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Razorbacks' QB judged 'Tier 3' guy, but where does he rank in SEC?

Green possesses athletic ability, skills to make the leap into nation's top group
Bob Stephens|
Arkansas Razorbacks quarterback Taylen Green hopes to take a quantum leap for himself and the team this season.
Arkansas Razorbacks quarterback Taylen Green hopes to take a quantum leap for himself and the team this season. | Michael Morrison-Hogs on SI Images

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Arkansas Razorbacks

Sam Pittman will be mentally and emotionally weary by the time he finishes about five hours of interviews with SEC writers, radio folks, podcasters and TV types Thursday afternoon.

He's up on Day 4 of SEC Media Days at the Omni Hotel in Atlanta as the annual affair will wrap up with the final four schools taking the stage.

Arkansas quarterback Taylen Green was also in high demand, befitting his status as one of the top couple dozen

The Athletic ranked the Razorbacks signal caller as the 21st best QB in the country. That was on a list of the projected 136 starters in FBS.

Bad news is that Green was given the articles' Tier 3 delegation. Tier 1 was reserved for "The most talented QBs in the country, with the highest ceilings. They can carry their team and are often the biggest keys to victory. Many in this tier find themselves in the Heisman Trophy conversation."

There are 10 QBs in Tier 1, with five from the SEC:
1 - Cade Klubnik, Clemson
2 - Garrett Nussmeier, LSU (senior returning starter)
3 - LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina (junior returning starter)
4 - John Mateer, Oklahoma (redshirt sophomore returning starter, Washington transfer)
5 - DJ Lagway, Florida (sophomore returning starter)
6 - Drew Allar, Penn State
7 - Sam Leavitt, Arizona State
8 - Kevin Jennings, SMU
9 - Josh Hoover, TCU
10 - Arch Manning, Texas (redshirt sophomore, first year to start)

Tier 2 quarterbacks, says the story, are "Winners who have proven their mettle. They can carry the team, but may have limitations when it comes to certain traits or question marks about their consistency."

That seems to describe Green perfectly. Consistency in judgment and throwing accuracy are the two biggest things he needed to improve on in the off-season. But, read on and see why he was pegged for Tier 3.

Tier 2 QBs are:
11 - Sawyer Robertson, Baylor
12 - Carson Beck, Miami (Georgia starter in 2024)
13 - Luke Altmyer, Illinois
14 - Rocco Becht, Iowa State
15 - Diego Pavia, Vanderbilt (senior returning starter)
16 - Haynes King, Georgia Tech

For Tier 3 QBs, "Most teams would be happy with a quarterback of this caliber. Great ability and a solid body of work, but they have some flaws. On their best days, they can be great, but there can be an underwhelming moment or two."

"Flaws ... can be great ... underwhelming moment or two." Cue the 2024 Taylen Green video and all of that is evident.

Tier 3 quarterbacks are:
17 - Fernando Mendoza, Indiana
18 - Darian Mensah, Duke
19 - Nico Iamaleava, UCLA (Tennessee starter in 2024)
20 - Brendan Sorsby, Cincinnati
21 - Taylen Green, Arkansas
22 - Avery Johnson, Kansas State
23 - Maddux Madsen, Boise State
24 - Dante Moore, Oregon
25 - Devon Dampier, Utah
26 - Marcel Reed, Texas A&M
27 - Behren Morton, Texas Tech
28 - Gio Lopez, North Carolina
29 - Eli Holstein, Pittsburgh
30 - Maalik Murphy, Oregon State

Green was a two-year starter for Boise State before transferring to Arkansas and starting last year as a junior.

He had flashes of brilliance while weaving through defenses for long touchdown runs and exceptional NFL-like throws while under pressure.

Alas, he also had major flaws:
* Holding the ball too long in the pocket
* Suffering exceptionally deep sacks
* Throwing into coverages
* Throwing late to open receivers

With a second off-season and spring practices under the watchful tutelage of Arkansas quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator, respected QB guru Bobby Petrino, Green is expected to show consistent improvement as a senior.

Green is rated seventh among SEC quarterbacks, ahead of the signal callers for Georgia, Alabama, Texas A&M and Ole Miss plus five other schools.

Best of the rest in the SEC:
26 - Marcel Reed, Texas A&M (sophomore returning starter)
35 - Jackson Arnold, Auburn (junior transfer, Oklahoma starter 2024)
37 - Austin Simmons, Ole Miss (redshirt sophomore)
38 - Beau Pribula, Missouri (redshirt junior, Penn State transfer)
47 - Ty Simpson, Alabama (redshirt junior, first to start)
48 - Gunner Stockton, Georgia (junior, first year to start)
58 - Blake Shapen, Mississippi State (senior, returning starter)
60 - Joey Aguilar, Tennessee (senior, Appalachian State starter 2024)
63 - Zach Calzada, Kentucky (graduate, formerly A&M, Auburn, last year Incarnate Word)

Aguilar has a particularly interesting story, as he left Appalachian State following last season when a coaching change occurred. He transferred to UCLA, but when Tennessee starter Nico Iamaleava left the Vols for UCLA, Aguilar moved to Knoxville.

Here's what The Athletic said of Green: The word that comes to mind when watching Green is "smooth.'" He's a fluid runner with a long stride and the ability to make opponents miss (602 rushing yards, eight TDs in '24), and his throws look effortless, whether he’s fitting it into an intermediate window or finding an open receiver 40 yards downfield.

“That guy’s a real-deal player,” a Power 4 offensive coordinator said. “He’s so explosive as a runner, and he’s a better passer than you think.”

Some question his decison-making and processing — “he takes some awful sacks,” an SEC assistant said — and cite his need to be a better passer in critical situations. But the former Boise State transfer is entering his second year working under Arkansas OC Bobby Petrino, so the bet is that Green will take a significant step forward."

The Hogs' 6-foot-6, 224-pound quarterback was the team's fastest player a year ago. He can be especially dangerous when he breaks containment in the pocket, or on designed runs that allow him to get to the edge and turn upfield.

Here's The Athletic's Scouting Take by Dane Brugler:
"Based on his 2024 film, Green is more exciting than consistent. But if you grade to the flashes, it is very easy to be optimistic about his next-level potential with the way he routinely escapes trouble and creates second-chance plays.
Scouts are hoping to see him take a jump with his passing reads and placement in his final season to warrant early-round draft grades."

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Bob Stephens
BOB STEPHENS

Bob Stephens won more than a dozen awards as a sportswriter and columnist in Northwest Arkansas from 1980 to 2003. He started as a senior for the 1975 Fayetteville Bulldogs’ state championship basketball team, and was drafted that summer in the 19th round by the St. Louis Cardinals but signed instead with Norm DeBriyn's Razorbacks, playing shortstop and third base. Bob has written for the Washington Post, Chicago Sun-Times, San Diego Union-Tribune, New Jersey Star-Ledger, and many more. He covered the Razorbacks in three Final Fours, three College World Series, six New Year’s Day bowl games, and witnessed many track national championships. He lives in Colorado Springs with his wife, Pati. Follow on X: @BobHogs56

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