The college football season is less than a month away, and the SEC remains at the forefront of the sport. Take a look at the top-five quarterbacks to watch in the Southeastern Conference ahead of the season.
#1 ranked SEC quarterback: Mississippi State Bulldogs quarterback Will Rogers
Will Rogers, a three-star prospect in the 2020 recruiting class, quickly established himself as the starting quarterback for the Mississippi State Bulldogs during his true freshman season.
Over three seasons, he has thrown for 10,689 yards, with 82 touchdowns and 24 interceptions, completing 70.7% of his passes. Rogers has particularly excelled in the past two seasons, recording at least 35 touchdowns and less than ten interceptions in each season.
He stands out as the most successful quarterback in the SEC. While he projects as an undrafted free agent in the 2024 NFL Draft, another strong season could change Rogers' fortunes.
#2: LSU Tigers quarterback Jayden Daniels
Jayden Daniels joined the Arizona State Sun Devils as a four-star prospect in the 2019 recruiting class. Daniels started for three seasons, one of which was a four-game season due to the COVID-19 pandemic at Arizona State, before joining the LSU Tigers ahead of the 2022 season via the transfer portal.
He has thrown for 8,938 yards, 49 touchdowns and 16 interceptions. Daniels has completed 64.5% of his passes while rushing for 2,173 yards and 24 touchdowns on 482 carries. He also projects as an undrafted free agent in the 2024 NFL Draft; however, he is viewed as a preseason top-five Heisman Trophy candidate.
#3: Arkansas Razorbacks quarterback K.J. Jefferson
K.J. Jefferson joined the Arkansas Razorbacks as a four-star prospect in the 2019 recruiting class. Jefferson did not take over as the Razorbacks starter until his third season on campus.
He has thrown for 5,804 yards, 48 touchdowns and ten interceptions. Jefferson has completed 65.5% of his passes while adding 1,429 rushing yards and 19 touchdowns on 362 carries. He is projected to be selected in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft, the highest of any SEC quarterback.
#4: Kentucky Wildcats quarterback Devin Leary
Devin Leary joined the North Carolina State Wolfpack as a three-star prospect in the 2018 recruiting class. He was in and out of the starting lineup for four seasons, throwing for 6,807 yards, 62 touchdowns and 16 interceptions while completing 60.2% of his passes.
Leary joined the Wildcats via the transfer portal ahead of the 2023. He currently projects as a fifth-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft; however, he will need to prove he can stay healthy and compete in the SEC.
#5: Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Joe Milton III
Joe Milton III joined the Michigan Wolverines as a three-star prospect in the 2018 recruiting class. Milton III spent three seasons at Michigan before joining the Tennessee Volunteers via the transfer portal ahead of the 2021 season. He has thrown for 2,540 yards, 17 touchdowns and six interceptions in limited playing time. Milton III has completed 57.8% of his passes while adding 362 rushing yards and five touchdowns on 96 carries.
He is projected to be selected in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft; however, he is a viewed as a preseason top-ten Heisman Trophy candidate. While he has thrived in his limited time in the SEC, Milton III will need to show that he can do so as a full-time starter.
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