The year of Arch and other SEC quarterbacks

“Sure, luck means a lot in football. Not having a good quarterback is bad luck.” – Don Shula

Someone once said quarterbacks get too much credit when teams do well, too much criticism when teams don’t produce. It is the single most important position no matter the sport. The right quarterback can take a team with outstanding talent to championships (see Tim Tebow, Cam Newton, Joe Burrow). The right quarterback can even lead typically below average teams to unprecedented heights (see Diego Pavia at Vanderbilt the last two years; Fernando Mendoza at Indiana last year). The wrong quarterback can turn even potentially great teams into losers and force boosters to pony up millions to buy out the head coach's contract.

The Southeastern Conference's three-season national championship drought could very well end this year because it is a very strong year for the quarterback position, starting with Arch Manning (Texas), Trinidad Chambliss (Ole Miss), John Mateer (Oklahoma) and Gunner Stockton (Georgia). Chambliss, Mateer and Stockton led their teams to the College Football Playoff. Chambliss was a pass interference no-call in the end zone from taking Ole Miss to the national championship game.

Here are the top ten quarterbacks for the SEC in 2026 followed by a where are they now look at the quarterback recruiting class of 2022.

SEC TOP TEN QUARTERBACKS FOR 2026

1. Arch Manning, Texas: Steve Sarkisian brought in stud transfers like running back Hollywood Smothers and wide receiver Cam Coleman to surround Arch Manning with NFL-like talent. Manning endured too much criticism last year when he threw 26 TDPs and ran for 10 more. This is the year he will live up to the hype and make Texas a legitimate SEC and national championship contender.

2. Trinidad Chambliss, Ole Miss: Legitimate Heisman contender after leading Ole Miss to within a play of making the College Football Playoff championship game last season. Played four years in Division II at Ferris State in Michigan where he led the Bulldogs to the 2024 national championship and won the Conerly Trophy as the best player in the country. Taking over at Ole Miss when Austin Simmons was hurt last year he passed for 22 touchdowns and ran for eight more. Beat the NCAA in court for a sixth season of college football.

3. John Mateer, Oklahoma: If he can stay healthy and Oklahoma can keep him upright, the Sooners could sneak into the SEC championship picture and make the College Football Playoff a second straight year. Physically as tough as it gets. Strong arm, outstanding runner.

4. Gunner Stockton, Georgia: His main job is to manage the game, get the Bulldogs in the right play and avoid turnovers. He is efficient but not spectacular. Went 12-2 as a starter last year and has Georgia ranked among the top four contenders for the 2026 national title.

5. Marcel Reed, Texas A&M: He played at an elite level until the end of last year when Texas and Miami made him look very average in back-to-back losses. Completes too many passes to the other team’s DBs because he thinks he can strongarm the ball into double coverage. If he cuts down on the interceptions, the Aggies will be very tough to beat.

6. Sam Leavitt, LSU: He’s Lane Kiffin’s latest reclamation project. He was a stud at Arizona State, taking the Sun Devils to 11 wins and the College Football Playoff in 2024. Injuries were part of the reason for regression in 2025 at ASU, but he’s healthy now, at LSU, and Kiffin’s starter. If he’s studly, then LSU will contend.

7. Byrum Brown, Auburn: He’s probably underrated at No. 7, but the defenses in the SEC are certainly tougher than the ones in the American that he consistently shredded at South Florida. If he lives up to the USF hype, there will be comparisons to Cam Newton cropping up by midseason.

8. LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina: He started 2025 as a Heisman contender, ended as a Heisman hoax. Was it Mike Shula’s offensive schemes and play calling or was 2024 a fluke? He has to play at the 2024 level for South Carolina to post a winning season.

9. Aaron Philo, Florida: He’s not even assured of being Florida’s starting quarterback but he knows Buster Faulkner’s offense inside and out from two years together at Georgia Tech. Faulkner’s ability to spread the field will create running lanes for Philo. If he can throw it to the guys wearing the same color shirt, Florida’s offense will be explosive.

10. Austin Simmons, Missouri: Potentially, he’s a top five guy, but it remains to be seen if Eli Drinkwitz can coach him out of his inconsistencies in the pocket. From his days at Ole Miss, his biggest sin is he holds the ball way too long and takes unnecessary sacks. Harness all that talent and he could turn Mizzou into a legitimate contender.

SOMETIMES THE RANKINGS FIB A LITTLE

Here are the top 20 high school quarterbacks in 2022:

1. Cade Klubnik (Clemson): He was supposed to be the next Trevor Lawrence. Decent career but followed an outstanding 2024 with a mediocre 2025. Drafted in the fourth round by the New York Jets.

2. Ty Simpson (Alabama): Started 15 games in 2025 after playing in 16 total in his first three seasons at Alabama. Turned one good year into the first round, taken 13^th by the Los Angeles Rams.

3. Drew Allar (Penn State): Had two good years (2023-24) but injuries curtailed him to six games in 2025. Never got the Nittany Lions into the College Football Playoff. Fourth round pick by the Pittsburgh Steelers.

4. Conner Weigman (Texas A&M): Started his career with the Aggies where he spent most of his time injured. Transferred to Houston in 2025 where he stayed healthy and had an outstanding dual threat season. Draft stock will rise if he avoids injury and plays in 2026 like he did in 2025.

5. Devin Brown (Ohio State): Threw 55 passes in four seasons (three at Ohio State, one at California) before transferring to D1AA Weber State for the 2026 season.

6. Walker Howard (LSU): From LSU to Ole Miss and now at Louisiana, he’s thrown 51 passes in four years. Doesn’t project as the starter for the Ragin Cajuns this year.

7. Brady Allen (Purdue): After one year at Purdue, transferred to Louisville where he spent the last three seasons. He’s thrown 16 passes in four years. Entered the transfer portal after 2025 and is off the radar.

8. Nick Evers (Oklahoma): Started at Oklahoma, transferred to Wisconsin and then spent two seasons at UConn. Currently at Mizzou where he projects as a backup. He’s thrown six collegiate TDPs.

9. Gunner Stockton (Georgia): In his first year as a starter he threw for 24 touchdowns and ran for 10 more. He is 12-3 as a starter.

10. A.J. Duffy (Florida State): Two years at FSU, seven pass attempts, then transferred to San Diego State where he didn’t play in 2024. Transferred to D2 New Haven, threw for 22 touchdowns and will start again in 2026.

11. Tayven Jackson (Tennessee): He’s gone from Tennessee, to Indiana and then to UCF where he threw for 10 TDPs last year. Transferred again, this time to North Texas where he is projected to be the starter in 2026.

12. Maalik Murphy (Texas): His journey has taken him from Texas to Duke, where he thrived in 2024 (26 TDPs) to Oregon State, where he started for a bad (2-10) team that could be worse in 2026.

13. Katin Houser (Michigan State): Two seasons on the bench at Michigan State were spent by two good seaons (37 TDPs) at East Carolina. He’s projected to be the starter at Illinois this year.

14. Sam Horn (Missouri): Threw eight passes at Missouri. Pitches in the Los Angeles Dodgers organization.

15. Holden Geriner (Auburn): Three seasons at Auburn and one at Texas State produced 21 pass attempts. He’s now a backup QB at Pitt.

16. Justyn Martin (UCLA): He spent three years at UCLA before transferring to Maryland. Threw 35 passes in four years. Now he’s a backup at Ohio State.

17. Garret Rangel (Oklahoma State): Three seasons at Okie State produced eight TDPs. He transferred to Virginia Tech and didn’t play. Now he’s projected to start at D1AA UT-Rio Grande Valley.

18. Jacurri Brown (Miami): Two seasons at Miami, two at UCF and now he’s the projected starter at Rice. More INTs (9) than TDPs (6) in four years.

19. Tanner Bailey (South Carolina): Saw the field in 2023 at South Carolina, retired from football in 2024. Enrolled at Auburn as a student in 2024, then walked on the football team in 2025. Retired again.

20. Nate Johnson (Utah): Spent two seasons as a backup QB at Utah, then transferred to Vanderbilt in 2024 where he was a backup QB. Transferred back to Utah where he is a backup QB, running back and wide receiver.

And some other notables:

31. Nah Fifita (Arizona): Three-year starter after a redshirt in 2022. He’s thrown 73 TDPs in his career.

41. Josh Hoover (TCU): Redshirt in 2022, three seasons as a starter with 71 TDPs. Transferred to Indiana where he will be the successor to Fernando Mendoza.

59. Max Brown (Florida): Redshirt in 2022, transferred to Charlotte in 2024, then to West Virginia last year. Projected backup at WVU. Three TDPs and eight INTs for his career.

61. Ashton Daniels (Stanford): Threw 21 TDPs in 33 games at Stanford before transferring to Auburn where he played in four games last year with three TDPs. Projected to start at QB for FSU this year.

67. Byrum Brown (South Florida): Last season threw for 3,158 yards and 28 touchdowns while running for 1,008 and 14. Four years at USF produced 61 passing TDs and 31 rushing. He will be the starter at Auburn this year.

83. Brendan Sorsby (Indiana): Transferred to Cincinnati after throwing 15 TDPs in 2023. In two years at Cincinnati threw for 5,613 yards and 45 touchdowns. Transferred to Texas Tech where he was ruled ineligible for gambling on his own team.

107. John Mateer (Washington State): When he’s healthy he ranks among the best QBs in the country. After two seasons as a backup at Wazzoo, threw for 29 touchdowns and ran for 15 more. Transferred to Oklahoma where he led the Sooners to the playoff despite numerous injuries. Threw for 14 TDPs, ran for eight last year at Oklahoma.

127. Fernando Mendoza (California): Wanted to walk on at The U but was denied the opportunity so he signed with California out of Christopher Columbus in Miami. After a redshirt, started two years at Cal, throwing 30 TDPs. Transferred to Indiana where he threw 41 TDPs, leading the Hoosiers to an unbeaten national championship season. Heisman Trophy winner and No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.