College Football's Top Quarterbacks on the Rise for 2026

College football’s 2026 season could feature one of the deepest collections of starting quarterbacks in recent memory. Texas’ Arch Manning, Ohio State’s Julian Sayin, Notre Dame’s CJ Carr, Ole Miss’ Trinidad Chambliss, Oregon’s Dante Moore, California’s Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele, and Miami’s Darian Mensah are just a few of the top names returning to campus this fall. 

Although those stars will continue to shine in ‘26, expect new faces to join that conversation and emerge on the national scene. Michigan’s Bryce Underwood and Mississippi State’s Kamario Taylor rank as two of the top quarterbacks with the most upside or breakout potential this fall, with Maryland’s Malik Washington and Vanderbilt’s Jared Curtis headlining the next tier. 

Which quarterbacks will make the jump from solid to a potential spot among the top-10 signal-callers or emerge as a household name? Athlon Sports examines 13 candidates to watch in ‘26.

Way-Too-Early 2026 Rankings: Top 25 | ACC | Big 12 | Big Ten | SEC

Diego Pavia leaves big shoes to fill on West End, but Vanderbilt landed arguably the top quarterback recruit in the ‘26 signing class and optimism is high for the offense to not miss a beat this fall. Curtis - a five-star prospect in the ‘26 signing class - turned down other major programs to stay close to home in Nashville and handle the offensive controls for the Commodores this season. Starting as a true freshman quarterback in the SEC is never easy. However, Curtis has all of the talent to thrive in ‘26 and scratch the surface of his talent in a potential breakout year under coach Clark Lea.

Heintschel gave Pitt’s offense a needed spark after a slow start to the ‘25 season. The Ohio native guided the Panthers to back-to-back road wins over Florida State and Syracuse in October and threw for 226 yards and two scores in an upset over Georgia Tech in mid-November. Heintschel’s overall play was up-and-down at times last fall, but the true freshman still finished with 2,354 passing yards and 16 touchdowns and added 88 yards and two scores on the ground. Heintschel should benefit with a full offseason to work as the No. 1 quarterback under coordinator Kade Bell. 

Kienholz doesn’t have as much experience as most of the other quarterbacks on this list, so his placement is all about upside. The South Dakota native played in 12 games at Ohio State from 2023-25 and threw for 250 yards and a touchdown over 21 completions. Kienholz also added 68 rushing yards over 17 carries. Although Kienholz is light on starting experience, expect coach Jeff Brohm to get the most out of his intriguing talent this fall. 

Lindsey turned in a solid all-around debut for the Golden Gophers last season. In his redshirt freshman campaign, Lindsey started all 13 games and threw for 2,382 yards and 18 touchdowns to just six picks. The Arkansas native connected on nearly 64 percent (63.9) of his throws in Big Ten games and landed three completions of 50-plus yards. With another offseason to develop as the starter, Lindsey should elevate Minnesota’s passing attack up a notch in ‘26.

Minchey lost a close battle against CJ Carr to start at Notre Dame last fall but now has a chance to run coach Will Stein’s quarterback-friendly scheme after transferring to Kentucky this offseason. The sample size on Minchey’s career is small. He’s played in just 10 games and completed 23 of 29 throws for 212 yards and rushed for 96 yards on 10 carries. However, the Tennessee native has intriguing physical tools and arm talent to potentially thrive in Stein’s offense this fall.

Philo is locked into a tight quarterback competition with Tramell Jones this offseason. However, Philo’s experience with new Florida play-caller Buster Faulkner from the last two years at Georgia Tech should pay dividends under new coach Jon Sumrall. The Georgia native shined in limited time with the Yellow Jackets, completing 21 of 28 throws for 373 yards and one touchdown in ‘25 and passing for 565 yards and a score the previous year. Familiarity with Faulkner’s scheme should help Philo eventually edge Jones for the starting nod. And with a talented receiving corps and one of the SEC’s top running backs in Jadan Baugh to lean on, Philo is primed for a breakout year.

Considering the track record of success for quarterbacks under Kalen DeBoer and coordinator Ryan Grubb, pencil in the winner of this quarterback battle for a spot on this list. Mack has the edge in experience, but Russell - a five-star prospect in the 2025 signing class - has more long-term upside. This battle is expected to go deep into fall practice.

Simmons held a spot on this list last season as all signs pointed to a huge debut as the starter at Ole Miss following Jaxson Dart’s departure to the NFL. Although Simmons shined in limited time in ‘24 and flashed potential in two starts last season, his breakout campaign was derailed by a leg injury. His absence opened the door for Trinidad Chambliss to seize the No. 1 spot on the depth chart for the remainder of ‘25, which prompted an offseason transfer to Missouri. Simmons’ arm talent and ability isn’t in question. Can the Tigers help the talented junior reach his potential this fall?

A late-season injury kept Szarka from playing in the Falcons’ final two contests, which prevented him from becoming the first Air Force player to rush for 1,000 yards since ‘22. Despite the late-season setback, Szarka ran for 922 yards and 13 touchdowns and accounted for 1,294 yards and nine scores through the air. After a promising debut, Szarka enters ‘26 as one of the Mountain West’s top returning quarterbacks.

The combination of coach Jeff Lebby’s scheme and Taylor’s arm and overall physical talent form an intriguing pairing for Mississippi State’s offense in ‘26. Taylor - a four-star recruit in the ‘25 signing class - started two games for the Bulldogs last season and played in 11 overall contests. The Mississippi native threw for 629 yards and five touchdowns and added 458 yards and eight scores on the ground. If Taylor takes a massive step forward overall in his development, Mississippi State could push for a spot among the top five offenses in the SEC.

Underwood started all 13 games for Michigan as a true freshman last season and showcased all of the physical talent and ability that made him the No. 1 prospect in the ‘25 signing class. The Detroit native threw for 2,428 yards and 11 touchdowns and ran for 392 yards and six scores en route to leading the Wolverines to a nine-win season. Underwood is just starting to scratch the surface of his potential, and the sophomore should be an excellent fit in new coordinator Jason Beck’s offense. Look for Underwood to take a massive step forward in ‘26.

Maryland’s 4-8 record last season likely overshadowed a promising start to Washington’s career in College Park. The true freshman impressed right away by winning the starting job and threw for 2,963 yards and 17 touchdowns to nine picks. Washington added 303 yards and four scores on the ground. His development in ‘26 is one of the biggest reasons for optimism for the Terrapins this fall.