Report Card Grades for Top 20 College Football QBs After Week 1
Every Wednesday morning throughout the 2025 college football season, we will be grading the performance of the top 20 quarterbacks in the nation.
Our initial top 20 quarterbacks were selected using our preseason rankings. Going forward, we will shuffle the list weekly based on recent performance. Expect a fresh view of the quarterback landscape every week.
Included is each player's production through the air and on the ground, the outcome of their game and the quality of their opponent. A 1-5 star system was used to highlight quality of opponent, using the most recent version of The Athletic's ranking of all 136 FBS teams, with stars awarded as follows:
5 stars: No. 1-10 in the rankings
4 stars: No. 11-40 in the rankings
3 stars: No. 41-70 in the rankings
2 stars: No. 71-100 in the rankings
1 star: No. 101-136 in the rankings or an FCS opponent
Finally, each quarterback's performance was given a grade of A, B, C, D or F, and those grades were factored into the shuffling of the rankings for the following week.
Let's get started.
20. Josh Hoover, TCU
1 of 21
Week 1 Passing Stats: 27-of-36, 284 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT
Week 1 Rushing Stats: 1 carry, 3 yards
Week 1 Quality of Opponent: ★★★ (North Carolina)
Week 1 Outcome: Win (48-14)
In a matchup where the headlines were dominated by Bill Belichick's college coaching debut, TCU and quarterback Josh Hoover ended up being the story, hanging 48 points on the Tar Heels defense in a lopsided victory.
Last year, Hoover set TCU's single-season record with 3,949 passing yards and 29 touchdown passes. Now in his third year as the Horned Frogs' starter, he remains one of the country's most underrated quarterbacks.
Week 1 Grade: B
19. Darian Mensah, Duke
2 of 21
Week 1 Passing Stats: 27-of-34, 389 yards, 3 TD, 0 INT
Week 1 Rushing Stats: 4 carries, -10 yards
Week 1 Quality of Opponent: ★ (Elon)
Week 1 Outcome: Win (45-17)
Duke offered Mensah a two-year, $8 million NIL deal after his strong season at Tulane (2,723 yards, 22 touchdowns, 65.9% completion rate).
And he put together an impressive Blue Devils debut against FCS opponent Elon on Saturday, with all three of his passing touchdowns coming in the second half after the game was tied 10-10 at halftime.
Week 1 Grade: A
18. Avery Johnson, Kansas State
3 of 21
Week 1 Passing Stats: 28-of-43, 318 yards, 3 TD, 0 INT
Week 1 Rushing Stats: 7 carries, 43 yards
Week 1 Quality of Opponent: ★ (North Dakota)
Week 1 Outcome: Win (38-35)
Kansas State's season has got off to a rocky start. After losing to Iowa State in Dublin in Week 0, it barely edged past FCS opponent North Dakota last weekend.
That said, Johnson has done his part under center, throwing for a combined 591 yards with five touchdowns and zero interceptions while also adding a rushing touchdown in those two games.
Can the Wildcats provide enough defense to back their standout quarterback?
Week 1 Grade: B
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17. Blake Horvath, Navy
4 of 21
Week 1 Passing Stats: 6-of-7, 66 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT
Week 1 Rushing Stats: 2 carries, 14 yards
Week 1 Quality of Opponent: ★ (VMI)
Week 1 Outcome: Win (52-7)
The Navy Midshipmen only needed dual-threat star Horvath for the first half of their blowout win over VMI, leading the offense to four touchdown drives in their first five possessions.
The Navy offense went on to tally 468 rushing yards on 54 carries for the game, and that remains the foundation of its offensive attack, but Horvath has added a dynamic wrinkle with his passing ability.
Week 1 Grade: A
16. Luke Altmyer, Illinois
5 of 21
Week 1 Passing Stats: 17-of-21, 217 yards, 3 TD, 0 INT
Week 1 Rushing Stats: 5 carries, -16 yards
Week 1 Quality of Opponent: ★ (Western Illinois)
Week 1 Outcome: Win (52-3)
It's been a long time since Illinois had a quarterback as highly regarded as Altmyer, who took a massive step forward in his second season with the Fighting Illini last year when he threw for 2,717 yards and 22 touchdowns.
Now driving the ship for an Illinois team with legitimate expectations, he was nearly perfect in his season debut. With a lot of turnover in the wide receiver room, it was promising to see some early chemistry with Hank Beatty (5 catches, 108 yards, 1 TD).
Week 1 Grade: A
15. Haynes King, Georgia Tech
6 of 21
Week 1 Passing Stats: 13-of-20, 143 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT
Week 1 Rushing Stats: 19 carries, 156 yards, 3 TD
Week 1 Quality of Opponent: ★★★ (Colorado)
Week 1 Outcome: Win (27-20)
Now in his third year as Georgia Tech's starting quarterback and his sixth collegiate season overall, Haynes King has won some big games for the Yellow Jackets, and he picked up a quality victory on the road to kick off the 2025 season.
With 1,324 rushing yards the last two seasons, his impressive performance on the ground did not exactly come out of left field, and he also had a pair of 100-yard rushing games a year ago.
A tune-up against Gardner-Webb is up next before a huge matchup at home against Clemson on Sept. 13.
Week 1 Grade: A
14. Diego Pavia, Vanderbilt
7 of 21
Week 1 Passing Stats: 20-of-25, 275 yards, 3 TD, 0 INT
Week 1 Rushing Stats: 8 carries, 44 yards
Week 1 Quality of Opponent: ★ (Charleston Southern)
Week 1 Outcome: Win (45-3)
It took a lawsuit against the NCAA for Pavia to earn another year of eligibility at Vanderbilt, as he made a case that JUCO years should not count against his NCAA eligibility and cited potential NIL losses if he was not allowed to return.
After leading the Commodores to their first winning season since 2013 last year while picking up an upset win over Alabama along the way, Pavia started his 2025 season with a bang, racking up impressive numbers against FCS opponent Charleston Southern.
Week 1 Grade: A
13. Rocco Becht, Iowa State
8 of 21
Week 1 Passing Stats: 19-of-20, 278 yards, 3 TD, 0 INT
Week 1 Rushing Stats: 5 carries, 15 yards
Week 1 Quality of Opponent: ★ (South Dakota)
Week 1 Outcome: Win (55-7)
Becht is already one of the most prolific passers in Iowa State history with back-to-back 3,000-yard, 20-touchdown seasons under his belt, and he nearly put together a perfect game against North Dakota with just one incompletion.
He was less efficient against Kansas State in Week 0 when he completed 14-of-28 attempts for 183 yards, but his two passing touchdowns and one rushing touchdown helped lead the Cyclones to a big win over a ranked opponent.
Week 1 Grade: A
12. Fernando Mendoza, Indiana
9 of 21
Week 1 Passing Stats: 18-of-31, 193 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT
Week 1 Rushing Stats: 6 carries, 33 yards, 1 TD
Week 1 Quality of Opponent: ★ (Old Dominion)
Week 1 Outcome: Win (27-14)
After Kurtis Rourke transferred to Indiana a year ago and immediately emerged as a Heisman Trophy candidate, expectations are high for Mendoza following a 3,004-yard, 16-touchdown season a year ago for a 6-7 Cal team.
The Indiana offense leaned heavily on the running game (57 carries, 309 yards) in a matchup where they were 23.5-point favorites, so while the final score was closer than expected and Mendoza's performance didn't jump off the page, it still added up to a 1-0 start.
Week 1 Grade: C
11. Carson Beck, Miami
10 of 21
Week 1 Passing Stats: 20-of-31, 205 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT
Week 1 Rushing Stats: 2 carries, -2 yards
Week 1 Quality of Opponent: ★★★★★ (Notre Dame)
Week 1 Outcome: Win (27-24)
Facing a Notre Dame defense expected to be one of the best in the country, Beck looked like the veteran signal-caller he is while stepping into the big shoes of departed Heisman Trophy finalist Cam Ward under center for the Hurricanes.
Beck enters the 2025 season as something of a post-hype sleeper after he was a Heisman front-runner and national championship hopeful at Georgia last year, and a big win over the Fighting Irish could start the hype train rolling once again.
Week 1 Grade: A
10. Kevin Jennings, SMU
11 of 21
Week 1 Passing Stats: 22-of-30, 260 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT
Week 1 Rushing Stats: 6 carries, 12 yards, 1 TD
Week 1 Quality of Opponent: ★ (East Texas A&M)
Week 1 Outcome: Win (42-13)
Jennings led SMU to the College Football Playoff last year after replacing Preston Stone as starting quarterback, throwing for 3,245 yards and 23 touchdowns while also adding 354 rushing yards and five scores on the ground.
After connecting with Romello Brinson on a 63-yard touchdown strike in SMU's first drive of the game, Jennings added his other two touchdowns in the fourth quarter to help put things out of reach after it was 28-3 through the first three quarters.
Week 1 Grade: B
9. Sam Leavitt, Arizona State
12 of 21
Week 1 Passing Stats: 25-of-39, 257 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT
Week 1 Rushing Stats: 7 carries, 73 yards, 2 TD
Week 1 Quality of Opponent: ★ (Northern Arizona)
Week 1 Outcome: Win (38-19)
Leavitt was one of the nation's biggest breakout quarterbacks a year ago when he tallied 2,885 passing yards, 443 rushing yards and 29 total touchdowns for an 11-win Arizona State team after transferring from Michigan State.
He's not going to sneak up on anyone this time around, and while his 14 incompletions and interception against an FCS opponent keep him from receiving an "A" grade, his dual-threat skills were on full display in the Sun Devils' opener.
Week 1 Grade: B
8. Sawyer Robertson, Baylor
13 of 21
Week 1 Passing Stats: 27-of-48, 419 yards, 3 TD, 0 INT
Week 1 Rushing Stats: 4 carries, -19 yards
Week 1 Quality of Opponent: ★★★★ (Auburn)
Week 1 Outcome: Loss (24-38)
Although Baylor lost to Auburn last week, it's tough to overlook Robertson's individual performance: 419 passing yards and three touchdowns.
It was his second straight 400-yard passing game, as he threw for 445 yards against LSU in the Texas Bowl last January, though that performance also ended in a loss.
A 307-64 advantage in rushing yards proved to be the difference in Friday's game against the Tigers.
Week 1 Grade: B
7. D.J. Lagway, Florida
14 of 21
Week 1 Passing Stats: 15-of-18, 120 yards, 3 TD, 0 INT
Week 1 Rushing Stats: 3 carries, 3 yards
Week 1 Quality of Opponent: ★ (LIU)
Week 1 Outcome: Win (55-0)
Considering all the time he missed during the offseason dealing with core muscle surgery, a sore shoulder and a calf strain, Lagway settled in nicely while shaking off the rust in one half of action against Long Island University.
"That was his first scrimmage, if you think about it," Florida coach Billy Napier told reporters. "He'll get his rhythm. He'll continue to get better. I thought you saw him get better as he kind of got comfortable and settled in."
Week 1 Grade: A
6. John Mateer, Oklahoma
15 of 21
Week 1 Passing Stats: 30-of-37, 392 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT
Week 1 Rushing Stats: 7 carries, 24 yards, 1 TD
Week 1 Quality of Opponent: ★ (Illinois State)
Week 1 Outcome: Win (35-3)
Mateer was one of the most dynamic dual-threat quarterbacks in the country last season at Washington State, logging 3,139 passing yards, 826 rushing yards and 44 total touchdowns, which tied him with Cam Ward for most in the country.
His 392 passing yards are a new record for a Sooners quarterback in his debut with the team, surpassing Baker Mayfield (388 yards in 2015). He did throw an interception that led to Illinois State's only points, but that did little to overshadow his record-setting debut.
Week 1 Grade: A
5. Arch Manning, Texas
16 of 21
Week 1 Passing Stats: 17-of-30, 170 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
Week 1 Rushing Stats: 10 carries, 38 yards
Week 1 Quality of Opponent: ★★★★★ (Ohio State)
Week 1 Outcome: Loss (7-14)
Ideally, the Texas Longhorns would have opened the season with a cupcake game, allowing Arch Manning an opportunity to put up some gaudy stats against a lesser opponent while building some confidence.
Instead, he got to face a loaded Ohio State defense, and while he never looked comfortable under center, things could have been much worse. After a slow start, he eventually led a 60-yard touchdown drive in the fourth quarter, capped off with a 32-yard strike to Parker Livingstone.
A lot of good quarterbacks are going to look bad against the Buckeyes this year.
Week 1 Grade: C
4. Garrett Nussmeier, LSU
17 of 21
Week 1 Passing Stats: 28-of-38, 232 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT
Week 1 Rushing Stats: 4 carries, 2 yards
Week 1 Quality of Opponent: ★★★★★ (Clemson)
Week 1 Outcome: Win (17-10)
With an inconsistent running game and a middling defense, Garrett Nussmeier often tried to do too much last season, largely out of necessity.
The result was a 4,052-yard, 29 touchdown season, but also an SEC-high 12 interceptions while uncorking a whopping 525 pass attempts.
His numbers against Clemson don't jump off the page, but he played within himself and protected the football against an elite defensive team to come away with a huge victory.
That's what the next step in his development looks like as he tries to establish himself as QB1 in the 2026 draft class.
Week 1 Grade: A
3. LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina
18 of 21
Week 1 Passing Stats: 12-of-19, 209 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT
Week 1 Rushing Stats: 13 carries, 25 yards, 1 TD
Week 1 Quality of Opponent: ★★★ (Virginia Tech)
Week 1 Outcome: Win (24-11)
The hype is real for Sellers and South Carolina after the young quarterback led the Gamecocks on a six-game winning streak to close out the 2024 regular season, including road wins over Oklahoma and Clemson.
The 20-year-old got off to a slow start on Sunday against a Virginia Tech team that looks like it is going to be a tough draw this season, but he iced the victory with a 64-yard touchdown pass to Nyck Harbor midway through the fourth quarter to make it a two-possession game.
Week 1 Grade: B
2. Drew Allar, Penn State
19 of 21
Week 1 Passing Stats: 22-of-26, 217 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT
Week 1 Rushing Stats: 6 carries, 20 yards
Week 1 Quality of Opponent: ★ (Nevada)
Week 1 Outcome: Win (46-11)
Drew Allar went from game manager in 2023 to impact passer last year while leading Penn State to the College Football Playoff semifinals. Now, he's trying to put the finishing touches on his college career with a championship run.
The 21-year-old turned things over to backup Ethan Grunkemeyer to start the fourth quarter after building a 39-3 lead against Nevada, and he should continue to roll against FIU and Villanova the next two weeks before a tough test against Oregon on Sept. 27.
Week 1 Grade: A
1. Cade Klubnik, Clemson
20 of 21
Week 1 Passing Stats: 19-of-38, 230 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT
Week 1 Rushing Stats: 8 carries, 1 yard
Week 1 Quality of Opponent: ★★★★★ (LSU)
Week 1 Outcome: Loss (10-17)
Let's give some credit to a vastly improved LSU defense, but Klubnik did not look the part of a preseason first-team All-American in Clemson's opener. And a campaign that started with legitimate championship aspirations is now an uphill battle from an 0-1 start.
Last season, Klubnik only failed to throw a touchdown pass in two games—losses to Georgia and South Carolina.
This week, his 19 incompletions were the second-most among our top 20 QBs, behind Sawyer Robertson's 21 (though the Baylor star offset his with 419 yards and three touchdowns).
Week 1 Grade: D
Updated Top 20 CFB Quarterbacks List
21 of 21
In an effort to keep things fresh and allow for the inclusion of breakout performers, we will be re-ranking the top 20 quarterbacks in college football each week on this final slide. That will then set the stage for the 20 QBs whose performance will be graded the following week.
With only one game in the books for most of these players, preseason expectations and past track record will still play a major factor in these rankings, so don't expect many new faces this time around.
However, there is a new No. 1, and a pair of newcomers in Arkansas' Taylen Green (24-of-31, 322 yards, 6 TD, 0 INT) and Texas Tech's Behren Morton (16-of-20, 201 yards, 4 TD, 0 INT).
1. Garrett Nussmeier, LSU
2. Drew Allar, Penn State
3. LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina
4. John Mateer, Oklahoma
5. Cade Klubnik, Clemson
6. DJ Lagway, Florida
7. Carson Beck, Miami
8. Rocco Becht, Iowa State
9. Sawyer Robertson, Baylor
10. Sam Leavitt, Arizona State
11. Diego Pavia, Vanderbilt
12. Haynes King, Georgia Tech
13. Luke Altmyer, Illinois
14. Kevin Jennings, SMU
15. Avery Johnson, Kansas State
16. Darian Mensah, Duke
17. Blake Horvath, Navy
18. Taylen Green, Arkansas
19. Behren Morton, Texas Tech
20. Arch Manning, Texas
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