B/R's Preseason 2026 College Football Top 20 Quarterback Rankings
Welcome to Bleacher Report's first quarterback rankings of the 2026 college football season.
With Fernando Mendoza, Diego Pavia, Ty Simpson, Haynes King and Carson Beck among the notable high-profile quarterbacks who have departed the college ranks since last season, the QB1 landscape has a new look, albeit with plenty of familiar faces.
Past performance, physical projection, level of competition and supporting cast all played a part in determining where each quarterback fell in our preseason rankings, but once the season starts, the focus will be solely on 2026 production.
If your favorite team's quarterback is not currently in the top 20, he will inevitably find his way into the rankings if he's putting up numbers. Our Top 20 list will be updated every Tuesday morning throughout the season. That's the beauty of a weekly staple!
For now, let the debate begin.
20. Kevin Jennings, SMU
1 of 20
Passing: 300-of-454, 66.1 cmp%, 3,641 yards, 26 TD, 13 INT
Rushing: 71 carries, 55 yards, 4 TD
With back-to-back 3,000-yard, 20-touchdown seasons under his belt and a trip to the College Football Playoff in 2024, Kevin Jennings returns to SMU as one of the most experienced quarterbacks in the nation.
His ACC-leading 13 interceptions and the dip in his rushing production from 354 to 55 yards cap his upside a bit relative to some of the other standouts on this list, but he is 1,373 yards away from becoming SMU's all-time leading passer.
19. Conner Weigman, Houston
2 of 20
Passing: 232-of-356, 65.2 cmp%, 2,705 yards, 25 TD, 9 INT
Rushing: 171 carries, 700 yards, 11 TD
Conner Weigman was a 5-star recruit out of high school and the No. 2 quarterback in the 2022 class, slotted between Cade Klubnik (Clemson) and Ty Simpson (Alabama).
He appeared in 15 games and made 13 starts over three seasons at Texas A&M, but missed time due to injuries before finally breaking out after transferring to Houston last year.
Weigman joined Diego Pavia, Arch Manning and Byrum Brown as the only quarterbacks with 25 passing touchdowns and 10 rushing touchdowns.
18. Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele, California
3 of 20
Passing: 316-of-492, 64.2 cmp%, 3,454 yards, 18 TD, 9 INT
Rushing: 60 carries, -120 yards, 4 TD
Originally an Oregon recruit and the No. 7 quarterback in the 2025 class, Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele flipped to Cal after last year's quarterback carousel saw Dante Moore go from UCLA to Oregon and Fernando Mendoza from Cal to Indiana.
He took his lumps as a freshman, but flashed legitimate superstar upside in November road wins over Louisville (30-of-47, 323 yards, 2 TD) and SMU (31-of-40, 330 yards, 4 TD) while leading the Golden Bears to their first winning season since 2019.
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17. Demond Williams Jr., Washington
4 of 20
Passing: 246-of-354, 69.5 cmp%, 3,065 yards, 25 TD, 8 INT
Rushing: 143 carries, 611 yards, 6 TD
Demond Williams Jr. had five games last season where he recorded at least four total touchdowns, and he ultimately led Washington to a 9-4 season and a victory in the LA Bowl over Boise State.
However, he also had a few notable duds along the way, including a combined 335 total yards with zero touchdowns and three interceptions in lopsided losses to Ohio State and Michigan. There is no question the talent is there, but he needs to find a bit more consistency against quality competition.
16. Marcel Reed, Texas A&M
5 of 20
Passing: 234-of-377, 62.1 cmp%, 3,169 yards, 25 TD, 12 INT
Rushing: 104 carries, 493 yards, 6 TD
While he has been turnover-prone at times, it's difficult to ignore the fact that Marcel Reed is 15-6 as a starter at Texas A&M, including an 11-0 start last season that ended with a trip to the College Football Playoff.
With road games against LSU, Missouri and Alabama on the schedule this season, he will be tested, and he has the raw talent to take a step forward and emerge as one of the nation's elite quarterbacks in 2026.
15. John Mateer, Oklahoma
6 of 20
Passing: 247-of-397, 62.2 cmp%, 2,885 yards, 14 TD, 11 INT
Rushing: 149 carries, 431 yards, 8 TD
With 1,215 passing yards, 190 rushing yards and 11 total touchdowns through his first four games last season, John Mateer emerged as one of the early Heisman Trophy front-runners before suffering a broken bone in his throwing hand on Sept. 20 against Auburn.
He missed just one game, but returned with a three-interception performance against Texas on Oct. 11 and completed 59.4 percent of his passes with eight touchdowns and eight interceptions the rest of the way.
With that injury now behind him, can Mateer return to Heisman Trophy candidate form in 2026?
14. Sam Leavitt, LSU
7 of 20
Passing: 145-of-239, 60.7 cmp%, 1,628 yards, 10 TD, 3 INT
Rushing: 73 carries, 306 yards, 5 TD
The 2025 stats don't tell the full story with Sam Leavitt, as his redshirt sophomore season at Arizona State was cut short by season-ending foot surgery in early November.
However, he led the Sun Devils to a Big 12 championship and a spot in the College Football Playoff the previous season when he threw for 2,885 yards with 24 touchdowns and six interceptions, while also adding 443 rushing yards and five more scores.
That's the player Lane Kiffin rolled out the red carpet for to headline his LSU transfer class.
13. Noah Fifita, Arizona
8 of 20
Passing: 275-of-428, 64.3 cmp%, 3,228 yards, 29 TD, 6 INT
Rushing: 114 carries, 216 yards, 3 TD
A 3-star recruit out of high school with an undersized 5'10" frame, Noah Fifita is on track to leave the University of Arizona as the most prolific passer in school history.
His 73 career passing touchdowns already sit atop the leaderboard, while his 9,183 passing yards are comfortably within striking distance of Nick Foles (10,011) and Willie Tuitama (9,211). He bounced back nicely from a down year in 2024, and the team followed suit with a leap from 4-8 to 9-4.
12. Drew Mestemaker, Oklahoma State
9 of 20
Passing: 319-of-463, 68.9 cmp%, 4,379 yards, 34 TD, 9 INT
Rushing: 57 carries, 89 yards, 5 TD
After leading the nation in passing yards (4,379) and trailing only Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza in passing touchdowns (34) while piloting the high-powered North Texas offense last season, Drew Mestemaker followed head coach Eric Morris to Oklahoma State.
The former walk-on has come a long way in a very short time, and he will be put to the test early this season with a home game against Oregon on Sept. 12. Win or lose, a strong showing in that game would solidify his status as one of the top passers in the country.
11. Josh Hoover, Indiana
10 of 20
Passing: 272-of-413, 65.9 cmp%, 3,472 yards, 29 TD, 13 INT
Rushing: 55 carries, 4 yards, 2 TD
Fernando Mendoza was a productive quarterback rarely mentioned among the nation's top tier before he transferred to Indiana and won the Heisman Trophy last season. Can Josh Hoover follow a similar trajectory?
With 9,629 passing yards and 71 touchdowns across three seasons as the starter at TCU, he is one of the most experienced quarterbacks in the country heading into 2026. He can push the ball downfield, evidenced by his Big 12-leading 8.4 yards per attempt last year, but he also ranked third nationally with 13 interceptions. Curt Cignetti's quarterback development skills will be put to the test.
10. Byrum Brown, Auburn
11 of 20
Passing: 226-of-341, 66.3 cmp%, 3,158 yards, 28 TD, 7 INT
Rushing: 175 carries, 1,008 yards, 14 TD
Byrum Brown turned in just the 13th season in college football history with 3,000 passing yards and 1,000 rushing yards last season, and he also showed he's capable of producing against quality competition with victories over then-No. 25 Boise State and then-No. 13 Florida to open the year.
He followed head coach Alex Golesh to Auburn and will now get an opportunity to see if his dual-threat production translates to the SEC. After racking up 42 total touchdowns in 2025, second only to Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza (48), he has the talent to put a team on his back.
9. Gunner Stockton, Georgia
12 of 20
Passing: 269-of-386, 69.7 cmp%, 2,894 yards, 24 TD, 5 INT
Rushing: 129 carries, 462 yards, 10 TD
A 4-star recruit and the No. 7 quarterback in the 2022 class, Gunner Stockton spent his first two collegiate seasons behind Carson Beck on the Georgia depth chart, but he finally stepped into the starting role last year and put together a productive season.
He turned in one of his best performances of the season against Alabama in the SEC championship game (20-of-26, 156 yards, 3 TD), and had four passing touchdowns and one rushing score in both the Ole Miss and Texas games.
Stockton consistently delivered in high-leverage games, an important trait in the SEC.
8. Devon Dampier, Utah
13 of 20
Passing: 212-of-334, 63.5 cmp%, 2,490 yards, 24 TD, 5 INT
Rushing: 146 carries, 835 yards, 10 TD
After racking up 2,768 passing yards, 1,166 rushing yards and 31 total touchdowns during the 2024 season at New Mexico, Devon Dampier transferred to Utah last season and developed into a more well-rounded passer.
His completion percentage (57.9% to 63.5%), yards per attempt (7.1 to 7.5), interception rate (3.1% to 1.5%) and passer rating (121.6 to 146.8) all improved significantly despite the leap in competition.
New head coach Morgan Scalley convinced him to stick around after Kyle Whittingham took the Michigan job, which speaks volumes in today's transfer-centric culture.
7. CJ Carr, Notre Dame
14 of 20
Passing: 195-of-293, 66.6 cmp%, 2,741 yards, 24 TD, 6 INT
Rushing: 41 carries, 33 yards, 3 TD
With Jeremiah Love anchoring a rushing attack that averaged more than 200 yards per game, Notre Dame didn't need CJ Carr to shoulder the offensive load last year, and he attempted more than 30 passes just five times in 12 games.
That said, his 9.4 yards per attempt ranked third in the nation, and he had multiple passing touchdowns nine times, including a 354-yard, four-touchdown explosion on the road against Arkansas. With more offensive responsibility falling on the passing game now, he has a lot of room to improve on last year's numbers.
6. Jayden Maiava, USC
15 of 20
Passing: 265-of-403, 65.8 cmp%, 3,711 yards, 24 TD, 10 INT
Rushing: 54 carries, 157 yards, 6 TD
After splitting time with Miller Moss in 2024, Jayden Maiava entered last season as USC's unquestioned starting quarterback and ended up leading the Big Ten in passing yards (3,711) while garnering some early Heisman Trophy buzz with nine touchdowns and zero interceptions during the Trojans' 4-0 start.
He will be without All-American wide receiver Makai Lemon (79 catches, 1,156 yards, 11 TD) after he was selected No. 20 overall in this year's draft, but he has the arm talent to again be one of the most prolific passers in the country.
5. Dante Moore, Oregon
16 of 20
Passing: 296-of-412, 71.8 cmp%, 3,565 yards, 30 TD, 10 INT
Rushing: 73 carries, 156 yards, 2 TD
Dante Moore has the talent and upside to be the first quarterback off the board in the 2027 draft, but that doesn't necessarily mean he's the best college signal-caller heading into the season.
He still has room to improve his decision-making under pressure, evidenced by his 10 interceptions last season, and he came away with a lackluster performance in both of his games against eventual national champion Indiana.
His completion percentage (71.8, fourth), passing touchdowns (30, sixth) and passer rating (163.7, eighth) all ranked in the top 10 nationally last year, and his decision to return to campus immediately vaulted Oregon into the national title conversation.
4. Darian Mensah, Miami
17 of 20
Passing: 334-of-500, 66.8 cmp%, 3,973 yards, 34 TD, 6 INT
Rushing: 59 carries, -32 yards, 1 TD
From Tulane in 2024 to Duke in 2025 to Miami this season, Darian Mensah has quickly climbed the prestige ladder since exiting the high school ranks as a 2-star recruit in the 2023 class.
His 3,973 passing yards were second in the nation last season, and now he is surrounded by a more talented collection of skill players, including last year's freshman sensation Malachi Toney (109 catches, 1,211 yards, 10 touchdowns).
The Hurricanes also have Mark Fletcher Jr. (1,192 yards, 12 TD) returning to anchor the running game, and that offensive balance should give Mensah ample opportunities to pick apart opposing defenses.
3. Arch Manning, Texas
18 of 20
Passing: 248-of-404, 61.4 cmp%, 3,163 yards, 26 TD, 7 INT
Rushing: 92 carries, 399 yards, 10 TD
After a rocky start to the season where he looked overmatched against Ohio State and threw two interceptions in a loss to Florida, Arch Manning hit his stride during the second half of the 2025 campaign.
Over his final six games, he completed 62.3 percent of his passes for 1,714 yards with 14 touchdowns and two interceptions, and he added 206 yards and five more scores on the ground.
What's more, the Longhorns went 5-1 during that stretch, handing Texas A&M its first loss before beating Michigan in the Citrus Bowl. Can he pick up where he left off and put together the Heisman-caliber season many were expecting a year ago?
2. Julian Sayin, Ohio State
19 of 20
Passing: 301-of-391, 77.0 cmp%, 3,610 yards, 32 TD, 8 INT
Rushing: 42 carries, -44 yards, 0 TD
How much of Julian Sayin's production can be attributed to having the nation's most talented wide receiving corps at his disposal?
Regardless of talent level on the outside, it takes a special quarterback to complete 77 percent of his passes in his first year as a starter, and he deservedly finished fourth in 2025 Heisman Trophy balloting.
What's more, Jeremiah Smith is back alongside 5-star freshman Chris Henry Jr., so we don't even need to waste time playing the hypothetical game of what he might be without an elite pass-catching group because he has one around him again.
1. Trinidad Chambliss, Ole Miss
20 of 20
Passing: 294-of-445, 66.1 cmp%, 3,937 yards, 22 TD, 3 INT
Rushing: 133 carries, 527 yards, 8 TD
It was not immediately clear whether Trinidad Chambliss would be taking the field for the 2026 season, but he was ultimately granted a sixth year of eligibility and now stands as one of the Heisman Trophy favorites.
After four years at D-II Ferris State, capped off by a national championship in 2024, Chambliss made the jump to Ole Miss last year. He began the season as backup to Austin Simmons, but got a chance to start in Week 3 against Arkansas and never looked back.
His proven SEC success, ability to extend plays with his legs, strong arm and quick release give him all the necessary tools to be one of the biggest stars of the 2026 college football season.
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