USA Today ranks SEC QBs ahead of 2025 season from first to last

As SEC Media Days wrapped up this week, rankings for the projected conference standings and preseason players of the year were revealed. But what about ranking the SEC quarterbacks?

USA Today’s Blake Toppenmeyer stopped to provide his ranking of the league’s best gunslingers and it’s sure to stir some debate. He has a player who wasn’t a full-time starter as his top guy.

Let’s stop today to take a look at USA Today’s ranking. We begin below, providing a brief summary of each quarterback.

1. Arch Manning, Texas

Toppenmeyer is quick to admit for USA Today that Manning isn’t the most experienced quarterback on the list. But he says the ranking is based on Manning’s potential for a “lofty ceiling” based on what he’s shown in his first two seasons.

That showing? Manning has thrown for 969 yards and nine touchdowns, against just two interceptions. He has also run for 115 yards and four scores. Expect those numbers to increase substantially this season as Manning takes over as one of the top SEC quarterbacks.

2. Garrett Nussmeier, LSU

The quality that stands out most for USA Today about Nussmeier, the LSU gunslinger, is his “live arm.” Nussmeier can absolutely rip it around the yard and has shown that in the past year. He leads the league in returning passing yardage.

Can Nussmeier build on last year’s numbers? If he does, watch out. A year ago, Nussmeier threw for 4,052 yards and 29 touchdowns. He threw 12 interceptions and had a short stretch with several of them, so he’ll need to cut down on the turnovers in 2024.

3. LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina

As a first-year starter in 2024, Sellers was a standout for South Carolina. He helped lead the team to the cusp of a College Football Playoff berth with his ability to be a dual-threat impact from the quarterback position.

Sellers threw for 2,534 yards and 18 touchdowns, while throwing just seven interceptions. He did that while suffering an early-season injury. He also ran for 674 yards and seven scores, one of the most lethal ground threats among SEC quarterbacks.

4. DJ Lagway, Florida

Lagway didn’t start the full season for Florida last year, only taking over after Graham Mertz suffered a season-ending injury. But once he took over he was elite by virtually all definitions for a freshman quarterback.

The Florida quarterback hasn’t lost a game that he has both started and finished, proving he can elevate the play of the entire team. Meanwhile, he was one of the best deep-ball throwers in the country. He’s one to watch for a move up this list if he can get and stay healthy.

5. John Mateer, Oklahoma

The first of the transfer quarterbacks on this list, Mateer comes to Oklahoma by way of Washington State. His transition is likely to be aided by the Sooners also bringing in his former offensive coordinator with the Cougars.

Mateer is another elite dual-threat quarterback. He ran for 826 yards and 15 touchdowns last season. Meanwhile, he added another 3,139 yards and 29 touchdowns passing, all against just seven interceptions. Those are elite numbers. Now we’ll see if they can translate to the SEC.

6. Austin Simmons, Ole Miss

Simmons doesn’t have a ton of experience in the SEC, but he has already shown some flashes. One such flash? An appearance in a game against No. 3 Georgia in which he led the team right down the field for a touchdown after taking over for a hobbled Jaxson Dart.

But Simmons is well-known in recruiting circles. He was a top-300 recruit in the 2023 class, checking in as the No. 266 overall player in the country in that cycle, ranking as a high four-star prospect. Now he’ll get to show it.

7. Diego Pavia, Vanderbilt

You can’t have a ranking of the top SEC quarterbacks without including Pavia on it. He was electric as Vanderbilt’s top man in 2024, highlighted by a massive win over Alabama that shocked the nation.

Pavia had a pretty seamless transition to Vanderbilt after arriving by way of New Mexico State. He threw for 2,293 yards and 20 touchdowns, against just four interceptions. He also ran for 800 yards and eight scores. He’s back with another year under his belt.

8. Marcel Reed, Texas A&M

Reed was involved in varying capacities for Texas A&M last year, as the Aggies rotated quarterbacks a bit early in the year. By year’s end, though, the job was fully his and he’ll go into 2025 with that once again being the case.

Like some of his peers among the top SEC quarterbacks, Reed is a dual-threat option. he ran for 547 yards and seven scores last year despite not getting a full slate under his belt. He also threw for 1,864 yards and 15 scores, throwing just six interceptions.

9. Taylen Green, Arkansas

Chalk up another one for the dual-threat quarterbacks. Green is as good as they come in that regard. Green played well enough to somewhat quiet the noise on coach Sam Pittman after transferring in from Boise State.

He threw for career-highs in yards and touchdowns, throwing for 3,154 and 15, respectively. He also ran for 602 yards and eight touchdowns in the process, forcing defenses to account for both his arms and his legs.

10. Gunner Stockton, Georgia

Though he doesn’t have much experience yet, Stockton has arguably as much big-game experience as anyone else returning in the league. After Carson Beck was injured, Stockton took over in the SEC Championship Game and in the College Football Playoffs.

He had mixed results in those games but didn’t seem rattled by the moment. Now he’ll inherit one of the league’s most talented teams, ready to prove that he’s one of the top SEC quarterbacks in 2025.

SEC Quarterback Rankings, 11-16

11. Ty Simpson, Alabama
12. Blake Shapen, Mississippi State
13. Jackson Arnold, Auburn
14. Beau Pribula, Missouri
15. Joey Aguilar, Tennessee
16. Zach Calzada, Kentucky