A quarterback’s success is almost always proxy to the weapons he has around them. From offensive line to running back to wide receiver, these college programs have done the best job surrounding their signal-caller with a supporting cast built for success in 2024.
One thing that was clear while building the rankings was that for as much grief as the transfer portal gets, it’s a quarterback’s best friend. Not only does it allow for freedom of movement that makes for a much easier path to playing time, but it allows for quick acquisition of talent and you’ll see below it’s distributed rather evenly across the country.
12. SMU Mustangs
QB: Preston Stone
Top playmakers: Jake Bailey, RJ Maryland, Jaylan Knighton
Top blockers: Justin Osborne, Logan Parr
SMU averaged the eighth-most points in FBS last season behind stud quarterback Preston Stone, who returns for his fourth season. Should he suffer an injury, as he did last year towards the end of the season, the Mustangs also have Kevin Jennings at quarterback. All Jennings did was help SMU finish off a conference championship with a win at Tulane.
The running back room has three studs returning with Jaylan Knighton, LJ Johnson, and Camar Wheaton. The top six pass-catchers return with Jake Bailey leading the way and then there’s big-time tight end R.J. Maryland, who will contend for all-conference honors.
11. UCF Knights
QB: KJ Jefferson
Top playmakers: RJ Harvey, Peny Boone, Kobe Hudson
Top blockers: Marcellus Marshall
The Knights have experienced quarterback KJ Jefferson, who gets a fresh start from Arkansas and will enjoy driving defenses crazy in Gus Malzahn’s veer system alongside stud running backs RJ Harvey and Peny Boone. Wide receiver Kobe Hudson had 900 yards last year for UCF and Xavier Townsend could have a strong year. On the offensive line there’s second team All-Big 12 selection Marcellus Marshall at guard.
10. Oklahoma Sooners
QB: Jackson Arnold
Top playmakers: Deion Burks, Nic Anderson, Gavin Sawchuk
Top blockers: Branson Hickman
The Sooners easily have one of the top receiver rooms with newcomer Deion Burks from Purdue and returning pass catchers Nic Anderson, Andrel Anthony, and Jamil Farooq to name a few. There’s also speed merchant Brenan Thompson, who could have a breakout season. At running back there’s Gavin Sawchuk and Jovantae Barnes, but don’t forget about incoming blue-chipper Taylor Tatum. On the offensive line, Oklahoma has some holes to fill (all five spots, actually) but picked up what could be one of the best centers in the country with Branson Hickman in the portal.
9. Missouri Tigers
QB: Brady Cook
Top playmakers: Luther Burden III, Theo Wease Jr., Mookie Cooper, Brett Norfleet
Top blockers: Connor Tollison, Cayden Green
Missouri signal-caller Brady Cook had a breakout season in 2023 with 29 total touchdowns and a rousing, 11-win season. The Tigers should once again be a strong presence with megastar Luther Burden, one of the top receivers in the country, and Theo Wease. Mookie Cooper also returns (returning pass-catchers is in fact the theme of Mizzou’s offense).
There’s also stud tight end Brett Norfleet, a massive 6-foot-7 talent who continues the program’s strong tradition of tight end talent. Missouri’s offensive line has three out of five starters returning with center Connor Tollison leading the way. Incoming transfers Marcus Bryant (from SMU) and Cayden Green (from Oklahoma) were excellent transfer pickups on the offensive line.
8. Georgia Bulldogs
QB: Carson Beck
Top playmakers: Dominic Lovett, Oscar Delp, Benjamin Yurosek
Top blockers: Tate Ratledge, Earnest Greene
A lot of media outlets have crowned Beck as the top returning quarterback in college football and he’s definitely got some help around him with one of nation’s top retuning offensive lines. Tate Ratledge is one of the best pass-blocking interior lineman in the country and Georgia also brings back both starting offensive tackles in Earnest Greene and Xavier Truss. The Bulldogs have one the best tight end room in the country even with Brock Bowers departing, thanks to stud transfer Ben Yurosek and the promising Oscar Delp. At receiver Dominic Lovett returns, also with prized transfers Colbie Young and London Humphreys.
7. NC State Wolfpack
QB: Grayson McCall
Top playmakers: Kevin Concepcion, Noah Rogers, Justin Joly, Jordan Waters
Top blockers: Anthony Belton
NC State pulled sixth-year signal-caller Grayson McCall out of the portal from Coastal Carolina but also put some big time talent on the offensive side of the ball to insure success. McCall has productive sophomore Kevin Concepcion to throw to as well as Ohio State transfer Noah Rogers and highly touted transfer tight end Justin Joly. At running back there is Jordan Waters from Duke and Dylan “Hollywood” Smothers from Oklahoma. Safe to say that NC State has a very underrated crop of playmakers at the skill positions.
6. Texas Longhorns
QB: Quinn Ewers
Top playmakers: Isaiah Bond, CJ Baxter, Jaydon Blue
Top blockers: Kelvin Banks, Jake Majors
The Texas Longhorns return four starters on the offensive line with junior Kelvin Banks the future high NFL draft choice. Cameron Williams could be an emerging star on the offensive line at right tackle (he’s the only new starter). Guard Hayden Conner and center Jake Majors are good players. So you know Ewers will be protected. On the perimeter, Texas lost five players with significant production but scored some outstanding talent in the transfer portal with speedster Isaiah Bond, Silas Bolden and Matthew Golden, along with tight end Amari Niblack. The one-two duo of CJ Baxter and Jaydon Blue is one of the best duos in the game.
5. Ole Miss Rebels
QB: Jaxson Dart
Top playmakers: Tre Harris, Caden Prieskorn, Juice Wells
Top blockers: Nate Kalepo, Julius Buelow
Ole Miss and Jaxson Dart arguably have the best receiving corps in the country for 2024. Tre Harris at receiver and Caden Prieskorn at tight end will have tons of production but don’t forget about Juice Wells who is coming back from injury. At running back it’s a very deep room with Ulysses Bentley IV taking over for the departed Quinshon Judkins, helped by Henry Parrish from Miami as well as Rashad Amos from Miami (Ohio). Lane Kiffin has a sterling reputation with quarterbacks and offensive play-calling and should get a mention here.
4. Miami Hurricanes
QB: Cameron Ward
Top playmakers: Xavier Restrepo, Damien Martinez, Jacolby George
Top blockers: Francis Mauigoa, Jalen Rivers
The Hurricanes spent big bucks in the transfer portal to surround Cam Ward with elite playmakers and offensive line protection. It all starts with Damien Martinez at running back. He transferred in from Oregon State and was a huge pickup. Behind him, Mark Fletcher is an emerging star at the position. The wide receiver room is very solid with Xavier Restrepo and Jacolby George returning but there’s also stud transfer Sam Brown from Houston coming in via the transfer portal. Right tackle Francis Mauigoa is on a three-and-out trajectory to the NFL.
3. LSU Tigers
Top playmakers: Kyren Lacy, Mason Taylor, CJ Daniels
Top blockers: Will Campbell, Emery Jones, Garrett Dellinger
Most people expect a little bit of a decline in production with Heisman trophy winner Jayden Daniels departing at LSU, but the Tigers still have a strong signal caller in four-year quarterback Garrett Nussmeier taking over after learning with a clipboard for a couple years. LSU has the nation’s most outstanding tackle duo in Will Campbell and Emery Jones up front, plus the return of both guards, including Dellinger. At receiver the Tigers lose two first-rounders but Kyren Lacy is primed for a breakout campaign and there’s transfers CJ Daniels and Zavion Thomas.
2. Oregon Ducks
QB: Dillon Gabriel
Top playmakers: Tez Johnson, Evan Stewart, Terrance Ferguson
Top blockers: Ajani Cornelius, Josh Conerly Jr.
The Oregon Ducks and Dan Lanning have infused the team with talent from the high school ranks and of course from the transfer portal. Oregon had the second-ranked transfer class in the country in 2024, headlined on offense by the decorated Dillon Gabriel and former five-star wideout Evan Stewart. Tez Johnson, Traeshon Holden and Gary Bryant Jr. are also great options at wide receiver, to go along with Terrance Ferguson at tight end. Offensive tackles Ajani Cornelius and Josh Conerly Jr. are two stud returning protectors on the offensive line.
1. Ohio State Buckeyes
QB: Will Howard, Julian Sayin or Devin Brown (but it will be Howard — trust us)
Top playmakers: Emeka Egbuka, Quinshon Judkins, TreVeyon Henderson, Jeremiah Smith
Top blockers: Donovan Jackson
The Buckeyes have a wide receiver room that could arguably be the best in the country (and there’s a lot of good receiver rooms in college football) with several receivers on their two and three-deep rotation that could start anywhere else in college football. All eyes will be on true freshman five-star receiver Jeremiah Smith, but they also boast one of the nation’s top returning receivers in Emeka Egbuka. At running back it’s an embarrassment of riches as Quinshon Judkins moved to Columbus from Ole Miss and returning 1,200 yard rusher TreVeyon Henderson. Four out of five offensive lineman return, led by stud left guard Donovan Jackson — though it’s acknowledged by all that the unit needs to improve anyway.
And don’t forget offensive coordinator Chip Kelly comes over from UCLA after serving as head coach.
