Ranking Quarterbacks Iowa State Will Play Against in 2026

The Iowa State Cyclones defense is going to be tested by opposing quarterbacks this season.

Oklahoma State's Drew Mestemaker smiles after throwing a touchdown pass during a spring football game for the Oklahoma State University Cowboys at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, Okla., Saturday, April 18, 2026. | BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Iowa State Cyclones are entering 2026 with some tough tasks ahead.

The Cyclones take on some elite quarterbacks throughout college football during the season, from Heisman contenders all the way down to FCS level players and some with virtually no on-field experience.

And admittedly, Iowa State’s roster may struggle to compete with some of the top quarterbacks.

Let’s rank all 12 likely starting quarterbacks from worst to best

Johnny Weber - SEMO Redhawks

SEMO staff greets players exiting the field with cheers at an OVC football game between the Austin Peay Governors and Southeast Missouri Redhawks at Fortera Stadium in Clarksville, Tenn., on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2019. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Weber had a solid season in 2025 for SEMO, but playing well at the FCS level is a whole different ballpark from FBS football. He’s a decent player, but he definitely is the worst on this list just due to his lack of dominance at the lower level.

Jeremy Hecklinski - Iowa Hawkeyes

This one may be quite shocking, as Iowa is projected to be one of the toughest games for the Cyclones next season. However, their quarterback play simply isn’t great.

Hecklinski barely played last season and wasn’t a super highly rated recruit out of high school either, being just a three-star. He’s done solid in spring practice, but he can definitely hold this Hawkeye squad back.

Austin Novosad - Bowling Green Falcons

Iowa fans may be mad to see Novosad over Hecklinski, but they are virtually the same in many ways. Neither has experience on the field more than a few snaps, which is putting them near the bottom of the list. The reason Novosad ranks higher is due to having more hype in high school and being a four-star recruit.

Michael Hawkins Jr. - West Virginia Mountaineers

Oct 11, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. (3) warms up before the game against the Texas Longhorns at Cotton Bowl. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

There is a big, big difference between the bottom three and the top nine. Hawkins Jr. actually got solid minutes for the Oklahoma Sooners and showed lots of flashes. However, he did eventually lose his starting spot. West Virginia is bringing in a proven Power 4 quarterback who could be pretty solid next season.

JC French IV - Cincinnati Bearcats

I loved watching French IV tear up the Sun Belt for the Georgia Southern Eagles last season, and he’s been overall great the past few seasons. It feels like Cincinnati is the perfect jump, not too big and not too small, and should help him become a solid quarterback in the Big 12.

Alonza Barnett III - UCF Knights

Barnett III is a College Football Playoff quarterback after leading the James Madison Dukes to the promised land last season. He now heads down south to what also feels like a perfect jump at UCF. He’s not a top quarterback in the conference or anything, but definitely a good quarterback to have if you’re the Knights next season.

Avery Johnson - Kansas State Wildcats

Nov 29, 2025; Manhattan, Kansas, USA; Kansas State Wildcats quarterback Avery Johnson (2) drops back to pass during the fourth quarter against the Colorado Buffaloes at Bill Snyder Family Football Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Johnson has had hype every single season that he’s been in college, but has consistently underperformed. Honestly, I’m kind of off the Johnson train now, but he still does have lots of Power 4 experience and knows the program well enough now. I would still bet on him to do better than proven G5 quarterbacks making the jump to the Power 4 level.

DJ Lagway - Baylor Bears

It’s really tough to evaluate Lagway because it just depends on what you value. If high school rankings and big names matter, Lagway should be really high, but he’s struggled a lot in college, especially when it comes to turning the ball over in big games.

Lagway heads to Baylor, where he should do better, but only time will tell. This guy could be a Heisman contender or a complete flop, so ranking him in the middle makes sense.

Devon Dampier - Utah Utes

Dampier is a pretty solid player, using his dual-threat ability to provide a plethora of attacking options. It’s going to be tough with a new head coach next season, but Dampier doesn’t really rely on a good system to help him succeed.

Bear Bachmeier - BYU Cougars

Dec 27, 2025; Orlando, FL, USA; BYU Cougars quarterback Bear Bachmeier (47) looks to pass against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in the fourth quarter during the Pop-Tarts Bowl at Camping World Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Bachmeier is also a great dual-threat quarterback who shined as a freshman last season, leading BYU to the conference championship game. Now, coming back another year, he has a pretty solid squad, especially on the ground. But without great receiving targets, Bachmeier has a ceiling.

Noah Fifita - Arizona Wildcats

Fifita has been so consistent for Arizona over the last few years that it’s really tough to doubt that he’ll do well in 2026. He’s more experienced now and has a pretty good roster surrounding him, which could help him do much better.

Drew Mestemaker - Oklahoma State Cowboys

Mestemaker is a clear number one here. He proved so much as a freshman and has so many familiar weapons around him that could help him do even better next season. Mestemaker could potentially be in Heisman Trophy talks, and it’s going to be tough for Iowa State to stop or even slow him down.