Jayden Maiava's Surprising Quarterback Ranking Raises Questions

Jayden Maiava’s National Quarterback Ranking

Following the 2025 season, Maiava proved that he can perform near the level of some of the top quarterbacks in the country, which has helped him to become one of the more intriguing players to watch next year. 

In a ranking of power conference quarterbacks, CBS Sports writer Brad Crawford listed Maiava as the No. 9 quarterback in the country.

As far as the Big Ten goes, Maiava ranks as the third quarterback in the conference behind Oregon’s Dante Moore, who sits at No. 1, and Ohio State’s Julian Sayin, who sits at the No. 2 spot. Maiava is also just ahead of Indiana’s Josh Hoover, who sits at No. 10 on the list. 

In conferences like the Big Ten, becoming one of the top quarterbacks is not an easy feat, but an impressive performance in 2026 could become a reality for Maiava. 

USC Trojans Key Matchups In 2026

With the hope of being one of the top teams in the Big Ten, USC has to win the tough games, and for the Trojans, there are plenty of those on next year’s slate. 

The biggest matchups include Oregon, Ohio State, and Indiana, who all project to be competing for the Big Ten title. For Maiava, this is a tremendous opportunity to compete against the top quarterbacks in the country and prove that he belongs in that conversation.

The good news for Maiava is the fact that the Trojans play Oregon and Ohio State at home, which could give USC a major boost with the support of their home fans. Winning these tough games is very difficult, and with these two games being at home, the Trojans have a great opportunity that they must take advantage of. 

However, USC does have to take on Indiana on the road, which could work out to be one of the more hostile environments that the Trojans play in during the 2026 season. While this road test does appear to be very daunting for USC, this could be exactly what USC needs to make next season one of the best seasons with Riley at the helm.

In these three games, Maiava’s performance will definitely be something to monitor, especially with his ball security. Last season, Maiava threw 10 interceptions, and seven of them came in losses. With the competition that USC has in the Big Ten, taking care of the ball is paramount, and if Maiava can take care of the ball in 2026, this should give USC more opportunities to score and a better chance to win. 

One way to offset the turnovers is for Maiava to use his legs, where he found success during 2025 when he recorded 157 yards and six touchdowns on the ground. 

If Maiava can limit his turnovers and help USC to consistently move the ball, there is no doubt that the Trojans could have a solid offense and potentially win some of the tougher games on their schedule in the Big Ten.

USC Quarterback Jayden Maiava’s Future

As Maiava heads into next season, finding success with USC is not the only thing on his mind. There is also a high likelihood that he may declare for the 2027 NFL Draft. 

If Maiava does indeed declare for next year’s draft, the 2026 season will have a major impact on whether he can be one of the first quarterbacks off the board. Competing against Maiava for the 2027 NFL Draft seem to be Moore, Sayin, Notre Dame’s CJ Carr, and Texas’s Arch Manning. 

The competition is definitely fierce, but with Riley as a mentor, Maiava could have all that he needs to have his best collegiate season. Winning the Heisman Trophy could be exactly what Maiava needs, and Riley could help to make that a reality after coaching three former quarterbacks who won the award and were later selected No. 1 overall in the NFL Draft. 

The balance that Maiava brings with his threat as a rusher, but also his ability as a passer, could help his draft stock to rise, and make him the next great quarterback to be developed by Riley and find success in the NFL.