True Freshman QBs Who Could Start Week 1 in 2021

A lack of true, full spring practice for most college football programs robbed us of a youth movement at the quarterback position in 2020. A terrific class of signal-callers saw spotty service with very little stardom.

It was a break from the norms of the past few years.

Despite the quarterback position being veteran-heavy across the nation, there were still flashes of brilliance from young options.

Clemson backup D.J. Uiagalelei showed star potential with Trevor Lawrence sidelined by COVID-19. The LSU duo of TJ Finley and Max Johnson had some exciting moments that should get Bayou Bengals fans excited about the future.

Georgia Tech's Jeff Sims, Mississippi State's Will Rogers, Kansas State's Will Howard, Washington State's Jayden de Laura, Tennessee's Harrison Bailey, Florida State's Chubba Purdy and Vanderbilt's Ken Seals had moments, too.

But there could be a fresher flavor at the position in 2021. In some cases, it's a matter of opportunity meeting ability. In others, premier talent will be too tough to keep off the field, so prospects will press their way into action, especially if they enroll early.

The key to it all is whether the coronavirus pandemic allows us to have a true spring practice session across the country. If it does, look for a terrific quarterback class to make its presence known on the college gridiron in 2021, ranging from championship contenders to programs in need of a jump-start.

These are the top candidates who have the potential to seize the starting quarterback gig for their program in Week 1 of the 2021 season.

Tyler Buchner, Notre Dame Fighting Irish

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There are several long shots on this list, and one of them is Tyler Buchner, who is talented enough to step right in and move to the top of the Notre Dame quarterback pecking order, even after a College Football Playoff appearance.

The 6'2", 205-pound dual-threat signal-caller from La Jolla, California, is one of the most talented players at his position in the class, and he has a similar skill set as Ian Book, only with more speed. Greg Biggins of 247Sports discussed his fiery demeanor in his evaluation.

Behind Book, the Irish have a couple of talented options under center in Brendon Clark and Drew Pyne, who took turns backing up the star quarterback this year. Pyne, in particular, will try to transition from top prospect to starter for an elite program.

But Buchner could be too electric to keep off the field.

With head coach Brian Kelly and offensive coordinator Tommy Rees developing him, Buchner could have enough raw ability to make it while freestyling at the position until he knows the offense inside and out. He is an intelligent competitor, and those traits will help him win the job.

The wild card in all of this, however, is Book's potential return to South Bend, Indiana. Yes, this is already an extra year, but he has developed tremendously. Though he's improved his stock, he's still no lock to get drafted.

It may seem odd for Book to return for a sixth season and a fifth as the Irish's full-time starter, but with college football waiving all eligibility for the 2020 season, it's certainly possible.

If that's the case, Buchner and everybody else will be waiting their turn. But if Book bolts, Buchner has the sheer athletic ability to make things interesting once he arrives on campus.

Peter Costelli, Utah Utes

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The transfer portal has proved time and again that inserting a quality quarterback can be a quick fix for a team in need of a turnaround. 

The Utah Utes were one such beneficiary in 2020 when South Carolina transfer Jake Bentley wound up the starter. But according to the Salt Lake Tribune's Josh Newman, he entered the portal again and will play his extra year at another program. 

The logical player to take over would be Cameron Rising, who actually beat out Bentley but was lost for the season due to a shoulder injury. He will be the overwhelming favorite to win the job for head coach Kyle Whittingham again.

Offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig is bringing in a standout high school player who could make things interesting, though.

Peter Costelli of Mission Viejo, California, is a 6'3", 205-pound dual-threat quarterback, as well as a 4-star prospect and one of the nation's top 250 players. He had offers from Arizona, Arkansas, Cal, LSU, Michigan State, Nebraska and others.

A terrific athlete, Costelli has a huge arm and can make all the throws. His film shows the ability to put a lot of touch on his passes or zip them in there, and he could wind up being a star in Salt Lake City. It would not be surprising if that happened right away, too.

Rising is a good talent who could do things under Whittingham, and his knowledge of the system will give him an upper hand. But the incoming freshman is one of the most talented signal-callers the program has signed since Alex Smith.

He's a big-time prospect who could make the Utes a contender again soon. Whittingham could roll the dice and gamble on it happening right away in 2021.

Sam Huard, Washington Huskies

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The Washington Huskies have done a terrific job recruiting quarterbacks over the past few years, but they have struggled to find a capable playmaker since the Jake Browning era ended.

Dylan Morris did nothing to inspire confidence that he is the next big thing in Seattle, but he certainly has talent, as does sophomore Jacob Sirmon.

Head coach Jimmy Lake didn't put together an outstanding 2021 recruiting class—at least not yet. But the best player, by far, is 5-star signal-caller Sam Huard, who may be the best quarterback brought into the program in years.

The son of former Husky and NFL quarterback Damon Huard and the nephew of former Washington great Brock Huard, he's a 6'2", 190-pound can't-miss player at the next level. He's also the top-ranked pro-style passer in the country, according to 247Sports' composite rankings.

The Bellevue, Washington, native could have gone anywhere, but he decided to stay home and play for the program that has been part of the family for years.

The best part of the younger Huard's game is his quick release, and he can throw to all parts of the field. He is quite intelligent and grew up around the game, and he's as close to a dropback NFL talent as there is in this entire class.

While Huard could stand to get in the weight room and pack on some muscle, he is simply too good not to factor into the equation. Washington's quarterback competition could come down to Huard and Morris in 2021.

The Huard era may be close to lifting off, and he is good enough to bring the Huskies back to the forefront of the Pac-12 North. 

Riley Leonard, Duke Blue Devils

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David Cutcliffe could be known as the "Quarterback Whisperer" given his past work with the Manning brothers and Daniel Jones, among others. 

But it's not always easy luring top signal-callers to Duke, where he's entrenched as the head coach.

He wasn't able to turn around Chase Brice's career after Trevor Lawrence's former backup transferred from Clemson to Durham. As Duke's primary starter in 2020, Brice threw 10 touchdowns and 15 interceptions and is again on the move, this time to Appalachian State to finish his career.

That leaves Cutcliffe in need of a starting quarterback, and while Gunnar Holmberg and Luca Diamont are the expected front-runners unless he lands another transfer, one of the two incoming freshmen he recruited could have an impact on that race.

Neither Alabama's Riley Leonard nor Maryland's Jordan Moore is a definite future star, but they both have skills for Cutcliffe to develop. The former is an especially intriguing prospect who could turn into an SEC country jewel.

Neither Alabama nor Auburn recruited the Fairhope, Alabama, product, but the 6'4", 203-pound multisport athlete—he's also a standout basketball player—had some nice offers from Lane Kiffin's Ole Miss Rebels and Scott Frost's Nebraska Cornhuskers.

He doesn't have the best arm, but Leonard has great athleticism and the savvy to step up in the pocket and find receivers. It would probably be best for him to develop for a year or more as a developmental-type player, but he has the kind of talent and intelligence Cutcliffe loves.

When you throw in his ability to extend plays by rolling the pocket and gaining yards on the ground, there are a lot of reasons to love Leonard's upside. Diamont should be the favorite to start for the Blue Devils next year, but Leonard could be a wild card.

J.J. McCarthy, Michigan Wolverines

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Jim Harbaugh is on shaky ground in Ann Arbor (if he doesn't wind up in the NFL), so it would be a huge gamble for him to start a true freshman in 2021.

He probably won't, but one of the Wolverines' biggest prizes in the 2021 class could make it a tough call.

Cade McNamara is the overwhelming favorite heading into spring practice, especially given how he looked on a bad team in need of a spark after Joe Milton's struggles early in the season. Both have a ton of talent, interesting skill sets and youth on their side.

But Harbaugh went out and snagged 5-star J.J. McCarthy of IMG Academy in this year's recruiting class, giving the Wolverines one of the two best pure-passing quarterbacks in the class. McCarthy is the nation's No. 22 overall prospect and the second-rated pro-style quarterback behind Sam Huard.

Perhaps most importantly, IMG Academy is the nation's best high school football program, so McCarthy has played both with the country's top talents and against some of the others. 

"He's a playmaker," Harbaugh told In the Trenches' Jon Jansen (h/t MLive.com's Aaron McMann). "He's a very exciting player. A competitor. The first thing that I really liked about him—his sophomore year, he played in the state championship game and had a broken bone in his left hand. Hockey player, [too]. [I thought], 'Here's a tough kid.'"

McCarthy originally hails from Big Ten country in La Grange Park, Illinois, and the 6'3", 190-pound signal-caller has proved he can make all the throws.

McNamara and Milton will have a major say in the quarterback race, but this article is about true freshmen who could step in and start immediately. Don't turn your back on McCarthy's ability to win this wide-open race.

Clay Millen, Arizona Wildcats

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After he took over for ousted head coach Kevin Sumlin, the No. 1 priority for new Arizona head coach Jedd Fisch needs to be hanging onto Clay Millen.

Given his upside and family history, the Snoqualmie, Washington, signal-caller could be a major first step in helping the Wildcats move on from a rocky past few seasons, especially considering talented underclassman Grant Gunnell left the program and transferred to Memphis.

Fisch needs a centerpiece for his program, and Millen has to be excited about being molded by the former Michigan and UCLA assistant who was the New England Patriots quarterbacks coach this season.

"I know he's been at Michigan, UCLA, and he's run a pro-style system," Millen told Wildcat Authority's Jason Scheer. "He's been at the Rams, which means he's been exposed to Sean McVay's offense, and he was with the Seahawks when he was young, so that must mean he has a sharp mind. Other than that, I'm just learning."

Clay is the son of former quarterback Hugh Millen, who played for the Washington Huskies before heading to the NFL. His older brother, Cale, is an underclassman at Oregon who will be in the mix for the Ducks' starting job before his career is over.

If Clay heads to Tucson, he may be hard to beat out. At the very least, he's going to be firmly in the mix to win the starting gig right away. He's talented, and there aren't a lot of better options on campus.

Freshman Will Plummer has a lot of talent and was an Elite 11 participant from Gilbert, Arizona. With a year in the program, he is equipped to win the job, but he will be trying to impress a new staff, too.

Kevin Doyle is also returning to Arizona, presumably giving the Wildcats three scholarship quarterbacks. But Millen has to sign with the Wildcats to be in the mix. He is committed and has not shown any real desire to change that decision, but he needs to develop a relationship with the new head coach.

That has to be high on Fisch's list.

Sawyer Robertson, Mississippi State Bulldogs

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After a rousing season-opening win over LSU, it was a forgettable first year in Starkville for head coach Mike Leach, who left Washington State to try to rebuild the Bulldogs.

Along the way, they benched Stanford transfer K.J. Costello in favor of true freshman Will Rogers, who showed glimpses of positive play on his way to 10 touchdown passes and seven interceptions. Though that's too many turnovers, he was nowhere near as adept at giving the ball away as Costello (six touchdowns, 11 interceptions).

Leach now has almost a full year with his new program, and though there were plenty of ups and downs in his first MSU recruiting class, getting Sawyer Robertson to sign was a major victory. 

The 6'3.5", 200-pound Lubbock, Texas, native hails from Leach's old stomping grounds near Texas Tech, so it was a big victory to get a 4-star prospect who is the class' No. 134 overall player.

Though Rogers has some upside, Robertson should be the quarterback of the future in Starkville. It's hard to envision Leach coming to a place where he can lure top talent and electing to go with a quarterback who was recruited to play under former head coach Joe Moorhead.

Robertson has a bit of a funky, baseball-like delivery with the football, and he is far from mobile, but he can make all the throws and possesses a frame that can easily add another 30 pounds. He is a definite long-term starter for the Bulldogs, and it's not out of the question that he beats out Rogers for the job in 2021.

In the past, Leach has resorted to fitting a project-type quarterback into the Air Raid system. With Robertson, he has a pure dropback passer who can sling it around in a pass-first offense.

He's the future at MSU.

Kaidon Salter, Tennessee Volunteers

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The 2020 partial season was eraser-worthy for the Tennessee Vols, especially after they reeled off six wins to close last year and started 2-0.

Head coach Jeremy Pruitt's program wound up 3-7 with myriad issues all over the field, most notably at quarterback, where Jarrett Guarantano's forgettable career finally came to an end after another unproductive season. He is transferring out of the program and has played his final down at UT.

So has promising redshirt sophomore JT Shrout, who split time with true freshman and former top prospect Harrison Bailey in the last third of the season.

That leaves just Bailey and Brian Maurer as scholarship options, which almost guarantees Pruitt (or another coach if UT elects to part ways) will try to grab a graduate transfer who can help refill the quarterback room right away.

One certainty to battle Bailey for the starting job is 4-star signal-caller Kaidon Salter, a Cedar Hill, Texas, native who was the nation's No. 157 overall player in 247Sports' composite rankings and No. 46 on 247Sports' standalone rankings.

The dual-threat signal-caller won the Texas High School Quarterback of the Year award while leading powerhouse Cedar Hill to a state title. He has elite athleticism and a strong arm and could be the future in Knoxville. His mobility is especially intriguing considering UT's recent offensive line woes.

Salter would give Tennessee the type of mobile presence in the pocket it hasn't had since Joshua Dobbs graduated, and he is also a winner with a big arm and an intriguing skill set.

Gabe Brooks of 247Sports calls Salter "dynamic" with a "loose, live arm to all levels," as well as a "natural playmaker with a feel for the game." That is something Tennessee has lacked at the position for years, and while Bailey has a promising future, he is statuesque in the pocket.

Throwing Salter into the mix will provide a varying set of skills in the quarterback room, and it will also give the Vols a much-needed injection of athleticism. He could win the job right away.

Preston Stone, SMU Mustangs

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When SMU shockingly landed Preston Stone of Parish Episcopal School in Dallas, Texas, he became the heir apparent to Shane Buechele. The 6'2", 205-pound signal-caller is staying home to play college football despite receiving offers from top programs such as Alabama, Auburn, LSU, Notre Dame, Ohio State and Penn State.

With Buechele now heading to the NFL, the path is clear for him to run Sonny Dykes' offense. 

But the Dallas high school legend who set the city record in career passing yards this year (breaking current USC offensive coordinator Graham Harrell's mark, according to the Dallas Morning News' Greg Riddle) is going to be a big fish in a small pond.

Stone was intrigued by Dykes' development of current Los Angeles Rams quarterback Jared Goff, who played for the head coach when he was with the California Bears. Now, Buechele will get a pro opportunity, so Stone has seen everything he needed to see from the American Athletic Conference program.

Goff also started as a true freshman, which Dykes noted, per Pony Stampede's Billy Embody:

"I think that will give him an opportunity to probably play faster than your typical freshman quarterback. Jared Goff did the same thing at Cal. Came in and really that first spring he was about our fourth-string quarterback and about a week into fall camp he was the third-string guy and about two weeks in he was the second-string guy and about two weeks out from the first game, he wins the starting job and goes on and becomes the first pick in the NFL draft."

Stone is an accurate passer who has played in a similar offense in high school, excels in the short-to-intermediate passing game and is smart enough to step right in and lead Dykes' offense.

Of all the players on this list, he seems the surest bet to be a Game 1 starter.

Eli Stowers, Texas A&M Aggies

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With talented freshmen Haynes King and Zach Calzada already in College Station, the player who may replace Kellen Mond after he likely departs for the NFL draft this year could very well be on campus.

Both players have high upside, and King, especially, has a good bit of talent and athleticism that should make him a moldable prospect for head coach Jimbo Fisher.

But the Aggies continue to build a stable of talented signal-callers, and Eli Stowers, coming in as part of the 2021 class, may be the most athletic of them all.

King is savvy and athletic and does enough good things to have a leg up in the competition. But Stowers is a 6'4", 215-pound athlete from Denton, Texas, who has the height to be a dropback passer but is also mobile and has the long strides necessary to take the ball to the end zone once he tucks and runs.

There's a reason he was the No. 166 overall player in the country and coveted by many of the top programs. But he committed to A&M way back in July 2019, and he stayed firm to Fisher despite overtures from other programs.

Stowers' past two seasons have been cut short by injuries, but that shouldn't hold him back, according to those who know him.

"A lot of guys have everything you talk about, but you can still lack the 'it' factor," Stowers' high school offensive coordinator, Jordan Johnson, told the Denton Record-Chronicle's Reece Waddell. "And for him, it's the 'it' factor. It is something you can't really put your finger on, but when he addresses the huddle, I think guys recognize it, too. That confidence he has just seeps throughout the rest of the unit."

Out of all the elite quarterback prospects in the state, Stowers may be the most physically gifted.

Ty Thompson, Oregon Ducks

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Quite a few players on this list have a puncher's chance to start for their respective teams in their first games as true freshmen, and a few others are long shots.

Ty Thompson falls somewhere in the middle.

Few talents are more electric than the 6'4", 215-pound signal-caller from Gilbert, Arizona, who marks yet another huge recruiting win for Mario Cristobal in Pac-12 country.

Perhaps only Caleb Williams has a more well-rounded skill set, and while he could shock everybody and start right away at Oklahoma, it's going to be hard to unseat Spencer Rattler, who grew as a redshirt freshman this year and looks like the next star signal-caller in Norman.

The Ducks don't have such an option.

They upset USC in the Pac-12 Championship game but have a so-so 4-2 record heading into the Fiesta Bowl against Iowa State. Quarterback Tyler Shough did an adequate job replacing Justin Herbert, but he's not a lock to start in 2021.

As a matter of fact, Boston College transfer Anthony Brown has gotten reps lately, and the freshman duo of Jay Butterfield and Robby Ashford, along with Cale Millen, could contend for the job, too. But Thompson is more talented than any of the aforementioned options. 

Thompson has one of the biggest arms in the entire class and can straight-up sling a football anywhere on the field. He also can put touch on the ball, and though he isn't the most mobile quarterback, he isn't a hindrance athletically. 

With both Shough and Brown possibly returning and Butterfield generating some excitement, Thompson's path to the starting job is tough because of the sheer depth at the position.

But nobody has seized the gig yet, which makes it possible for him to do so if he gets a fair shake.

Brock Vandagriff, Georgia Bulldogs

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Brock Vandagriff, who was once committed to the Oklahoma Sooners but backed off that pledge to sign with the Georgia Bulldogs, is undoubtedly one of the most talented quarterbacks on this list.

He may be able to step right in and start as a true freshman, but that will only be the case if JT Daniels decides to enter the NFL draft after a strong final third of the season in Athens.

The former 5-star prospect and USC starter transferred to Georgia and waited much of the year while getting his knee healthy before stepping in and transforming a stagnant UGA offense.

If he returns for another season, Daniels could contend for a Heisman Trophy and have Georgia in the national title picture. If he leaves, UGA will need a playmaker at quarterback. Stetson Bennett probably isn't the long-term answer, and while Carson Beck is a nice prospect, he doesn't have Vandagriff's upside.

Another asterisk is how quickly Vandagriff returns to full strength after he played his final 10 high school games on a torn PCL ligament that will require surgery, according to the Athens Banner-Herald's Ryne Dennis. He expects to return by spring practice.

The 6'3", 205-pound 5-star prospect from Bogart, Georgia, has elite athleticism and is a fluid passer who can get rid of the ball quickly, tuck and run when needed and make a lot of accurate throws, especially in the short and intermediate passing game. His deep ball needs work, but he has time to develop that.

Vandagriff is the ideal playmaker for the position and could excel in an offense that needs the quarterback to be a difference-maker as the Dawgs try to get back on top in the SEC East. 

There's a reason most of the top programs in the nation wanted him. Vandagriff already has a college body, ideal athleticism and enough arm strength to battle for the starting job if Daniels heads to the pros.

He's the future at the position for UGA and a can't-miss player.

All stats courtesy of CFBStats.com and Sports Reference. Recruiting rankings via 247Sports' composite rankings unless otherwise noted.

Follow Brad Shepard on Twitter at @Brad_Shepard.