SEC Football: ’23 maybe not ‘Year of the Quarterback’ in SEC

Spring football is here at a few schools and only days away for many others. The majority of SEC football teams have unsettled situations at quarterback. By fall, it could well be the 14, SEC football, quarterback starters will include seven or eight guys projected to be among the nation’s best in 2023. Or that number could be much lower.

More than half of the conference is projected to have a new QB starter. Transfer QBs at Kentucky (Devin Leary from NCSU) and Florida (Graham Mertz from Wisconsin are expected to win starting roles. An incoming transfer for Ole Miss (Spencer Sanders from Oklahoma State) might beat last season’s Ole Miss starter, Jaxson Dart.

The biggest reason for SEC quarterback turnover is the NFL Draft. Multiple NFL Draft predictors have five, SEC QB starters from last season being drafted. Walter Football projects four of the five will be drafted in the draft’s first two rounds, with the four SEC QBs in the top six QBs to be drafted in April.

Nothing against the eventual 2023, SEC football QB starters, but it is unlikely any of them can match the college performances of Bryce Young, Will Levis, Anthony Richardson and Hendon Hooker.

SEC Football: A down year for Quarterbacks?

Any answer now would be flawed. The SEC will be loaded with quarterback talent in the 2023 season. That talent will be surrounded by an abundance of offensive playmakers at almost every SEC school. The position gets so much attention in the recruiting process. it is uncommon for a less-known player to be under the radar.

What is never known is how well transfers will fit in new systems and how quickly little-used returning players will develop. For Alabama Football, either Jalen Milroe or Ty Simpson could become major stars in 2023.

Tennessee’s (purported) $8M QB recruit, Nico Iamaleava may quickly become a star – or he might fail to beat out Joe Milton.

There are only five SEC programs in which the starting QB role appears to be settled. They are Jayden Daniels at LSU, A.J. Swann at Vandy, Will Rogers at Mississippi State, Spencer Rattler at South Carolina, and K.J. Jefferson at Arkansas.

Nationally, only Jayden Daniels is frequently projected as one of college football’s top quarterbacks in the 2023 season, with Jefferson and Rattler also getting some mentions.

With so many QB transitions, the early weeks of the SEC football season will remain settled at many schools. LSU and Arkansas will have a significant early season advantage with Daniels and Jefferson. Will Rogers not only has a new head coach and a new OC, Rogers and the Bulldogs will have a completely new offensive system.

A bottom line early hunch is QB play will be very good in the SEC next season – it just won’t be as good as last season.