With the transfer portal movement coming to a head and the 2022 recruiting cycle all but wrapped up, we’ve gained a fair amount of clarity as to who should be starting at quarterback for each Pac-12 team next season. Several teams will have a fresh face at the helm, but from the looks of it this could be one of the more interesting Pac-12 QB groups in recent memory.
The following are my rankings for the projected Pac-12 starting QBs next season.
1. Caleb Williams – USC
USC’s blockbuster offseason kicked off with the signing of superstar Oklahoma head coach Lincoln Riley, and ended with the acquisition of superstar Oklahoma sophomore QB Caleb Williams. Williams enters his true sophomore season as an early favorite to win the Heisman and is already well-fitted with Riley’s offense despite the change of scenery.
Williams committed to Oklahoma in the class of 2021 as a 5-star recruit and the No. 2 QB in the class, and he looked great after taking over starting duties from Spencer Rattler last season. As a true freshman, Williams recorded 27 total TDs and just four interceptions, as well as the fourth-highest QBR in the country.
With USC, Williams’ trajectory shouldn’t change too much. Despite having some ups and downs near the end of 2021, he showed no reason to be concerned about his future outlook as a high-end college QB and eventual NFL draft prospect.
2. Cameron Ward – Washington State
After transferring from Incarnate Word to Washington State, Cameron Ward heads into 2022 as one of the most intriguing players in not just the Pac-12, but all of college football.
Prior to his transfer, Ward wasn’t a household name to many, but those who follow FCS football were witness to his dominance over the last two seasons. Ward recorded a ridiculous 77 touchdowns and just 14 interceptions in his first two years at Incarnate Word, and he enters 2022 as a legit draft prospect should he continue to play at a high level.
Ward possesses the elite athleticism and arm talent to be among the best QBs in the country next season, and he will enter a similar situation to the aforementioned Williams where he’ll have full scheme familiarity on an already solid Washington State team. Look for Ward to be one of the breakout players of next season.
3. Cameron Rising – Utah
Cameron Rising seemingly came out of nowhere during Utah’s magical run to a Pac-12 championship. After originally committing to Texas, Rising transferred to Utah in 2020 and sat behind Jake Bentley and Charlie Brewer before eventually taking over just a few weeks into the 2021 season.
Rising is ridiculously efficient, and he provides Utah with a high-end game manager to complement its weapons. In 2021, Rising recorded 20 touchdowns to five interceptions, and finished with the sixth-highest QBR in the nation.
Rising has proven to be a winner. He makes very few mistakes when under center. The Utes may not have a superstar QB, but they certainly have one that fits perfectly for what they want to do.
4. Jayden de Laura – Arizona
There’s a very real argument to be made that, as a true sophomore, Jayden de Laura was the best QB in the Pac-12 last season… and yet just three months later he’ll be suiting up for a team that has won just one game in the last two seasons.
College football is certainly changing, for better or for worse.
After Washington State rallied behind interim coach Jake Dickert and de Laura had a breakout season, his replacement was certainly disappointing to see. Ultimately, while Cameron Ward is likely a better fit for Washington State, de Laura is still among the best QBs in the Pac-12 and a massive get for Jedd Fisch and Arizona.
de Laura recorded 23 touchdowns and nine interceptions last season and finished the year 7-2 in games he finished. He could be the perfect leader for an Arizona team hoping to revive its program after a strong offseason.
5. Tanner McKee – Stanford
Amid a disastrous 2021 season for Stanford, sophomore QB Tanner McKee quietly had a great season under center.
McKee’s on-field performance spoke louder than his stats, and he was one of the sole reasons Stanford was competitive in most games last season. In the four games where McKee was injured last season, Stanford was outscored 138-44 and did not score a single passing touchdown.
Should McKee stay healthy, I’d expect him to have yet another solid season for the Cardinal. McKee could play himself into draft conversations should he stay healthy.
6. Dorian Thompson-Robinson – UCLA
The never-ending collegiate career of Dorian Thompson-Robinson enters its fifth and final chapter in 2022.
DTR is by no means a bad quarterback, but his play transcends volatility. His arm may very well be the best in the Pac-12, but the lack of any internal clock and poor decision-making have severely hindered UCLA’s offense over the past four years.
Thompson-Robinson could shock everyone and have a great season for UCLA, but at this point it’s safe to say we know what he is. Whether UCLA finally capitalizes on his abilities remains to be seen.
7. Bo Nix – Oregon
Bo Nix’s transfer from Auburn to Oregon was likely the most surprising move in the Pac-12 this offseason outside of Southern California.
Over his three years at Auburn, Nix was the definition of inconsistent. While he frequently flashed the high-end talent he possessed, there was just as many, if not more, head-scratching plays that soon followed.
Nix is fine, but Oregon’s choice to pursue him over a more consistent option or one of its talented recruits in Ty Thompson or Jay Butterfield was certainly a shocker. There is certainly a reality where Nix realizes his full potential with the Ducks and has a quality season.
8. Michael Penix Jr. – Washington
Michael Penix Jr. provides Washington with the biggest boom or bust potential in Pac-12 football this year.
Penix will follow former Indiana OC Kalen DeBoer, who he saw his most success with, to Washington after a disastrous 2021 season. Penix had 16 touchdowns and four interceptions under DeBoer before his season was shortened by an injury.
Penix is not reliable at all health-wise and looked atrocious last season after returning from a broken leg. Last season, he recorded just four touchdowns compared to a brutal seven interceptions.
In the event that Penix can both stay healthy AND return to his 2020 form under DeBoer, there is definitely a lot to be excited for. The only issue is how many external variables will ultimately factor into his success.
9. Jack Plummer – Cal
While it’s unclear who Cal will be starting at QB yet, the safe guess would be Purdue transfer Jack Plummer getting the start over redshirt freshman Kai Millner.
Plummer is probably the most average QB in the Pac-12, and that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. While he isn’t gonna be Aaron Rodgers, he’s shown the ability to limit mistakes and get the ball in the hands of his playmakers.
Plummer threw seven TDs and zero INTs in four games last season before suffering an ankle injury and losing his starting job to Aidan O’Connell.
10. Chance Nolan – Oregon State
Over the first month and a half of the 2021 season, Chance Nolan looked like arguably the best quarterback in the Pac-12 while running Jonathan Smith’s offense.
Nolan’s play saw a decline near the end of the season, tallying just 10 touchdowns and eight interceptions over the final eight games, but at the very least Oregon State has a serviceable QB for the near future.
Oregon State is a sleeper pick when it comes to potential conference champions, but if Nolan finds some form of consistency, the Beavers could quickly find themselves among the top teams in the conference.
11. Brendon Lewis – Colorado
Colorado was a mess in 2021, and that doesn’t all fall on quarterback Brendon Lewis, but his performance still left a lot to be desired.
Lewis is undeniably talented and had a couple of promising performances as a freshman, but it’s hard to see him or Colorado putting it together this season.
Colorado doesn’t have much to be excited about, but any form of development from Lewis next season would be a huge win for the Buffaloes long-term.
12. Paul Tyson – Arizona State
The abrupt transfer of Jayden Daniels to LSU has left Arizona State in a tough spot. Barring any last-second transfer portal addition, Paul Tyson is slotted to be the Sun Devils’ QB1 for next season.
Born and raised in Alabama, and the great-grandson of legendary football coach Bear Bryant, Tyson committed to the Crimson Tide as a 4-star recruit in the class of 2019, and the No. 12 QB in the class.
Tyson hasn’t started a college football game yet and only got snaps at Alabama as a holder, leaving it impossible to hold any real opinion on him. Arizona State could also look to the portal for a Daniels replacement, but the options are quite bleak this far into the offseason.
About the author
Proud California Golden Bears fan and aspiring football mind. I specialize in Pac-12 and NFL Draft coverage. My past experiences in journalism include covering the San Francisco 49ers, as well as creating film breakdowns on my own blog. I love the X’s and O’s just as much as anyone else, but also see value in numbers. My favorite CFB game ever was the 2007 Fiesta Bowl between Oklahoma and Boise State.
