It’s all about offense in today’s college football. Which means it starts with the signal callers. So who are the best quarterbacks in the country as we look ahead to the 2024 season?
We take a look at some of the best guys coming back and some of the top guys taking over.
Here is our list of the best quarterbacks in college football for next season.
10. Will Howard, Ohio State
OK, so we’ll be honest here. Will Howard be much higher on our list if all-world prospect Julian Sayin had not transferred to Ohio State from Alabama after Nick Saban announced his retirement. Howard led Kansas State to a 9-4 season and a bowl win against NC State. He threw for 2,643 yards and 24 touchdowns. He will be surrounded by much better receivers and a better line at Ohio State, possibly two great running backs, that is, if he holds off the challenge from Sayin.
Related: Why Ohio State could have the best offense in the country
9. Riley Leonard, Notre Dame
After battling some injuries that caused him to play only seven games last season, Riley Leonard’s stats aren’t as good as you’d expect to be on the list of top quarterbacks. But as a healthy sophomore at Duke two seasons ago, Leonard threw for 2,967 yards and 20 touchdowns and rushed for 699 yards and 13 touchdowns, leading the Blue Devils to a 9-4 record. Last season, Duke started 4-0 before losing to Notre Dame in a close game in which Leonard was injured. He wasn’t the same after that. The Irish are looking for a repeat of the sophomore year.
Related: Heisman Trophy candidates 2024
8. Noah Fifita, Arizona
In one of those we-dodged-a-bullet moments, Arizona fans breathed a sigh of relief when the Pac-12’s Offensive Freshman of the Year Noah Fifita announced that he wouldn’t follow Jedd Fisch to Washington and would stay in Tuscon. Fifita didn’t start until the fourth game of the season but threw for 2,446 yards and 23 touchdowns and completed 73.6% of his passes, which was the best completion percentage in school history. If he continues to get better, the Wildcats could immediately make noise in the Big 12 this season.
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7. Garrett Nussmeier, LSU
No, Garrett Nussmeier is no Jayden Daniels, but he has the potential to be one of the great LSU quarterbacks. He has played in 17 games in three seasons at LSU He backed up Daniels for two years after transferring from Arizona State. He is 98 of 174 for 1,325 yards and eight TDs and he will be surrounded by some of the best receivers in the country. How quickly he elevates his game will determine if the Tigers can live up to constant fan expectations.
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6. Nico Iamaleava, Tennessee
There are coming out parties, and there is Nico Iamaleava in the Citrus Bowl. The freshman QB, who had never started a collegiate game, Iamaleava scored three touchdowns rushing and one passing in the Volunteers’ 35-0 win over Iowa. Expectations for Iamaleava are that he’ll run Tennessee’s offense similar to Hendon Hooker because both quarterbacks have excellent accuracy on the long pass. If so, it will be an exciting year on Rocky Top.
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5. Dillon Gabriel, Oregon
Going to a new team for the second time in his college career, Dillon Gabriel could be a great fit with the Oregon Ducks. Gabriel initially had thoughts of making himself eligible for the NFL Draft, but decided to try one more season and to try it in the Pacific Northwest. He played two seasons at UCF and two at Oklahoma and threw for more than 14,000 yards and completing 63% of his passes.
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4. Carson Beck, Georgia
Talk about a career turnaround, Carson Beck, who came to Georgia as a highly-recruited prospect, sat behind Stetson Bennett for three seasons until taking over last year and leading the Bulldogs to within one game of a third straight College Football Playoff appearance. Beck threw for 3,738 yards and 22 touchdowns and he’s coming back for a fifth year and the spotlight.
3. Jaxson Dart, Ole Miss
After spending a season sitting on the bench at Southern Cal, Jaxson Dart has led the Ole Miss Rebels to new heights. The 11 wins last season were the most in a single season in school history. Dart threw for 3,364 yards and 23 touchdowns last year. The Rebels had the top transfer portal class in college football so we expect Dart’s numbers to be better as well as the team overall.
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2. Jalen Milroe, Alabama
Not sure how Alabama as a whole, with Kalen DeBoer as its coach, but Jalen Milroe should get exponentially better. That is if history is a guide. In stops at Indiana, San Jose State, and Washington, the quarterbacks all improved dramatically under his tutelage. Milroe, who started slow, was benched, then led Alabama to the Playoff got better last season. He should really take a step forward this coming season.
Related: List of Alabama transfers after Nick Saban retired
1. Quinn Ewers, Texas
Quinn Ewers blossomed in his second year at Texas with 3,479 yards passing and 22 touchdowns. He led the Longhorns to a win over Alabama in the season opener and to the College Football Playoff. There was speculation he would make himself available for the NFL Draft, but decided to come back to Texas to try to get it back to the playoffs in the first year as a member of the Southeastern Conference.
Related: Vanderbilt signs QB who had ugly moment at previous school
Heisman odds for 2024
- Carson Beck 7½-1
- Quinn Ewers 7½-1
- Dillon Gabriel 10-1
- Will Howard 12-1
- Jalen Milroe 12-1
- Nico lamaleava 15-1
- Jackson Arnold 18-1
- Jaxson Dart 18-1
- Garrett Nussmeier 18-1
- Noah Fifita 20-1
- Riley Leonard 20-1
- Cam Ward 20-1
- Conner Weigman 20-1