Similar to season’s past, the pure level of talent at quarterback in the SEC this upcoming season will be among the best in college football once again.
Taking a look ahead to the 2025 season, gone are familiar names across the SEC such as Jalen Milroe, Carson Beck, Jaxson Dart, Quinn Ewers, and Brady Cook, while others in Garrett Nussmeier, LaNorris Sellers, and Diego Pavia are all back.
Alongside that group, there are also many former top recruits poised to breakout in starting roles such as Arch Manning, DJ Lagway, and Ty Simpson, while some new faces to the conference such as John Mateer are set to become household names.
Here is a ranking of the SEC’s 2025 projected starting quarterbacks from worst-to-best, starting with No. 16.
16. Zach Calzada, Graduate Student – Kentucky Wildcats
- Career Stats: 55.7 CMP%, 2,318 yards, 19:10 TD:INT ratio (at FBS level)
After prior stints at Texas A&M and Auburn, Calzada now returns to the SEC as a graduate student where he is the likely favorite to start at Kentucky this fall. Calzada has spent the last two seasons at FCS level Incarnate Word, the most recent of which he completed 65.7% of passes for 3,791 yards and a 35:9 TD:INT ratio.
15. Jake Merklinger, Redshirt Freshman – Tennessee Volunteers
- Career Stats: 66.7 CMP%, 48 yards, 7 rushes, 22 yards
With the recent departure of Nico Iamaleava to the transfer portal, Tennessee’s starter at the moment will either be Jake Merklinger or freshman George MacIntyre, both of which have limited collegiate experience. Tennessee’s 2025 starting quarterback could however change in the coming weeks if the Volunteers land a player through the transfer portal.
14. Beau Pribula, Graduate Student – Missouri Tigers
- Career Stats: 66.1 CMP%, 424 yards, 9:1 TD:INT ratio, 94 rushes, 571 yards, 10 TD
The arguable favorite in Missouri’s quarterback competition is likely Pribula, an offseason transfer from Penn State. Pribula was primarily a backup at Penn State, completing 74.3% of passes for 275 with a 5:1 TD:INT ratio, while also rushing for four more scores.
13. Austin Simmons, Sophomore – Ole Miss Rebels
- Career Stats: 59.4 CMP%, 282 yards, 2:0 TD:INT ratio, 5 rushes, 14 yards
Simmons is the favorite to takeover in Oxford for Jaxson Dart this season, setting the stage for what is likely to be a breakout season for the sophomore. As a freshman last season, Simmons saw limited action in which he completed 59.4% of passes for 282 yards and two touchdowns.
- Career Stats: 58 CMP%, 381 yards, 22 rushes, 130 yards, 3 TD
Tasked with replacing multi-year starter Jalen Milroe, it feels likely that Simpson has the advantage over both Austin Mack and Keelon Russell in Alabama’s quarterback competition, and is the early favorite to be QB1 this fall. Simpson however does not have much experience over the last three seasons, completing only 29-of-50 pass attempts over 16 games played as a backup.
11. Gunner Stockton, Redshirt Junior – Georgia Bulldogs
- Career Stats: 68.7 CMP%, 588 yards, 3:2 TD:INT ratio, 32 rushes, 50 yards
With previous starter Carson Beck having transferred to Miami, the stage is now set for Stockton to take over as the full-time starter at Georgia this fall. The redshirt junior has not seen much time across the last two seasons while a backup, completing 57-of-83 attempts for his career for 588 yards and three touchdowns across nine games.
10. Marcel Reed, Redshirt Sophomore – Texas A&M Aggies
- Career Stats: 60.9 CMP%, 2,238 yards, 16:7 TD:INT ratio, 129 rushes, 588 yards, 8 TD
Marcel Reed is the guy at Texas A&M entering the 2025 season, and will likely rank among the SEC’s leaders in rushing this upcoming fall among quarterbacks, if not at the top. Last season, Reed rushed for 543 yards and seven touchdowns, while also completing 61.3% of passes for 1,864 yards with a 15:6 TD:INT ratio.
- Career Stats: 64.3 CMP%, 6,548 yards, 44:14 TD:INT ratio, 198 rushes, 220 yards, 8 TD
It feels likely that Mississippi State’s starter will be either Shapen or transfer addition Luke Kromenhoek, with the former undoubtedly the more experienced of the two. Shapen saw limited action a year ago at Mississippi State due to an injury, but made an impact when on the field by completing 68.5% of passes for 974 yards with an 8:1 TD:INT ratio.
8. Jackson Arnold, Junior – Auburn Tigers
- Career Stats: 62.9 CMP%, 1,984 yards, 16:6 TD:INT ratio, 181 rushes, 560 yards, 4 TD
After transferring from Oklahoma, it certainly feels likely that Arnold is the Tigers starting quarterback in 2025 over highly-touted freshman Deuce Knight. Arnold, who is the favorite to replace Payton Thorne at Auburn, saw time as the Sooners starter a year ago where he posted a 62.6% completion with 1,421 yards and a 12:3 TD:INT ratio, while also rushing for three more scores.
7. Taylen Green, Redshirt Senior – Arkansas Razorbacks
- Career Stats: 59.8 CMP%, 6,948 yards, 40:24 TD:INT ratio, 320 rushes, 1,628 yards, 27 TD
Green transferred to Arkansas from Boise State prior to last season, and went on to have arguably the best year of his career with the Razorbacks in which he completed 60.4% of passes for 3,154 yards and a 15:9 TD:INT ratio, as well as rushed for 602 yards and eight scores. The redshirt senior now returns as Arkansas’ starter in 2025 where Green should rank among the SEC’s top dual-threat players at the position.
6. Diego Pavia, Graduate Student – Vanderbilt Commodores
- Career Stats: 58.4 CMP%, 6,716 yards, 59:19 TD:INT ratio, 461 rushes, 2,232 yards, 21 TD
After transferring from New Mexico State, Pavia had a strong first season at Vanderbilt in which he completed 59.4% of passes for 2,293 yards and a 20:4 TD:INT ratio, while also rushing for 801 yards and eight more scores. Pavia will enter 2025 as one of the SEC’s most experienced quarterbacks, and could be set for another career-year.
5. DJ Lagway, Sophomore – Florida Gators
- Career Stats: 59.9 CMP%, 1,915 yards, 12:9 TD:INT ratio, 51 rushes, 101 yards
After starting a majority of Florida’s games a year ago as a true freshman, the reigns in Gainesville are now fully turned over to Lagway, setting the stage for what could be a special sophomore season for the former top recruit. Lagway completed 59.9% of passes for 1,915 yards with a 12:9 TD:INT ratio this past season.
4. Garrett Nussmeier, Fifth-Year Senior – LSU Tigers
- Career Stats: 62.6 CMP%, 5,772 yards, 40:19 TD:INT ratio
After multiple seasons in Baton Rouge as a backup, Nussmeier finally broke through as LSU’s starter a year ago in which he completed 64.2% of passes for 4,052 yards and 29 touchdowns, but also led the SEC with 12 picks. The fifth-year senior is likely an early favorite to lead the conference in passing yards this season, as well as a preseason pick for the Heisman Trophy.
3. Arch Manning, Redshirt Sophomore – Texas Longhorns
- Career Stats: 66.3 CMP%, 969 yards, 9:2 TD:INT, 28 rushes, 115 yards, 4 TD
The former top recruit takes over as Texas’ starter in 2025, and despite not playing much over the last two seasons due to the presence of Quinn Ewers, will still enter this upcoming season among the favorites to win the Heisman Trophy. Last year for the Longhorns, Manning completed 67.8% of passes for 939 yards with a 9:2 TD:INT ratio, while also rushing for four more scores.
2. LaNorris Sellers, Redshirt Sophomore – South Carolina Gamecocks
- Career Stats: 66 CMP%, 2,620 yards, 20:7 TD:INT ratio, 171 rushes, 725 yards, 8 TD
Sellers enjoyed a breakout season a year ago, and was a big reason as to why South Carolina found themselves in College Football Playoff contention at the end of the year. Don’t be surprised if Sellers improves on his numbers from a year ago in which he completed 66% of his passes for 2,620 yards and a 20:7 TD:INT ratio, while also rushing for 725 yards and eight more scores.
1. John Mateer, Redshirt Junior – Oklahoma Sooners
- Career Stats: 65.3 CMP%, 3,406 yards, 32:8 TD:INT ratio, 203 rushes, 976 yards, 18 TD
One of the more high-profile transfers this offseason, Mateer comes to Oklahoma from Washington State where he is expected to takeover as the starting quarterback in 2025. Mateer was one of the best quarterbacks in the country a year ago at Washington State, completing 64.6% of passes for 3,139 yards and a 29:7 TD:INT ratio, while also rushing for 826 yards and 15 more touchdowns.
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