By Chris Marler
Throughout the season, I’ll be doing a weekly ranking of all 16 SEC signal callers. Spoiler Alert: You’re probably going to hate it. Most fans do. As someone who’s covered the SEC and created social media content for it for over seven years, I can tell you without a doubt that outside of politics there is nothing more polarizing than quarterback rankings.
So, now that that’s out of the way and we can manage expectations…here are my SEC QB Rankings heading into Week One without a game being played this season.
Best of the Rest…Kinda
16 – Blake Shapen, Mississippi State
15 – Payton Thorne, Auburn
14 – Diego Pavia, Vanderbilt
13 – Taylen Green, Arkansas
12 – Brock Vandagriff, Kentucky
11 – LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina
10 – Jackson Arnold, Oklahoma
There is a TON of opportunity for Arnold to move up this list. Arnold is a former five-star recruit who showed flashes in the bowl game as a true freshman. But, playing Arizona in the Alamo Bowl and playing an SEC schedule as a first-year starter are two very different things. The Sooners will have to also replace a lot on the O-Line as well as OC and play caller Jeff Lebby.
9 – Conner Weigman, Texas A&M
There are some people who think Conner Weigman is a potential first round pick, and they may very well be right. He’s been great the times we’ve seen him under center for the Aggies. The problem is the sample size is smaller than the respect I have for all of Texas A&M’s “traditions.” Finger guns and jazz hands aside, A&M could be good this season, and I think Weigman has the most underrated WR in the SEC in Moose Muhammad.
8 – Nico Iamaleava, Tennessee
Tennessee has the potential to not only be a darkhorse in the SEC, but a potential CFB Playoff contender this season. And almost all of that hope rests in the hands and hype of a QB whose last name I, and 80% of the country, can’t pronounce. Regardless of grammar and phonetics, Iamaleava has all the tools to be great. In my opinion, he will be thanks to his right arm and the deepest receiving corps in Knoxville since the late 90’s.
7 – Brady Cook, Missouri
Last season Cook put up over 3300 yards passing and nearly 30 total TDs. Despite that, Cook flew under the radar for most of the season . Some people think it’s because of the Mizzou logo on his jersey. I personally think it’s because he looks like a lifeguard at a family water park. Either way, he returns all of his receivers including arguably the best in the country, Luther Burden III.
6 – Graham Mertz, Florida
This pick is about as exciting as an oil change, but it’s correct and I’ll die on that hill. The most overlooked and underappreciated player in the country is Graham Mertz. Plain and simple. He was top five in the SEC in almost every major statistical QB category a season ago. And he led the SEC in completion percentage while having the fewest INTs. Again, this pick is as sexy as a sweatshirt, but Graham Mertz is one of the best QBs in this league.
5 – Quinn Ewers, Texas
Ewers has all the physical tools to be higher on this list. HOWEVER…I would love to see him finish a full season without getting hurt. And if we are being honest, I’m a little concerned as to how he looks against a full slate of SEC defenses after losing ALL of his weapons that he had a season ago. Quinn and the Horns do have the ultimate equalizer though, and that’s Steve Sarkisian who is the best offensive mind in all of college football. At any level. Period, stop.
4 – Garrett Nussmeier
I was going to put him behind Ewers, but after what Nick Saban said about him on College Gameday I put Nuss at four. He’ll have great weapons at WR and will be playing behind arguably the best OL in college football. Saban’s exact words were that Nussmeier is “gonna be one of the all-time sleepers in college football this year.” Four of that guy’s last five QBs were Heisman finalists, so I trust the G.O.A.T.
3 – Jaxson Dart, Ole Miss
Absolute gamer. Going into year three as a starter under Lane Kiffin. Great QB and hands down the toughest person in the history of the name “Jaxson.” Most Jaxson’s with an X have a peanut allergy, but not Dart. Should feast in this offense with the weapons the Rebs have around him.
2 – Carson Beck, UGA
He could easily be number one, but this isn’t the Top 16 SEC QB Draft Projections. Beck is awesome, and he will have a great supporting cast because *gestures wildly* Georgia. But he did lose one of his top receivers in the preseason in Rara Thomas, and Bobo and company have to replace the biggest safety blanket and best tight end in college football history, Brock Bowers.
And before anyone gets mad at who he’s behind, I’ll just remind you that they already played head-to-head on an actual field last December.
1 – Jalen Milroe, Alabama
Returning leading vote getter for the Heisman trophy in the entire country. He’ll put up huge numbers in Kalen Deboer’s offense and won’t be behind the worst O-Line in program history like he was a season ago.
Could’ve been number two on this list behind Beck, but Milroe didn’t fumble a snap inside his own 15 yard line in crunch time of the SEC Championship game. (Shockingly considering who his center was)
