College Football: Ranking the 10 Best QBs Who Might Return to School in 2020
Let's pretend that all of the NFL draft-eligible quarterbacks who are contemplating whether to declare will elect to pull a Justin Herbert or Peyton Manning and return for their senior seasons.
If that happens, next year's crop of college quarterbacks arguably will be the best ever.
But how will they rank? Where will a guy like Justin Fields fall in the pecking order? How about one of the fantastic freshmen like Arizona State's Jayden Daniels? If Washington's Jacob Eason comes back, is he even on the list?
Plenty of questions still must be sorted out regarding the 2020 crop of college signal-callers. We patiently await the decisions of Alabama's Tua Tagaovailoa, Georgia's Jake Fromm, Notre Dame's Ian Book and others, and those choices will factor into the rankings.
But until they make their decisions, let's take a look at the top college signal-callers in 2020 based on talent, their supporting casts, their body of work and their potential.
10. Ian Book, Notre Dame Fighting Irish
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On one hand, rising fifth-year Notre Dame senior Ian Book is not an elite passer. On the other, he helped lead the Fighting Irish to the College Football Playoff last year and guided them to another strong season this year.
What is not up for debate is what Notre Dame head coach Kelly wants.
"You know I'm going to recruit him," he told the Indianapolis Star's Mike Berardino. "I want him back. But that's not my decision. I'll certainly recruit him."
Book's return would make the Irish a legitimate playoff contender in 2020. This past year, he threw for 2,792 yards, 33 touchdowns and just six interceptions while adding 537 yards and four touchdowns on the ground.
Book cratered in Notre Dame's loss to Michigan, finishing 8-of-25 for 73 passing yards, but he threw 18 touchdowns to four interceptions in the five ensuing games. However, his completion percentage fell from 68.2 last year to 59.3 this year, as more of the Fighting Irish's offensive load fell on his shoulders.
Book may not have as high of a ceiling as some of the players featured here, but he is an exceptional college quarterback. The NFL should wait as he returns and continues to polish his game.
9. Jake Fromm, Georgia Bulldogs
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Putting a proven star like Georgia's Jake Fromm this low may be controversial, but it's also fair to question just how good he is. He failed to make strides as a junior, although Georgia's young and talented defense carried it to the cusp of the College Football Playoff yet again.
The Bulldogs only needed a competent offense to land in the CFP this year, but that didn't happen with first-year coordinator James Coley calling the plays. If anything, Fromm regressed, which is exactly why he should return for his senior season.
Pro scouts will love Fromm's size and potential, and he may bypass his final year in Athens for the millions he can get in the pros. He looked like a first-round lock for much of the year, but Bleacher Report's Matt Miller no longer has him among his top 50.
As a freshman in 2017, Fromm replaced the injured Jacob Eason and threw for 2,615 yards, 24 touchdowns and seven picks. He followed that up with a fantastic sophomore campaign in which he completed 67.4 percent of his passes for 2,761 yards, 30 touchdowns and six interceptions.
But after offensive coordinator Jim Chaney left for Tennessee and UGA had to replace almost its entire receiving corps, Fromm struggled as a junior. He completed only 60.3 percent of his passes for 2,610 yards, 22 touchdowns and five interceptions.
Against LSU in the conference title game, he finished only 20-of-42 for 225 yards and threw a pair of picks. Against Texas A&M, he had only 163 passing yards. Against Auburn, he threw for 110. Against Kentucky, he threw for 35.
Fromm has a lot of ability, but where is the production? That's why he tumbled down this far.
8. Jayden Daniels, Arizona State Sun Devils
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Arizona State's Jayden Daniels is head coach Herm Edwards' biggest recruiting coup so far during his tenure in Tempe. Daniels started immediately as a true freshman and showed how dynamic he could be, despite enduring some ups and downs throughout the year.
The 6'3", 175-pound dual-threat signal-caller finished the regular season with 2,748 passing yards, 17 touchdowns and only two interceptions while completing 62.3 percent of his passes. He added 319 rushing yards and three touchdowns on the ground.
Those numbers are comparable to Ian Book's production as a redshirt sophomore in 2018, so Daniels should have an extremely bright future if he continues to develop.
In Arizona State's biggest upset of the year, Daniels torched one of the Pac-12's top defenses in a stunning win over Oregon that knocked the Ducks out of the College Football Playoff discussion. He finished with 408 yards and three touchdowns on 22-of-32 passing.
Daniels will miss receiver Brandon Aiyuk, who is leaving a year early for the NFL, but he still has plenty of talent around him. He's only going to get better after spending a year in the system and getting another offseason in the weight room.
Potential is the name of Daniels' game, so expect him to have a monster sophomore season.
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7. Brock Purdy, Iowa State Cyclones
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Iowa State rising junior Brock Purdy doesn't get enough headlines, but he is one of college football's best players.
As a sophomore, Purdy threw for 3,760 yards, 27 touchdowns and nine interceptions while completing 66.3 percent of his passes. He also had 265 rushing yards and eight touchdowns, although he isn't asked to carry the team on the ground the way that Sam Ehlinger does for Texas.
Ehlinger's rushing ability is what separates these two, but Purdy is capable and is a year younger. The 6'1", 210-pound signal-caller doesn't have the size that will make NFL teams drool, so he looks like a four-year player in college.
Although the Cyclones aren't on TV as much as some of the big-name programs, you should do yourself a favor and watch Purdy play. Iowa State is doing things offensively that it never has before, and head coach Matt Campbell had a simple answer when asked why, per The Gazette's Ben Visser.
"Brock Purdy," Campbell said. "That's probably how I'd explain it, really. For us, it's the evolution of a quarterback."
If that evolution continues the way it should, Purdy should surge up these rankings next season.
6. Sam Ehlinger, Texas Longhorns
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Much like Jake Fromm, Texas quarterback Sam Ehlinger didn't have the type of junior season he expected when he entered the year as a Heisman Trophy contender.
But unlike Fromm, Ehlinger's numbers improved. It wasn't his fault that the Longhorns struggled.
After completing 64.7 percent of his passes for 3,292 yards, 25 touchdowns and five interceptions last year, Ehlinger completed 65.1 percent of his passes for 3,462 yards, 29 touchdowns and nine interceptions this season. He also ran for 590 yards and six touchdowns and improved his yards-per-carry average by a full yard.
The 6'3", 230-pound dual-threat signal-caller grew up as a Texas fan, and he would love nothing more than to help turn the program back around before he leaves. Don't be surprised if his final season in Austin is even bigger as a result.
It would have been fun to see him learn under USC offensive coordinator Graham Harrell, but head coach Tom Herman couldn't quite convince Harrell to head back to the Lone Star State. Texas' search for a new offensive coordinator thus continues, and who it yields could determine how much Ehlinger rises here.
Ohio State passing game coordinator Mike Yurcich is the leading candidate to take over, according to Chip Brown of Horns247.com, and he would be a great fit with Ehlinger's talent. Either way, it's going to be fun to watch Ehlinger play with a chip on his shoulder next year.
5. D'Eriq King, Houston Cougars
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D'Eriq King's decision to redshirt after playing four games with the Houston Cougars was one of the biggest disappointments of the 2019 season. While he's still on the team for now, it bears watching what happens moving forward.
If the electrifying King stays with the Cougars, head coach Dana Holgorsen will try to marry his high-flying passing style to King's dual-threat abilities. If King decides to enter the transfer portal and a team like LSU, Georgia or Oklahoma is in the market, how would that change the college landscape?
King is college football's biggest potential free agent right now, and everyone is waiting to see what happens.
"Chatter hasn't died down behind the scenes about King's future despite King's verbal declaration earlier this year that he plans to return," 247Sports' Chris Hummer wrote. "King opted to redshirt after four games this season, preserving his final season of eligibility."
As Hummer noted, King is one of only three FBS players ever to throw 35 touchdown passes and run for 13 or more in a season. He'll be the biggest dual-threat difference-maker in college football next year regardless of where he ends up.
King could instead head to the NFL, although that isn't being discussed much as a possibility. He also could stick with Holgorsen.
We're all wondering what's going to happen, which affects his status here. But he's a legitimate front-runner for the best quarterback in college if he's back with an offensive coordinator committed to using his talent the right way.
4. Kedon Slovis, USC Trojans
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When J.T. Daniels went down with a season-ending injury in the season opener this year, it seemed as though USC was doomed and head coach Clay Helton's tenure would be over.
Kedon Slovis had something to say about that.
The 3-star recruit from Arizona stepped in for Daniels and proved the Trojans were his team moving forward.
As a true freshman, the 6'2", 200-pounder was eighth nationally in yards per game (294.7). He finished the year completing 71.8 percent of his passes for 3,242 yards, 28 touchdowns and nine interceptions.
Even more impressive than his stats was his moxie.
Slovis has the type of short-term memory every team wants in a signal-caller. He quickly erases the frustration from turning the ball over and meshes well with offensive coordinator Graham Harrell.
Despite a dreadful 2020 recruiting class, the Trojans have a stable full of offensive playmakers that will grow even more when receiver Bru McCoy is healthy enough to be on the field. With so many weapons around him, Slovis should have no problem posting big numbers.
Slovis is already the next great Trojans quarterback, and he holds the key to this coaching regime's success or failure. It's going to be fun watching him grow and learn.
3. Tua Tagovailoa, Alabama Crimson Tide
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Tua Tagovailoa may not be truly appreciated until after he leaves because he doesn't yet have the individual accolades to show for his troubles. But when you look at his body of work, he has an argument as the best quarterback in college football.
However, there's no telling when he'll be completely healthy after the gruesome hip injury he suffered against Mississippi State. There's also no guarantee that he'll will be back on the gridiron next year, whether that's for Alabama or an NFL team.
Tagovailoa hasn't made his draft decision yet, and his choice will reverberate across college football. The Crimson Tide could also be without receivers Jerry Jeudy, DeVonta Smith and Henry Ruggs III, all of whom could bypass their remaining time in Tuscaloosa to turn pro.
But if Tagovailoa returns for his senior season and is fully healthy, he's going to post outrageous numbers.
He started his career two years ago backing up Jalen Hurts, but he came off the bench to lead the Crimson Tide to a national title win over Georgia. As a sophomore, he threw for 3,966 yards, 43 touchdowns and six interceptions and finished as the runner-up to Oklahoma's Kyler Murray in the Heisman Trophy race.
This season, Tagovailoa was on a torrid pace again before injuries hampered him. He suffered an ankle injury against Tennessee that kept him out for the second half against the Vols and for the entire Arkansas game. Against Mississippi State, he played for too long in a blowout and got hurt.
Tagovailoa still threw for 2,840 yards with 33 touchdowns and three interceptions in basically eight full games. If he returns to college in 2020 and isn't hampered by his hip injury, he'll be among the best quarterbacks in the nation.
2. Trevor Lawrence, Clemson Tigers
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Clemson's Trevor Lawrence is perhaps the best dropback passer in college football in at least a decade.
As a freshman in 2018, he unseated Kelly Bryant and completed 65.2 percent of his passes for 3,280 yards, 30 touchdowns and four interceptions while guiding Clemson to an undefeated season and a win over Alabama in the CFP National Championship.
His encore as a sophomore didn't go quite as anticipated.
Lawrence sputtered through the beginning of the season as the Tigers scuffled through a difficult first few games. He turned the ball over too many times, and the Clemson offense was nowhere near as dominant as it was in 2018.
That changed in a hurry.
Following a 45-10 win over Louisville during which he threw a pair of picks, Lawrence caught fire. In wins over Boston College, Wofford, North Carolina State, Wake Forest, South Carolina and Virginia, he threw 20 touchdowns and no interceptions.
Lawrence finished the season completing 68.8 percent of his passes for 3,172 yards, 34 touchdowns and eight interceptions. Although those are amazing numbers, they aren't as good as the top-ranked player here.
Lawrence and Justin Fields, our No. 1 quarterback here, were compared to each other throughout their high school careers in Georgia. While Lawrence was the top-ranked pro-style passer and the No. 1 overall player, Fields was the No. 1 dual-threat quarterback and No. 2 overall player.
Both guys have lived up to expectations, and they should be the two front-runners for the Heisman Trophy next year. But before that, they each have a national title on the line.
1. Justin Fields, Ohio State Buckeyes
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Ohio State's Justin Fields is an elite, dual-threat force who burst onto the scene with the Buckeyes after transferring from Georgia. He helped transform the Buckeyes into a formidable force that could win the national championship this year.
The top three quarterbacks featured here could be ranked in any way, and you wouldn't necessarily be wrong. But considering Fields was a finalist for the Heisman Trophy and the other two weren't, he has a legitimate argument as the best quarterback returning to college in 2020.
When you look at everything Fields accomplished, factor in the tougher competition he faced compared to Tagovailoa or Lawrence and how he still posted better numbers than either, he has to be ranked here. He's also guaranteed to play at least one more year in college.
In his first full year as a starter, Fields completed 67.5 percent of his passes for 2,953 yards, 40 touchdowns and one interception. He added 471 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns, and even though the Buckeyes didn't call on him to do much on the ground, he can change the game with his wheels.
Ohio State's offense figured to decline once Dwayne Haskins headed to the NFL, but Fields showed everybody why he was a 5-star prospect and why he believed he should have been starting for Kirby Smart's Bulldogs.
Considering Fields was learning an offense for the first time, had to basically learn on the fly and also was experiencing new surroundings after a year in the SEC, what he accomplished was even more remarkable.
Fields might not be the best passer featured here, but he's perhaps the best all-around quarterback when you factor in the number of ways he can take over a game. He likely has a Heisman Trophy in him before his career is over.
All recruiting rankings via 247Sports.
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