College Football's Top 10 QBs and Their NFL Counterparts
As the 2015 season looms, offenses across college football have never been better. The influx of spread and hurry-up, no-huddle systems have invigorated the game, leading to increased scoring and increased fun. Who doesn’t enjoy watching wide-open teams like TCU, Baylor, Ohio State, Auburn or Clemson play? It’s exciting.
These programs all have one thing in common: a talented quarterback who serves as the engine to make the whole thing run. Without a signal-caller under center to distribute the ball and move efficiently, all of the talented players around him won’t make a bit of difference.
Ask LSU, which has great pieces but still hasn’t found a competent quarterback to run the system. Here’s a look at the top 10 quarterbacks in college football, and their best comparisons at the pro level. Quarterbacks were chosen for their accomplishments, their potential and their overall ability as we enter the 2015 season.
10. Georgia Tech QB Justin Thomas
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Last season was a bounce-back year for Paul Johnson and Georgia Tech. The Yellow Jackets ended a string of mediocre seasons with an 11-win year that included an ACC Coastal Division title and an Orange Bowl win over Mississippi State.
Much of the credit can go to quarterback Justin Thomas, who thrived in his first season piloting Tech’s flexbone option attack. Thomas passed for 1,719 yards with 18 touchdowns and six interceptions and was also Tech’s leading rusher with 1,086 yards and eight touchdowns.
He has solid speed and is a great leader who can also pass the ball, which hasn’t always been the case with Johnson’s quarterbacks. With Tech replacing four of its top five rushers (Thomas is the only exception) and its top two receivers with a tough schedule, the Jackets could be due for a step back this fall.
However, that doesn’t diminish Thomas’ clear skill. Since the NFL doesn’t run option schemes, it’s hard to compare him to an NFL quarterback. But let’s take a look at a quarterback who came from a run-based, unconventional scheme and has experienced NFL success: 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick.
If Thomas’ speed and scrambling ability can translate to the next level, he can find success there as well.
9. Cal QB Jared Goff
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When Sonny Dykes took over at Cal, the Bears were one of the nation’s worst programs, finishing 1-11 in his first season. Last fall, Cal improved to 5-7, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see a bowl trip this fall. One of the biggest reasons why? Junior quarterback Jared Goff.
Goff, who stands 6’4”, 210 pounds, is a great pocket passer who had a breakout sophomore season, throwing for 3,973 yards with 35 touchdowns against seven interceptions.
He has a big arm and loves to throw the ball with prototypical NFL size. The nation will take notice of Goff this fall, and NFL scouts already have. While he plays in an Air Raid-style offense, that arm and game will translate to the professional ranks. He compares favorably to Miami Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill, who has been a solid starter for the Dolphins after coming from a pass-first offense.
8. Auburn QB Jeremy Johnson
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Although Jeremy Johnson has made only two career starts, what we have seen of the Auburn junior makes him one of college football’s best quarterbacks. Johnson stands 6’5”, 240 pounds and has a big frame, a big arm and the ability to bowl over tacklers while on the move.
Last fall, Johnson threw for 436 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions, starting the season opener against Arkansas. While Auburn will still run its hurry-up, no-huddle system, Johnson brings a different look to the scheme than former starter Nick Marshall, who was more of a mobile quarterback.
There’s an obvious comparison for Johnson: Heisman Trophy winner and former Auburn star Cam Newton, a No. 1 overall NFL draft pick. Johnson isn’t Newton, but his frame and his game remind many of Cam.
Johnson told AL.com's Brandon Marcello that he's just himself.
"Cam is Cam and I'm me," Johnson said at SEC media days. "I don't too much compare myself to Cam. We're different people. We've got different talents. Like I said, I don't too much compare myself too much to him."
7. Penn State QB Christian Hackenberg
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When you look at Christian Hackenberg, you have to look past his stats a little bit. After throwing for 2,955 yards with 20 touchdowns and 10 interceptions as a freshman, the Penn State standout regressed in 2014. He threw for 2,977 yards with 12 touchdowns against 15 interceptions, which included a four-touchdown day against Boston College in the Pinstripe Bowl.
Not good, right? Well, consider the offensive line that Hackenberg played behind. He was sacked 44 times as a sophomore compared to just 21 as a freshman, which often forced him to rush throws and make some bad decisions. However, at 6’4”, 236 pounds, there’s no question that Hackenberg has an NFL-ready frame.
He has a strong arm and has worked in a complex pro-style offense, but he can also move with his feet a little, scrambling in the pocket. If you’re looking for an NFL comparison, he has a similar frame, arm and feel to one of the NFL’s all-time great quarterbacks: New England Patriots star Tom Brady. SB Nation's Murf Baldwin made a solid case for the comparison.
6. Clemson QB Deshaun Watson
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Clemson will begin 2015 as a legit ACC and College Football Playoff contender, and sophomore quarterback Deshaun Watson is a huge reason why. Although Watson missed the better part of seven games with a broken finger and a torn ACL last fall, he showed enough when he was healthy to establish himself as one of the college game’s top quarterbacks.
In his first start, he tied an ACC record with six touchdown passes and threw for 435 yards in a win over North Carolina. He finished with 1,466 yards passing and 14 touchdowns against two interceptions, and he led a 35-17 win over South Carolina while playing on what was revealed as a partially torn ACL. Very impressive.
Watson stands 6’2”, 205 pounds and could stand to gain some weight, but he has an excellent arm and is extremely mobile, threatening linebackers with his ability to scramble and run. He has a similar build to New York Jets quarterback Geno Smith, but with a better, more accurate arm.
5. Michigan State QB Connor Cook
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Michigan State will enter the 2015 season as one of the nation’s best teams, with good reason. Mark Dantonio’s team has proven itself as a stalwart over the past two seasons, rolling up a 24-3 record with a Big Ten title and wins in the Cotton and Rose bowls. Senior quarterback Connor Cook has been a linchpin in that success.
Last fall, Cook threw for 3,214 yards with 24 touchdowns against eight interceptions. He has a good arm and solid pocket presence and is able to avoid oncoming rushers, and he has progressed well in a pro-style system. He’ll be a key figure for a Michigan State team trying to replace leading rusher Jeremy Langford and top receiver Tony Lippett.
If you’re looking for a comparison for Cook, how about Arizona Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer, who has enjoyed a solid and productive NFL career? Cook stands 6’4”, 220 pounds, while Palmer is listed at 6’5”, 235 pounds. Both are solidly built, and you could do far worse than Palmer’s pro career.
4. Southern California QB Cody Kessler
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If you didn’t hear about Cody Kessler last fall, that’s your fault. The Southern California junior was impressive in Steve Sarkisian’s first season as head coach. The Trojans, still recovering from serious NCAA sanctions, went 9-4 with a Holiday Bowl win over Nebraska, and Kessler was extremely efficient, throwing for 3,826 yards with 39 touchdowns against just five interceptions.
Kessler is not the biggest quarterback at 6’1”, 210 pounds, but he has good pocket presence and a strong, accurate arm. He also runs a pro-style offense and has done well against pressure in the pocket.
He’ll lead one of the nation’s top teams and a College Football Playoff contender this fall and will be a Heisman Trophy candidate. NFL first-round pick Nelson Agholor was an early draft entry, but JuJu Smith should capably fill the void by leading a strong wide receiver group.
Is his size a concern for professional scouts? Perhaps, but let’s take a look at another college quarterback who had big stats but saw questions about his size. You’d say Drew Brees has had a solid NFL career, wouldn’t you? I’d say so. We’re not saying Kessler equals Brees, but there’s reason to compare the two, without question.
3. Mississippi State QB Dak Prescott
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Last fall, Mississippi State was one of the nation’s best stories. The Bulldogs emerged from SEC West also-ran status and claimed the national spotlight, spending four weeks as the nation’s No. 1 team and making an Orange Bowl appearance. A huge reason for that breakout? Quarterback Dak Prescott.
Prescott emerged as a Heisman Trophy candidate and one of the nation’s best overall players. He threw for 3,449 yards with 34 touchdowns against 11 interceptions while rushing for 986 yards and 14 touchdowns. His ability to run and pass with equal skill made him a difficult player for opposing defenses to stop, and it elevated the Bulldogs offense around him.
That’s a unique skill set in NFL circles, but Prescott chose to return for his senior season and polish his skills. It won’t be easy with a depleted MSU offense around him, but he’ll remain attractive.
How do you compare him? Think of a more talented Tim Tebow, as NFL.com's Gil Brandt noted (via NFL.com's Chase Goodbread). Tebow, currently trying to work his way back into the NFL with the Philadelphia Eagles, was a better runner than passer. Prescott is a more talented overall player with a similar group of tools to work with.
2. Ohio State QB Cardale Jones
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Last season, Ohio State showed the benefits of having a deep quarterback roster. After losing two-time Big Ten Player of the Year Braxton Miller in August to shoulder surgery and losing breakout star J.T. Barrett to a broken ankle in November, the Buckeyes turned to third-stringer Cardale Jones.
All Jones did was lead Ohio State to the first College Football Playoff national title as an uber-talented player. In fairness to Barrett and Miller, we could put any of the three quarterbacks who’ll compete for the 2015 starting role in this spot, but we went with Jones because he’s the healthiest at the moment and an incredible talent.
Last fall, Jones threw for 860 yards with seven touchdowns against two interceptions, completing 60.9 percent of his passes. He also rushed for 296 yards and a touchdown. He could’ve left for the NFL but decided he needed another year of seasoning. He stands 6’5”, 250 pounds and has a big arm with the ability to run and truck linebackers on the go.
He has drawn some Cam Newton comparisons, but here’s an interesting one: Pittsburgh Steelers star Ben Roethlisberger. Roethlisberger stands 6’5”, 241 pounds and isn’t afraid to scramble and use his body when necessary. A team picking Jones could do worse than the production that Big Ben has given the Steelers.
1. TCU QB Trevone Boykin
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This time a year ago, Trevone Boykin was largely unknown outside of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. That certainly isn’t the case this year. After finally moving to quarterback full-time, Boykin had a breakout season in TCU’s new Air Raid offense.
He was a primary reason the Horned Frogs went from 4-8 in 2013 to a 12-1 record, just missing the College Football Playoff. Boykin threw for 3,901 yards with 33 touchdowns and 10 interceptions and added 707 rushing yards and eight touchdowns as a dual-threat quarterback.
Boykin has a solid arm, great mobility and speed and can play multiple positions—he has spent time at wide receiver and even caught a touchdown pass last season.
TCU returns 10 starters from the nation’s No. 2 scoring offense and will be one of college football's best teams again this fall, making Boykin, the leading returning Heisman Trophy vote-getter, a strong candidate to hoist the stiff-arm trophy this December.
How does he compare at the professional level? NFL teams love dual-threat quarterbacks, and look no further than Seattle Seahawks star Russell Wilson as a comparison. NFL.com’s Gil Brandt (via NFL.com's Bryan Fischer) made the comparison last fall. Both players are mobile with good arms, and while Boykin, who stands 6’2”, is a bit taller than the 6-foot Wilson, he has the ability to capably lead an offense in the new-look NFL.
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