PFF ranks Top-10 returning quarterbacks in college football

The 2023 NFL Draft took some of the best college quarterbacks that we’ve seen over the last few years and made them pros. Still, just because it’s out with the old and in with the new doesn’t mean that the next wave isn’t just as talented.

Heading into next season, Pro Football Focus (PFF) ranked the Top-10 QBs in college football. It is worth noting that their rankings did not take any NFL projections into account. However, that didn’t much matter. That’s because the reigning Heisman and potential No. 1 pick in 2024, USC’s Caleb Williams, took the top spot.

1. Caleb Williams – USC Trojans
2. Drake Maye – North Carolina Tar Heels
3. Jordan Travis – Florida State Seminoles
4. Michael Penix Jr. – Washington Huskies
5. Bo Nix – Oregon Ducks
6. Jayden Daniels – LSU Tigers
7. Sam Hartman – Notre Dame Fighting Irish
8. J.J. McCarthy – Michigan Wolverines
9. KJ Jefferson – Arkansas Razorbacks
10. Michael Pratt – Tulane Green Wave

Williams won the sport’s highest honor a season ago after leading the Trojans to an 11-3 record that featured only one loss by one point before the postseason. He was sensational as he threw for 4,537 yards and 42 touchdowns on a 66.6% completion rate. Williams was highly efficient too as he posted a top-five QBR and only threw five picks in 2022.

The Pac-12 may not get a lot of love when it comes to national rankings and whatnot. With that said, that isn’t the case in PFF’s ranking as three of their top-five quarterbacks come from that conference alone in USC’s Williams, Washington’s Penix Jr., and Oregon’s Nix. Those three combined for over 12,700 passing yards and 102 touchdowns while completing 67.9% of their passes. You can nearly count LSU’s Daniels in that too as a former Arizona State Sun Devil himself.

The ACC would be right behind in that mix, though, with both Maye and Travis in PFF’s top-three. Maye was the young gun that led UNC all the way to the ACC title game. Meanwhile, Travis was the veteran that finally broke out in Tallahassee and could have the Seminoles on the verge of doing some very big things next fall.

Interestingly enough, over half of PFF’s list is made up of transfer quarterbacks. Several were top portal additions heading into last year in Williams, Penix Jr., Nix, and Daniels all swapping squads. Travis also transferred to FSU while Notre Dame officially has their shiny new QB1 after Hartman came to them this offseason from Wake Forest.

Again, the departure of some very skilled names for the NFL has shaken up this landscape quite a bit. Whether based on experience or talent, though, PFF deemed these 10 as the sport’s best heading into 2023 with Williams naturally leading the way.