SEC Week 1 Starting Quarterback Projections for All 16 Teams in 2026

The SEC enters 2026 with five starting quarterback jobs still open in the middle of August.

Only Georgia, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas and Texas A&M return the passer who opened last season as their starter. Auburn, Kentucky, LSU and Missouri bought new ones out of the portal. Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Tennessee and Vanderbilt are still sorting theirs out in camp.

Below is a projection for each team, showing the numbers each quarterback brings into the season and what he needs to do to hold the job.

MORE: Big Ten Starting Quarterback Projections for All 18 Teams in 2026

Alabama: Keelon Russell

Alabama quarterback Keelon Russell rolls out and throws a touchdown pass at Bryant-Denny Stadium during the Alabama A Day scrimmage. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Russell played two games as a freshman last season with limited action. Austin Mack has the experience edge, entering his fourth season in Kalen DeBoer's system.

Reports from Alabama's first fall scrimmage said the offense moved the ball better with Russell, who led most of the scoring drives. DeBoer said he does not feel closer to a decision. Russell was the No. 2 recruit in the 2025 class, and his running ability is the separator. Alabama opens against East Carolina on Sept. 5.

Arkansas: KJ Jackson

Jackson went 27 of 46 for 332 yards and two touchdowns in games against Texas and Missouri last season. The 6-foot-4 lefty is a redshirt sophomore. AJ Hill, a redshirt freshman, followed head coach Ryan Silverfield from Memphis and has two years in offensive coordinator Tim Cramsey's system.

Arkansas had not named a starter through eight preseason practices, and coaches have called the two players neck and neck. Quarterbacks coach Mitch Stewart said, "Don't do stupid things with the ball. Own the situation, and you'll own the team." Coaches want Jackson to clean up his accuracy and Hill to make faster decisions. Silverfield hopes to decide before the Sept. 5 opener against North Alabama.

Auburn: Byrum Brown

Brown threw for 3,158 yards, 28 touchdowns and seven interceptions at South Florida last season. He also ran for 1,008 yards and 14 scores. He was the only quarterback in the country to pass for 3,000 and rush for 1,000 in the same year.

The Rolesville, North Carolina native follows head coach Alex Golesh from Tampa to Auburn. So he already knows the offense and the terminology. Auburn has cycled through portal quarterbacks since 2023 without finding one who stuck.

Florida: Aaron Philo

Florida quarterback Aaron Philo (12) throws during Florida Football Fall camp practice availability. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Philo has thrown 102 passes in two seasons at Georgia Tech, good for 938 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions. His only start last season produced 373 yards against Gardner-Webb. He followed offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner from Atlanta to Gainesville.

Head coach Jon Sumrall calls the competition with Tramell Jones Jr. neck and neck, but reports say Philo was the more consistent of the two in the spring. Jones has thrown 35 college passes for 191 yards and two touchdowns. Plenty of Florida fans prefer Jones because of his arm strength.

Georgia: Gunner Stockton

Stockton completed 69.7% of his passes for 2,894 yards, 24 touchdowns and five interceptions in his first season as the starter. He carried 142 times for 462 yards and 10 scores. He finished seventh in Heisman voting. The Bulldogs won the SEC last year.

The finish is why he sits outside most preseason top tiers. His yards per attempt in that stretch was 6.31, more than a yard below his season average. Stockton said the ending "definitely left a bad taste."

Kentucky: Kenny Minchey

Minchey saw limited action across three seasons at Notre Dame. He lost the 2025 competition to CJ Carr, then entered the portal.

The Tennessee native committed to Nebraska and flipped to Kentucky one day later. First-year head coach Will Stein coached Bo Nix, Dillon Gabriel and Dante Moore at Oregon. Stein builds the offense around the quarterback rather than forcing a fit. Minchey has two years of eligibility and works with new coordinator Joe Sloan.

LSU: Sam Leavitt

Leavitt threw for 1,628 yards and 10 touchdowns with three interceptions in seven games at Arizona State last season. He added 306 rushing yards. A Lisfranc injury ended his year and required surgery in November.

He was the No. 1 player in the transfer portal and chose head coach Lane Kiffin's first LSU roster. The surgery cost him spring practice in Baton Rouge. Kiffin said, "I'm not worried about the health, I'm just concerned, like I would be with any first-time quarterback, about his transition with us and getting used to us."

In 2024, the 6-foot-2 passer threw for 2,885 yards and 24 touchdowns and won the Big 12.

Mississippi State: Kamario Taylor

Mississippi State quarterback Kamario Taylor (1) passes the ball during a college football game against Ole Miss | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Taylor played 11 games as a true freshman and started two. He threw for 629 yards with five touchdowns and one interception. He also ran for 458 yards and eight scores, including 173 rushing yards against Ole Miss in his first career start.

Head coach Jeff Lebby is in his third season in Starkville. Taylor completed 55.8% of his passes, so accuracy is the thing to fix. He had an ankle procedure days after the Duke's Mayo Bowl.

Missouri: Austin Simmons

Missouri named Simmons the starter in March, right after spring practice ended. The Ole Miss transfer has thrown for 1,026 career yards with six touchdowns and five interceptions. He opened last season as the Rebels' starter before an ankle injury at Kentucky in Week 2.

Trinidad Chambliss replaced him and never gave the job back. Head coach Eli Drinkwitz said, "The sooner we could name him the starter, the more our team could grow around him, rally around him, and his leadership attributes could really become prevalent to the team."

The 6-foot-4 lefty has two years left and runs a new offense under coordinator Chip Lindsey.

Oklahoma: John Mateer

Mateer completed 247 of 397 passes for 2,885 yards, 14 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. He carried 149 times for 431 yards and a team-high eight scores. He started 12 games and missed one after hand surgery.

Turnovers held him what looked like a special season early on. Six SEC quarterbacks threw more than 20 touchdown passes last season, and Mateer was not one of them. He did throw for 307 yards and two scores in Oklahoma's playoff opener. A full, healthy season should push those numbers up.

Ole Miss: Trinidad Chambliss

Chambliss went 294 of 445 for 3,937 yards, 22 touchdowns and three interceptions. He added 527 rushing yards and eight scores. The former Ferris State passer took over in Week 3 and carried Ole Miss to the playoff semifinals.

In three playoff games, he threw for 921 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions. He was named Sugar Bowl MVP after beating Georgia. Pete Golding is now the head coach and John David Baker calls the plays. Ole Miss has launched Heisman campaigns for Chambliss and running back Kewan Lacy.

South Carolina: LaNorris Sellers

Sellers started all 12 games and completed 178 of 293 passes for 2,437 yards, 13 touchdowns and eight interceptions. He ran 149 times for 270 yards and five scores. Despite entering 2025 with a little bit of hype, Sellers and South Carolina finished 4-8.

That was a big drop from 2024, when the 6-foot-3, 240-pound quarterback threw for 2,534 yards and 18 touchdowns and ran for 674 yards with seven rushing scores. He returned instead of entering the draft. Sellers has completed 63.4% of his career passes, third in program history. Health and consistency will decide his season.

Tennessee: Faizon Brandon

Tennessee quarterback Faizon Brandon (11) runs the ball during the Orange and White game at Neyland Stadium. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Tennessee starts a first-time starter, no matter who wins. Brandon is a five-star freshman who enrolled early and went through spring practice. George MacIntyre is a redshirt freshman who played 18 snaps last season.

Reports from Saturday's scrimmage said Brandon performed better and was responsible for all three explosive plays through the air. He threw the only touchdown pass, and MacIntyre threw the only interception. Head coach Josh Heupel said, "For both of them, a lot of growth to be ready to go play in Week 1."

Texas: Arch Manning

Manning completed 248 of 404 passes for 3,163 yards, 26 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He ran for 399 yards and 10 more scores. Texas finished 10-3 with a Citrus Bowl win over Michigan.

The last month is why he opens 2026 near the top of most QB lists. Over his final five games, he averaged an 87.9 Total QBR. Only Fernando Mendoza, Julian Sayin and Jayden Maiava beat that mark for a full season.

Texas A&M: Marcel Reed

Reed threw for 3,169 yards with 25 touchdowns and 12 interceptions, completing 62.1% of his passes. He added 493 rushing yards and six scores. Only one SEC quarterback threw more interceptions.

He set a career high with 439 yards and three touchdowns against South Carolina, in the biggest comeback in school history. The Nashville native reached 5,000 career passing yards and 1,000 career rushing yards faster than any Aggie since Johnny Manziel. Head coach Mike Elko needs that interception total reduced for Texas A&M to finish what it started a year ago.

Vanderbilt: Jared Curtis

Quarterbacks Blaze Berlowitz and Jared Curtis — Quarterbacks Blaze Berlowitz (1) and Jared Curtis (2) participate in Vanderbilt’s football practice. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Curtis is a five-star freshman who picked Vanderbilt over Georgia. The 6-foot-3, 230-pound Tennessee native had back surgery a few months ago and left spring practice for a movie role alongside fellow Tennessean comedian Nate Bargatze. Blaze Berlowitz backed up Diego Pavia for two years.

Head coach Clark Lea did not name a starter after the Aug. 15 scrimmage. Reports said Berlowitz knows the offense better and has more of the playbook memorized. Lea said, "I actually felt like today was as good a day as we've had at the quarterback position." He also called it Curtis' best day of camp.

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