2023 SEC quarterback rankings: KJ Jefferson takes top spot post-spring
The 2023 spring period has come and gone for college football.
As we dive into the summer, a.k.a. speculation season, there will be discussion, tier lists, rankings, and projections thrown out across the country about which team does what, who has the best quarterback, offensive line, receivers, you name it.
The SEC is finally moving into a new era past some of its great quarterbacks that have now graduated or moved along to the NFL.
Here's a look at how we think the SEC should rank its quarterbacks heading into the summer.
1. KJ Jefferson, Arkansas
48 passing touchdowns, 19 rushing touchdowns, a 65.5% completion percentage and over 7,200 total yards over the course of his career.
KJ Jefferson just might be the SEC's best quarterback heading into 2023.
Whether or not Arkansas will be able to rebound from a confusing 2022 season is yet to be decided. But that doesn't negate the fact that they have one of the best signal-callers in the league.
2. Will Rogers, Mississippi State
Rogers has already etched his name across the Mississippi State record books as arguably the best passer to ever come through the program. How does he perform underneath new head coach Zach Arnett in a non-air raid offense? We will have to see.
3. Jayden Daniels, LSU
Daniels was the definition of stability at LSU last season. Bailing from the pocket less is on the agenda of things Daniels needs to fix, but overall he should be set to have another solid year.
4. Devin Leary, Kentucky
If Leary can stay healthy the Wildcats have a legitimate shot at finishing second in the SEC east. With 62 career passing touchdowns underneath his belt, Leary brings the experience and consistency OC Liam Coen needs under center in his return to Lexington.
Kentucky also has a solid pair of receivers in Dane Key and Barion Brown. This should be a fun offense again.
5. Joe Milton, Tennessee
Milton has been erratic at times, sure. But Josh Heupel's system will put up numbers regardless of who is throwing the bombs downfield. Given his strong arm and experience with UT, Milton seems like a surefire candidate to be one of the better quarterbacks in the league.
6. Jalen Milroe, Tyler Buchner, Ty Simpson, Alabama
This ranking is contingent on whether or not Jalen Milroe wins the starting job. Alabama's offense will (likely) be more than fine regardless of whoever is taking snaps under center. Right now Milroe has the highest ceiling of the three quarterbacks and in our opinion would be the most explosive option for the Tide. The most consistent option may be one of the other two, but there's questions around Simpson's development in this stage of his career and even more serious questions around Buchner's ceiling as a passer.
7. Carson Beck, Georgia
Beck backed up Stetson Bennett for what felt like a decade. He now gets his chance to shine for the Bulldogs underneath new offensive coordinator Mike Bobo.
Opinions on how Beck will perform differs depending on who you ask. Some say he's going to be just fine in a system with insane talent and an incredible offensive line surrounding him. Others think because he couldn't beat out Bennett at any point in his lengthy Georgia career that he won't be nearly as good and will cap UGA's ceiling on offense.
We'll let you decide where Beck ends up. For now, it's hard to rank him high considering the amount of quarterbacks above him that have produced more to varying degrees.
8. Spencer Sanders/Jaxson Dart, Ole Miss
Sanders racked up numbers during his time with Oklahoma State, but he has not been handed the starting job with the Rebels just yet. In fact, Jaxson Dart may very well but the game one starter for Lane Kiffin this fall.
9. Payton Thorne/Robby Ashford, Auburn
Michigan State transfer Payton Thorne should be the favorite to start over incumbent Robby Ashford, considering his consistency as a passer and experience in a Hugh Freeze-type offense with the Spartans. The Tigers have also gone out into the portal to get a few new targets for Thorne to throw to.
Auburn couldn't throw the ball at all a season ago. They could have one of the better passing games in the SEC in 2023.
10. Spencer Rattler, South Carolina
Rattler was turnover prone and inconsistent during his first season at USC. 11 of his total 21 touchdowns came in the final three games of the season - six of them against Tennessee.
The Gamecocks have officially earned their reputation as a giant killer, but in order for Shane Beamer's squad to take the next step in the SEC east, they'll need Rattler to really cut down on the turnovers (among other things).
11. Connor Weigman, Texas A&M
There is a chance that Weigman could have looked better as a freshman thrown into the fire had it not been for Jimbo Fisher's shenanigans on offense last season. Eight touchdowns to no interceptions looks solid on paper, but in order for Weigman and the Aggies to take a step past "awful" in the passing attack, they'll need new OC Bobby Petrino to unlock the potential in the plethora of talent A&M has on that side of the ball.
12. AJ Swann, Vanderbilt
Swann was the first Vanderbilt quarterback to appear in at least nine games and throw less than four interceptions since 2008 (Chris Nickson). That statistic alone should give Vandy fans hope for the future of what has been a historically bad offense.
13. Graham Mertz, Florida
Mertz was a confusing addition for Florida in the transfer portal, but the Gators' staff seems to have some confidence in the former Wisconsin Badger. He was a middling QB in the Big Ten statistically and never truly broke through his presumably low ceiling.
There's reason to believe Billy Napier can unlock whatever Mertz has left in the tank.
14. Brady Cook, Missouri
Both Cook and the Tigers need to show serious improvement in 2023. Almost half of Cook's touchdowns came against Abilene Christian and New Mexico State. The offense needs lift.
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