Ranking 2026 Big Ten Starting QBs by PFF Grade — Including Michigan's Bryce Underwood

The Big Ten Conference lost some star quarterbacks from the 2025 season, such as Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza from Indiana. Some other talented players like Drew Allar and Luke Altmyer graduated and we will get to see some backups in waiting from 2025, along with incoming transfers.

Let's take a look at how each of them stacked up against one another using their Pro Football Focus offensive grades from the 2025 season.

Rankings from 2025 season

Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Julian Sayin (10) smiles as he walks off the field — Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Julian Sayin (Ohio State) - 92.9 grade
Dante Moore (Oregon) - 90.2 grade
Anthony Colandrea (Nebraska) - 89.9 grade
Jayden Maiava (USC) - 86.2 grade
Katin Houser (Illinois) - 84.0 grade
Rocco Becht (Penn State) - 80.0 grade
Demond Williams Jr. (Washington) - 79.1 grade
Colton Joseph (Wisconsin) - 78.9 grade
Josh Hoover (Indiana) -76.8 grade
Nico Iamaleava (UCLA) - 72.0 grade
Malik Washington (Maryland) - 71.3 grade
Alessio Milivojevic (Michigan State) - 71.3 grade
Drake Lindsey (Minnesota) - 70.5 grade
Bryce Underwood (Michigan) - 69.3 grade
Ryan Browne (Purdue) - 69.1 grade
AJ Surace (Rutgers' presumed starter) - 66.5 grade
Aidan Chiles (Northwestern) - 63.4 grade
Jeremy Hecklinski OR Hank Brown (Iowa) - N/A Not enough stats

Do the advanced analytics tell the full story on Underwood?

In his true freshman season, Bryce Underwood had plenty of highs and plenty of lows. At times, he flashed his five-star potential, but he also made too many silly mistakes that made the fanbase question if he's the answer.

Obviously, PFF wasn't overly high on what Underwood did this past season, but does that tell the full story? If you sat and watched games, and even looked at statistics, Underwood was more towards the middle of the pack — not toward the bottom fourth of the league.

Michigan Wolverines quarterback Bryce Underwood (19) throws the ball — Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images

Plus, guys like Anthony Colandrea, Rocco Becht, and Colton Joseph will all have some learning to do when coming over to play against Big Ten defenses.

While Underwood would get happy feet at times, and his mechanics could get wonky, his team didn't do him a ton of favors. There were 28 dropped passes last season. And Underwood faced too much pressure. He faced pressure on 127 of 399 total dropbacks from 2025.

Michigan has done enough to make 2026 better for Underwood

Entering 2026, Michigan reloaded at wide receiver. The Wolverines will start Andrew Marsh, who could be a top-10 wide receiver this season, along with adding what's likely going to be three new starters alongside Marsh from the transfer portal.

The Wolverines' line should be improved with the retention of Jake Guarnera, Blake Frazier, and Andrew Sprague — along with signing Jim Harding to coach the position.

Between what the roster looks like and how Michigan has given Underwood a dedicated quarterbacks coach in Koy Detmer Jr., along with allowing him to use his legs in 2026, this upcoming season should bode well for the former No. 1 ranked player.

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