The SEC is loaded at the quarterback position as the conference grows to 16 teams in 2024. This fall in the SEC, there will be some incredible quarterback play on display from former five-star prospects to 2024 Heisman hopefuls to fascinating transfer adds.
From Oklahoma and the SEC, seven of the past nine Heisman winners have come from. Of those seven, Derrick Henry and DeVonta Smith weren’t quarterbacks.
The quarterbacks leading their teams in 2024 will be largely responsible for deciding whether teams win the SEC title and make it into the College Football Playoffs.
Here are our pre-spring ball SEC quarterback rankings, while there still need to be some quarterback competitions.Taylen Green only completed 59.4% of his throws in his two seasons at Boise State, with an average of less than 2,000 yards passing per season. Although he is quite large and has gained important experience, making the transition from the Mountain West to the SEC will be difficult.
Payton Thorne had the lowest passer rating in the SEC in 2023 out of 11 eligible quarterbacks. He only managed 16 touchdown passes and 10 interceptions in 13 games as a quarterback. Last year, he was the only quarterback in the SEC to have more than ten interceptions. With 6.6 yards per try and 6.1 air yards per attempt, Thorne led the conference in both categories.Brock Vandagriff passed for 165 yards and two touchdowns in 2023 on 66.7% of his passes. The former five-star quarterback finds a home with Mark Stoops and the Kentucky Wildcats after failing to establish himself with the Georgia Bulldogs. Because of his exceptional talent, he was rated as a five-star quarterback and the 17th overall pick in the 2021 recruiting class.In Columbus, there’s a lot of enthusiasm around Lanorris Sellers’ future. Sellers, a three-star quarterback who hails from South Carolina, possesses the size, athleticism, and passing skills to cause problems for the SEC.Diego Pavia, a transfer quarterback from New Mexico State, proved to be a valuable asset to Vanderbilt. Pavia completed 67.9% of his passes for 201 yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions in the Aggies’ stunning victory over Auburn. In the victory, he also ran eight times for 35 yards. He is a dual-threat quarterback who amassed around 4,000 offensive yards in the previous campaign. If he can raise his under-pressure completion rate from 44.6%, the Commodores could be able to mount an offensive campaign.
Having started the last two seasons for the Baylor Bears, Blake Shapen has a plenty of experience. However, it has largely been uneventful. He’s played games that made it seem like he was piecing things together and others that left you a little perplexed. His passing ability will be enhanced by Jeff Lebby’s offensive scheme. Shapen offers the Bulldogs an opportunity to surprise fans in Lebby’s first campaign if he can develop in the deep passing game.
Grant Nussmeier played a fantastic game as the LSU Tigers defeated Wisconsin in the ReliaQuest Bowl. I still require more viewing. Even if it was in his early Tigers years, Nussmeier has demonstrated a tendency for change. After the season of Jayden Daniels Heisman, expectations will be high. With the right quarterback, he can overcome the Badgers and quickly move up the rankings.
