Pete Thamel lists his top-five quarterbacks in college football for 2025

The ‘College GameDay Podcast’ released its rankings for the top five quarterbacks in college football next fall on this week’s episode. That featured a rating from Rece Davis as well as one from Pete Thamel at ESPN.

Thamel and Davis agreed on three of the five slots, with several being consensus selections on quarterback lists like these this offseason. However, while Davis went with five quarterbacks across just two conferences, Thamel had some more variance with five quarterbacks from four different leagues.

Here are Thamel’s top five quarterbacks come kickoff for 2025:

1. Clemson QB Cade Klubnik

Thamel went with Klubnik at No. 1 overall coming off of his career-best season as a junior, throwing for 3,639 yards, 36 touchdowns, and six interceptions on 63.4% completion to lead a Top 20 offense for Clemson en route to winning the ACC and making the CFP. That’s with him leaning on experience here, as Klubnik finally lives up to what he was coming out as a top quarterback recruit.

“I’m going with Cade Klubnik as my top quarterback, and it’s for the very reason that I don’t have Arch Manning on the list. It is production – production, production, production. He has consistently produced. He has consistently improved…I think the lesson of Cade Klubnik – you mentioned some of your lack of patience with his development at times – is that development comes at different paces,” Thamel said. “I just think, I’m a big believer in starts and development and I think Cade Klubnik is going to ace the test this year…I feel really bullish on Cade.”

2. LSU QB Garrett Nussmeier

Then, concurring with Davis, Thamel had Nussmeier at No. 2 following his first season as a starter with 64.2% completion for 4,052 yards, 29 touchdowns, and a dozen interceptions. Thamel admitted, too, that he had some very real consideration to have the Tigers’ QB1 at No. 1 overall instead.

“I’m in agreement that Garrett Nussmeier is my number two quarterback. And, I debated long and hard about putting him number one and decided not to,” Thamel said.

3. Penn State QB Drew Allar

One of the differences between the two lists was Thamel going with Allar, who he feels rightfully returned for another season in college despite having a chance to be a top pick in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Now, after some development as a junior to 66.5% completion for 3,327 yards, 24 touchdowns, and eight interceptions in leading Penn State, with a Top 30 offense, to appearances in the Big Ten Championship and CFP, Thamel is looking for another step from Allar as a senior.

“Let’s start with the physical package of Drew Allar…He’s a big, strapping buck. Can move. I don’t think he’s a runner per se, but he can move…And I think the combination of physical traits with the growth and development we saw through the course of last season makes me think he is hands down the best quarterback in the Big Ten for next season, which is why I have him where I do,” said Thamel. “I think I want to see him – there’s growth, right? I want to see him slay some giants, produce in some big games and go up against the highest-end competition that Penn State has…I’m all in on Drew Allar and I have him at my three spot.”

4. Arizona State QB Sam Leavitt

The other difference, who Davis considered as well, was Leavitt at ASU. Thamel had him at No. 4 after his first year as a starter, where he posted 61.7% completion for 2,885 yards, 24 touchdowns, and six interceptions. That led the Sun Devils to a Top 30 offense, plus winning the Big 12 Championship and making an appearance in the CFP, in Tempe. Thamel is now trusting he’ll improve a little more off that in his second season starting and under Kenny Dillingham.

“I took Sam Leavitt at four…I just think what we saw from Leavitt, with having played very little two seasons ago, to being as high-end as he was last year? And, again, there’s enough pure arm talent there. There’s going to be much better skill around him and just much better infrastructure around him,” said Thamel. “Look, Kenny has given us reason to have faith in his ability to grow and develop quarterbacks, if you look at his track record from his last few stops…I am optimistic to see what Sam Leavitt can do. So I have him as my number four quarterback.”

5. South Carolina QB LaNorris Sellers

Rounding out the top five for Thamel was Sellers, whom he chose in the end over Florida’s DJ Lagway. That’s with Sellers having a little more of a resumé going into this fall after completing 65.6% of his passes for 2,534 yards, 18 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. He also rushed for 56.2 yards per game and scored seven times on the ground as well, in his first season as a starter.

“I’m going to go with LaNorris Sellers as my fifth. Look, the combination of his growth that we’ve seen already, his athleticism and being able to run the ball, the skill that they’re going to have around him at South Carolina…There’s going to be more of an onus on him to product and to score,” said Thamel. “I just think we’ve seen a little bit more from Sellers, even though he did have a little bit of injury issues last year. I think I probably like Lagway a little bit more long-term. But, for now, I’m going to go with LaNorris Sellers in my fifth spot.”