Joel Klatt lists top five college football quarterbacks for 2023 season

A tweet went viral this week of a fake ranking of Fox Sports analyst Joel Klatt‘s top quarterbacks. Klatt called out the tweet as fake on social media but that wasn’t the end of the saga.

Klatt decided to leave no doubts in the minds of college football fans around the country by dropping what his actual top five list of quarterbacks is on his podcast Wednesday.

USC star quarterback and reigning Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams is the undisputed top quarterback in the country. Klatt doesn’t even hide that Williams will be his No. 1 pick at the start of the segment.

But what makes this such a fascinating year for quarterbacks is that there is not only a lot of talented players across the country but they are spread out across different teams. Three of Klatt’s top quarterbacks come from the West Coast. Only one of the College Football Playoff teams from last season return their starting quarterback, and that quarterback doesn’t make his list.

5: Florida State’s Jordan Travis

Florida State veteran Jordan Travis earned the fifth spot in Klatt’s rankings. The Seminoles are a preseason darling for some college football analysts but not Klatt. He is skeptical about the team but believes that if Florida State matches the hype, it will be because of Travis.

“I really like Jordan Travis a lot,” Klatt said. “Dual threat guy. He’s experienced. I really liked the way he played late last season, the momentum that they garnered. Now if you’ve listened to this show at all, you will have also heard me say, (it) wasn’t against the greatest competition, which is true. There’s a bit of a wait-and-see for me with this Florida State team, but not necessarily with their quarterback. I really believe in Jordan Travis. He’s a good player.”

4: Oregon’s Bo Nix

Klatt likes Oregon quarterback Bo Nix. But there is some hesitation about having him as the No. 4 quarterback. Last year’s offensive coordinator Kenny Dillingham is now at Arizona State and four of last year’s five starting offensive lineman have moved on as well.

“You can hear that hesitation,” Klatt said. “I like Bo Nix a lot. At the beginning of last year, I would not have put Bo Nix in this spot. But he just played so well last year. Oregon, in large part offensively, even though they were a running team, it was Bo that was putting them in the right position, making big plays down the field. His experience in that offense was huge for that team.”

3: Washington’s Michael Penix Jr.

Washington southpaw Michael Penix Jr. has been a dynamic since he first started on the college football circuit with Indiana. But the now sixth-year senior has reached his best form with the Huskies. He threw for 4,641 yards last year with 31 touchdowns and a 11-2 record.

“If I had to bet anyone not named Caleb Williams to win the Heisman Trophy, it would be this guy and that’s Michael Penix of Washington,” Klatt said. “A really good player. I watched Michael Penix since he was a young quarterback at Indiana…The knock for Penix has always been his health. He’s had a couple of different knee injuries. It’s been hard for him to stay on the field, but when he’s on the field, this guy is an exquisite talent.”

2: North Carolina’s Drake Maye

North Carolina phenom Drake Maye is considered one of the top prospects for the 2024 NFL Draft. If it wasn’t for Williams, he would probably be the undisputed top quarterback in the country — and maybe even the nation’s top player.

“I love watching this guy play,” Klatt said. “Drake Maye, to me, is a mini-Josh Allen. Now he doesn’t have a great team around him so whatever North Carolina is able to do is going to be on the back of Drake Maye.”

1: USC’s Caleb Williams

The Heisman Trophy favorite and the likely No. 1 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft — if he declares — Caleb Williams is playing for a lot more than wins this year. He is playing for a Pac-12 title, a national championship and a legacy that could stack up among the greats of the 21st Century.

“He’s the closest thing that we have in football, any level, to Patrick Mahomes, who is the best football player on the planet right now,” Klatt said. “Caleb Williams does things that aren’t supposed to happen in a football game. He does things that you would never coach in a million years if you’re a quarterback coach. But he can make them happen.”

Klatt also shouted out some honorable mentions for his list. Those players he mentioned as just outside the top five include Penn State quarterback Drew Allar, LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels, Michigan quarterback JJ McCarthy, Tulane quarterback Michael Pratt and Utah quarterback Cam Rising.