Ranking the best QBs in college football this season
Fields has edged ahead of Lawrence, while the Sunshine State boasts three in Top 10.
The average draft class is lucky to have one franchise quarterback. This year’s cycle includes at least two: Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence and Ohio State’s Justin Fields.
Quarterback play is as good as ever in the Football Bowl Subdivision, with draft-eligible passers and underclassmen from Power Five and Group of Five leagues lining up behind Lawrence and Fields to battle for all-conference and even All-American accolades.
Here’s a look at the best of the best: the 10 best FBS quarterbacks during a season when two dozen or more passers are under consideration.
1. Justin Fields, Ohio State
Fields played deeper into Ohio State’s 49-27 win Saturday against Rutgers than expected, as an expected romp against one of the weaker teams in the Big Ten turned tighter in the second half. After throwing for 314 yards and five scores, Fields now has as many touchdown passes (11) as incompletions through three games. With Lawrence missing two games following his COVID-19 diagnosis, Fields rises to the top of the list.
2. Trevor Lawrence, Clemson
Lawrence was playing at an obscenely high level before being sidelined for the Tigers’ past two games, including Saturday’s memorable 47-40 doubleovertime loss at Notre Dame. Scheduled to return for the Tigers’ next game, against Florida State on Nov. 21, it might be too late for Lawrence to reclaim his place at the front of the line in the Heisman Trophy race.
3. Kyle Trask, Florida
Trask set history in Florida’s 44-28 win Saturday against Georgia in becoming the first Southeastern Conference quarterback to throw at least four touchdown passes in five consecutive games. (The SEC hasn’t always been known for elite quarterback play, but that’s an incredible achievement.) Although Trask was overlooked, underrated and simply under-used before last season, his ascension into a top-flight NFL prospect is a terrific success story.
4. Mac Jones, Alabama
He provided a glimpse as the replacement for an injured Tua Tagovailoa last season, but Jones’ production as the Crimson Tide’s full-time starter has taken the entire SEC by surprise. Heading into this week’s game against LSU, the junior has 16 touchdowns against two interceptions while averaging 12.4 yards per attempt, the most of any passer with multiple starts.
5. Zach Wilson, Brigham Young
Much like his team, which has soared into the championship mix after years of mixed results, Wilson’s production is impossible to ignore. After keying the Cougars’ 51-17 win Friday night at Boise State, the junior is completing an even 75% of his attempts with 21 touchdowns against just two interceptions. The argument held before Friday – that Wilson and BYU were feeding on overmatched competition – no longer holds water.
6. D’Eriq King, Miami
King will resurface in the Heisman race after accounting for 535 yards of offense and five touchdowns in the Hurricanes’ 44-41 win against North Carolina State. While Miami has been overshadowed by Clemson and Notre Dame in the Atlantic Coast Conference, King has the Hurricanes headed for a major bowl.
7. Dillon Gabriel, Central Florida
No quarterback in the country might throw a prettier deep ball than Gabriel, who has fine-tuned his game and largely avoided mistakes after struggling at times with turnovers as a freshman in 2019. While UCF has been a slight disappointment, Gabriel leads the FBS in yards per game (417.7) and is tied with Wilson for first in touchdown passes.
8. Sam Howell, North Carolina
Howell has been terrific in spurts after a spotty start in wins against Syracuse and Boston College. While UNC has been far from perfect since, with close losses to Florida State and Virginia, Howell has 14 touchdowns and two interceptions in his last five games. He’s a year away from meeting his potential.
9. Grayson McCall, Coastal Carolina
McCall threw for 209 yards and a touchdown without an interception in the Chanticleers’ 23-6 win against South Alabama, giving the freshman 16 TDs with just one turnover.
10. D.J. Uiagalelei, Clemson
That he’s made only two starts shouldn’t be a disqualifier – Fields has played in only three, you know. The fivestar freshman has been outstanding as Lawrence’s replacement, leading the Tigers past Boston College in his starting debut and then throwing for 439 yards in the double-overtime loss at Notre Dame, the most the Irish have ever allowed in a game.