2015 College Football QBs with the Strongest Arms
Having a strong arm isn't the most important part of being a quarterback, but it is a luxury. Sometimes, there's nothing more beautiful than watching a quarterback spin it 50 or 60-plus yards downfield. Of course, arm strength isn't just about heaving it downfield; it's also about putting the ball on a rope to the sideline or squeezing it into tight coverage.
This is an appreciation of those skills, if you will.
The list is self-explanatory. These are the strongest arms in college football—and that's it. In the following slides are both starters and quarterbacks still in a position battle. Things such as accuracy and decision-making aren't under consideration. Can you sling it? That's the primary question.
Did we miss anyone? Let us know in the comments section below.
Cardale Jones, Ohio State
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To say Ohio State quarterback Cardale Jones has a cannon for an arm is still doing him a disservice. Jones has a top-secret government weapon for an arm that could change the face of warfare forever.
But that's another conversation for another day. As it pertains to football, Jones can straight up launch it downfield. During the Buckeyes' spring game, Jones reportedly threw the ball 74 yards during a halftime competition.
During his remarkable three-game stretch in the postseason last year, Jones averaged at least 10 yards per pass attempt in two games.
Christian Hackenberg, Penn State
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Yes, Christian Hackenberg's sophomore effort at Penn State was, to put it delicately, underwhelming. He had zero protection from his offensive line and the worst rushing offense in the Big Ten. But Hackenberg has a huge arm.
The fact that he wasn't able to show it off is the real tragedy in all of Penn State's offensive woes last year. There were times—few times, mind you, but they existed all the same—when Hackenberg had a chance to let it rip, and that football soared.
Physically speaking, Hackenberg is one of the most gifted quarterbacks eligible for the '16 draft. It wouldn't be surprising to see him depart after this season, either. It'd be great to see him rebound.
Connor Cook, Michigan State
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The Big Ten has its share of big-armed quarterbacks. While most of the attention likely goes to Jones and Hackenberg, don't overlook Michigan State's Connor Cook.
Last year, Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com wrote that "Cook is a big, strong, effortless thrower with a live arm." That description was followed up by quarterback guru George Whitfield telling Jeffri Chadiha of ESPN.com that Cook has "a throwing motion that is less shotgun and more automatic weapon."
Cook's consistency and willingness to force throws can use some work, but there's no doubting his arm strength after he threw for a Big Ten-best 3,214 yards.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
Mike Bercovici, Arizona State
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Taylor Kelly was more of a dual-threat rushing option for Arizona State. Mike Bercovici is more of a traditional passer who will make the Sun Devils a dangerous team through the air.
Bercovici looked great in three starts a year ago, throwing for 1,243 yards in that stretch and nine touchdowns to just two interceptions. One of those touchdowns came on a 46-yard bomb—the throw itself was longer than that—in the final seconds against USC.
Arizona State may not have receiver Jaelen Strong back this year, but with Bercovici, the threat of the vertical passing game will always be there.
Jeremy Johnson, Auburn
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At 6'5" and 230 pounds, Jeremy Johnson has the size you want in a quarterback. He also has a big-time arm.
Auburn's offense figures to utilize the zone read and option game less than it did with Nick Marshall, but that shouldn't make it any less effective. As offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee told Bruce Feldman of Fox Sports in April, Johnson has the arm to move the offense in the short, medium and deep passing games:
"He has a very live arm. He can throw it vertically very well, can also make all the intermediate throws well and also gets the ball out of his hands quick with the quick game and the bubble screens and those things, which is rare. He can do all three. He's a big guy. He can throw in traffic, in tight pockets. He can see over people. He's got a big NFL arm.
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Johnson didn't play much last season but performed well in the first half of the season opener against Arkansas, completing 12 of 16 passes for 243 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
Everett Golson, Florida State
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Everett Golson was terribly inconsistent last season and had all sorts of turnover issues. That said, he has a great arm—an underappreciated one, really.
One of his best throws last year came against Syracuse. He connected with William Fuller for a 72-yard score. About 50 of those were through the air. It was a beautiful deep ball but, more than anything, an effortless-looking throw on Golson's part.
Golson's not a big player, and he's known for his scrambling ability, but he did improve as a pure passer from 2012 to '14. Now with Florida State, it'll be interesting to see if he wins the starting job and gets even better under quarterback guru Jimbo Fisher.
Jake Coker, Alabama
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Will Jake Coker ever start for Alabama? He exited spring practices as the presumed front-runner, but since the quarterback competition will extend into preseason camp, it's far from a sure thing.
Still, the Florida State transfer has a live arm, as shown here in this video courtesy of B/R colleague Barrett Sallee.
That's, what, 60 yards or so on the flick of a wrist? That's absurd. It doesn't matter if Coker is starter material or not, that's a huge arm. Of course, Coker's physical traits have never been in question. To date, though, he hasn't been able to put a lot of separation between him and redshirt freshman David Cornwell.
Maty Mauk, Missouri
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Maty Mauk isn't the biggest quarterback out there, but next to Coker and Johnson, he has the best arm of anyone in the SEC. His issue has been consistency.
Mauk had an up-and-down season in 2014, his first year as a full-time starter. No one doubts his ability to push the ball downfield, but his decision-making needs some work. Then again, Mauk is a gunslinger at heart; part of his game is to push the ball downfield.
He also spent the second half of last season dealing with a shoulder injury, which hurt his ability to make many of those deep throws.
Deshaun Watson, Clemson
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Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson battled injuries throughout last season. When he was healthy, though? Wow. The Tigers offense was a completely different unit—for the better.
In his first start against North Carolina, Watson threw for 435 yards at 12.1 yards per attempt and six touchdowns. Yes, North Carolina's defense was poor, but that's still impressive for any true freshman anywhere.
With receivers Mike Williams and Artavis Scott returning, Clemson will once again have deep receiving threats. Watson has the arm to get it to both of them.
Jared Goff, Cal
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USC's Cody Kessler may be getting all the preseason hype in the Pac-12—him and Eastern Washington transfer Vernon Adams Jr. at Oregon—but the best quarterback might be Cal's Jared Goff.
According to ESPN's Mel Kiper, Goff "has a big-time arm and shows the ability to read defenses and move defenders with his eyes. After another year of development, Goff could be the top contender to be the first 2016 QB off the board."
Bears coach Sonny Dykes knows quarterbacks and Goff started from day one as a freshman. He may not get the same level of respect, but Goff could have the brightest future in the NFL because of his physical tools.
Sean Maguire, Florida State
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Everett Golson isn't the only Florida State quarterback with a big arm. Sean Maguire, the front-runner in the Seminoles' quarterback battle exiting spring, has a nice cannon as well. Remember, this is a guy who threw for 304 yards against Clemson last season, and the Tigers had arguably the best defense in college football.
Maguire is more of the prototypical quarterback that head coach Jimbo Fisher has gone with in the past. Maguire is big (6'3", 224 lbs) with decent mobility in the pocket who can stretch the field and fire intermediate passes horizontally.
According to Fisher, Maguire had a good spring, but it didn't translate in the spring game. Whether Maguire holds on to the starting spot or not, he can certainly let it fly.
Braxton Miller, Ohio State
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It can be easy to forget that, at one point, Braxton Miller was showing off his arm on a weekly basis. It's been that long since the Ohio State quarterback was able to throw at full strength. A shoulder injury he suffered at the end of the 2013-14 season was reaggravated last summer and cost him the entire '14 season.
Miller is known for his scrambling ability, but his arm is excellent too. One of the best displays of it was in 2011 when he threw a 40-yard Hail Mary against Wisconsin. Granted, 40 yards doesn't sound like it requires top-end arm strength, but Miller was on the run, throwing back across his body and still hit Devin Smith about five yards deep in the end zone.
Miller's arm may not be as good as Jones', but it's nothing to scoff at, either. Whether he starts for the Buckeyes in 2015 or plays another position, Miller has the arm to stretch the field—when healthy.
Ben Kercheval is a lead writer for college football. All quotes cited unless obtained firsthand. All stats courtesy of cfbstats.com.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
