Jackson Arnold Featured in Top 10 QB Rankings by CBS Sports

The Auburn Tigers are two games into the 2025 season, and their quarterback is already raking in an abundance of recognition for his strong performances.

CBS Sports analyst David Cobb released his “College Football Quarterback Power Rankings” heading into week three, and Auburn quarterback Jackson Arnold found himself at No. 9 in the nation.

Arnold sits as the third-highest quarterback from the SEC, only behind Oklahoma’s John Mateer (No. 1) and Missouri’s Beau Pribula (No. 8), while other notable quarterbacks ranked above him are Baylor’s Sawyer Robertson, Thomas Castellanos from Florida State, and Ohio State true freshman Julian Sayin.

As fans and media have discussed countless times over the offseason, Arnold was the Tigers’ biggest question mark ahead of the season. With Hugh Freeze kicking off his third year on the Plains, a heavily improved roster, and future NFL talent scattered all over the field, it seemed as if all of the pressure was on Arnold and if he was able to compete at a high level.

After just two outings, the Oklahoma transfer has done that, showcasing his dangerous dual-threat ability at Baylor in Auburn’s season opener and utilizing his arm efficiently in the passing attack against Ball State.

Arnold simply gashed the Bears’ defense on the ground in Waco, rushing for a career-high 137 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries in his Auburn debut. The junior averaged 8.6 yards per rush, and his 137 rushing yards were the most by an Auburn quarterback since Nick Marshall posted 2014 at Tennessee in 2013.

Jackson Arnold rushed for 137 yards and two touchdowns in Auburn's season opener at Baylor. | Chris Jones-Imagn Images

He also recorded 108 passing yards, making him the first quarterback to throw for 100 yards and run for 100 yards in an Auburn debut since Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton.

Last Saturday, Arnold relied on his legs significantly less than he did in Waco, and Freeze mentioned that they only ran a few plays designed for him to run. He went 24-for-28 passing for 251 yards and three touchdowns against Ball State, marking the most amount of passing yards since throwing for 361 in the 2023 Valero Alamo Bowl versus Arizona as a freshman at Oklahoma.

One important statistic that all Auburn fans should admire and appreciate is the number of turnovers Arnold has committed as a Tiger – zero.

Costly turnovers and crucial mistakes in big moments have haunted Auburn in recent years, resulting in a total of 13 interceptions in 2024 and the same amount in 2023. Although he was accompanied by one of the worst offensive lines in the country and an injury-depleted wide receiver corps, Arnold exhibited turnover issues at times and looked flat-out uncomfortable with the Sooners, which was a main point of concern regarding Arnold’s ability to effectively produce at Auburn.

Up to this point, he has appeared poised and comfortable, and he’s making good decisions with the football. There have been some instances in which he has lacked decisiveness in the pocket, but overall, Arnold has displayed that he may have the potential to take Auburn to great heights this season.

However, despite the positive attention he’s receiving and the stat lines Arnold has posted, his first real test will be next weekend when Auburn travels to Norman for its SEC opener at Oklahoma. He has looked impressive against lackluster defenses like Baylor and Ball State, but fans will witness the true Arnold when he lines up toe-to-toe with a legitimate SEC defense coached by Brent Venables.