When thinking of SEC football quarterbacks such as Cam Newton, Joe Burrow, Peyton Manning, and – of course – Tim Tebow all come to mind. The 2021 crop of quarterbacks is about to be unleashed on the college football world.
By Steve Wright
Here are the top five quarterbacks in the SEC heading into the 2021 season:
5. Bryce Young – Alabama Crimson Tide
If you wanted to argue Young at any position in this list then I would hear you out. He has basically zero experience at this level, but the former five-star prospect is entering an offense that is proven to produce high-level quarterbacks. Mac Jones and Tua Tagovailoa are very different quarterbacks – as is Jalen Hurts – but all succeed in heading the Tuscaloosa machine. Expect Yong to shine early and often as he moves up this list.
4. Max Johnson – LSU Tigers
The fact that Myles Brennan is still unable to stay healthy means that the LSU offense will be in the hands of true sophomore Max Johnson for the second-straight year this season. Johnson showed flashes last season and while he won’t wow anyone with his athleticism he showed continual improvement as he led the Tigers to a huge win over Florida and a Joe Burrowesque stat line when he went for 435 yards and three touchdowns in the season closer against Ole Miss. The Tigers have rebuilt through recruitment in a big way after the cupboards were bare in 2020 and Johnson will have a much better supporting cast to showcase his quarterback growth.
3. Emory Jones – Florida Gators
This is the year for Emory Jones, a quarterback who has seen limited action over his Florida career. He will be expected to step in after the domination of Kyle Trask last season, but with Dan Mullen as his head coach, Jones has the mind at the top to guide him well. Jones is going to be a dual-threat menace – he passed for 221 yards, ran for 256 yard, and contributed four total touchdowns last season in very limited time – and Mullen will sculpt the offense around his unique skill set. Expect a different-looking – but very dangerous – Florida team in 2021.
2. Matt Corral – Ole Miss
Lane Kiffin is a legitimate offensive genius and his hire has made Ole Miss one of the top offenses in the entire FBS. Corral is ideal for this role – he has the gunslinger attitude and skills Kiffin needs in a quarterback to match his offensive vision – and he threw for over 3,300 yards and 29 touchdowns in 10 games last season. Corral is also good enough with his legs to keep a defense honest – over 500 yards and four scores on the ground – and it is hard to see the offense taking a step back this time out with Corral having had another offseason in the program. Cutting down on the interceptions – 14 in 2020 – could see Corral end the season on top of this list.
1. J.T. Daniels – Georgia Bulldogs
This is the year that J.T. Daniels becomes the best quarterback in the SEC. The USC transfer didn’t feature in the first six contests for Georgia last season as he continued to recover from an ACL injury sustained with the Trojans in 2019. When he did get under center, however, the Bulldogs were a different proposition entirely on offense. Daniels has the arm strength and the moxie to attack downfield, transforming a Georgia offense used to being conservative. The team averaged eight points per game more with Daniels in the lineup and in four games he went for over 1,200 yards and 10 touchdowns. His strong end to the season is something that should worry every team in the country for 2021.
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