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These quarterback rankings should not be considered equivalent to the Big Ten version published on the Hotline last week. They should be viewed as an improvement on the original because, frankly, we have more to work with.
The Big 12's lineup of quarterbacks is deeper, savvier and better than the Big Ten's collection based on what we know to this point in the offseason cycle.
Once you move past the top three or four in the Big Ten, there are more questions than answers and too many transfers to count (plus a few freshmen).
The Big 12 is loaded with veterans who have won big games at their current school.
The player ranked seventh on our list beat Oklahoma in the Alamo Bowl in 2023.
The player ranked eighth has 49 career touchdown passes.
Their counterparts in the Big Ten possess more long-haul potential but far less experience. Their ceiling is higher, but their floor is lower. And when it comes to quarterback play, the street level has value.
The following Hotline rankings are based on three components: proven production, familiarity with the system/playcaller and surrounding talent.
1. Arizona State's Sam Leavitt
One of the Big 12's breakout stars in 2024 will carry unprecedented expectations into the fall without his backfield partner, tailback Cam Skattebo. If Leavitt makes the leap with processing and understanding and manages the pressure, he could emerge as a Heisman Trophy contender. The alternative: Progress slows, inconsistency emerges and he's not even on the top tier within the conference.
2. Kansas State's Avery Johnson
The full Johnson experience was on display last season, his first as KSU's starter. We fully expect more consistency, fewer mistakes — he threw 10 interceptions last season — and elevated comfort in the pocket. No quarterback in the conference has greater upside as a dual-threat playmaker.
3. Iowa State's Rocco Becht
The two-year starter with 48 career touchdown passes is back for a final tour of the conference. Smart, tough and content with the low profile that comes with plying your trade in Ames, Becht must improve his completion percentage (59.4) in order to ascend to the top of the conference.
4. Baylor's Sawyer Robertson
The former benchwarmer is easy to overlook when assessing the Big 12's lineup of quarterbacks. But his performance in the second half of 2024 and chemistry with playcaller Jake Spatial have positioned Robertson for a first-rate fall.
5. Utah's Devon Dampier
It's easy to make the case that Dampier is one of the most athletic quarterbacks in the country and on the short list of most intriguing players in the Big 12. A solid season from the New Mexico transfer might be enough to propel Utah to the top of the standings. And his playcaller with the Utes, Jason Beck, worked with him in Albuquerque.
6. Brigham Young's Jake Retzlaff
The Cougars were patient with Retzlaff early last season and reaped the benefits once he settled into the role. His mobility and arm strength are high level. His consistency is not. Will that change with 500 passing attempts on his resume? If so, BYU could very well win the conference after coming surprisingly close last season.
7. Arizona's Noah Fifita
Which Fifita will emerge in the fall: The maestro who led Arizona to 10 wins in 2023 or the frustrated, erratic version of 2024? His favorite target, receiver Tetairoa McMillan, is off to the NFL, which could prove to be a blessing by forcing Fifita to see the full field. If his performance doesn't improve, it will be a long fall in Tucson — and perhaps the last for coach Brent Brennan.
8. Texas Tech's Behren Morton
Two huge nonconference games made Morton's 2024 stat line look better than it was, for he was merely mediocre against Big 12 opponents. That said, a stellar transfer class — by any measure, it's one of the best in the country — will provide playmaking options that didn't exist last season. Will Morton meet the moment? If so, the Red Raiders could win the conference.
9. TCU's Josh Hoover
We could very well be short-changing Hoover with this placement. After all, his completion percentage (66.5) and touchdown total (27) suggest a high ceiling exists in 2025. So much depends on the running game.
10. Houston's Conner Weigman
After three years and 365 passes at Texas A&M, the former five-star recruit transferred home this winter and is expected to lead the Cougars under second-year coach Willie Fritz. His mission: Elevate a roster that lacks the talent to compete for a top-tier position in the Big 12.
11. Kansas' Jalon Daniels
Much like his in-state rival, KSU's Avery Johnson, Daniels was inconsistent last year. He threw almost as many interceptions (12) as touchdowns (14) but was highly effective in late-season victories over Iowa State, BYU and Colorado. Honestly, we have no idea what 2025 will bring for Daniels, or the Jayhawks.
12. Colorado's Kaidon Salter
Don't be fooled by Salter's prior place of business, Liberty. He possesses all the ingredients (arm, legs, experience) to emerge as one of the best quarterbacks in the Big 12. But as always, Colorado's offensive line play is a major question. Salter could take more punishment than he ever dreamed of.
13. Cincinnati's Brendan Sorsby
The Big 12 possesses as much parity in its collection of quarterbacks as it does with the teams themselves. In each case, the difference is on the margins. Sorsby could be one of the conference's best or one of its worst, and a handful of passes over three months will make all the difference.
14. West Virginia's Nicco Marchiol
The uncertainty in Morgantown will extend into training camp with Marchiol, Jaylen Henderson and Max Brown competing for the starting job. Faith in first-year coach Rich Rodriguez turning nothing into something is the main reason — the only reason, actually — this group isn't ranked at the bottom.
15. UCF's Tayven Jackson
The Indiana transfer with 169 passing attempts to his name is our pick to win the job. But that's only because the coin landed heads.
16. Oklahoma State's Zane Flores
This is merely a guess, for Flores is competing with Hauss Hejny for the job. Both players are newcomers, and both could play regularly as the Cowboys attempt to climb out of the gutter. The bar for acceptable quarterback play in Stillwater is arguably lower than at any point in Mike Gundy's two decades in charge.
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Jon Wilner has been covering college sports for decades and is an AP Top 25 football and basketball voter as well as a Heisman Trophy voter. He was named Beat Writer of the Year in 2013 by the Football Writers Association of America for his coverage of the Pac-12, won first place for feature writing in 2016 in the Associated Press Sports Editors writing contest and is a five-time APSE honoree. You can follow him on Twitter @WilnerHotline or send an email at [email protected].
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