SEC Quarterback Rankings for 2025

With five-star talent, famous bloodlines, and one of the best situations on offense for any college football quarterback, Manning is primed to live up to the hype in his first season as the starter in Austin. The Louisiana native waited his turn behind Quinn Ewers the last two years but gained valuable experience last year with two starts and 10 overall appearances. Manning passed for 258 yards and two scores against ULM in his first start and followed up that performance with 325 yards and two touchdowns in a win over Mississippi State. For the season, Manning threw for 939 yards and nine touchdowns and connected on 67.8 percent of his passes. His mobility was also on display (108 rushes and four touchdowns) in limited snaps. Manning has room to improve across the board and will only get better with more playing time as he starts to scratch the surface of his potential. There could be some growing pains (especially at Ohio State in the opener), but with a standout group of receivers and a coach in Steve Sarkisian that produces some of the nation’s top offenses, Manning will eventually emerge as the SEC’s No. 1 quarterback in ‘25.

Nussmeier finally got his chance to run the show in Baton Rouge in 2024 and ensured the LSU offense didn’t miss much of a beat with Jayden Daniels off to the NFL. The Louisiana native ranked second in the SEC with 4,052 passing yards and tied for second in the conference in touchdown tosses (29). He also ranked fifth in the SEC in completion percentage (64.2) and connected on 13 throws of 40-plus yards. Nussmeier topped 300 passing yards in eight of LSU’s 13 contests, including a 337-yard effort to beat Ole Miss on Oct. 12. The senior returns one of the best receiving corps in the nation but will be working behind a line with four new starters. If that unit meshes well early on, Nussmeier’s production should exceed his ‘24 totals.

No quarterback in college football improved from early in the season to the end of the year as much as Sellers did. After a slow start and later an injury against LSU, Sellers finally found his rhythm in his first year as South Carolina’s No. 1 quarterback. After nearly guiding the Gamecocks to a road upset over Alabama, Sellers went on to throw for 244 yards and two scores and rushed for 106 yards to beat Texas A&M, torched Missouri for five touchdown tosses, and delivered a couple of clutch plays and 166 rushing yards to beat Clemson 17-14. Sellers finished the season with 2,534 passing yards and 18 touchdowns and 674 yards and seven scores on the ground. The sophomore has enormous upside and can only get better with more snaps. If Sellers continues to develop as a passer and maintains his dynamic ability on the ground, he could lift South Carolina to the playoff and bring home the Heisman Trophy.

Lagway’s health is one of the biggest question marks in the SEC. If 100 percent all season, Lagway will contend for the No. 1 spot on this list. After limited participation in the spring, a calf injury slowed the Texas native in the fall. Florida’s hopes of building off last year’s eight wins and a trip to the playoff rest heavily on Lagway’s right arm, so the sophomore’s injury status looms large for coach Billy Napier. In 12 appearances last year, Lagway’s big-play ability and potential to push the ball downfield was on display with a 10.0 yards per attempt and 12 completions of 40-plus yards. Over 115 completions, Lagway threw for 1,915 yards and 12 touchdowns and added 101 yards on the ground. Assuming Lagway is at full strength and suffers no setbacks in the fall, he should easily go from breakout quarterback to one of the nation’s top signal-callers in ‘25.

Mateer’s transition from Washington State to Oklahoma is one of the top storylines to watch in the 2025 season. While directing the Cougars’ attack last year, Mateer put up monster numbers against a weak schedule, throwing for 3,139 yards and 29 touchdowns and rushing for 826 yards and 15 scores. The Texas native finished fourth nationally in total offense (330.4 yards a game) and averaged a robust 7.6 yards a snap. Can Mateer keep up that level of production in the SEC? Probably not. However, the Sooners’ supporting cast is in better shape than it was after a disastrous ‘24 season on offense, and coordinator Ben Arbuckle joined Mateer in making the trek from Washington State. With familiarity at play-caller, along with a dynamic all-around ability, Mateer should be able to have a relatively seamless transition to the SEC.

Pavia’s arrival from New Mexico State provided a much-needed spark for Vanderbilt’s offense and overall program in 2024. The New Mexico native guided the Commodores to a massive upset over Alabama in early October and a 7-6 mark that was the program’s first winning season since ‘13. In addition to his overall impact as a leader and spark for the program, Pavia’s production placed him among the top quarterbacks in the SEC. He threw for 2,293 yards and 20 touchdowns to four picks and rushed for 801 yards and eight scores. A hamstring injury slowed Pavia late in the season, but the senior still averaged 238 total yards a contest in ‘24.

Jaxson Dart leaves big shoes to fill in Oxford, but Simmons is poised to fill that void as one of college football’s top breakout quarterbacks in 2025. Although the sample size is small, Simmons was impressive in a limited stint against Georgia, throwing for 64 yards on five completions with Dart out due to injury. The Florida native played in nine games last year, connecting on 19 of 32 attempts overall for 282 yards and two scores. A revamped offensive line and receiving corps will require an adjustment period for the entire group, but Simmons should thrive under coordinator Charlie Weis Jr. and coach Lane Kiffin.

The combination of Green’s second-year development at Arkansas under coordinator Bobby Petrino is a reason to believe the Razorbacks could exceed preseason expectations against one of the nation’s toughest schedules. In his first year in Fayetteville after spending 2021-23 at Boise State, Green showcased his playmaking ability with 3,154 yards and 15 touchdowns through the air and added 602 yards and eight scores on the ground. The Texas native finished third in the SEC in total offense a game (288.9 yards per contest) and ranked sixth in yards per snap (6.99). Green needs to take a step forward in conference play (just eight touchdown passes in ‘24), but hopes are high for a step forward with Petrino’s play-calling and a full offseason to recover after navigating injuries last year.

Reed’s performance likely holds the cards for just how successful Texas A&M’s ‘25 season will be. After No. 1 quarterback Conner Weigman was injured early in the ‘24 campaign, Reed filled in for three starts before eventually becoming the full-time starter. The Tennessee native showed intriguing upside, throwing for 1,864 yards and 15 touchdowns to six interceptions and rushed for 543 yards and seven scores. The Aggies lacked difference makers at receiver last season, but the arrival of Kevin Concepcion (NC State) and Mario Craver (Mississippi State) have added much-needed big-play ability on the outside. With a full offseason to work as the starter, along with improved receivers and one of the top offensive lines in the nation, how far will Reed progress in his overall play this fall?

Stockton was pressed into action earlier than expected last season when Carson Beck suffered a significant elbow injury in Georgia’s SEC Championship victory over Texas. Stockton held up well in limited action in that game, throwing for 71 yards on 12 completions. And with nearly a month to get ready for one of the nation’s top defenses in Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl, Stockton threw for 234 yards and a score over 20 completions. The early returns on Stockton were positive, but the Georgia native still needs to progress and prove he can deliver over the entire season. Also, the Bulldogs need to find four new starters up front and spark a run game that finished ‘24 ranked No. 15 in the SEC.

Simpson - a five-star quarterback in the 2022 signing class - has waited his turn behind Jalen Milroe and Bryce Young. Entering the ‘25 season, it’s now Simpson’s time to shine as Alabama’s No. 1 quarterback. With coordinator Ryan Grubb returning to Tuscaloosa to work with coach Kalen DeBoer, the Crimson Tide should have a better overall scheme and approach to the passing game. Also, while Simpson isn’t as mobile as Milroe, he’s not a statue in the pocket and can open up Alabama’s offense more in the intermediate passing game. The junior has completed 29 of 50 passes for 381 yards in limited snaps. With one of the SEC’s top offensive lines and an elite receiving corps at his disposal, Simpson is poised for a breakout year at the controls of DeBoer’s high-powered offense.

Arnold (and Auburn coach Hugh Freeze) hope an intraconference transfer from Oklahoma to Auburn is the fresh start needed after a shaky ‘24 season. The Texas native was one of the top quarterback recruits in the ‘23 signing class and flashed potential with a 361-yard effort in the Sooners’ Alamo Bowl defeat to Arizona. However, Arnold never had a chance to build on that promise last year. Oklahoma’s offensive line and receiving corps were decimated by injuries and changes at coordinator created a unit that was dysfunctional for most of the season. Arnold ended ‘24 with 1,421 passing yards and 12 touchdowns to three picks. He also added 444 yards and three scores on the ground. Is Arnold closer to the player that ranked as a five-star prospect? Or was the inconsistent play in Norman last fall a sign of things to come at Auburn. One thing is for certain: The Tigers have a better supporting cast in ‘25 than the situation Arnold was forced to navigate last year.

Mississippi State coach Jeff Lebby picked Shapen from the portal to lead the offense in his debut season in Starkville. But unfortunately for the Bulldogs, Shapen was lost for the year after the fourth game due to injury. The Louisiana native showed a good command of Lebby’s offense prior to the ailment, as he threw for 974 yards and eight touchdowns. Included in that mix was a solid showing (18 of 28 for 268 yards and three scores) against Arizona State. Counting three previous seasons of snaps at Baylor, Shapen enters ‘25 with 6,548 career yards and 36 touchdown tosses.

Aguilar’s plans for the 2025 season took an unusual turn in April after Nico Iamaleava opted to transfer from Tennessee to UCLA. After spending two years at Appalachian State, Aguilar transferred to UCLA for the spring semester. However, with Iamaleava’s arrival in Westwood, Aguilar headed west for a chance to start on Rocky Top. In two years with the Mountaineers, Aguilar flashed big-play potential (24 completions of 40-plus yards) but also tossed 24 picks. The California native threw for 6,760 yards and 56 touchdowns with Appalachian State and added 456 yards and five scores on the ground. Aguilar’s post-spring arrival will require a learning curve to adjust to Tennessee’s offense, but his mobility and willingness to push the ball downfield should play well in coach Josh Heupel’s attack.

Pribula is one of the SEC’s biggest x-factors for the 2025 season. After working as the backup to Drew Allar at Penn State over the last two years, Pribula opted to transfer for a chance to own the starting role. The Pennsylvania native has flashed dynamic ability on the ground in limited snaps, rushing for 571 yards and 10 touchdowns. Through the air, Pribula’s impact has been limited with just 56 attempts for 424 passing yards and nine scores. Can Pribula successfully shift from part-time role player to full-time starter? He’s battling Sam Horn for the No. 1 spot on the depth chart this fall.

The 2025 season marks Calzada’s third stint in the SEC after previous stops at Texas A&M and Auburn. While in College Station, Calzada threw for 2,318 yards and 19 touchdowns, including 285 passing yards and three touchdowns in a ‘21 upset of Alabama. The Georgia native transferred to Auburn in ‘22 but was forced to sit out the year due to a shoulder injury. Calzada left for Incarnate Word in ‘23 and had a prolific two-season run. In ‘24, he threw for 3,791 yards and 35 touchdowns to rank among the top signal-callers at the FCS level. Calzada’s previous experience in the SEC and overall ability should be a significant boost to a Kentucky offense aiming to get back on track after struggling in ‘24.