ESPN: Ranking all 131 college football quarterback situations in tiers

[Rellyrell]

You know I respect your opinion, man, so share your list. Who is above them?

Young, Stroud, and Rising are all better, in my opinion, but then you get into next tier and things are not as clear cut.

This isn’t just me saying this, by the way. The ESPN article linked above validates my claim.

Here’s how they did it:

Tier 1: Young (SEC), Williams (Pac12), Stroud (B1G)

Tier 2: TVD (ACC), Leary (ACC), Rising (Pac12), Bennett (SEC)

Tier 3: Armstrong (ACC), Hartman (ACC), Cunningham (ACC), Hooker (SEC), McCall (SunBelt), O’Connell (B1G), Rogers (SEC), Jefferson (SEC)

Totals:

ACC — 5
SEC — 5
Pac12 — 2
B1G — 2
Big 12 — 0

We have a tendency to view the ACC as weak so we don’t give credit where it’s due. The ACC is loaded at quarterback — that’s a fact. The only conference that comes close is the SEC.

I’m taking TVD, Leary, Hartman, Armstrong, and Cunningham over Young, Hooker, Rogers, Bennett, and Jefferson. And to be honest, I don’t think it’s very close.

And I typically don’t agree w/ ESPN click bait articles. Does it come as any surprise that the teams w/ the most “tiered” QBs r from the two conferences that ESPN promotes? Lol. Come on, dude. The ACC has one QB worth mentioning a **** about this season & that’s TVD. Last season it was Howell & Pickett, & TVD would’ve been in that group as well.

All of the aforementioned guys had One good season which was last yr. They’ve all been cheeks & inconsistent b4 last yr. If I see by week 5 they r projecting to be on the same path or even having a better year than last, I will crown u, that’s my word. I’m just not sold on one hit wonders.

 

[Genghis Cane]

And I typically don’t agree w/ ESPN click bait articles. Does it come as any surprise that the teams w/ the most “tiered” QBs r from the two conferences that ESPN promotes? Lol. Come on, dude. The ACC has one QB worth mentioning a **** about this season & that’s TVD. Last season it was Howell & Pickett, & TVD would’ve been in that group as well.

All of the aforementioned guys had One good season which was last yr. They’ve all been cheeks & inconsistent b4 last yr. If I see by week 5 they r projecting to be on the same path or even having a better year than last, I will crown u, that’s my word. I’m just not sold on one hit wonders.

In response to your point about them “only having 1 good season,” couldn’t you argue that also holds true for pretty much everybody else on that list? Not a ton of guys with an extensive resume.

 

[Rellyrell]

In response to your point about them “only having 1 good season,” couldn’t you argue that also holds true for pretty much everybody else on that list? Not a ton of guys with an extensive resume.

I could, but the difference is
-TVD was a RS Fr, 1st yr starter & now is in the convo as potentially a Heisman Candidate.

-Young was a RS Fr, 1st yr starter & won the Heisman.

-Williams was a TF, 1st yr starter, & took the reigns from the prohibitive #1 QB coming out of HS.

-Stroud, too, was a RS Fr, 1st yr starter

-Bennett was a walk on, 1st yr starter for a Nat’l Champion.

-Cam Rising, RS Soph, 1st yr starter for the PAC-12 champions

My point is, there’s a lot of 1st yr starters on that list that came out the gate w/ guns blazing. Guys like Leary, Hartman, Cunningham, Armstrong are guys who have had yrs of pedestrian stats & results b4 putting up a great individual season last yr.

But, if u look at just purely stats alone, Hartman & Armstrong shouldn’t be “tier 3.” So that’s telling, that despite the #’s they put up in their Sr years, they r still considered tier 3.

 

[Genghis Cane]

I could, but the difference is
-TVD was a RS Fr, 1st yr starter & now is in the convo as potentially a Heisman Candidate.

-Young was a RS Fr, 1st yr starter & won the Heisman.

-Williams was a TF, 1st yr starter, & took the reigns from the prohibitive #1 QB coming out of HS.

-Stroud, too, was a RS Fr, 1st yr starter

-Bennett was a walk on, 1st yr starter for a Nat’l Champion.

-Cam Rising, RS Soph, 1st yr starter for the PAC-12 champions

My point is, there’s a lot of 1st yr starters on that list that came out the gate w/ guns blazing. Guys like Leary, Hartman, Cunningham, Armstrong are guys who have had yrs of pedestrian stats & results b4 putting up a great individual season last yr.

But, if u look at just purely stats alone, Hartman & Armstrong should be “tier 3.” So that’s telling that despite the #’s they put up in their Sr years, they r still considered tier 3.

I get all that and I think you bring up some good points. My only counter would be that tier 3 is still pretty **** good considering there are only a handful of guys listed above them.

Some players just happen to be late bloomers. I think Pickett is an example of that — his first couple of seasons weren’t special by any means, but he really developed as time went on.

I think the same is true for Hartman, Leary, and Armstrong. I’d be willing to bet all 3 have very good seasons, but I guess time will tell.

 

[Rellyrell]

I get all that and I think you bring up some good points. My only counter would be that tier 3 is still pretty **** good considering there are only a handful of guys listed above them.

Some players just happen to be late bloomers. I think Pickett is an example of that — his first couple of seasons weren’t special by any means, but he really developed as time went on.

I think the same is true for Hartman, Leary, and Armstrong. I’d be willing to bet all 3 have very good seasons, but I guess time will tell.

It’ll be interesting for sure; and u’re right. Maybe I’m being a little too hard on the ACC QBs. Actually, truth be told, after revisiting Armstrong’s season, knowing how conservative Bronco’s O was, he put up some pretty impressive #’s, & I believe his top WR was a converted QB.

 

[OrangeBowlMagic]

It’ll be interesting for sure; and u’re right. Maybe I’m being a little too hard on the ACC QBs. Actually, truth be told, after revisiting Armstrong’s season, knowing how conservative Bronco’s O was, he put up some pretty impressive #’s, & I believe his top WR was a converted QB.

I get the apprehension but there are plenty of guys who improve rapidly, even late in their careers. Pickett being one of the biggest examples right in our faces.

 

[JD08]

It’ll be interesting for sure; and u’re right. Maybe I’m being a little too hard on the ACC QBs. Actually, truth be told, after revisiting Armstrong’s season, knowing how conservative Bronco’s O was, he put up some pretty impressive #’s, & I believe his top WR was a converted QB.

I think you might be a little harsh in your judgment. Leary and Armstrong both could be very good this year. People underestimate the ACC, but we picked a good year to start succeeding because most of the league is improving.

 

[Rellyrell]

I think you might be a little harsh in your judgment. Leary and Armstrong both could be very good this year. People underestimate the ACC, but we picked a good year to start succeeding because most of the league is improving.

Yeah; maybe I am. I’m still leery of Leary & company. However, fact is, it’s time for this ACC to make a leap.

 

[Memnon]

The ACC has best collection of QB’s in the P5.

UVA: Brennan Armstrong - 4,449yds 31TD’s & 10INT’s
WF: Sam Hartman - 4,228yds 39TD’s & 14INT’s
VA Tech: Grant Wells - 3,532yds 16TD’s & 13INT’s
NC ST: Devin Leary - 3,433yds 35TD’s & 5INT’s
Louisville: Micale Cunningham - 2,941yds 19TD’s & 6INT’s, 1,031yds 20TD’s rushing
Miami: Tyler Van Dyke - 2,931yds 25TD’s & 6INT’s

Plus Pitt added Kedon Slovis who threw for 3500 yards & 30TD’s his TF season & both UNC & Clemson have the chance to good QB’s if Klubnik ends up starting for Clemson & Drake Maye for UNC.

That would make the ACC 9 deep with good QB’s, plus Syracuse with a new offensive system & new QB has potential to put up some numbers as well.

The SEC has Bryce Young, Will Rogers, Hendon Hooker, Jayden Daniels, Spencer Rattler & Will Levis, with Jaxon Dart potentially being among the top QB’s in their conference as well.

The B1G has CJ Stroud, Aidan O’Connell, Taulia Tagovailoa & Payton Thorne

The Pac-12 has Cameron Ward, Caleb Williams, Cameron Rising, Dorian Thompson-Robinson & Chance Nolan

The Big XII oddly enough, really only has Dillon Gabriel, Jarrett Doege, Spencer Sanders & Casey Thompson, with Quinn Ewers having the potential to be a big time breakout QB & if Behren Morton wins the TTech job he’ll have potential Nation/conference leading numbers in that system. TCU will be interesting to see because they didn’t add a QB in the Portal, so we’ll have to see how Dykes & Riley develop the incumbent QB’s they already got on roster.

The AAC has good collection of QB’s as well with Tanner Mordercai, Clayton Tune, Seth Henigan, Davis Brin & Holton Ahlers, plus Malzahn gets a full season with Mikey Keene & he’ll be productive in that offense.

The MW is good too with Jake Haener, Logan Bonner, Hank Bachmeier & with Todd Centeio & Chevan Cordeiro both playing in new high octane offenses they’ll each have a significant increase in production as well.

But Cam Ward, Will Rogers, CJ Stroud, Bryce Young, Sam Hartman, Jake Haener, Aidan O’Connell, Tanner Mordercai, Caleb Williams & potentially Quinn Ewers & Behren Morton could be the top 10/11 passers in yards & TD’s in the Nation this season.

 

[DTP]

I get the apprehension but there are plenty of guys who improve rapidly, even late in their careers. Pickett being one of the biggest examples right in our faces.

Pickett went from being a late round/UDFA player to a first round pick because he got an extra year of college due to Covid. We all made the jokes about Kenny Pickett “tha gaw” because he was pretty much the definition of average for four years. Then in his extra season he has the best passing year in school history and goes first round.

His first 4 seasons: 60% completions 39/25 TD/INT and a QB rating in the 120’s. Statistically, below average for a P5 starter.

Year 5: 67% 42/7 165.3 rating.

Two ways to look at this. He’s either a one year fluke and the Steelers wasted a first rounder OR he’s a late bloomer who took a while to make the jump.

 

[ThomasM]

I love TVD but he had receivers that made him look good last year. a drop off in production, particularly in deep balls and 50/50 balls will have a negative impact on TVD's numbers. I hope this doesn't happen.

No. He put the ball where his WRs could catch them, and defenders couldn't. There weren't a lot of miraculous catches, but I saw a **** of a lot of incredible throws.

 

[PittsburghCane]

Van Dyke has shown more than Caleb Williams imo.

If not for an insane stat line (402, 6 versus an abysmal Texas Tech defense (33ppg vs P5 schools not named Kansas) his stat line would be incredibly pedestrian in what’s supposed to be a high volume scoring offense.