cannon for an arm or have unreal speed. But his competitiveness and vision work at the collegiate level. If Colorado's offensive line takes another step forward, then Salter should shine until the competition level ramps up as the season progresses. – Ian Valentino
Beyond Kaidon Salter, this tier just like the last offers a wide variety of starters in new places, experienced veterans, and completely new faces.
If CJ Carr becomes what many around the Notre Dame beat believe, he could completely skyrocket out of this tier, but he's also a clear wildcard with zero in-game pass attempts.
Marcel Reed, Gunner Stockton, and Dylan Raiola are all entering their second year as starters (with at least minimal play last season) for their teams and offer huge upside given their traits. Stockton is obviously the least experienced of the bunch, but Georgia improved the weapons around him immensely this offseason. Reed is the least consistent passer, but his elite athleticism could carry him. Raiola has to take care of the turnovers, but he should take a step forward as well.
Tier 4 College Football Quarterbacks
36. Jake Retzlaff, BYU
37. Conner Weigman, Houston
38. Mark Gronowski, Iowa
39. Jackson Arnold, Auburn
40. Jayden Maiava, USC
41. Joey Aguilar, Tennessee
42. Ty Simpson, Alabama
43. Taylen Green, Arkansas
44. Noah Fifita, Arizona
Being a Tier 4 doesn't mean these players are but, but it might mean they lack upside or at least have significant questions about how their game will translate this season specifically.
Mark Gronowski was amazing for South Dakota State at the FCS level, but he's coming in to start for an Iowa team that hates putting good offenses on the field.
Jackson Arnold struggled with efficiency and decision making for Oklahoma last season, but he's now in a much better situation with one of the best wide receiver groups in the country at Auburn.
Jake Retzlaff and Joey Aguilar are experienced, but both offer questionable upside, even if the teams around them might be quite good.
This entire group is just one giant question mark that could go either way–up or down–this year.
Tier 5 College Football Quarterbacks
45. Devon Dampier, Utah
46. Beau Pribula, Missouri
47. Thomas Castellanos, Florida State
48. CJ Bailey, NC State
49. Brendan Sorsby, Cincinnati
50. Preston Stone, Northwestern
51. Kyron Drones, Virginia Tech
52. Blake Shapen, Mississippi State
53. Mikey Keene, Michigan
54. Steve Angeli, Syracuse
55. Billy Edwards, Wisconsin
56. Chandler Morris, Virginia
57. Zach Calzada, Kentucky
58. Robby Ashford, Wake Forest
59. Devin Brown, California
60. Athan Kaliakmanis, Rutgers
61. Elijah Brown, Stanford
62. Ryan Browne, Purdue
63. Grayson James, Boston College
64. Tayven Jackson, UCF
65. Drake Lindsey, Minnesota
66. Hauss Hejny, Oklahoma State
67. Nicco Marchiol, West Virginia
68. Justyn Martin, Maryland
Finally, Tier 5 is where things begin to fall apart. Nearly half of this tier hasn't even truly locked up the starting job at their own school. Yes, there are some tantalizing talents, but almost none of them have anything close to a spotless resume.
Devon Dampier transferred up from New Mexico as a wild dual threat talent, but threw as many touchdowns as he did interceptions last season.
Beau Pribula put together one good complete game last season for Penn State, but how will he translate at Missouri?
Preston Stone lost his starting gig to Kevin Jennings last year at SMU, but he's looked good at his best.
Mikey Keene might (and likely will) open the year for Michigan, but how long does he hold off five star Bryce Underwood for the Wolverines?
This bottom tier of consensus quarterbacks always provides one or two emerging stars every year, but there certainly doesn't look to be many that have that potential this season.
We'll be back with more College Football coverage here at A to Z Sports soon! Follow me (@FF_TravisM) and A to Z Sports (@AtoZSportsNFL) on X for all the latest football news!
If you agree or disagree with any of these rankings please do let us know!
And if you want to see why Cade Klubnik is the consensus top overall passer in college football here at A to Z Sports just check out some of his best plays from last season below!
