• Carson Beck of Georgia: of georgia The signal caller was the fourth most valuable quarterback last year behind the 2023 Heisman finalist. bo nicks (1.44), michael penix jr. (1.35) and jayden daniels (1.28) — but it wasn't talked about enough. bulldogs Missed the playoffs.
• Texas' Quinn Ewers: Ewers earned an incredible passing grade of 85.6 points last season, and there is no doubting his talent.He also seems to play best when the lights are brightest – his two matches at his highest grade were against opponents alabama (90.3) and Washington (81.8), he totaled six big-time passes and zero turnover-worthy plays.
• Get a head start on fantasy football: Create it live with PFF's Fantasy Football Mock Draft Simulator mock draft Prepare for live drafts with simulation!
Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
The era of the 12-team College Football Playoff is upon us.
With the start of the 2024 college football season just a few months away, it's time to take a look at some of the leading Heisman candidates heading into the campaign.
Like last year, this summer is all about the quarterbacks who could win the award. So here are his five players who we think are most likely to take home the award in December.
Carson Beck, Georgia
FanDuel betting odds: +750
| metric | number | Rank |
| PFF grade | 91.5 | No.5 |
| Wow | 1.19 | 4th |
| Adjusted Comp % | 80.6% | 3rd place |
| yards per attempt | 9.4 | 8th place |
| Great success rate % | 3.8% | T-107 number |
| Percentage of plays worth turning over | 2.3% | T-23rd |
Beck is widely considered to be the top quarterback in college football heading into the 2024 season.of georgia The signal caller was the fourth most valuable quarterback last year behind the 2023 Heisman finalist. Bo Nix (1.44), michael penix jr. (1.35) and jayden daniels (1.28) — but it wasn't talked about enough. bulldogs Missed the playoffs.
He got a lot of attention for his play last year. QB1 in next year's draftAsh He earned a passing grade of 90.8, which is second among returning quarterbacks.
Beck started walking slowly, but once he took his stride, he never looked back.His 3,949 passing yards and 80.1% adjusted completion percentage both ranked third among quarterbacks last year, and his 91.5 overall grade ranked fifth.
PFF grades, advanced stats and more: Available on PFF Premium Stats
Quinn Ewers, Texas
fanduel betting odds: +900
| metric | number | rank |
| PFF grade | 86.8 | 19th |
| Wow | 0.82 | 10th |
| Adjusted Comp % | 76.3% | 24th |
| yards per attempt | 8.8 | T-19th |
| Great success rate % | 3.9% | T-101st |
| Percentage of plays worth turning over | 1.7% | 6th place |
After a tough season in 2022, Quinn Ewers bounced back in 2023 and showed everyone why he is a champion. Hiring top domestic talent in 2021Now it's time for him to put it all together and show more consistent performances across the season.
Ewers earned an incredible passing grade of 85.6 points last season, and there is no doubting his talent.He also seems to play best when the lights are brightest – his two matches at his highest grade were against opponents Alabama (90.3) and Washington (81.8), he combined six big-time throws and zero turnover-worthy plays.
This kind of thing is important for quarterbacks. It's important to find that kind of gamer under center who welcomes big moments and doesn't falter under pressure.
Conversely, Ewers played two of the lowest grade games. wyoming (53.6) and rice (66.1). If he can correct his inconsistent play and decision-making, especially against lower-ranked opponents, he will definitely be in the running for the 2024 Heisman ceremony.
PFF grades, advanced statistics, and more: Available on PFF Premium Stats
Dillon Gabriel, Oregon
fanduel betting odds: +1000
| metric | number | rank |
| PFF grade | 91.9 | T-3rd |
| Wow | 1.01 | 5th place |
| Adjusted Comp % | 78.8 | The 9th |
| Yards per attempt | 9.5 | T-6th |
| Big time throw % | 5.2 | T-46th place |
| Percentage of plays that were turnover-worthy | 2.6 | T-35th place |
Gabriel has benefited from some very QB-friendly systems over the past few seasons.This is not to say that he is bad; He just played in a very good situation behind a good play-caller.
Gabriel doesn't have a big gun, but he's about as accurate as a college quarterback. Over the past two years, he ranks 10th among quarterbacks in the nation in accuracy-plus percentage.
Gabriel made the most of it, perfecting the system wherever he went. We'll probably do the same in the next game. Oregon Dan Lanning's offense ranked second in the nation in expected points added per play (EPA) last year.
In his sixth and final season of college football, the rising Ducks quarterback is expected to have another great statistical year.
PFF grades, advanced statistics, and more: Available with PFF Premium Stats
Jalen Milroe, Alabama
fanduel betting odds: +1500
| metric | number | rank |
| PFF grade | 88.7 | 14th |
| Wow | 0.66 | 14th |
| Adjusted Comp % | 73.0 | T-56th |
| yards per attempt | 10.0 | 4th |
| Great success rate % | 9.1 | The second |
| Percentage of plays worth turning over | 2.8 | T-44th |
There may not be a more polarizing quarterback in college football. Milroe may have the most to gain of the top names in terms of NFL projections.
A year ago, few would have believed in Milroe's potential as a passer. Fast forward to here and let's compare. lamar jackson Looks a little more legitimate considering his similar arm strength and athleticism.
The Alabama quarterback finished the 2023 season with a 78.1 passing grade and 85.3 rushing grade. There may not be a better two-way quarterback in college football, but Milroe has to learn how to become more comfortable in the pocket if he wants to truly succeed at the next level.
Milroe showed dramatic growth last season, increasing his passing score from 30.3 in 2022 to 78.1 in 2023. However, he struggled in his final two games. georgia and michigan, There he scored in the 50s and fumbled five times.
Despite Nick Saban's recent retirement, there is a glimmer of hope for Milroe. He is now coached by Karen DeBoer, the mastermind of the quarterback offense.
PFF grades, advanced stats and more: Available with PFF Premium Stats
Riley Leonard, Notre Dame
FanDuel betting odds: +2000
| metric | number | rank |
| PFF grade | 77.5 | 59th place |
| Wow | 0.03 | 86th place |
| Adjusted Comp % | 70.2 | T-90th |
| yards per attempt | 6.6 | T-119 number |
| Great success rate % | 2.2 | 152nd place |
| Percentage of plays worth turning over | 2.8 | T-44th |
The biggest dark horse prospect on this list is Riley Leonard, who is transferring to the Fighting Irish from Duke University.
Scouts may not rate him as highly after a disappointing 2023 season interrupted by injuries, but he still has a lot of potential as a big, strong QB with good movement skills.
Now is the perfect time for Leonard to rebuild his draft stock. He'll also be in a great position to do so by playing with a better offensive line and better receivers on the outside. Jordan Faison and tight end mitchell evans, Both earned a receiving grade of 83.0 or higher in 2023.
We all know how Leonard impacts games on the ground, as he averaged 7.3 yards per carry last fall. His rushing grade of 86.5 was second only to last year's Heisman winner. jayden daniels.
But if he truly wants to play quarterback at the next level and bring glory back to the Irish, his biggest impact will need to come as a passer. Last season, Leonard threw the ball just 167 of 201 dropbacks. There's no question we need to see him air it more if he wants to win the Heisman.
PFF grades, advanced statistics, and more: Available with PFF Premium Stats
