Top 5 College QBs since the year 2000
Jake Wimberly
Ross Gaskin Contributing:
Below is a “totally un-biased” top 5 ranking of QBs from the past 25 years. The list is ranked on many different metrics like yards, TDs, INTs, QBR, and impact on their respective programs. Again, this list is strictly based on the QB’s college career production. There is absolutely no biases in this ranking.
#5 Tim Tebow: Florida 2006-2009
Tim Tebow was one of the most electric and inspirational college football players of all time. In his 4 season with the Gators, Tebow threw for 9,285 yards, 88 TDs, and only 16 INTs. However, it was Tebow’s running abilities that made him so dominant as he ran for 2,947 yards and 57 TDs in his college career. Tim Tebow was a Heisman winner, a national champion, and will always be regarded as one of the best to ever do it.
#4 Vince Young: Texas 2003-2005
Vince Young was one of the pioneers for the dual threat QB. Mr. InVinceable threw for 6,040 yards and 44 TDs, but he rushed for 3,127 yards and 37 TDs. VY also will be remembered as the QB who led the Longhorns to a Nation Championship where he played and won arguably the greatest football game ever played. The Texas Longhorns defeated the USC Trojans 41-38 to finish with a perfect record, an National Championship, and solidified Vince Young as a college football legend.
#3 Cam Newton: Auburn 2010
Cam Newton had one of the best come back stories in college football history. He went from not playing at Florida, gets in trouble and has to go to a Juco, comes back to D1 with the Auburn Tigers and has arguably the greatest single season in college football history. In 2010 with Auburn, Cam Newton threw for 2,854 yards and 30 TDs (only 7 INTs), while also rushing for 1,473 yards and 20 TDs.
Also that year, Cam Newton won the AP and Walter Camp Player of the year awards, the Davey O’Brien, Manning, and Maxwell awards, was all SEC and All-American, won the Heisman Trophy, and The National Championship. Cam Newton Truly had the greatest single season ever.
#2 Baker Mayfield: Texas Tech 2013, Oklahoma 2015-2017
Baker Mayfield had the best walk-on story in college football history, and turned that into an incredible college career. Once high school was over, Baker Mayfield decided to walk-on at Texas Tech, and would perform so well during the summer that he would be named the week one starter as a walk-on freshman (first to do so in FBS history). After some turmoil, Baker would transfer to Oklahoma, and after sitting a season due to the previous transfer rules, he walked-on with the Sooners and quickly became the starting QB.
In his college career, Mayfield threw for 14,607 yards and 131 TDs (only 30 INTs) while also rushing for 1,083 yards and 21 TDs. Baker Mayfield also won almost every single award a QB could win like the Walter Camp award, multiple All-Conference and All-Americans, and the 2017 Heisman Trophy. Baker Mayfield had one of the most impressive and inspiring college careers of all time, and he will always be recognized as an all time great college QB.
#1 Dak Prescott: Mississippi State 2012-2015
After an incredible high school career, the Louisiana kid decided to cross the Mississippi River to be a Bulldog. In his college career, Dak Prescott threw for 9,376 yards and 70 TDs while also rushing for 2,521 yards and 41 TDs. In his career, Dak was completely snubbed for many different awards, including the Heisman Trophy.
In 2014, Dak Prescott brought the Bulldogs out of the ashes and into the national spotlight in the most legendary football season in Mississippi State history. Dak and the boys started 2014 unranked, but quickly rose to the #1 spot and held that ranking for 5 weeks in a row. Mississippi State was also in the very first CFP bracket before losing a few games towards the end and missing the playoffs. Despite the short comings, Dak Prescott solidified himself as the greatest college QB of all time. . . well in my opinion at least.
Looking back on this list, I might have been a little bit biased in my rankings.
Editors Note: All photos courtesy of 247sports.com