College Football Programs Stockpiling Top QB Recruits
Playing arguably the most pivotal position in sports, quarterbacks routinely prove capable of strengthening or sinking the postseason hopes of college football programs. Inconsistency or injuries under center can derail an offensive attack, establishing significant need for viable depth at quarterback.
The best way to address this department is on the recruiting trail, where premier passers rarely last late into a cycle and can serve as catalysts for their respective classes. Some programs have managed to emerge ahead of others when it comes to creating a competitive, star-studded environment at the position.
In football, the "next man up" philosophy reigns supreme, and it's perhaps best illustrated at quarterback. Eligibility is a ticking clock, putting pressure on young passers to earn starting reps early or risk costly years on the sideline that could eventually result in a transfer elsewhere.
This battle for snaps will be especially compelling on campuses that continue to attract elite quarterback talent. Here's a peek at several programs with positive outlooks at the position for next season and far beyond.
Clemson Tigers
1 of 7
Tigers fans may feel nervous about life after Heisman Trophy contender Deshaun Watson, who is eligible to enter the NFL draft after his junior season. However, head coach Dabo Swinney and company have ensured he won't leave behind a bare cupboard when a professional franchise calls his name.
Clemson collected a pair of blue-chip quarterback commitments during a 48-hour span last December.
Hunter Johnson, an Indiana standout who initially pledged to the Tennessee Volunteers, flipped to the Tigers on Dec. 14. Prized Georgia passer Chase Brice followed with a commitment of his own just two days later.
Both recruits are rated top-20 quarterbacks in the 2017 cycle and competed alongside each other this summer at the Elite 11 Finals in Los Angeles.
"We're both really excited to be part of a great program at Clemson, and I know we'll push each other to become better," Brice told Bleacher Report during Elite 11 action.
Swinney also reached into the Peach State last cycle to sign 4-star quarterback Zerrick Cooper. There may be more good news ahead for the Tigers at quarterback, as No. 1 overall prospect Trevor Lawrence includes Clemson on a small list of contenders.
Considering Clemson's overall level of offensive talent, Watson's replacement will find himself in a great situation for sustained success.
Ohio State Buckeyes
2 of 7
After Ohio State's national championship journey two years ago, no coach understands the importance of a strong quarterback depth chart quite like Buckeyes head coach Urban Meyer. He lost potential Heisman Trophy candidate Braxton Miller before the season, watched J.T. Barrett break out as the Big Ten's most productive player prior to an injury against Michigan and then turned the keys over to Cardale Jones, who helped spearhead a conference title game win and two playoff victories.
While Miller and Jones are both in the NFL, Barrett could continue to carve up collegiate defenses through 2017. There should be an abundance of alternative options when the time comes for him to move on, including impressive redshirt freshman Joe Burrow.
Burrow, a former Mr. Football in Ohio, tossed three touchdowns in the 2016 spring game and will be the most seasoned of Meyer's young pupils, but competition looms large. True freshman Dwayne Haskins, who flipped from Maryland to Ohio State last winter, was a contender for Elite 11 MVP before his final high school season.
Tate Martell, formerly committed to the Washington Huskies and Texas A&M Aggies, joined the Buckeyes' top-ranked 2017 recruiting class in June. He remains unbeaten through three seasons as a stater for Las Vegas powerhouse Bishop Gorman High School and is rated No. 2 overall at the position by Scout.com.
The rich get richer again in 2018, when 4-star Georgia quarterback Emory Jones arrives on campus. The 6'3 ½", 177-pound playmaker projects as one of the most scintillating dual-threat talents in his cycle, and he wrapped up his recruitment early with a July pledge to the Buckeyes.
Alabama Crimson Tide
3 of 7
Alabama offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin has helped collect key quarterback commitments throughout his tenure in Tuscaloosa, gradually leaning toward athletes who can attack opponents with their arm and legs alike.
Southern California 5-star Blake Barnett, the 2014 Elite 11 MVP, signed with Alabama two cycles ago after a stint in Notre Dame's recruiting class. Viewed as a talent who could begin a multiseason run under center this fall, he instead saw true freshman Jalent Hurts rise up to seize starting reps.
Barnett has opted to leave Alabama, but Hurts is hardly alone as a long-term solution for head coach Nick Saban. The Crimson Tide carry two Elite 11 finalists in this recruiting cycle, as Tua Tagovailoa (Hawaii) and Mac Jones (Florida) are both on board.
Tagovailoa, the reigning Elite 11 MVP, is 692 yards shy of becoming his state's all-time high school leader in career passing yards, per Hawaii Prep World. His rushing abilities are also a major asset, while Jones—a former Kentucky Wildcats commit—is more in the mold of a traditional pro-style passer.
"I know Tua pretty well—got to see him throw, and he seemed like a cool kid [at the Elite 11 Finals]," Jones told B/R. "We're completely different players from completely different areas, so it will be interesting to see how this all works out."
Considering Hurts' hot start (10 total touchdowns and just one interception for the nation's No. 1 team), this role could be his through at least 2018. Regardless, Alabama is set to bring in a pair of 2017 recruits capable of pushing him on the practice field and in the film room.
Stanford Cardinal
4 of 7
Annually among the most selective college football programs when it comes to identifying scholarship quarterbacks, Stanford is on a hot streak. The Cardinal have landed a blue-chip prospect in three consecutive cycles, highlighted by top-ranked 2017 recruit Davis Mills.
Mills narrowly missed out on Elite 11 MVP honors, drawing accolades from event counselors as the prospect most likely to become a No. 1 overall NFL draft pick. He follows in the footsteps of fellow U.S. Army All-American K.J. Costello, who opted to stay in his home state by signing with Stanford in February.
Cardinal head coach David Shaw reached across the country to land Mills, a Georgia product, and did so again for his priority 2018 target at the position. Alabama native Jack West, a 4-star 2018 prospect, didn't hesitate to pledge to Stanford this summer.
Stanford beat out the in-state Crimson Tide for his commitment, according to West.
"I think a lot of people knew that [it came down to Alabama and Stanford]," he told Ben Thomas of AL.com. "I respect everyone at the University of Alabama, and everything they've done. I grew up an Alabama fan, went to a lot of games. But I feel like Stanford was just the best fit for me."
As Stanford's nationwide influence on college football recruiting continues to expand, its success at acquiring top-tier quarterbacks provides further evidence.
Georgia Bulldogs
5 of 7
Georgia head coach Kirby Smart and offensive coordinator Jim Chaney inherited a coveted quarterback commitment in Jacob Eason, though it required plenty of effort to keep him on a course for Athens during the final stretch of his recruitment. The SEC rival Florida Gators and his home-state Washington Huskies each made late attempts to flip Eason, but he stuck with his plans to become a Bulldog.
He's made an immediate impression on Georgia's offense, throwing five touchdowns in three conference matchups, including a late game-winner against Missouri. There will be continued bumps in the road for Eason during his first collegiate campaign, but overall, he appears primed to live up to lofty expectations.
There won't be room for him let his foot off the gas pedal, either, as Georgia is set to welcome another 5-star quarterback to campus next year. Jake Fromm, who recently joined Clemson Tigers star Deshaun Watson as the only Peach State players to surpass 11,000 career prep passing yards, followed Smart by flipping from Alabama to Georgia three months after the coaching change.
"Quarterbacks like that open up the offense for everyone," Bulldogs running back commit D'Andre Swift told B/R. "If the defense loads the box, you've got Jacob Eason and Jake Fromm who can do multiple things with the ball. They're so talented. That's a big part of the reason we're so up-and-coming as a program."
Throw in the fact that Georgia is considered a front-runner for No. 1 2018 quarterback recruit Trevor Lawrence, and it's apparent the arrow is pointing up for Chaney's offensive attack. These passers could provide the Bulldogs with years of title contention in Athens.
Michigan Wolverines
6 of 7
Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh once starred under center for the Wolverines, so it's no surprise to see him lure promising passers to Ann Arbor. Now working on his second full-cycle recruiting class at Michigan, he is 2-for-2 in the quarterback department.
Harbaugh signed Brandon Peters last winter, landing a U.S. Army All-American Player of the Year finalist who held several alternative offers within the Big Ten. An athletic 6'4", 209-pound prospect, this Indiana standout identified the minds behind Michigan's game plan as motivation to sign.
"You’re learning from the best with that entire staff," Peters told B/R last December. “Why would you not want to play for Harbaugh?"
Dylan McCaffrey, considered a top-10 quarterback prospect like Peters, became Harbaugh's latest recruiting success at the position in February. The 2017 recruit—son of former Denver Broncos receiver Ed McCaffrey and younger brother of Stanford Cardinal star Christian McCaffrey—elected to end his recruitment early with a Michigan commitment.
McCaffrey has thrown 58 touchdowns and 14 interceptions since the start of his sophomore campaign, per MaxPreps, and he was identified as the competitor with the highest football IQ by Elite 11 counselors during the 2016 finals in Los Angeles.
Harbaugh, who mentored eventual No. 1 overall NFL draft selection Andrew Luck at Stanford, will have an opportunity to mold two of America's most impressive high school quarterbacks into his next star pupils. Expect an eventual competition for starting reps to challenge the mettle of both blue-chip recruits.
Oklahoma Sooners
7 of 7
It's the Baker Mayfield show these days in Norman, Oklahoma, but when this era ends, there is tremendous promise for future offensive fireworks. The Sooners boast a potential bevy of talent under center, including top-10 quarterback prospects in the 2017 (Chris Robison) and 2018 (Cameron Rising) classes.
Robison, a 2016 Elite 11 finalist, flashes some of the finest velocity in this cycle, while Rising threw for 3,213 yards, 41 scores and just one interception as a sophomore last season, per MaxPreps. These young passers will have plenty of work to do if they intend to claim early opportunities.
Oklahoma head coach Bob Stoops welcomed former 5-star quarterback Kyler Murray to campus this past offseason after his transfer from Texas A&M. The Sooners also signed a top-20 passer in the 2016 cycle by luring Austin Kendall away from North Carolina.
Murray is among the most prolific high school players to star in Texas, where he led Allen High School to three consecutive state championships. Kendall collected more than 10,000 yards and 105 touchdowns through the air during his career at Cuthbertson High School, according to MaxPreps.
It could prove challenging for Stoops' staff to appease all these lauded passers on the same roster, but few coaches would consider that a bad problem to encounter.
Tyler Donohue is a National Recruiting Analyst for Bleacher Report. All player ratings are courtesy of Scout.com.
Follow Tyler via Twitter: @TDsTake.
.jpg?w=480 "NFL Draft Football")
.jpg?w=600 "Fans React to Simpson Pick 😱")