There is a deep group of top-tier quarterbacks in college football this season. This is a list of my top 15 QBs and how you can wager on them on DraftKings Sportsbook.
2024 College Football Top 15 Quarterbacks
This is a really underrated year for quarterbacks. There is an elite group of Heisman favorites at top teams, but after that group, there is a crop of guys with huge potential yet to be fully unlocked. In this list are a few QBs taking on a full-time starting job for the first time and some transfers who need to prove they can step up at their new school. This is not necessarily who will end up with the best stats but who I think are the most talented quarterbacks. For reference, I framed it as how many teams in the country you could put them on, and they would win the starting job.
#15- Will Howard (Ohio State)
Will Howard is an interesting case study. He is super athletic, a really strong runner and a gutsy quarterback. However, I doubt he will make all the throws necessary to beat a team like Georgia in a National Championship game. We will get to Carson Beck later, but I think if Ohio State and Georgia switched quarterbacks, then Ohio State would be the favorites to win the National Championship. That said, Howard is a great fit for the run-heavy offense at Ohio State and should have a great season.
#14- Cam Rising (Utah)
The most experienced quarterback in college football slots in at #14 for me. Cam Rising missed last season with a lingering injury, which he never got over. However, he is healthy heading into this season and is set for a big year in the Big 12. Rising won back-to-back Pac-12 titles with Utah, including beating out the eventual Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams in a shootout in 2022. He is extremely athletic, has a big arm, and, most importantly, knows how to run this offense at a very high level. Cam Rising has a chance to make his first-ever College Football Playoff with the Utes as Big 12 favorites this year.
#13- Garrett Nussmeier (LSU)
For two years, Garrett Nussmeier patiently waited behind Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels, but it was finally his time at LSU. Nussmeier has seen some action over his two years at LSU, including starting their bowl game against Wisconsin last year, where he put up big numbers. Nussmeier has an absolute rocket arm and can throw a beautiful deep ball. The biggest question marks are around his mobility and ability to play mistake-free football in big games, but those questions will be answered quickly in Week One against USC.
#12- Conner Weigman (Texas A&M)
Conner Weigman is one of the most underrated quarterbacks in the nation. He is nowhere near a household name, and injuries have held him back, but he is a monster when he’s on the field. He’s a good scrambler, and with his size, he can get in the end zone running the ball when his offense gets inside the red zone. He is also a very smart football player with a 16-2 TD-INT ratio in his career. He has a big arm and can make almost every throw. If Weigman can stay healthy, he could have a big year with Collin Klein as his new OC.
#11- Nico Iamaleava (Tennessee)
I am taking a big risk here. Nico Iamaleava is still very young and raw, but I think he is talented enough to be on this list. He was the #2 recruit in his class last season, and after backing up Joe Milton all year, he started the bowl game against Iowa. Iamaleava didn’t look overly impressive in that game, but Iowa had one of the best defenses in the country, and Tennessee still cruised to a blowout victory, so he wasn’t asked to do too much. Every report from Knoxville over the spring and summer has been that he is living up to the hype. Tennessee could have one of the best offenses in the country if he hits the ground running.
#10- Riley Leonard (Notre Dame)
Riley Leonard helped transform the Duke football program, and he is now at Notre Dame looking to bring them back to the College Football Playoff. Leonard is a strong, physical runner like Will Howard but with a better arm. By all accounts, he also has all of the intangibles you want out of a quarterback. The only thing missing is experience in big games where he is supposed to win. At Duke, he was always the underdog, but at Notre Dame, the expectation is to make the College Football Playoff. If Leonard’s game can translate to that top-level of college football, which I think it will, then he is deservedly a top-10 QB in the country.
#9- Jalon Daniels (Kansas)
You won’t find a more dynamic dual-threat QB in the country than Jalon Daniels. He has helped turn Kansas football around with his insane athleticism. He is a fantastic runner, but his arm is underrated. He famously threw for 544 yards in a bowl game against Arkansas in 2022. Last year, Daniels dealt with an injury that kept him out most of the year. Injuries are always a concern with his style of play, but if he can stay healthy, he is like a video game cheat code out there.
#8- Jaxson Dart (Ole Miss)
Jaxson Dart has had a fascinating college football journey. He was supposed to be the next big thing at USC but transferred to Ole Miss to play for Lane Kiffin in 2022. After an up-and-down 2022 season, he dramatically improved in 2023. Even as the season went on, his confidence grew, and he looked like the real deal in this Kiffin offense. He ended the season with an amazing performance against one of the best defenses in the country, Penn State, in the Peach Bowl.
The only question mark around Dart is whether he is good enough to take down the elite of the elite in college football. The expectations are very high in Oxford this year as they are favored to make the 12-team playoff. However, Dart had his two worst games of the year against Georgia and Alabama last year. His TD-INT ratio against those teams was 0-2. It was 23-3 in his other 11 games last season. So Dart can clearly take on most defenses and be elite, but can he take his game to that next level and contend for a National Championship this year?
#7- Shedeur Sanders (Colorado)
There are many controversial opinions in both directions around Colorado football. However, it can’t be disputed that Shedeur Sanders is incredibly talented. He will likely be a first-round NFL draft pick next year, and he put up huge numbers last year despite having a terrible offensive line. The offensive line is a major concern again this year, and outside of Travis Hunter, his weapons are arguably worse than last year. However, Sanders should put up big numbers again and cement himself as a top NFL prospect.
#6- Cam Ward (Miami)
I am incredibly high on Cam Ward at Miami this year. Ward quietly finished 8th in the nation in passing yards last season, ahead of the likes of Dillon Gabriel, Caleb Williams and Drake Maye on a mediocre Washington State team. He now moves to a team with a better offensive line, a better running back and a great receiving corps led by Xavier Restrepo. The expectations are high at Miami, but I think Cam Ward has the right attitude and confidence to embrace that pressure and have a huge year. If Miami lets everybody down again, I don’t think it will be because of Cam Ward. I see him having a Heisman-level season statistically.
#5- Dillon Gabriel (Oregon)
Dillon Gabriel is the favorite to win the Heisman, so this could be controversial, but I think this is where he belongs. He had a great career at UCF and Oklahoma and should have his best year yet at Oregon. We saw Bo Nix put up absurd numbers in this offense last season, and Gabriel had a very similar game to Nix. The weapons may not be as good as the ones Nix had at his disposal, but this team is still loaded. Gabriel can use his legs and make throws on every level. Turning the ball over at inopportune times is also a fair criticism of Gabriel, especially with the amount of big games Oregon will play this year.
#4- Quinn Ewers (Texas)
Quinn Ewers was one throw away from the National Championship game last year and now takes his talents to the SEC. I don’t have any concerns about his talents translating to the SEC, but he will now carry much more weight on his shoulders without stud RB CJ Baxter this season. He also lost his top receivers, AD Mitchell and Xavier Worthy, to the NFL. However, Texas reloaded at WR with the likes of Isaiah Bond from Alabama. Ewers is athletic and has a monster arm. There isn’t a throw he can’t make on the football field.
This top four was just splitting hairs, and Ewers falls behind the others on this list based on my eye test. On certain occasions, he makes the wrong throw at a bad time or looks a bit flustered by a pass rush. That being said, the sky is the limit for Ewers and Texas this season.
#3- Noah Fifita (Arizona)
Noah Fifita is the most underrated quarterback in the country. He plays out west at Arizona and plays for a team that isn’t a real playoff contender, so he doesn’t get too much media hype. However, if he was the quarterback at Georgia or Alabama and we could see him with elite talent around him, he would maybe be #1 on this list. That being said, Tetairoa McMillan is one of the nation’s best wide receivers and returns for another year alongside Fifita. The only downside is that Jedd Fisch and his staff left Arizona for Washington this offseason.
Before the news that Fisch was leaving, I was prepared to bet an Arizona National Championship and a Heisman for Fifita. However, I think the change of staff will hold them back a bit. I still think Fifita and McMillan sticking together and staying in Arizona means they will be highly motivated this season. Fifita ended last year with a combined 881 yards and 7 TDs in his final two games against Arizona State and in the bowl game against Oklahoma. He should ride that momentum and look to prove himself in the Big 12 this year.
#2- Jalen Milroe (Alabama)
Jalen Milroe can do it all. He has games where he will run for 100+ yards like he did against Auburn, he has games where he will throw for 300+ yards like he did against Texas A&M and most importantly, he will play mistake-free football like he did against Georgia in the SEC Championship Game. Milroe limiting turnovers was a massive development in his game. He threw two INTs in a loss to Texas in Week Two, then only threw four INTs in his next 11 games. He only got better as the year went on and made some incredible plays, like the game-winning TD pass against Auburn. I think a full offseason will give him a chance to develop even further and grow in confidence.
Kalen DeBoer, the new Alabama head coach, turned Michael Penix Jr. into the best quarterback in college football and I think he will work wonders on Milroe. DeBoer is one of the best offensive minds in college football and should take Milroe to a level he couldn’t reach under Tommy Rees. Milroe throws the best deep ball in the country and can scramble at a high level, and I think DeBoer will unlock the missing aspect of his game: the intermediate passing game.
#1- Carson Beck (Georgia)
Carson Beck is the best quarterback in the country, so I think Georgia will win the National Championship. He has shown incredible composure in big games despite last year being his first year as a starter. He had a 24-6 TD-INT ratio last season and played some of his best football against the toughest teams, like Kentucky and Ole Miss.
In the SEC Championship Game, Georgia’s only loss of the season, Beck played a really good game but was almost too conservative. This also seemed to be a play-calling issue, as if the whole team and staff thought they could just play not to lose. That game will be a huge learning lesson for Beck and his coaches. Once they get back to that game and into the College Football Playoff, I think they will fully unleash what Carson Beck can do.
I trust Beck to make the right throw in the biggest moments more than I do the quarterbacks of other top teams like Ewers, Gabriel and Howard. With a full year of experience under his belt, I expect him to take an even bigger step up this season. Beck will be a Heisman finalist at a minimum and should be the first quarterback in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Honorable Mentions
I left out a couple of guys who play at the Group of Five level. They are incredible quarterbacks, but it was hard to put them ahead of anyone on this list because we haven’t seen them face top-level competition. Those guys are Seth Henigan (Memphis), Kaidon Salter (Liberty) and Preston Stone (SMU). Also, look out for Avery Johnson (Kansas State) and Jackson Arnold (Oklahoma) to potentially have breakout years as first-year starters.
Place your College Football bets at DraftKings Sportsbook or by downloading the DraftKings Sportsbook app.
The Crown Is Yours: Sign up for DraftKings and experience the ultimate host for games and betting experiences!
I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and customer (my username is blakekrass) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.
