The 2024 college football season has officially kicked off, which means we are gaining a deeper understanding of the entirety of the landscape. We saw teams surprise, underwhelm and several stars began to emerge. Looking back at the 2023 recruiting class, the quarterback group was also a big topic of conversation this weekend.

There were several of those prominent signal callers who impressed, setting the table for a huge 2024 breakout potentially. Here are those future stars to know, and how each one of them performed overall.

Nico Iamaleava (Tennessee)

It was the Nico Show against Chattanooga, going viral for some of the big time throws he was making during the 69-3 victory. On the day, the 6-6, 215-pound passer completed 22 of 28 passes for 314 yards and three touchdowns. The sophomore wasn’t just flashy, but he was also very consistent. If he is able to keep that consistency when they get into the real tests on their schedule, Josh Heupel and this Volunteer squad could be a scary team.

Arch Manning (Texas)

The buzz around Manning has been at an all time high all offseason. There is no controversy in Austin, and there never was. Quinn Ewers will be their starting quarterback for the 2024 season barring an unforeseen injury or circumstance. While that’s true, Manning still showcased some big upside during the team’s 52-0 victory over Colorado State. Manning completed 5-6 passes for 95 yards and his first career touchdown. He also added another score on the ground.

Jackson Arnold (Oklahoma)

It was the beginning of the Jackson Arnold Era in Norman when the Sooners took on the Temple Owls. While the numbers weren’t incredible, Arnold had some big time flashes throughout that 51-3 blowout win. On the day, Arnold completed 17 of 25 pssses for 141 and four touchdowns. Arnold also rushed for 34 yards on the ground. Being able to more consistently create some big plays is the next step.

Eli Holstein (Pittsburgh)

After beginning his career with the Alabama Crimson Tide, Holstein decided to transfer after just one season. He was involved in a quarterback battle with incumbent Nate Yarnell, but he made the most of his opportunities on Saturday. Holstein was incredibly efficient, completing 30 of 40 passes for 336 yards and three touchdowns while defeating Kent State 55 to 24. The Panthers are going to need that type of impact in the passing game to be an improved offense.

Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders are doing their best to hide a “Prime Time” mess at Colorado

Despite heroic performances from Colorado stars Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders, there appears to be a major issue with the program. A lot has been promised, and not many signs of growth thus far.

Other performers

There were a few other notable performances among the 2023 signal callers, although they were very uneven. One positive came for the Arizona State Sun Devils quarterback Sam Leavitt during their 48-7 win over Wyoming. During that contest, the former Michigan State standout completed 14 of 22 passes for 258 yards and two touchdowns. Leavitt also rushed for 47 yards on just eight carries.

Kansas State signal caller Avery Johnson came into the season with a lot of hype. It was an uneven performance for him in the team’s 41-6 victory over FCS foe UT Martin. As a passer, Johnson completed 14 of 21 passes for 153 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. The sophomore also rushed for 37 yards on three carries. The Wildcats will be depending on Johnson to take this offense to the next level.

It was a debut to forget for Michigan State quarterback Aidan Chiles since transferring over from Oregon State. The Spartans were able to come out with a 16-10 victory over Florida Atlantic, but it wasn’t pretty. Chiles completed just 10 of 24 passes for 114 yards and two interceptions. He did run for 28 yards and a touchdown on the ground. Improvement is needed.