Top five quarterbacks in the SEC

This list could easily be written and repackaged as the “Top Five Heisman Trophy Watch List” because, in the SEC, it just means more. With that said, here are the five best passers currently playing in the South.

5. Garrett Nussmeier

Replacing 2023 Heisman Trophy winner and No. 2 pick, Jayden Daniels at the quarterback position is no easy task. However, despite the 1-1 start to the year (LSU was also upset in Week 1 last season, by No. 8 Florida State–no need to panic), Garrett Nussmeier and his LSU Tigers have looked very sharp offensively.

Throwing for over 300 yards in each of his first two starts this year, Nussmeier has shown a strong pocket presence so far. He has accumulated eight touchdowns with only one interception during this stretch. If his play remains consistent, the Tigers can make some serious noise in this year's revamped playoff.

4. Carson Beck

Even though he plays behind one of the best offensive lines and throws to some of the most dynamic weapons in college football, Carson Beck is still great in his own right. His 6-foot-4, 220-pound frame gives him an advantage over some of the best would-be tacklers and edge rushers the SEC has to offer.

He has passed for over 500 yards and seven touchdowns without any interceptions so far this season. Beck’s arm strength and ability to deliver the ball from multiple angles have been key reasons as to why No. 1 Georgia’s offense has been seemingly unstoppable in the past couple of games.

3. Jalen Milroe

Jalen Milroe is one of the most talented football players to not only play at Alabama but to ever touch a college football field. Milroe’s otherworldly speed enables him to put pressure on defenses at a level even Kirby Smart struggles to handle.

Reaching top speeds of up to 22 miles per hour, he can house a scramble drill on any given play. After finishing sixth in last season’s Heisman Trophy voting and advancing to the College Football Playoff National Championship semifinal, Milroe’s status is cemented not only in the SEC but throughout the nation.

2. Jaxson Dart

Jaxson Dart has been the most prolific passer of the 2024 college football season so far. He has looked excellent in his first two games against lesser opponents but has shined nonetheless. Surpassing 750 yards on just 54 completions, he’s the most statistically accurate passer this season. His nation-leading 87% completion percentage tops all players who have thrown a minimum of 50 passes.

Dart has the Ole Miss Rebels ranked as the No. 1 offense in the country, averaging 713.5 yards per game. If it weren’t for Ohio State losing the next guy on the list to the transfer portal, Dart might just be sitting at the No. 1 quarterback spot.

1. Quinn Ewers

Undoubtedly the best quarterback–and best player– in the SEC at this point is Quinn Ewers. The former five-star recruit from Southlake, Texas, has been every Longhorn fan’s dream since arriving on campus.

Ewers has one of the smoothest deliveries of a football you will ever see, and he is not afraid to show it. His willingness to take shots downfield and his execution of short-to-intermediate passes truly set him apart.

Ewers is a pro-style, prototypical NFL quarterback, even at the college level. His cannon arm and freak mobility allow Steve Sarkisian and the Texas offensive coaching staff to draw up just about any play from any down and distance.

With wins over the two most notable programs in college football (Alabama and Michigan), Ewers has brought Texas back to its glory days immediately since arriving on campus. For those reasons, he is the best quarterback the SEC has to offer.

Joseph Granton is a fourth-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email jlg6619@psu.edu.