Ranked Teams Most in Need of a Stud Quarterback Recruit
Similar to how NFL coaches, personnel and organizations are married to their starting quarterbacks, college coaches hit the recruiting trail in search of quarterbacks who can change the culture of a program.
Kevin Sumlin helped resurrect the Texas A&M program thanks to the talents of Johnny Manziel, while Jimbo Fisher elevated Florida State’s program back into a powerhouse after landing Jameis Winston in a heated recruiting battle.
A handful of ranked teams will have to replace starters next season, while others are battling a lack of depth or are without a clear-cut option who represents the future of their respective programs.
Which ranked teams are most in need of a superstar quarterback recruit?
*Teams listed in alphabetical order.
Baylor
1 of 6
Between Robert Griffin III and Bryce Petty, Art Briles and the Baylor Bears have enjoyed outstanding quarterback play over the last few seasons.
With Petty set to move on after this season, the Bears quarterback of the future is still yet to be determined.
None of the Bears' 12 pledges in the 2015 class are from quarterbacks, and they failed to bring in a quarterback in last year’s class as well.
While current backup and sophomore Seth Russell could be Petty’s heir apparent next season, the long-term solution for Briles will remain cloudy until he gets his next big-time passer in the fold.
Michigan State
2 of 6
With Connor Cook in the midst of his junior season, Mark Dantonio and the Spartans are another team that will soon be looking to replace their star quarterback.
The Spartans brought in former 4-star dual-threat passer Damion Terry in their 2013 class and skipped bringing in another passer in last year’s class. In the current cycle, Dantonio landed a commitment from Arizona 3-star quarterback Brian Lewerke.
As illustrated by Ourlads, three of the top four passers on the depth chart are scheduled to be upperclassmen next fall.
MSU’s need at the position would become amplified should Cook test the NFL draft waters following this season. Considering their potential quandary at quarterback, Dantonio and his staff could benefit from landing another difference-maker at that position.
Ohio State
3 of 6The season-ending injury to Braxton Miller put Urban Meyer’s Ohio State Buckeyes in a tough position this season.
As expected, redshirt freshman J.T. Barrett has experienced plenty of ups and downs through the first three games of his college career.
While Miller could conceivably return next season, the future at quarterback for Meyer and the Buckeyes is somewhat of a mystery. The Buckeyes have signed at least one quarterback in every class during Meyer’s tenure, and they have 3-star Joe Burrow in the fold for the 2015 class.
Meyer’s offense typically relies on a dynamic passer at the controls of his spread attack. While Burrow is perhaps underrated, the Buckeyes are still active in trying to lure standouts such as 5-star dual-threat passer Torrance Gibson.
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Oklahoma
4 of 6
The last time Oklahoma failed to bring in a quarterback in their recruiting class was 2005, but the Sooners are currently lacking a pledge from a signal-caller in their 2015 class just months away from signing day.
Despite the presence of one of the rising stars in college football in third-year sophomore quarterback Trevor Knight, Bob Stoops currently only has three scholarship quarterbacks on the roster.
Aside from Knight, the Sooners have redshirt freshman Cody Thomas and true freshman Justice Hansen—both of whom were 4-star recruits—on the roster.
While the Sooners are likely to get a boost next season from Texas Tech transfer Baker Mayfield, the future beyond Knight still remains uncertain—which means Stoops and his staff may be in the market for a quarterback down the stretch of the 2015 cycle.
Ole Miss
5 of 6
Next fall will be the first time during the tenure of Ole Miss head coach Hugh Freeze that he will begin a season without Bo Wallace penciled in as his starting quarterback.
The Rebels signed 3-star dual-threat passer Kendrick Doss a year ago, but there will likely be a battle between him and redshirt freshmen DeVante Kincade and Ryan Buchanan for the job.
Regardless of what transpires with that battle, the Freeze’s offense is reliant upon an athletic triggerman who thrives on making plays in and out of the pocket.
Considering the collection of skill talent that Freeze has been able to assemble in Oxford, perhaps he’s one big-time passer away from getting the Rebels to contend for the top spot in the SEC West.
Stanford
6 of 6
Having had the good fortune of coaching Andrew Luck for four years, David Shaw knows the value of having a franchise-caliber passer as the leader of his program.
With Kevin Hogan and backup Evan Crower both exhausting their eligibility this fall, Stanford will have only two scholarship quarterbacks in current sophomore Ryan Burns and stud true freshman Keller Chryst.
Shaw’s 2015 class is currently without a pledge from a quarterback, and while Chryst is a prospect with enormous potential, the Cardinal’s quarterback situation is lacking from a depth standpoint.
Landing another talented passer would erase that concern while also providing a boost to Chryst from a competition standpoint.
Sanjay Kirpalani is a National Recruiting Analyst for Bleacher Report. Unless otherwise noted, all recruiting information courtesy of 247Sports.
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