How will the latest Heisman Trophy winning quarterback wear the label of No. 1?
Sporting News' annual top 25 quarterback rankings traditionally opens with the Heisman winner, and this year is no exception. USC's Caleb Williams is the top quarterback. We had Williams at No. 3 to start last season behind Bryce Young and C.J. Stroud – who went on to be the top two picks in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Who will challenge Williams for the top spot? North Carolina's Drake Maye and Washington's Michael Penix Jr. are among the challengers, and there are always a few breakout performers.
How much does the portal impact our list? A total of 11 quarterbacks on this list have transferred at least once, and that includes a pair of first-year transfers in Notre Dame's Sam Hartman and Kentucky's Devin Leary.
This list is sure to generate a few conversations, but the ones at the top start with Williams. Now, a look at our rankings:
POST-SPRING QB SITUATIONS: ACC | Big Ten | Big 12 | Pac-12 | SEC
Just missed: Dante Moore, Shedeur Sanders, Conner Weigman, Drew Allar, Jayden de Laura
Top 25 college QBs for 2023
25. Cade Klubnik, Clemson
2022 stats: 697 yards, 61%, 2 TDs, 3 INTs
Klubnik replaced DJ Uiagalelei in the ACC championship game and took the starting job for good in the Orange Bowl. That two-game sample showed flashes of the five-star's talent, and he'll need to improve in the intermediate and deep passing game. Clemson hired TCU offensive coordinator Garrett Riley – and that should help energize a Tigers' program that is accustomed to elite quarterback play. Texas A&M's Connor Weigman also could have fit in this spot, but we'll stick with Klubnik for now.
24. Michael Pratt, Tulane
2022 stats: 3,010 yards, 63.6%, 27 TDs, 5 INTs
Pratt opted to stay in school after leading the Green Wave to a thrilling 46-45 win in the Cotton Bowl Classic last season. Pratt combined efficiency in the passing game with 478 rushing yards and 10 TDs. Pratt's 394-yard, four-TD performance in the American Athletic Championship game was arguably his finest performance. At 6-foot-2, 210 pounds, Pratt is attracting NFL Draft buzz for next season. Quarterbacks coach Slade Nagle was promoted to offensive coordinator in the offseason, and that should lead to similar production in 2023.
23. Kyle McCord, Ohio State
2022 stats: 190 yards, 80%, 1 TD, 0 INTs
Standards are high at Ohio State given the last three quarterbacks – Dwayne Haskins, Justin Fields and C.J. Stroud – were Heisman Trophy finalists. McCord still has to win the starting job in fall camp; a battle that will continue with Devin Brown. If McCord wins, however, he will be reunited with high school teammate Marvin Harrison Jr. on what should be one of the nation's best offenses. It's a limited sample, but McCord has a 70.7% completion percentage.
22. Frank Harris, UTSA
2022 stats: 4,063 yards, 69.6%, 32 TDs, 9 INTs
Harris has been a hit for most of the last three seasons with Jeff Traylor in UTSA's offense. Harris has 61 TD passes and just 21 interceptions the last three seasons, and he averages 565 rushing yards and eight TDs in that stretch. Harris has led the Roadrunners to back-to-back Conference-USA championships, and his return makes UTSA a legit New Year's Day Six buster.
21. Taulia Tagovailoa, Maryland
2022 Stats: 3,008 yards, 67%, 18 TDs, 8 INTs
Tagovailoa returns for another year with the Terps, and he's made 29 starts the last three seasons. Tagovailoa's passing totals dipped last season. He's averaged 3,434 yards, 22 TDs and nine interceptions the last two years. However, and an encouraging stretch against Ohio State and in the Mayo Bowl against NC State showed potential for more in 2023. Tagovailoa was 1-3 with four TDs and four interceptions against ranked teams last season. Will he score a signature victory against the Big Ten East powerhouses?
20. Will Rogers, Mississippi State
2022 stats: 3,974 yards, 68%, 35 TDs, 8 INTs
Rogers has 10,869 career passing yards and will have a chance to make the career record in the SEC, but new coach Zach Arnett is transitioning from the "Air Raid" offense. Rogers' experience will be a key to making that happen, and his decision making the last two seasons has come with 71 TDs and 17 interceptions. Rogers makes this list for the second straight season as a result.
19. Riley Leonard, Duke
2022 stats: 2,967 yards, 63.8%, 20 TDs, 6 INTs
Leonard – a 6-foot-4, 205-pound junior – emerged as a dual-threat quarterback for the Blue Devils in 2022. He had three 300-yard passing games and eight games with at least 50 yards rushing. He had 245 passing yards and 130 rushing yards in the 31-20 loss to rival North Carolina. He maintained a strong 63.8% completion percentage, and Duke won five of their last six games. Leonard had 11 TDs and one interception in that stretch
18. Devin Leary, Kentucky
2022 stats: 1,265 yards, 61.1%, 11 TDs, 4 INTs
Which Leary is Kentucky getting? The one that passed for 35 TDs and five interceptions at NC State in 2021 and was a game-changer for the Wolfpack? Or the inconsistent quarterback who dealt with injuries last season? It's a clean slate as Will Levis' successor, and Leary should benefit with the return of offensive coordinator Liam Coen. According to Pro Football Focus, Leary owns a 43.6% completion percentage with 18 TDs and four interceptions on passes of 20 yards or more through the ups and downs the last two years.
17. Carson Beck, Georgia
2022 stats: 310 yards, 71.4%, 4 TDs, 0 INTs
Beck is the projected replacement for two-time national champion Stetson Bennett, who mastered high-efficiency, mistake-free football the last two seasons. Georgia does have a familiar new offensive coordinator in Mike Bobo. Beck fits the system well and has three years of experience as a backup. He impressed in the spring game by finishing 13 of 18 for 211 yards and a touchdown. Bennett was an out-of-nowhere Heisman finalist last season. Given the Bulldogs will be in the national championship, that's not an unrealistic expectation for Beck.
MORE: Dylan Raiola, No. 1 QB in class of 2024, commits to Georgia
16. Joe Milton, Tennessee
2022 stats: 971 yards, 64.6%, 10 TDs, 0 INTs
Milton is the quarterback with the most upside on this list given it's his turn in Josh Heupel's quarterback-friendly offense. Milton's 251-yard, three-TD performance in the Orange Bowl victory against Clemson was an eye opener. It's a short sample, but the strong-armed quarterback was 14 of 29 with eight TDs and no interceptions on throws of 20 yards or more last season. If Milton can maintain that accuracy – and that's the question – then Milton will be in the Heisman Trophy conversation.
15. K.J. Jefferson, Arkansas
2022 stats: 2,648 yards, 68%, 24 TDs, 5 INTs
Arkansas coach Sam Pittman has done an excellent job of utilizing Jefferson's talents the last two seasons. Jefferson has 48 TDs and 10 interceptions, and he's averaged 657 rushing yards in that stretch. The Razorbacks have a new offensive coordinator in Dan Enos, and Jefferson did suffer a shoulder injury last season. Arkansas was 2-2 against ranked teams last season, and Jefferson had 11 TDs and two interceptions in those games. That veteran presence matters.
14. Grayson McCall, Coastal Carolina
2022 stats: 2,700 yards, 69.4%, 24 TDs, 2 INTs
McCall is on this list for a third consecutive year, and he'll get a new perspective from first-year coach Tim Beck. McCall's incredible career ratio of 78 TD passes to eight interceptions sticks out, and he has a 70.6% completion percentage. McCall is 29-4 as a starter and he's been a program icon for the Chanticleers. The last ride features what should be a fun opener against UCLA. Enjoy this Sun Belt success story.
13. Jalon Daniels, Kansas
2022 stats: 2,014 yards, 66.1%, 18 TDs, 4 INTs
Daniels led Kansas to a 5-0 start last season before suffering a shoulder in the first half against TCU. He enjoyed an incredible three-game stretch against West Virginia, Houston and Duke where he averaged 233.7 passing yards and 99 rushing yards with 13 total TDs. Daniels closed the season with a remarkable five-TD performance in the Liberty Bowl against Arkansas. He's bringing Lance Leipold's vision to life at Kansas in real time.
12. Dillon Gabriel, Oklahoma
2022 stats: 3,168 yards, 62.7%, 25 TDs, 6 INTs
Gabriel has bounced around this list the last three seasons between stints at UCF and Oklahoma, but there is no question the veteran quarterback is a playmaker when healthy. Gabriel's season was sidetracked by a head injury that kept him out of the Red River Rivalry matchup with Texas, but he closed the season with a three-game stretch where he averaged 317 passing yards per game. Gabriel is a sleeper on a Sooners' team that has bounce-back appeal.
11. Spencer Rattler, South Carolina
2022 stats: 3,026 yards, 66.2%, 18 TDs, 12 INTs
Rattler was No. 1 on this list heading into the 2021 season. It's been an up-and-down journey from Oklahoma to South Carolina since, but he's still 23-7 as a starter heading into his senior year with the Gamecocks. Rattler settled in at South Carolina in the second half of the season – and he had 348 passing yards per game with 10 TDs and three interceptions against Tennessee, Clemson and Notre Dame. Look for Rattler to build on that – especially if he can reduce that interception total in 2023.
10. Sam Hartman, Notre Dame
2022 stats: 3,701 yards, 63.1%, 38 TDs, 12 INTs
It wasn't long ago – 2020 to be exact – when former Notre Dame quarterback Ian Book was ranked No. 5 on this list. Book led the Irish to the CFP that season. Hartman – a Wake Forest transfer with a 27-18 record as a starter – will be counted on to do the game. He threw for an ACC-record 110 TD passes with the Demon Deacons, and he's going to give the Irish the ability to stretch the field more in the vertical passing game. The best part? Hartman threw just 41 interceptions on 944 attempts. He's the prize of the 2023 transfer quarterbacks.
9. Quinn Ewers, Texas
2022 stats: 2,177 yards, 58.1%, 15 TDs, 6 INTs
Ewers is a five-star talent, and a shoulder injury interrupted his first season as a starter with the Longhorns. Ewers has one of the strongest arms in college football, but according to PFF he completed 34.1% of his passes of 20 yards or more last season. A strong spring game performance hinted that could change, and Ewers has a strong supporting cast that includes NFL pass catchers in Xavier Worthy, A.D. Mitchell and Ja'Tavion Sanders. Ewers is a first-round talent. He just has to deliver in his second season with Steve Sarkisian.
8. Cam Rising, Utah
2022 stats: 3,034 yards, 64.7%, 26 TDs, 8 INTs
Rising suffered a torn ACL in the Rose Bowl but is expected to be ready for fall camp and one more season with the Utes. Rising has led Utah to back-to-back Pac-12 championships with an all-out style that gets the job done. Remember that run against USC where his helmet got knocked off? Rising had 465 rushing yards and six rushing TDs last season. He's 18-7 as a starter and 5-1 against ranked teams in the regular season. He's a tough quarterback with a chance for one more crack at a potential CFP run.
7. Jordan Travis, Florida State
2022 stats: 3,214 yards, 64%, 24 TDs, 5 INTs
Travis is a huge reason why the Seminoles are trendy picks to win the ACC and return to the College Football Playoff for the first time since 2014. Travis has the highest yards per passing attempt among returning Power 5 quarterbacks at 9.1. He was effective in the intermediate passing game with 13 TDs and two interceptions last season, and the added dimension of averaging 5.1 yards per carry in the running game is a plus. Travis faces our next quarterback in what should be a Week 1 thriller.
6. Jayden Daniels, LSU
2022 stats: 2,913 yards, 68.6%, 17 TDs, 3 INTs
What a career arc for Daniels. He was No. 7 on this list in 2020 as a breakout performer at Arizona State, and he was not ranked heading into a transfer season at LSU. Daniels grew into the role in style. He had eight games with at least a 70% completion percentage, and he had a signature performance with 182 passing yards, 95 rushing yards and three TDs in the 32-31 victory against Alabama. Daniels emerged as more than a game manager within the offense under Brian Kelly, and he has the best odds to win the Heisman Trophy among SEC QBs as a result.
MORE: Why 2024 CFP dates are doomed to fail
5. J.J. McCarthy, Michigan
2022 stats: 2,719 yards, 64.6%, 22 TDs, 5 INTs
McCarthy is the most-talented quarterback Jim Harbaugh has had since 2015, and that showed in another Big Ten championship run. McCarthy took the starting job from Cade McNamara, finished 12-1 as a starter and became the first Michigan quarterback to win at Ohio State since 2000. McCarthy stepped up when running back Blake Corum was injured with 255.7 passing yards, eight TDs and three interceptions in the Wolverines’ last three games. McCarthy still needs to improve on his accuracy in the vertical game, but the play-making skills and moxie are there. McCarthy is more than capable of leading another CFP run – and he has a chance to be the first Michigan QB selected in the first round since Harbaugh in 1987.
4. Bo Nix, Oregon
2022 stats: 3,593 yards, 71.9%, 29 TDs, 7 INTs
Nix appeared on this list in 2020 – where he ranked three spots ahead of Bryce Young. The five-star recruit was a hit in his first year with the Ducks. He totaled 44 TDs between passing (29) and rushing (15). The key was avoiding head-scratching mistakes. Nix still had four interceptions on throws of 10 yards or less, but three of those interceptions were in games where he had at least 400 yards passing. Nix will have a new offensive coordinator in Will Stein, but another huge season is in the works.
MORE: NFL Draft Big Board for 2024
3. Michael Penix Jr., Washington
2022 stats: 4,641 yards, 65.3%, 31 TDs, 8 INTs
Penix stayed healthy after transferring from Indiana, and the results were tremendous under first-year coach Kalen DeBoer. The Huskies won 11 games, and Penix led the FBS in total offense at 364.1 yards per game. Penix also had 14 TDs and one interception on passes of 20 yards or more. He has a pair of 1,000-yard receivers returning in Rome Odunze and Jalen McMillan. Penix maintained a high completion percentage despite 550 attempts. He's in the conversation with our final two quarterbacks.
2. Drake Maye, North Carolina
2022 stats: 4,321 yards, 66.2%, 38 TDs, 7 INTs
Maye was a breakout star for the Tar Heels last season, and the combination of size (6-4, 220 pounds) and mobility (698 yards, 7 TDs) are added features to a skill set that will translate to franchise quarterback at the next level. According to PFF, Maye led the nation with 36 big-time throws last season. He's a playmaker who is looking to lead the Tar Heels back to the ACC championship game in 2023, and he will be in the conversation to be the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
1. Caleb Williams, USC
2022 stats: 4,537 yards, 66.6%, 42 Ds, 5 INTs
Williams is the favorite to be that top pick. The reigning Heisman Trophy winner made the transition with Lincoln Riley to USC look easy. He led the nation in TD passes. He had six games with 350 passing yards or more, and that went well with 382 yards and 10 TDs. He's the most artistic playmaker in college football, and the comparisons to Patrick Mahomes II will only increase with the addition of Kliff Kingsbury to the coaching staff.
