In this series, members of the Teebz Sports staff individually rank the starting quarterbacks in each conference heading into the 2026 college football season. After submitting our individual rankings, we combine the results, discuss any major differences, and create a final consensus ranking. While factors such as quarterback depth, supporting cast, and overall situation are considered to some extent, this project is ultimately focused on evaluating the conference’s projected starting quarterbacks. Players are ranked based on how we expect them to perform during the 2026 season rather than solely on their past accomplishments or career résumés. We begin with the SEC, with rankings for additional conferences set to be released over the coming weeks. — Jerome
#1 – Arch Manning – Texas
One of the most hyped quarterback prospects in recent memory, Arch Manning committed to Texas as the star of the Longhorns’ 2023 recruiting class. As the grandson of Archie Manning and nephew of Peyton and Eli Manning, he arrived in Austin with immense expectations. Manning’s impressive high school career only added to the hype, as he finished as the No. 1 overall recruit in the 2023 class.
During his first two seasons at Texas, Manning primarily served as the backup to current Miami Dolphins quarterback Quinn Ewers, though he impressed in his limited opportunities. In 2025, he finally took over as the full-time starter and experienced an up-and-down debut season. Manning struggled out of the gate in the season-opening loss to Ohio State and again in Week 3 against UTEP. He steadily improved as the year progressed though, and by season’s end, he had thrown for 3,163 yards, 26 touchdowns, and just seven interceptions while adding 399 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground.
Manning may not have performed like the SEC’s top quarterback throughout the entire season, but his strong finish offered a glimpse of the player Manning could be. Over the final stretch of the year, he looked increasingly comfortable commanding the offense and showed why he remains one of the most intriguing quarterbacks in college football entering 2026. He was able to improve from week to week, cleaning up mistakes and developing at a rapid pace. He may have lower lows than other top quarterbacks, but his potential is best quarterback in the country, and I’m betting him to realize some of that potential this season, especially now that star transfer WR Cam Coleman is in town. — Jerome
#2 – Trinidad Chambliss – Ole Miss
Coming in at 2nd on the Preseason SEC QB Ranking is Ole Miss Quarterback Trinidad Chambliss. Considering I personally ranked him at 1, with the belief there is an incredibly small gap between Chambliss and Manning, I believe he’s set up to have another standout season for the Rebels after acquiring one last season of eligibility in late March. His arm talent, along with elite creativity in broken-down plays, will prove difficult for any defense the Rebels come up against all season. I believe his biggest flaw, however, is similar to former Heisman finalist and UGA QB Stetson Bennett IV. He can struggle to completely work through his on-field progression, and can force throws into extremely tight windows, which have resulted in costly turnovers in the past.
Although he lost offensive talent consisting of WR De’Zhaun Stribling, OT Jayden Williams, and TE Dae’Quan Wright, Ole Miss did a good job retaining exceptional RB Kewan Lacy and WR Deuce Alexander for Chambliss to use. Another thing to watch out for is just how much the departure of Lane Kiffin could affect the Rebels and Chambliss, even though they performed well in the CFB Playoff after his drawn-out exodus from the program. I think Head Coach Pete Golding will be able to harness the full toolkit Chambliss brings to the table, leading Ole Miss, and Chambliss, to another successful offensive season. — Smith
#3 – Gunner Stockton – Georgia
The 3rd quarterback on our list is University of Georgia Quarterback Gunner Stockton. As the resident UGA fan, I will be the first to tell you Stockton had plenty to improve on in the offseason. His throwing motion, which was often drawn out in 2025 and caused some problems with passes being broken up at the line of scrimmage, has been worked on throughout the offseason, resulting in a much smoother and faster release of the football. Another key area of improvement includes taking calculated risks at the right time of games, something he struggled to do unless his back was against the wall, much like the end of the Tennessee game last season, or the first matchup against the Ole Miss Rebels.
Stockton does have a good returning group of players around him, such as TE trio Lawson Luckie, Elyiss Williams, and Ethan Barbour and dynamic RB duo Nate Frazier and Chauncey Bowens. However, the WR corps is very young, with the only returning difference makers being London Humphreys and Sacovie White-Helton. Stockton will need to do his best to incorporate them into the offense, as players such as Talyn Taylor, CJ Wiley, and Georgia Tech transfer WR Isiah Canion should be difference makers on this team. Hopefully Stockton activates his arm strength more often this year, taking advantage of the speed and strength of his talented, albeit youthful, skill position players. — Smith
#4 – Sam Leavitt – LSU
According to 247Sports, three quarterbacks are tied as the top transfer signal-caller in the 2026 cycle. Much of the offseason attention has centered on Drew Mestemaker’s jump to the Big 12, while Brendan Sorsby has generated headlines for reasons both on and off the field. Comparatively, Sam Leavitt’s transfer from Arizona State to LSU has flown somewhat under the radar.
Originally a four-star recruit who began his career at Michigan State, Leavitt transferred to Arizona State after attempting just 23 passes in East Lansing. He emerged as one of the Big 12’s top quarterbacks in 2024, throwing for 2,885 yards, 24 touchdowns, and only six interceptions during a breakout sophomore campaign in which he led Arizona State to the College Football Playoff. In 2025, he appeared on track for a similarly productive season before a Lisfranc injury derailed his year. Leavitt battled through the injury for several weeks but ultimately shut things down after just seven games.
When on the field, Leavitt flashes an elite ceiling. He is comfortable working from the pocket and shows a willingness to stay when the pocket is clean, but he also possesses the athleticism to escape when plays break down. Outside of structure, he may be one of the best passers in college football. His vision on the move, poise under pressure, and ability to deliver throws from a different arm angles inspire comparisons to what Patrick Mahomes has done in the NFL. There are still areas for improvement, particularly with his consistency as a traditional dropback passer, where both his accuracy and field vision can be questionable. However, LSU’s offensive environment should provide the opportunity for him to continue developing those aspects of his game.
Although he was unable to participate fully in spring practice, new LSU head coach Lane Kiffin has expressed confidence that Leavitt will be cleared during the summer and ready to go by fall camp. If healthy, Leavitt possesses the talent to rank alongside many of the quarterbacks ahead of him on this list. Unfortunately, the injury prevented him from building on his breakout season in 2025, and the lingering uncertainty surrounding his recovery makes it difficult to place him any higher at this point. The reports so far have been encouraging, but until he proves he’s fully back and healthy, he lands at number 4. — Jerome
#5 – LaNorris Sellers – South Carolina
LaNorris Sellers was three-star recruit for South Carolina in the 2023 class, but it did not take long for him to exceed those expectations. After redshirting behind Spencer Rattler as a freshman, Sellers entered the following season battling with Auburn transfer Robby Ashford. South Carolina aggressively pursued several high-profile transfer quarterbacks, but struck out before landing Ashford, but Sellers won the competition and has never looked back.
What separates Sellers from most former three-star recruits is his rare collection of physical tools. At 6-foot-3, 240 pounds, he combines elite size, arm talent, and athleticism, a dream profile for NFL scouts. His combination of passing ability and physical running style quickly put him on the radar as a legitimate NFL prospect. He emerged as one of the SEC’s most intriguing quarterbacks in 2024, throwing for 2,534 yards, 18 touchdowns, and seven interceptions while adding 674 rushing yards and seven scores on the ground.
The 2025 season, however, did not go as planned. Sellers saw declines in passing yards, touchdowns, completion percentage, interceptions, and rushing production, while a South Carolina team that entered the year with playoff aspirations stumbled to a disappointing 4-8 finish. Midway through the season, Sellers suffered what appeared to be a significant concussion against Vanderbilt. Although he never missed a game, the Gamecocks went just 2-8 after that point, with their only victories coming against Coastal Carolina and Kentucky.
Despite the disappointing season, Sellers remains one of the most physically gifted quarterback prospects in the conference and is still a highly regarded NFL prospect after opting to return for another year. The upside is undeniable, but there are still areas of his game that need work, particularly his ability to work through progressions and throw accurate balls consistently. He is often a “first read and run” quarterback, something that will need to change for him to improve as a passer. His ceiling remains as high as almost any quarterback in the SEC, but he will need to show meaningful development in 2026 if he hopes to join the conference’s elite tier. — Jerome
#6 – Marcel Reed – Texas A&M
Finding his way into our rankings at No. 6 is Texas A&M Redshirt Junior Marcel Reed. After bombing out of the College Football Playoff with an ugly loss to eventual runners-up Miami, I was down on Marcel Reed and the A&M Aggies. With the majority of the offseason gone, I’ve come back around on Reed as a quality QB in the conference, however many parts of his game still scare me. Reed struggles when heavily pressured, he misses open receivers, and he has backbreaking turnover issues. All that being said, he might be the best athlete of a QB in the entire country, which is why I think he’ll perform relatively well in the conference, making plenty of highlight plays for what might be his last season of college football.
With the loss of talented WR K.C. Concepcion to the NFL Draft, A&M and Reed will need to find a new offensive playmaker. This could be returning WR Mario Craver, transfer WR Isaiah Horton, or RB Rueben Owens II, but I believe Reed will have to will this offense to win games in the SEC, and that can be a really hard thing to do, just ask LaNorris Sellers. I’m not 100% certain that Reed has the mental ability to carry a team in this conference, but he has all the physical ability in the world. I think for A&M to truly perform, they’ll need Marcel Reed to have a standout season. — Smith
#7 – John Mateer – Oklahoma
At No. 7 is Oklahoma QB John Mateer. One of last year’s preseason Heisman hopefuls, Mateer was living up to the billing until he suffered an injury to his throwing thumb in a late September victory against the Auburn Tigers. Following said injury, his accuracy took a dive, his decision making faltered, and he oftentimes was hesitant to really playmake. After a full offseason to recover and be completely in the Oklahoma system, Mateer should be able to improve and get back to his gunslinging Wazzu (Washington State) ways: Dynamic playmaking, exciting offense, and the occasional bad turnover.
Another big struggle of last season for the Sooners was their faulty, at best, OL play, which did greatly hamper Mateer’s dynamism at many points. Hopefully they’ve grown into their own and can play to Mateer’s strengths, rather than showcase his weaknesses. The good news for Mateer is that he should still have one of the best defenses in the country backing him up, which should give him great field position and more possessions than expected. — Smith
#8 – Byrum Brown – Auburn
Brown was a 3-star recruit who signed with South Florida ahead of the 2022 season. He spent four years with the program, appearing in 35 games. As a true freshman, he made his first career start and completed 21 of 25 passes for 240 yards and three touchdowns. He earned the starting job in 2023 and delivered a breakout season, setting USF’s single-season passing record with more than 3,000 yards through the air while adding over 800 yards on the ground.
Entering his junior season with high expectations, Brown failed to build on that momentum. He threw just two touchdown passes through five games before suffering an injury that ended his season and any opportunity to rebound. He returned in 2025 and put together his best year as a passer, finishing just 140 yards shy of his 2023 total despite playing one fewer game. He also improved his completion percentage, touchdown-to-interception ratio, and passer rating. On the ground, Brown eclipsed 1,000 rushing yards and scored 14 touchdowns, showcasing the dual-threat ability that makes him such a dangerous playmaker.
Although he opted out of South Florida’s bowl game, Brown remained with the team and served as an assistant coach while his backup quarterback started. He followed head coach Alex Golesh to Auburn and will look to replicate the success the two enjoyed together at USF despite the significant jump in competition. I expect Brown’s rushing production to take a slight step back in the SEC, where his physical running style will be tested by faster and more powerful defenders than he regularly faced in the American.
Brown still has areas that need refinement. Mechanical inconsistencies can impact his accuracy, and he has yet to prove he can consistently work through full-field progressions at a high level. Still, the flashes are there, and his combination of athleticism, toughness, and playmaking ability makes him one of the most intriguing Group of Five transfers in this cycle. — Jerome
#9 – Keelon Russell/Austin Mack – Alabama
Austin Mack enters fall camp atop the depth chart, but head coach Kalen DeBoer has yet to name a starter in what could become one of the most intriguing quarterback battles in the country. Keelon Russell was the No. 2 overall recruit in the 2025 class according to 247Sports, trailing only fellow quarterback Bryce Underwood, who started as a true freshman at Michigan. Russell, meanwhile, spent his freshman season backing up future first-round pick Ty Simpson and attempted just 15 passes.
While Russell’s limited statistics were impressive, they came in garbage-time appearances against UL Monroe and Eastern Illinois, making them difficult to evaluate. What has generated excitement, however, is the skill set that made him such a highly regarded prospect. Russell reportedly possesses outstanding vision, accuracy, and composure, while also offering legitimate dual-threat ability as a runner. It’s uncommon to see a high school quarterback enter college with the level of polish and poise he displayed as a recruit. Although he still has room to develop, Russell appears to have a higher floor than most unproven freshmen and projects as a future starting-caliber quarterback for the Crimson Tide.
On most rosters, a five-star redshirt freshman with Russell’s pedigree would be the obvious choice. Alabama, however, has another viable option in Austin Mack. A former four-star recruit, Mack redshirted at Washington before following DeBoer to Alabama through the transfer portal. Despite generating buzz throughout his career, he has ultimately lost quarterback competitions to both Jalen Milroe and Ty Simpson. Mack has attempted only 35 career passes, completing 26 of them, with most of his action coming against Mercer, UL Monroe, and Eastern Illinois. He also saw limited action against Wisconsin, throwing just one incompletion. His most meaningful appearance came in Alabama’s College Football Playoff loss to Indiana, when he threw for 103 yards while completing 11 of 16 passes. While Mack lacks extensive game experience, he enters his third season in DeBoer’s system and has consistently remained in the conversation for playing time. In many ways, he is the incumbent starter Russell is trying to unseat, despite Russell also being in the program last season.
Mack offers a relatively safe and reliable profile as a strong-armed pocket passer, but Russell’s ceiling is difficult to ignore. While Mack may be the slightly better option entering the season, I expect Russell’s superior long-term potential to ultimately win him the job. — Jerome
#10 – Aaron Philo – Florida
One of my most anticipated players in the country this season, No. 10 on the list, Florida QB Aaron Philo. Transferring in from Georgia Tech, with Offensive Coordinator Buster Faulkner, Philo has it all to prove. He’s one of the unknowns on this list, but I believe that at the end of this season he could be one of the best QBs in the SEC. Faulkner was heralded as one of the best hires of this offseason, with his revolution of the once-stagnant Georgia Tech offense showcasing his coaching capabilities. Now, the test comes with the Florida Gators, in the SEC, with a first-year starter. From the few snaps I’ve seen Philo play, his arm talent is impressive and he isn’t hesitant at all to try to make the big play. My biggest concern is his willingness to take the easy stuff put in front of him. Will he be able to eat his vegetables, rather than jumping straight to dessert. If anyone can get him to do it, it’ll be Buster Faulkner.
Thankfully for Philo, he’s walking into a relatively good supporting offensive cast, consisting of standout players WR Dallas Wilson, RB Jadan Baugh, former teammate WR Eric Singleton Jr., and WR Vernell Brown III. In my opinion, this is one of the better skill position groups in the conference, and both Baugh and Wilson will be contending for 1st Team All-SEC honors this season. Will Philo be able to use them and command the offense to success? There’s only one way to find out. — Smith
#11 – Kamario Taylor – Mississippi State
Mississippi State Sophomore QB Kamario Taylor comes in at No. 11 on our SEC QB Rankings. After being thrust into action sporadically as a rushing threat in the first half of the 2025 season, Taylor was given the reins to the offense during the game against the Georgia Bulldogs, scoring three rushing TDs against one of the country’s best defenses. Following the 41-21 loss, Taylor played pretty alright in losses to Mizzou, rivals Ole Miss, and in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl against Wake Forest. Taylor’s rushing ability is clear, but he can sometimes immediately want to run, rather than trying to progress through his reads and attempt to push the ball down the field. If Taylor has developed that aspect of his game, then he could be a difference maker for the Bulldogs this season. — Smith
#12 – Austin Simmons – Missouri
Simmons was a three-star recruit in Ole Miss’ 2023 recruiting class. After redshirting his freshman season, he served as Jaxson Dart’s backup in 2024 and appeared briefly in nine games. His most notable action came against Georgia, when an injury to Dart forced him into the game for a full drive. Simmons flashed his potential in the limited opportunity and helped Ole Miss secure an upset victory over the Bulldogs.
Ole Miss handed Simmons the starting job entering the 2025 season, but his opportunity was short-lived. An ankle injury suffered in Week 2 opened the door for backup quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, who played well enough to retain the starting role for the remainder of the season. As a result, Simmons enters Missouri having completed just 64 passes in his college career.
Despite the lack of production, I remain a believer in Simmons’ upside. The statistics don’t tell much of a story yet, but the flashes he showed at Ole Miss were encouraging. Missouri has also developed a track record of finding success with somewhat overlooked transfers, making this a potentially strong fit for both sides. Simmons possesses the size, arm talent, and anticipation needed to develop into a high-level quarterback; he simply hasn’t had a real opportunity to put everything together on the field.
If Simmons doesn’t win the job, Missouri’s most likely alternative is Nick Evers. A former Oklahoma recruit, Evers has taken a winding path through Wisconsin and UConn before arriving in Columbia. He saw some playing time for the Huskies in 2024 but primarily served as Joe Fagnano’s backup last season. While Evers is an option, Missouri is hoping Simmons can finally translate his potential into consistent production. — Jerome
#13 – Kenny Minchey – Kentucky
Kenny Minchey was a four-star recruit who flipped from Pitt to Notre Dame as part of the 2023 recruiting class after the Irish missed out on Dante Moore. During his three seasons with the Fighting Irish, he appeared in 10 games but attempted just 29 passes and never threw a touchdown pass. He arrives at Kentucky with very little collegiate production, though reports suggest he was firmly in the mix for Notre Dame’s starting job last offseason before ultimately losing the competition to CJ Carr.
The lack of game experience makes Minchey difficult to evaluate, but his upside is undeniable. Despite spending three years as a backup, he’s already appearing on some NFL Draft watchlists and stands out as one of the conference’s biggest breakout candidates. Minchey is an elite athlete and a legitimate rushing threat, even if his current stat line shows only nine carries for 96 yards and two touchdowns. He possesses adequate-to-above-average arm talent and, according to reports from within the program, processes the game well for a young quarterback.
There is admittedly a lot of projection involved here, but I like Minchey’s potential. He has the physical tools and athletic ability to emerge as one of the better quarterbacks in the SEC by season’s end. In fact, I would not be surprised if he finishes significantly higher than No. 13 on this list. The challenge is that he remains largely unproven, and Kentucky’s supporting cast doesn’t stack up favorably against many of the offenses around the conference. Until Minchey demonstrates his ability at the college level, it was difficult to justify ranking him any higher. — Jerome
#14 – George MacIntyre – Tennessee
At No. 14 on our list is assumed Tennessee starting QB, Redshirt Freshman George MacIntyre. While Brandon Faizon is the hot new name on the block in Volunteerland, MacIntyre should have something to prove to the Tennessee faithful. He has the physical make-up of a great pocket-passing quarterback, standing at 6’6” and sporting a great arm, but he has only played in two games for the University of Tennessee, with both being backup appearances. A positive for MacIntyre is that Head Coach Josh Heupel’s offensive system is built-in with plenty of options, making it one that benefits young players, or transfer quarterbacks as we saw last year with Joey Aguilar. MacIntyre is really only this low because of just how unknown he is, which can be said for a lot of the group at or below No. 10. — Smith
#15 – Jared Curtis – Vanderbilt
Stolen at the 11th hour, Vanderbilt Freshman QB Jared Curtis rolls into our rankings at No. 15. Vanderbilt fans should be truly ecstatic to have Jared Curtis as the face of their program for the next 3 years. I believe he’ll be a really talented football player, and one that could take the program to even bigger heights than former QB Diego Pavia, who played a large role in getting Curtis to join the Commodores. He looks the part of an elite SEC QB, but the real question is can he go from private school football in Nashville, Tennessee to the SEC? I think he can, but it might take a year to get acclimated to the environment, and that should be expected. Don’t give up on him if he has a few bad games or makes a few decisions that have you scratching your head, because he’ll have some games that look incredible and make some decisions that have you watching in amazement. — Smith
#16 – KJ Jackson – Arkansas
KJ Jackson was a four-star recruit who signed with Arkansas as part of the 2024 recruiting class. His opportunities have been limited through two seasons, appearing in just one game as a freshman and five games during his sophomore campaign. Only two of those appearances featured more than five pass attempts, coming against Texas and Missouri in a pair of losses. For his career, Jackson has completed 37 of 58 passes for 441 yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions. He’s also contributed on the ground, rushing 12 times for 55 yards and two scores.
Arkansas added competition to the quarterback room when AJ Hill followed offensive coordinator Tim Cramsey from Memphis, but Jackson remains the favorite to win the starting job. In his limited action last season, he displayed encouraging dual-threat ability and showed poise when thrust into difficult situations. While the sample size is small, there were enough flashes to suggest he can be a capable SEC starter.
That said, ranking Jackson at No. 16 is less an indictment of his talent and more a reflection of the uncertainty surrounding his projection. I don’t view him as a bad quarterback, but compared to several others in the conference, he hasn’t shown the same level of upside. The supporting cast around him in Fayetteville also leaves some questions unanswered. Jackson has the tools to outperform this ranking, but with so much still unknown, No. 16 feels like an appropriate place heading into the season. — Jerome
