CSD Mag Positional Rankings: Quarterback

Over the past month or so, I’ve rolled out 15 “teasers” for the CSD Mag (if you missed any, you can find them all under the football tab) Now, it’s time to start rolling out the full thing, starting with my “positional rankings” The categories for these are: QB, RB, WR, OL, DL, LB, DB, and ST (Special Teams). They will also be released in that order.

All stats via sports-reference.com, and all recruiting rankings via 247sports.com

CSD Mag QB Rankings

#1 – USC

Sam Darnold took over the starting job after USC started last season 1-2. In Darnold’s first start, the Trojans lost a close game on the road against Utah. After that, he led USC to nine wins in a row, including a win over eventual playoff-team Washington, and a Rose Bowl victory over a similarly-hot Penn State. In just ten starts, he threw for 3,086 yards and 31 touchdowns, including a 450+ yard, 5 touchdown performance in the Rose Bowl. He ran for 250 yards and two touchdowns, yet kept a stellar 67.2 completion percentage, and he is already on top of the 2018 draft boards.

#2 – Louisville

The defending Heisman Trophy winner, Lamar Jackson, comes in at number two on this list. In his first year as the full time starter, Jackson racked up 5,114 yards and 51 touchdowns (numbers include passing and rushing yards) Jackson trailed off a bit in the last quarter of the season, and that is what keeps him from number one on this list. The junior was the best mobile quarterback in the country last season, but as a passer, he’s still developing. Jackson’s completion percentage (56.2) doesn’t stack up with the rest of the elite passers at the college level.

#3 – Oklahoma

Baker Mayfield’s 3,965 yards, 40 touchdowns, and a best-in-the-nation 70.9% completion rate broke an FBS record in passing efficiency last season. In Mayfield two seasons as a starter, he led the Sooners to two Big 12 championships, a Sugar Bowl victory, and a spot in the College Football Playoff. Over those two seasons, Mayfield’s QB-Int ratio has been over 5-1 (76-15 to be exact). Mayfield isn’t a runner like Jackson, but he is elusive in the pocket, and hard for opposing defenses to get control of.

#4 – Ohio State

Over his three years at Ohio State, despite an injury in 2014 and splitting snaps with Cardale Jones in 2015, J.T. Barrett has amassed 8,846 yards and 100 touchdowns (includes passing and rushing statistics). With a new offensive coordinator taking over (Former Indiana Head Coach Kevin Wilson), it will be interesting to see Barrett adjust to Wilson’s system. During Wilson’s tenure at Indiana, the Hoosiers put up points, and he led Indiana to back-to-back bowl games for the first time since 1990/91.

#5 – Washington

I had a tough time deciding whether Washington or Oklahoma State should get the number five spot. I ended up choosing Jake Browning and the Huskies because after a trip to the College Football Playoff last year, I just have more confidence in Browning’s ability to perform on a big stage. Browning threw for 3,430 yards and 43 touchdowns last year, and he was playing through a shoulder injury for the last few games of the year. Browning had shoulder surgery over the offseason, and he should be ready to go for the beginning of fall practices.

#6 – Oklahoma State
#7 – Washington State
#8 – USF
#9 – Penn State
#10 – UCLA
#11 – Alabama
#12 – Florida State
#13 – Auburn
#14 – Wyoming
#15 – Mississippi State
#16 – Arkansas
#17 – Toledo
#18 – Western Kentucky
#19 – Northwestern
#20 – Boise State
#21 – Middle Tennessee
#22 – Georgia
#23 – Memphis
#24 – BYU
#25 – South Carolina