Jake Locker Leads 2010's Top 25 Returning College Quarterbacks

We've been treated to Tebow, McCoy, and Bradford (kind of). And in some ways, the trio of signal callers have lulled us to sleep with their cadence.

Who are the best amateur quarterbacks?

Tebow, McCoy and Bradford, of course. And when OU's Heisman Trophy-winner was toppled, Jimmy Clausen slid nicely into the void.

However, Jake Locker's stunning announcement seems to have shocked the college football world back to reality, sparking a debate anew.

Who will be the best quarterbacks of 2010?

Impossible to say definitively, until the list of NFL departures is finalized. But among those with eligibility who have not declared, here are the top 25 signal callers.

25. B.J. Daniels - South Florida (FR)

Pressed into duty when Matt Grothe suffered a season-ending knee injury, Daniels led the Bulls to seven wins and a berth in the International Bowl.

In his first season under center, led South Florida in passing and rushing, totaling 21 touchdowns and better than 2,500 yards.

24. Russell Wilson - NC State (SO)

Russell Wilson gave us more than a glimpse into his potential during his sophomore season at NC State.

With the Wolfpack struggling to a 5-7 campaign, Wilson's flashes of brilliance were frequent.

Six games of three-or-more touchdowns were partially offset by three multi-interception efforts, but his overall passer rating of 147.7 ranked 17th nationally.

23. Jordan Jefferson - LSU (SO)

Before you explode in anger, take a deep breath and remind yourself: "He's barely 19."

And if you need a blueprint for the improvements Jefferson is capable of making between now and 2010, look no further than his Capital One Bowl counterpart, Penn State's Daryll Clark.

Clark grew from 2,592 yards, 19 touchdowns and 6 interceptions last season to 2,787, 23 touchdowns and 10 interceptions in 2009.

Jefferson's statistics this year are similar to what Clark's were a year ago. Imagine where he might be in December 2010.

22. Nick Foles - Arizona (SO)

Hard to argue with Foles' first full season of production:

Better than 60 percent completion.

More than twice as many touchdowns (19) as interceptions (8).

And most importantly, eight wins and a share of second place in perhaps the best conference in college football.

21. Tate Forcier - Michigan (FR)

The Tate Forcier we saw in the first half of 2009 deserves to be much higher on this list.

Whoever took over his body and put on the Maize No. 5 jersey in the second half of the season deserved to be benched, and has no place on this list whatsoever.

20. Terrelle Pryor - Ohio State (SO)

The Buckeyes dual-threat-turner-pocket-passer continues to be a lightening rod criticism.

But Pryor has Ohio State right where it's always been. Atop the Big Ten.

His completion percentage was down in 2009. His interceptions were way up. And certainly an efficiency rating outside the top 60 is nothing to write home about.

However, almost every program in the country would re-recruit Pryor tomorrow if they could. And there's every reason to believe his best football is still ahead of him.

19. Ricky Stanzi - Iowa (SO)

Statistically, Ricky Stanzi is only marginally better than his Big Ten counterparts Pryor and Forcier.

Yet, his knack for winning is undeniable.

Who knows where Iowa might be had Northwestern not transformed Mr. Clutch into Mr. Crutch.

18. Nathan Enderle - Idaho (JR)

Who?

Exactly.

Perhaps the best quarterback you've never heard of, unless you've got an Idaho IP address.

Enderle is only a junior and ranked in the top 10 in pass efficiency, leading the Vandals to 32 points per game.

17. Taylor Potts - Texas Tech (JR)

Potts at No. 17 surely rates pretty high on the controversial scale.

But as a first-year started in Mike Leach's system, Potts still managed more than 3,000 yards and 20 touchdowns, despite missing two games with a concussion.

Does he need to cut down on the interceptions? Yes.

Will he live up to the Red Raider pedigree as a senior? Count on it.

16. Landry Jones - Oklahoma (SO)

How many reps do you think Landry Jones got last spring? Over the summer? Fall camp?

Let's face it, when the Heisman Trophy winner decides to come back and start one more year in front of you, it's a bit of a buzz-kill.

Jones made the most of the hand he was dealt, despite concrete-handed receivers and a porous offensive line.

He may not be Bradford yet. But at times, Jones sure looked like him.

t-15. Christian Ponder - Florida State (JR)

Christian Ponder became an afterthought to everyone outside of Tallahassee when he separated his throwing shoulder in a miserable, four-interception loss to Clemson.

But before he bowed out for 2009, Ponder was the ACC's leader in passing yards and total offense.

His 359 yard, five touchdown performance against Georgia Tech should never be too far from Seminole memories this off-season.

t-15. Zach Collaros - Cincinnati (SO)

There are so many awards in college football these days, it's a wonder there isn't a backup quarterback of the year honor.

If Home Depot would like to sponsor it, we'll give it to Cincinnati's Zach Collaros, who may have even convinced the Bearcats that Tony Pike was a system quarterback.

Unfortunately for Collaros, that system is now in South Bend. But if Cincinnati hires Butch Jones away from Central Michigan (and it looks like they will), the Bearcats shouldn't skip a beat with Collaros in the shotgun.

14. Tyrod Taylor - Virginia Tech (JR)

In his third season with the Hokies, Tyrod Taylor improved by leaps and bounds.

Certainly, the Virginia Tech base was upset with a two-interception loss to eventual ACC Champion Georgia Tech.

But with one more season to maximize that elusive word "potential," Taylor's experience may just be the difference in a Coastal Division chock-full of talent.

13. Greg McElroy - Alabama (JR)

So maybe his immaculate performance against Florida wasn't necessarily representative of Greg McElroy's entire season.

And maybe he did have the Heisman Trophy winner in his backfield.

But the kid just wins games. The way that Tim Tebow just won games... until he met McElroy.

Zero interceptions in Alabama's final four games doesn't happen by accident, either.

12. Jeremiah Masoli - Oregon (JR)

Jeremiah Masoli will (should) return to Eugene as the undisputed starter, after improving in every category in 2009.

Orchestrating key wins over Cal, USC and Arizona, Masoli routinely ranges from solid to elite.

I fully expect more of the latter in the Rose Bowl and 2010.

11. Andy Dalton - TCU (JR)

22 touchdowns, just 5 interceptions.

Andy Dalton led the Horned Frogs to an undefeated season with a top-five quarterback rating to match the team's top-five BCS standing.

Truthfully, it pains me not to have him even higher.

t-10. Jacory Harris - Miami (SO)

For a while there, we thought he'd be our Heisman Trophy winner, and Jacory Harris very well could be in 2010.

Harris was horrid in Miami's losses. But there were only three of them and all came against sturdy ACC competition.

If Miami could issue Harris stock, we'd all be in on the IPO.

t-10. Josh Nesbit - Georgia Tech (JR)

What's not to love about the dynamic, dual-threat leader of the ACC Champion?

No doubt, this tie for 10th between conference quarterbacks is a cop out. But locked side-by-side seemed the only appropriate way to rank Harris and Josh Nesbit, who should battle not only for the ACC crown again in 2010, but also the stiff-armed trophy.

9. Jerrod Johnson - Texas A&M (JR)

One of college football's truly hidden gems.

Jerrod Johnson ranked sixth nationally, producing better than 300 yards per game, while producing 39 total touchdowns.

With another off-season to hone his passing touch, Johnson is poised to lead an Aggie resurgence in 2010 in a wide open Big 12 South.

8. Colin Kaepernick - Nevada (JR)

Kaepernick is the highest-rated dual-threat returning quarterback, and with good reason.

This season, he's run for a career-high 1,160 yards and passed for 1,875 more. With 35 combined touchdowns, he's sixth in the country in points responsible for.

As a fourth-year starter in 2010, Nevada's quarterback could break almost every record you've ever heard of.

7. Case Keenum - Houston (JR)

Case Keenum may take his name off this list in the near future, as he weighs his NFL options.

Were he to return to Houston, not only would he be a Heisman front-runner, Keenum could also lead the Cougars on the next non-qualifying BCS charge, the first out of Conference USA.

6. Kellen Moore - Boise State (SO)

The nation's leader in passing efficiency, and Moore's only a sophomore.

Think Boise State head coach Chris Peterson sleeps easy at night?

Well, I guess there are those BCS headaches...

5. Jevan Snead - Ole Miss (JR)

It would be inaccurate to describe Jevan Snead's season as anything other than a disappointment.

With 20 touchdowns barely out-pacing 17 interceptions, Snead has been at his worst when the Rebels have needed him most. (Three interceptions in a rivalry loss to Mississippi State is just one recent example.)

But there's a reason why NFL scouts are still so high on the 6-3 junior. He'll be motivated to come back for a strong senior season and elevate his second-round draft status.

4. Matt Barkley - USC (FR)

His detractors will point to a dozen interceptions in a freshman campaign that seemed to run out of gas.

But Pete Carroll has seen some of college football's greatest. And if he says Barkley's the best (or will be), I believe him.

Plus, I can't shake the memory of No. 7 absorbing shots to hit perfectly-timed throws inside Notre Dame Stadium against an Irish team that absolutely had to beat him.

Don't bet against Barkley in 2010.

3. Andrew Luck - Stanford (FR)

For all the hype that surrounded his Southern California counterpart early in the season, Barkley's numbers pale in comparison to those of Luck.

Barkley: 2,385 yards, 13 TD, 12 INT
Luck: 2,575 yards, 13 TD, 4 INT

Not to mention the clear-as-day advantage Luck demonstrated in their head-to-head meeting.

The fact that we'll get at least two more years of this budding Pac-10 quarterback rivalry has to rank among college football's greatest assets.

2. Ryan Mallett - Arkansas (SO)

Mallett still has two seasons of eligibility remaining at Arkansas, but because of a transfer year is draft-eligible.

The fact that he's so highly regarded with only 15 career starts under his belt speaks volumes. His 6-7 frame and the SAM launcher attached to his right shoulder are the two reasons why.

Another season under Bobby Petrino would be well-spent developing between the ears, and competing with the No. 1 spot on our list for top quarterback honors in the 2011 Draft.

1. Jake Locker - Washington (JR)

Certainly, the stats don't do Jake Locker justice.

Sometimes NFL scouts are guilty of getting too caught up in measurables and ignore a sub-60 college completion percentage with a touchdown-to-interception ratio thinner than 2:1.

But with the truly husky Washington quarterback, you have to.

Despite the dearth of talent around him, Locker still managed 2,800 yards and 21 passing touchdowns. Even more astonishing is the fact that he signed up for more!

X-Factor and the Best of the Rest

I'm anxious to concede (and explain) one glaring admission from this top 25 list of returning college quarterbacks.

Baylor's Robert Griffin undoubtedly deserves to be included. However, without the benefit of even a third of his sophomore season to judge, the task was seemingly impossible.

I have little doubt Griffin possesses top 10 potential. But it would be awfully difficult to justify placement over the likes of Harris, Nesbit or Kaepernick without more game-experience to back up that assessment.

Others receiving consideration (in no particular order): Martevious Young, Kirk Cousins, Chandler Harnish, Ryan Colburn, GJ Kinne, Scott Tolzien, Blaine Gabbert. Terrance Cain, Ross Jenkins, Trevor Vittatoe, Stephen Garcia, Kyle Parker, Austen Arnaud, Bo Levi Mitchell.