Way-too-early ranking of 2022 SEC quarterbacks

The SEC has a bevy of talented quarterbacks entering the 2022 season. The conference has the reigning Heisman Trophy winner, a defending national champion and other stars littered throughout.

Choosing the best of the best can be a difficult task. However, Steven Lassan of Athlon Sports attempted to do so. In his preview of the 2022 SEC quarterback class, Lassan ranked every projected starting quarterback, with Alabama star Bryce Young leading the way.

Way-too-Early SEC QB Rankings:

1) Bryce Young, Alabama Crimson Tide — Of course, the reigning Heisman Trophy winner comes in at No. 1. Young is top the returning quarterback in all of college football — not just the SEC.

2) Hendon Hooker, Tennessee Volunteers — Hooker is looking to improve upon his phenomenal first season in Knoxville. “Hooker’s transfer to Rocky Top from Virginia Tech was a big reason for the jump in production, as he piloted Heupel’s high-powered attack by throwing for 2,945 yards and 31 touchdowns to just three interceptions,” wrote Lassan.

3) KJ Jefferson, Arkansas Razorbacks — As you can see, Lassan is a believer in the Razorbacks quarterback. “Jefferson is a rising star in the SEC after averaging 256.9 total yards a game and scoring 27 overall times in 2021,” wrote Lassan.

4) Will Rogers, Mississippi State Bulldogs — “No question marks here for the Bulldogs,” wrote Lassan. “Rogers was in complete command of coach Mike Leach’s Air Raid attack in ’21, throwing for 4,739 yards and 36 scores.”

5) Spencer Rattler, South Carolina Gamecocks — While Rattler never lived up to the hype at Oklahoma, a new start could do wonders for the former star recruit.

6) Stetson Bennett, Georgia Bulldogs — After leading Georgia to their drought-breaking championship, Bennett is returning to Athens. Now, he’ll look to do it all over again, while improving his NFL Draft standing.

7) Will Levis, Kentucky Wildcats — There are some holes Kentucky will have to fill, but the success of Levis will ultimately come down to how he adjusts to losing offensive coordinator Liam Coen.

8) Jaxson Dart, Ole Miss Rebels — Lane Kiffin landed a big fish in Dart via the transfer portal, and the Rebels coach can’t wait to watch his quarterback sling the football all over the field.

9) Myles Brennan, LSU Tigers — Back in the fold at LSU after deciding not to transfer, Lassan mentions Brennan is the perfect bridge quarterback for Brian Kelly’s first foray into the SEC.

10) Anthony Richardson, Florida Gators — Can Billy Napier hone in on the raw talent of Richardson? Lassan believes it’s something to watch, writing “Richardson has significant upside (8.1 yards per play), and new coach Billy Napier could help him harness some of his potential into production.”

11) Haynes King, Texas A&M Aggies — King is an unknown. While he looked good in limited action last season, an injury ended his season before it could ever get going for the Aggies in 2021.

12) Zach Calzada, Auburn Tigers — It’s going to be a tough quarterback competition, but Lassan has Calzada winning the Auburn job over incumbent T.J. Finley.

13) Brady Cook, Missouri Tigers — Lassan notes that Cook’s time as a starter could be short-lived, writing “Cook gets the early nod here, but the Tigers also have promising options in Tyler Macon and true freshman Sam Horn to battle for the starting job this offseason.”

14) Ken Seals/Mike Wright, Vanderbilt Commodores — While Vanderbilt is undecided on their quarterback position, it wouldn’t change much in their ranking.