HBCU Football’s Top 10 Passers Entering Week 3: JSU's Lockhart Leads the Rankings

HOUSTON — At the start of the 2026 HBCU football season, Alabama State quarterback Andrew Body was expected to be among the nation’s top passers.

Three weeks in, the numbers tell a different story.

Body has fallen outside the Top 20 HBCU passers, while Jackson State quarterback Jared Lockhart has emerged as the leader entering Week 3.

Lockhart owns a 199.5 passing efficiency rating through two games after Jackson State had a Week 2 bye. His rating is the best among 36 qualifying quarterbacks from the SWAC, MEAC, SIAC, and CIAA, along with Tennessee State, Florida Memorial, and Lincoln (Pa.).

Langston (Okla.) did not have updated statistics available for this report.

Florida Memorial quarterback David Buggs ranks second, followed by Alcorn State’s Jaylon Tolbert at No. 3. Central State’s Jackson Wasik and Virginia State’s Rahsaan Matthews Jr. complete the top five.

The SWAC leads all conferences with five quarterbacks in the Top 10. The SIAC has three, while the CIAA and NAIA each have one.

The MEAC has no quarterback in the Top 10. Morgan State’s Cameron Edge is the closest at No. 11, finishing only 0.2 composite points behind Grambling State’s Reginald Johnson.

HBCU Football's Top Passers - Week 3 | HBCU Legends

How HBCU Legends Ranks the Passers

HBCU Legends ranked every qualifying HBCU quarterback averaging at least 15 pass attempts per game.

Each passer was evaluated across six statistical categories to produce a composite score ranging from 0 to 100. A higher score represents stronger overall passing production.

Passing efficiency: 35%
Passing yards per game: 25%
Touchdown passes per game: 15%
Completion percentage: 10%
Interception rate: 10%
Attempts per game: 5%

Passing efficiency carries the most weight because it combines completions, yards, touchdowns, and interceptions relative to attempts. Passing yards per game provides another measure of how consistently a quarterback drives his team’s offense through the air.

Attempts receive only 5% of the formula. Still, that component helps prevent a quarterback with a small sample of highly efficient throws from outranking a full-time starter carrying a significantly larger passing workload.

Ties are broken by passing efficiency.

One important qualification: The model does not adjust for opponent strength or competitive division. FCS, Division II, and NAIA performances are compared directly. These rankings measure passing production, not strength of schedule.

HBCU Legends Top 10 Passers

1. Jared Lockhart, Jackson State (SWAC)

34 of 51, 66.7% | 610 yards | 5 TD, 0 INT | 199.5 efficiency | 94.4 composite

Lockhart leads all qualifying HBCU passers with a 199.5 efficiency rating and 12.0 yards per attempt. He has passed for 610 yards and five touchdowns without an interception through 51 attempts.

His 305 passing yards per game rank second among the quarterbacks evaluated.

Why he’s No. 1: Lockhart combines elite efficiency, explosive production, and ball security. He is averaging 12 yards per attempt while completing 66.7% of his passes without throwing an interception. That combination puts the Jackson State quarterback at the top of the rankings.

Florida Memorial QB David Buggs | FMU Athletics

2. David Buggs, Florida Memorial (Sun Conference, NAIA)

34 of 59, 57.6% | 655 yards | 5 TD, 1 INT | 175.5 efficiency | 86.6 composite

Buggs leads all qualifying HBCU quarterbacks with 327.5 passing yards per game. He has thrown for 655 yards, five touchdowns, and one interception through two games.

His 175.5 efficiency rating ranks among the best in the field, and he is averaging 11.1 yards per attempt.

Florida Memorial competes in the NAIA’s Sun Conference. The Lions lost 42-28 to Edward Waters before defeating Allen 38-31.

Why he’s No. 2: No quarterback in the rankings is producing more passing yards per game. His 57.6% completion rate, however, trails most of the other quarterbacks near the top. Because the model does not adjust for competitive division or opponent strength, it evaluates his production directly against FCS and Division II quarterbacks.

3. Jaylon Tolbert, Alcorn State (SWAC)

72 of 95, 75.8% | 869 yards | 10 TD, 6 INT | 174.7 efficiency | 83.3 composite

Tolbert leads all qualifying HBCU quarterbacks in completions, passing yards, and touchdown passes.

He has completed 75.8% of his passes, second among the quarterbacks in the Top 10, while throwing for 869 yards and 10 touchdowns.

The concern is turnovers. Tolbert has also thrown six interceptions, the most among the quarterbacks evaluated.

Alcorn State is 2-1 after victories over Miles and Arkansas-Pine Bluff and a loss to Southern Miss.

Why he’s No. 3: Tolbert’s volume and production are exceptional. His 10 touchdown passes lead the field, but six interceptions significantly reduce his composite score and keep him behind Lockhart and Buggs.

4. Jackson Wasik, Central State (SIAC)

41 of 69, 59.4% | 768 yards | 6 TD, 2 INT | 175.8 efficiency | 78.8 composite

Wasik has thrown for 768 yards, six touchdowns, and two interceptions on 69 attempts. He averages 256 passing yards per game and owns a 175.8 efficiency rating.

His 11.1 yards per attempt also ranks him among the most explosive passers.

Central State is 1-2 after losses to Kentucky State and Grambling State and a victory over Morehouse.

Why he’s No. 4: Wasik’s combination of efficiency, yardage, and explosiveness makes him one of the highest-rated Division II passers. His 59.4% completion percentage is the primary statistical weakness compared with the other quarterbacks in the top five.

5. Rahsaan Matthews Jr., Virginia State (CIAA)

54 of 83, 65.1% | 722 yards | 7 TD, 2 INT | 161.1 efficiency | 78.7 composite

Matthews leads the CIAA with 722 passing yards and seven touchdowns. He has completed 65.1% of his passes with two interceptions and averages 240.7 passing yards per game.

Last season, Matthews passed for 2,224 yards and 16 touchdowns while leading the CIAA in passing yards per game.

Virginia State is 2-1 after victories over Barton and Bowie State and a loss to South Carolina State.

Why he’s No. 5: Matthews is only 0.1 composite points behind Wasik. Wasik’s advantage in passing efficiency provides the narrow separation between Nos. 4 and 5.

6. Jaun Gainous, Kentucky State (SIAC)

48 of 76, 63.2% | 583 yards | 6 TD, 0 INT | 153.6 efficiency | 75.7 composite

Gainous has thrown six touchdown passes without an interception through 76 attempts. He has 583 passing yards, a 63.2% completion rate, and a 153.6 efficiency rating.

Kentucky State is 2-1 after defeating Central State, losing to Southern and winning at Clark Atlanta.

Why he’s No. 6: Ball security separates Gainous. He is one of only three quarterbacks in the Top 10 who have not thrown an interception.

7. Tavion Faulk, Edward Waters (SIAC)

49 of 86, 57.0% | 696 yards | 7 TD, 1 INT | 149.5 efficiency

Faulk has thrown seven touchdown passes, tying Matthews for second among the quarterbacks in the Top 10. He has 696 passing yards and only one interception through 86 attempts.

Edward Waters is 2-1 after defeating Florida Memorial and Miles and losing to Jackson State.

Why he’s No. 7: Faulk combines touchdown production with strong ball security. His 57.0% completion percentage, however, is the lowest among the top seven quarterbacks.

8. Cornelious Brown, Alabama A&M (SWAC)

64 of 100, 64.0% | 761 yards | 6 TD, 2 INT | 143.7 efficiency | 74.9 composite

Brown has attempted 100 passes, the largest workload of any quarterback in the Top 10. He has completed 64% of those attempts for 761 yards, six touchdowns, and two interceptions.

He averages 253.7 passing yards per game.

Alabama A&M is 2-1 after losing to Howard before defeating Miles and Tennessee State.

Why he’s No. 8: Brown combines heavy passing volume with consistent yardage production. His 143.7 efficiency rating and 7.6 yards per attempt, however, trail the quarterbacks ranked ahead of him.

9. Tevin Carter, Prairie View A&M (SWAC)

55 of 87, 63.2% | 600 yards | 5 TD, 0 INT | 140.1 efficiency | 71.1 composite

Carter has passed for 600 yards and five touchdowns without an interception through 87 attempts. He completes 63.2% of his passes and averages 200 passing yards per game.

Prairie View A&M is 1-2 after losses to Tarleton State and Baylor and a 52-14 victory over Texas Southern in the Labor Day Classic.

Why he’s No. 9: Carter’s ball security stands out. He is one of three Top 10 passers without an interception. His 6.9 yards per attempt, however, is the lowest among the Top 10.

10. Reginald Johnson, Grambling State (SWAC)

47 of 60, 78.3% | 581 yards | 2 TD, 1 INT | 167.3 efficiency | 67.4 composite

Johnson leads the Top 10 with a 78.3% completion rate. He has passed for 581 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception through 60 attempts.

His 167.3 efficiency rating also places him among the most efficient quarterbacks in the rankings.

Grambling State is 2-1 after victories over Clark Atlanta and Central State and a loss to TCU.

Why he’s No. 10: Accuracy is Johnson’s biggest strength. His 78.3% completion percentage leads the field, but his two touchdown passes limit his score in a formula that weights touchdown production at 15% of the total.

Week 3: HBCU QBs Comparison | HBCU Legends

What the Numbers Tell Us

Accuracy: Johnson (78.3%) and Tolbert (75.8%) are the only quarterbacks in the Top 10 completing more than 70% of their passes. Both play in the SWAC.

Ball security: Lockhart, Gainous, and Carter have not thrown an interception this season. At the opposite end, Tolbert has thrown six interceptions despite leading the field with 10 touchdown passes.

Volume: Brown leads the Top 10 with 100 attempts, followed by Tolbert with 95. Lockhart and Buggs have significantly smaller workloads after playing only two games.

Explosiveness: Lockhart averages 12.0 yards per attempt. Buggs and Wasik are next at 11.1. They are the only Top 10 quarterbacks averaging more than 10 yards per attempt.

Conference strength: Five of the Top 10 passers come from the SWAC. Three represent the SIAC, with one each from the CIAA and NAIA.

The distribution also illustrates an important limitation of the rankings. Because the model measures production without adjusting for opponent or divisional strength, it treats statistics compiled against NAIA, Division II, and FCS opponents equally.

That makes the rankings a measure of who has produced most effectively through the opening weeks, rather than a declaration of which quarterback would perform best against the strongest competition.

Just Outside the Top 10

Morgan State’s Cameron Edge sits at No. 11 with a 175.0 efficiency rating and five touchdown passes.

Allen’s Brent Upshaw Jr. ranks No. 12. He has thrown for 744 yards but has three interceptions.

South Carolina State’s Keely Watson is No. 13 despite owning a 176.2 efficiency rating, one of the highest marks in the field. Watson has thrown six touchdown passes for the unbeaten Bulldogs, but his 50 attempts through three games reduce his passing volume and yards-per-game components.

Further down the rankings, Tennessee State’s Daylin Lee is No. 31 among the 36 qualifying passers. Lee has thrown for 514 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions on 101 attempts. His 94.5 efficiency rating ranks 34th.

Last season at Winston-Salem State, Lee passed for 2,045 yards and 23 touchdowns with a 160.8 efficiency rating. Tennessee State is 0-3.

Lincoln (Pa.) quarterback Jayden Triplett ranks No. 25 with 307 passing yards, one touchdown and a 113.0 efficiency rating through two games. The Lions are 0-2 and will play at Shaw on Sept. 19.

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