Updated Big Ten Quarterback Rankings: USC Trojans' Jayden Maiava Too Low?

USC Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava has recently been named the starter this season. In recent rankings of Big Ten quarterbacks, Maiava appeared in the middle of the pack -- sparking doubts from college football analysts in the Trojans quarterback.

Dec 27, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Southern California Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava (14) throws the ball against the Texas A&M Aggies in the first half at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The USC Trojans enter a new season with high expectations and the pressure to deliver -- one of the biggest and most notable offensive improvements is quarterback Jayden Maiava.

Maiava completed four starts and won three of those last season when he was transitioned in as starting quarterback -- with his only loss being Notre Dame.

In a recent ranking by CBS Sports' David Cobb of Big Ten quarterbacks, analysts ranked Maiava shockingly low at No. 9 behind Michigan's Bryce Underwood and Nebraska's Dylan Raiola.

Nov 30, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava (14) carries the ball against Notre Dame Fighting Irish defensive lineman Joshua Burnham (40) and defensive lineman Rylie Mills (99) in the second half at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Here is the top-10 ranking of Big Ten quarterbacks:

No. 1: Drew Allar, Penn State Nittany Lions
No. 2: Julian Sayin, Ohio State Buckeyes
No. 3: Fernando Mendonza, Indiana Hoosiers
No. 4: Luke Altmyer, Illinois Fighting Illinis
No. 5: Demond Williams, Washington Huskies
No. 6: Nico Iamaleava, UCLA Bruins
No. 7: Dylan Raiola, Nebraska Cornhuskers
No. 8: Bryce Underwood, Michigan Wolverines
No. 9: Jayden Maiava, USC Trojans
No. 10: Dante Moore, Oregon Ducksx

The explanation for Underwood's one ranking above Maiava stems potentially from his high upside, ranked as the No. 1 quarterback recruit in the 2025 class -- leaving Michigan coach Sherrone Moore with a near obvious decision for who to start this season.

Although he only appeared in seven games, Maiva threw for 1,201 passing yards, 11 touchdowns and six interceptions. Maiava's short field time last season with 11 touchdowns adds hope for a signal-caller on coach Lincoln Riley's offense.

Based on how Maiava was presented at Big Ten Media Days, he's been tabbed as one of the Trojan's significant improvements.

Jul 24, 2025; Las Vegas, NV, USA; USC head coach Lincoln Riley speaks to the media during the Big Ten NCAA college football media days at Mandalay Bay Resort. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images | Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images

"Really proud of Jayden. He started four games for us last year, all four against good football teams, all four against really good defenses. He gave us a chance to win all four. We were able to pick off three of them. Made some huge plays, made some unbelievable plays in those games. Showed a lot of resiliency, a lot of toughness, his arm talent, the decisiveness in which he plays and how he sees things is really unique and has a chance to be really special." Riley said at Big Ten Media Days.

Star safety Kamari Ramsey shared at Big Ten Media Days that he is continuously impressed by Maiava, emphasizing that his accuracy and talent makes it fun for the defense to face him during practices.

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"Jayden is a great quarterback. He's mobile. Strong arm, great accuracy. So it's been great to go up against Jayden every day in practice." Ramsey said.

Maiava first impressed the college football world in 2023 as a true freshman at UNLV, where he finished the season with 3,085 touchdowns, 17 touchdowns and 11 interceptions before transferring to USC.

Nov 30, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava (14) throws against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish during the first half at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

The Trojans faced struggles at the quarterback position after Louisville transfer quarterback Miller Moss was benched for Maiava after a four-game losing streak. While USC's successful offseason in recruiting and the transfer portal looks good on paper, the real test comes how they perform with a revamped roster.

Former USC quarterback and college football analyst Matt Leinart related to the pressure of being at the helm of the offense, but also harped on his talent paired with Riley's development with quarterbacks will carry him far this season.

"The kid's got a lot of talent and he can play. He could be really good with another year in Lincoln Riley's system, and we know how good Lincoln is with quarterbacks. I'm excited to see how he's grown this offseason." Leinart told NBC Sports. "We all know USC is going to go as far as he can take them, and that's the job of the quarterback, that's the pressure. I know he's embracing it there."