College Football Rankings Crown Elite 5-Star Big Ten Recruit as No. 1 QB

A recruiting service has named this 2027 quarterback prospect as the best in the class in a new set of rankings.

From left to right, Donald Tabron II, 16, Donovan Dooley, 40, owner and founder of Quarterback University, Trae Taylor, 16, and Bryce Underwood, 17, take a photo together after participating in a private workout in Detroit on Saturday, June 21, 2025. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Five-star quarterback Trae Taylor has risen in virtually every recruiting ranking in the year after his commitment to Nebraska.

The 6-foot-3, 200-pounder from Omaha, Nebraska, by way of Chicago, now ranks as the No. 1 quarterback, No. 1 overall player in Nebraska and No. 14 overall prospect in the class of 2027 in Rivals' updated industry rankings.

Where does Taylor sit in other rankings?

In the Rivals 300 rankings, Taylor is the No. 2 quarterback, No. 1 prospect in Nebraska and No. 17 overall prospect in the class of 2027. Like Rivals' industry rankings, 247Sports also ranks Taylor as the No. 1 quarterback and No. 1 prospect in Nebraska, but it ranks him as the No. 8 overall prospect in the class.

Taylor transferred to Millard South High School after spending his previous three seasons at Carmel Catholic High School in Chicago. He is coming off a season in which he threw for 3,571 yards, 38 touchdowns and three interceptions and ran for 633 yards and 12 touchdowns on 77 attempts.

In the offseason, Taylor has participated in the Navy All-American Bowl, The Opening and the Elite 11. He was named the Most Valuable Player at the Elite 11.

Andrew Ivins called Taylor a "prediction passer with a good feel for the position that has a chance to emerge as a trusted facilitator on Saturdays and then potentially Sundays" in a scouting report from March. Ivins' comparison for Taylor is former Ohio State and current Houston Texans starter CJ Stroud.

Who did Taylor commit to Nebraska over?

A view of the line of scrimmage during the first half of game between the Michigan State Spartans and the Michigan Wolverines at Spartan Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The battle for Taylor's commitment was heavily concentrated in the Big Ten.

According to Rivals, Taylor took 14 visits to Michigan in the months before he committed to Nebraska. The Wolverines found their 2027 quarterback almost a year after Taylor's decision; they flipped Kamden Lopati, the No. 9 quarterback in the class, away from Illinois on April 14.

Michigan State was also a strong presence in the early stages of Taylor's recruitment, hosting him on six visits from 2023-24. The Spartans ended up landing three-star quarterback Eli Stumpf on March 17, who ranks as the No. 56 prospect at his position.

Like with any coveted prospect that hails from the Chicago area, Notre Dame expressed early interest in Taylor, hosting him on six visits in the two years before he announced his commitment. The Fighting Irish hold a blue-chip commitment at quarterback in Champ Monds, who is the No. 21 signal-caller in the class.