Power Ranking the SEC Starting Quarterbacks in 2015
Inexperience and uncertainty characterizes the quarterback situations for much of the SEC heading into the 2015 season.
After a generally down year for SEC quarterbacks, the conference could struggle even more as multiple teams are still searching for a starter.
Dak Prescott returns for his senior season, which is a bright spot since he enters the year as one of the favorites to win the Heisman Trophy.
In addition, Auburn’s Jeremy Johnson was named preseason second team All-SEC despite having not started an entire SEC game, which is a testament to the conference’s lack of proven depth at the position.
Having said that, let us rank the starting quarterbacks before the season gets underway. Rankings are based on what each player has already proved, individual skills and the strength of his supporting cast.
14. Will Grier, Florida
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New head coach Jim McElwain takes over a Florida quarterback situation that was downright abysmal in 2014.
Treon Harris took over as the starter for the final six weeks of the season and finished with 1,089 yards and nine touchdowns as well as 332 yards and three scores on the ground. Yet he is not projected to retain his starting job going into this year.
According to Bleacher Report’s Barrett Sallee, redshirt freshman Will Grier emerged from spring practice as the leading candidate to start for the Gators. This is largely because Grier is more suitable for McElwain’s pro-style offense and Harris missed some time in the spring.
Grier has good size at 6’2” and has the skills to throw accurate passes and control the offense. He will also have some support with running back Kelvin Taylor and last year’s leading receiver Demarcus Robinson returning.
However, Grier finds himself at the bottom of this list because he is the least experienced of any SEC quarterback. He will also be part of a Florida team that will likely deal with some growing pains as it tries to get back to the top of the conference. Throw in a decent, but not great, supporting cast, and Grier could struggle this season.
13. Johnny McCrary, Vanderbilt
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Head coach Derek Mason’s first season in Nashville was rough, as the team was forced to play a lot of underclassmen. The team should be better with more experience, but the quarterback situation is still up in the air.
Sophomore Johnny McCrary started the last six games for the Commodores in 2014 and was generally inconsistent. He is the leading candidate to win the job this season, per the Lexington Herald Ledger, but his position is far from solidified.
Fellow sophomore Wade Freebeck, who struggled mightily last season, and incoming freshman Kyle Shurmur are also competing for the job.
McCrary showed some promise last season as a legitimate dual-threat option. He finished with 985 yards and nine touchdowns, but sacks severely ravaged his rushing numbers.
Experience is really the only reason McCrary is not at the bottom of this list. He could prove himself to be Vanderbilt’s answer at quarterback, but it could be a rough season for McCrary if he falters.
12. Connor Mitch, South Carolina
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Similar to Florida, there is not much experience for South Carolina at the top of the team’s quarterback depth chart.
Per the Charleston Post-Courier, sophomore Connor Mitch is the team’s starter heading into fall camp, but the position is still not solidified.
Mitch is the only current South Carolina quarterback to attempt a pass last season, and it was only six tries. However, he has enough command of the offense and performed well enough in spring practice to show he can lead the Gamecock attack.
Supporting cast should be a huge boost for Mitch as South Carolina returns arguably the best receiver in the conference in Pharoh Cooper and running back Brandon Wilds. Factor in his head coach Steve Spurrier, the most proven quarterback developer in the SEC, and Mitch should be set up to succeed. This gives him the edge over Grier and McCrary at the moment.
11. Brandon Harris, LSU
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Poor quarterback play doomed the Tigers in 2014 as starter Anthony Jennings and backup Brandon Harris both could not find a rhythm through the air.
Jennings is back, but an indefinite suspension has vaulted Harris into the starting spot, according to Sallee. With another year of experience, the sophomore should be better.
In his only start, on the road against Auburn, Harris mustered only three completions for 52 yards. Most of his damage came on the ground as he earned 36 yards on eight carries.
Numerous returning offensive starters should give LSU fans some hope that Harris will improve. Running back Leonard Fournette could be a Heisman contender running behind one of the best offensive lines in the conference. The team also returns its top two receivers in Travin Dural and the very talented Malachi Dupre.
Harris’ supporting talent along with his dual-threat ability should make the LSU offense a challenge for opposing coordinators this season. He still has much to prove, but his time last year along with the great playmakers at his disposal place him here on this list.
10. Ryan Buchanan, Mississippi
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The battle to replace three-year starter Bo Wallace is far from over, but one quarterback has separated himself from the group.
According to the Jackson Clarion Ledger, head coach Hugh Freeze gives sophomore Ryan Buchanan a “slight edge” over sophomore DeVante Kincade and junior Clemson-transfer Chad Kelly.
Buchanan was shaky in limited time last year, going 12-for-22 with 75 yards and an interception in four games. Yet, he showed enough improvement in the spring to finish atop the depth chart.
He will be surrounded by great players if he holds on to the starting role. Laquon Treadwell is healthy and ready to terrorize opposing secondaries, and star tight end Evan Engram also returns. The offensive line will be stout as well with Laremy Tunsil back to lead an experienced group.
Buchanan has enough experience to land him at this spot, but he also has a phenomenal defense to give him good field position and possible bail. He may not be at the level of some of the top quarterbacks on this list, but he has the pieces around him to break out for Ole Miss.
9. Brice Ramsey, Georgia
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With the slew of great running backs Georgia is trotting out on the field each season, the quarterback’s role has pretty much been to manage the game.
Since Aaron Murray graduated two years ago, the Bulldogs have not had a quarterback who can win games through the air. Hutson Mason was great as the game manager last season, as he threw for 21 scores and only four interceptions.
Brice Ramsey is expected to step in this season under center after he emerged as the starter after spring practice. However, the job is not officially his yet as the team will bring in Virginia graduate-transfer Grayson Lambert to compete with the sophomore, according to Yahoo Sports.
Still, Ramsey is the No.1 at the moment, and he looked very capable a year ago, completing 62 percent of his throws for three touchdowns and two picks.
Ramsey has more arm talent than Mason and should be able to open up the Georgia passing game more. In addition, he also has arguably the best running back in America in Nick Chubb to hand the ball to, which should take off some serious pressure.
Replacing the team’s top two receivers from 2014 will be a concern, but if senior Malcolm Mitchell can stay healthy, Ramsey will still be able to stretch the field to create more space for Chubb and backup running back Sony Michel. With more experience, Ramsey would be higher, but for now he remains at No. 9.
8. Jacob Coker, Alabama
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Jacob Coker entered the 2014 season with high expectations after transferring from Florida State. Yet he lost out to Blake Sims and was relegated to backup duties.
With Sims gone, Coker has still not claimed the starting quarterback job after he had a inconsistent spring. However, he should still come out on top in this year’s quarterback battle since he is the most experienced signal-caller for head coach Nick Saban. He leads the race, per AL.com.
The senior played well in limited time last season, throwing for four touchdowns and no picks. However, he has yet to play any meaningful snaps in SEC play. If not for that, he could be near the top of this list.
Coker is a big, strong quarterback who takes care of the ball. He will be part of another loaded Alabama offense despite the losses of Sims, Amari Cooper and T.J. Yeldon. Derrick Henry is set to have a monster season at running back, and tight end O.J. Howard and receiver Chris Black are matchup nightmares with their own blends of size and speed.
Coker’s time is now, and he should grasp it and have a great season as the Crimson Tide will again be national title contenders. Until he truly takes that next step, he finds himself on the bottom half of the SEC’s quarterbacks.
7. Patrick Towles, Kentucky
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Patrick Towles returns to Lexington as one of the few veteran quarterbacks in the SEC.
He is the first quarterback on this list so far that has a full season of starting experience to his credit. On a pretty bad Kentucky team, Towles performed well by throwing for 2,718 yards and 14 touchdowns.
Towles proved himself as a legitimate starter in the SEC by leading the Wildcats to a win over South Carolina and nearly taking down Mississippi State. He was fantastic in both games and finished with zero turnovers combined.
Standing at 6’5” and 240 pounds, the junior has NFL size and arm talent that puts him among the SEC’s best in terms of passing skills. He should improve even more this season with leading rusher Stanley Williams and leading receiver Ryan Timmons returning.
Towles’ experience puts him ahead of the previously mentioned quarterbacks in these rankings as he is a proven player in big SEC games, which most of the previous quarterbacks are not. He would be higher if not for his high interception rate and subpar completion percentage. He finished 2014 with nine picks and 57 percent completion rate. If he can improve those numbers, he will be among the league’s best in 2015.
6. Maty Mauk, Missouri
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After impressing as a backup in 2013, Maty Mauk ran the show and threw every pass for Missouri last season.
The results were solid, but Mauk and the Tigers were up-and-down most of the year. The Tigers won games against Arkansas, Texas A&M and South Carolina but also suffered an embarrassing loss to lowly Indiana as the team finished 11-3.
Mauk returns for his junior season as the unquestioned leader at quarterback, but it could be tough to improve on the previous year. Russell Hansbrough returns to lead the rushing attack, but Mauk’s top four receivers from 2014 are gone.
Missouri still has a more explosive offense under head coach Gary Pinkel compared to Kentucky, and Mauk was clearly more effective than Towles as he nearly doubled him in touchdown passes. However, having no clear answer at receiver will hurt.
Like Towles, Mauk must also cut down the interceptions as he threw 13 last season. This puts him in the top half of this list but not near the top. If he becomes more efficient, he could be the SEC East’s best signal-caller.
5. Kyle Allen, Texas A&M
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Kyle Allen stepped in as a true freshman midway through 2014 and essentially saved Texas A&M’s season.
After three straight losses, head coach Kevin Sumlin turned to Allen, a former 5-star recruit with an accurate touch and high football IQ. Allen responded by throwing four touchdown passes in a 41-38 road upset at Auburn. Quite an SEC debut, especially for a freshman.
Even with highly-touted freshman Kyler Murray arriving in College Station, Allen is pretty much entrenched as the Aggies starter heading into the year, according to Sallee.
He should be set for a breakout sophomore season. A&M returns leading rusher Tra Carson and boasts arguably the best receiving group in the SEC with Josh Reynolds, Speedy Noil, Ricky Seals-Jones and incoming freshman Christian Kirk.
Allen may not have as much experience as Mauk, but his position as the quarterback in a high-powered Sumlin offense with this much talent sets him apart. It would not be surprising to see Allen earn some All-SEC honors with some gaudy numbers.
4. Joshua Dobbs, Tennessee
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After stepping in due to injury, Joshua Dobbs established himself as the Volunteers quarterback of the future.
In six games, Dobbs threw for 1,206 yards and nine touchdowns while running for 469 yards and eight scores. He was not always consistent throwing the ball, as he was awful in a win over Vanderbilt, but Dobbs' running ability made the Tennessee offense dangerous down the stretch.
Dobbs is a powerful quarterback who, at 6’3” and 212 pounds, can throw a deep ball and keep the defense honest by monitoring him as a runner. Other than Prescott, no other SEC quarterback poses a bigger matchup problem for defenses.
He also has help, with leading rusher Jalen Hurd and top receiver Pig Howard coming back to Knoxville.
This dual-threat ability sets him apart from the previous three quarterbacks mentioned since it makes him more dangerous and versatile. However, he must also work on reducing turnovers, as Dobbs threw six interceptions. If he were a bit more polished through the air, he would be ahead of the next player in this discussion.
3. Jeremy Johnson, Auburn
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Johnson breaks the mold here in terms of experience carrying a lot of weight, but he was named preseason second team All-SEC for a reason.
Johnson is the most talented passer in the conference. He is strong enough to make any throw but also incorporates a deft touch and understanding of the defense to complete a high number of his throws.
As a backup the last two seasons, Johnson does not have a lot of experience, but his performance during that time frame is enough to warrant placing him this high on the list. He lit up Arkansas in the first half of last year’s opener, going 12-for-16 with 243 yards and two touchdowns. Overall, he has 858 yards, nine touchdowns in two seasons while completing 73 percent of his throws.
Auburn is absolutely stacked on offense as it boasts a veteran offensive line, star receiver D’haquille Williams and a stable of explosive running backs all under the command of head coach Gus Malzahn, the brightest offensive mind in the SEC. This should only help Johnson thrive and become a possible Heisman candidate and a hot commodity for NFL scouts.
2. Brandon Allen, Arkansas
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While he may not be as talented as Johnson, Dobbs and Kyle Allen, Brandon Allen has a steadying composure and experience level unmatched by any quarterback in the SEC.
Allen has more career starts (25) than any other active SEC quarterback. He is also the perfect signal-caller for the Razorback offense.
Arkansas possesses a tremendous offensive line and the conference’s most complete rushing attack, led by Alex Collins and Jonathan Williams, who each rushed for over 1,100 yards and 12 scores in 2014. Allen is the glue that keeps this offense together.
In his second season as the starter, Allen was extremely efficient, throwing for 2,285 yards with 20 touchdowns and only five interceptions as the Razorbacks surprised with a 7-6 record.
Heading into this season, Allen should only improve in his senior year. As expectations increase for head coach Bret Bilemma’s team, Allen should excel, as his experience will allow him to shine in big moments.
As the facilitator of a powerful running offense, Allen is the second-best quarterback in a conference that lacks much proven experience. This sets Allen apart from the previous players mentioned.
1. Dak Prescott, Mississippi State
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With his experience, rare skill set and offensive system, Prescott epitomizes the criteria of this list and is an easy choice as the SEC’s best quarterback.
Prescott has 20 career starts under his belt and broke out for the Bulldogs in 2014, finishing with 3,449 yards and 27 touchdowns passing and 986 yards and 14 scores on the ground.
No other quarterback in the nation, must less the SEC, can match Prescott’s dual-threat skill set. He is comparable to Cam Newton in the way he can run through or around defenders while also causing damage through the air.
Entering his third year in head coach Dan Mullen’s offense, Prescott should only be more comfortable and efficient. It will not be a breeze though, as the team loses leading rusher Josh Robinson. They do return their top two receivers, including one of the conference’s best in De'Runnya Wilson.
No other quarterback in the SEC at this time offers the complete package in the way Prescott can dominant in so many ways. He will likely leave Mississippi State as perhaps the best to ever play quarterback for the Bulldogs.
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