USC's Jayden Maiava Leads All Returning Quarterbacks in This Key Stat

USC Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava enters the season with high expectations, and his numbers from 2025 seem to back it up.

With a great class of quarterbacks who return to college for 2026, one thing to monitor is where Maiava stacks up against them.

USC Trojans Quarterback Jayden Maiava Ranking Among Returning Quarterbacks 2026 College Football Season Coach Licoln Riley — Nov 22, 2025; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Southern California Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava (14) warms up before the game against the Oregon Ducks at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

QBR Ranking

During the 2025 season, Maiava was one of the best quarterbacks in the country when it came to QBR, which stands for quarterback rating. In his 2025 campaign, Maiava had a 91.2 QBR, which was the best in the country among all quarterbacks.

The list of returning quarterbacks who will likely be competing with Maiava throughout the 2026 season includes Texas's Arch Manning, Dante Moore of Oregon, Ohio State’s Julian Sayin, Trinidad Chambliss of Ole Miss, Georgia’s Gunner Stockton, CJ of Notre Dame, and Utah’s Devon Dampier.

The interesting part of the QBR rankings is the fact that Manning is not in the top five. Manning is actually a lot deeper down the QBR rankings, as he recorded a 70.6 QBR in 2025. With Manning currently being the favorite to be selected as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2027 NFL Draft, this is one area that he has to improve and could help Maiava to climb draft boards throughout the 2026 season.

Passing Production

Maiava also did a great job with his arm in creating consistent offense in addition to explosive plays through the air. Last season with the Trojans, Maiava recorded 3,711 passing yards, 24 passing touchdowns, 10 interceptions, and completed 65.8 percent of his passes.

As far as the returning quarterbacks go, Maiava ranks third in passing yards, which is a solid place to be with room to improve. The consistency that Maiava was able to play with during the 2025 season was very impressive, especially with his ability to maximize the skill sets of wide receivers Makai Lemon and Ja’Kobi Lane, who now make their way to the NFL.

Under USC coach Lincoln Riley, Maiava has progressed in both his seasons with the Trojans and looks to be even better in 2026.

As a college coach, Riley has done a tremendous job developing quarterbacks and has helped three in particular to go on to win the Heisman Trophy and be selected with the No. 1 overall pick. That list includes Baker Mayfield, Kyler Murray, and Caleb Williams, who have all found success in the NFL.

As Maiava heads into his fourth college season, and third with Riley and USC, he is ready for his best showing yet and hopes to become the best quarterback in the country.

One Area for Improvement

While Maiava does have a great chance to have his best season yet, there is one key area where he must improve, that being his ability to take care of the ball and limit his turnovers.

In his 2025 campaign with USC, Maiava threw 10 interceptions, which was more than he would like, but he has the opportunity to improve during the 2026 season. The key for Maiava is letting the game come to him and not forcing the ball in tight windows when it's not needed.

In a conference like the Big Ten, there are plenty of players with great ball skills who will take advantage of poor decisions and throws. With that in mind, Maiava must work with Riley to improve his decision-making and his ability to make the tougher throws.

If Maiava can take better care of the ball and build on his 2025 campaign with Riley, Maiava could put himself in a great position to lead USC to one of its best seasons in recent history and have a chance to be selected very early on in the 2027 NFL Draft.

Sign up to our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook, and X for the latest news.

Add us as a preferred source on Google