I continue with my pre-season watch lists by giving you the top ten QBs in the Group of 5 schools:
1. Justice Hanson, Arkansas State
In the radio shows I do weekly, I get the most questions about Hanson, more so than any other QB in college football. Hanson is the best of the lot in G5 football, and he is a complete game changer. He is not, however, in this spot by a long distance over the next guy.
2. McKenzie Milton, UCF
Milton is a better QB than half of the guys on my Power 5 list, but so is Hanson. Milton is an undersized spark plug that changes the flow of every game that he plays in. He should be in the Heisman conversation, but he won't be because of Power 5 bias.
3. Mason Fine, North Texas
This kid has developed like a beast under Seth Litrell at UNT, and he is only getting better. Fine is a shredder who passed for 4052 yards and 31 scores last season. The only knock is that he has to drop the INT count from 15. Still, one of the better QBs you should take a look at this fall.
4. Ben Hicks, SMU
If you liked what you saw of him under Chad Morris, what he will do under Sonny Dykes will make it look like he was wearing a short leash last season. Get a longer stat sheet, because he is about to go to work.
5. Ty Gangi, Nevada
How I wish he was playing for a better program than Nevada. He would be a household name by now. Even on a really bad squad last fall, he tossed 25 TDs to 11 INTs. Look for bigger numbers in 2018.
6. Andrew Ford, U Mass
Ford is another name that should be bigger in college football circles. He tossed 22 TDs to just 4 INTs last season for the Minutemen, and my be the most underrated QB in the nation based on where he plays.
7. Gus Ragland, Miami (Ohio)
Everyone agrees that if Ragland stays healthy in 2018, Miami gets something done. The problem is that he has been unable to stay on his feet for a whole season, and that has many of us worried about Chuck Martin's job status this season. It's all on the health of Ragland.
8. Caleb Evans, UL-Monroe
ULM showed some signs of life last fall, and should show more this season, and that all rides on a riser named Caleb Evans. His numbers were not earth moving last fall, but showed what he has the potential for. If he lives up to that potential, look out.
9. Armani Rodgers, UNLV
The job status of Tony Sanchez likely rides on the arm of Rodgers this fall, and if he fails, Sanchez could be gone. Rodgers has the arm strength and mobility to get it done, and his stock is pointing up, especially with rock star RB Lex Thomas behind him in the backfield.
10. Brett Rypien, Boise State
Rypien had a strange season last year as he was sharing some of his reps with Montell Cozart in a move that made zero sense to anyone outside of Bryan Harsin. Rypien has Cozart out of his way now, and should be back to normal, which means he should climb this list, if his confidence was not shot.
No comments:
Post a Comment