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Big 12 Football: Way-Too-Early 2026 QB Rankings
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- Big 12 Football: Way-Too-Early 2026 QB Rankings
Intrigue surrounds the Big 12 's collection of quarterbacks entering spring practice. A pair of transfers - Brendan Sorsby at Texas Tech and Drew Mestemaker at Oklahoma State - top the way-too-early quarterback rankings in the conference. However, Arizona's Noah Fifita is back after earning first-team all-conference honors in '25. BYU's Bear Bachmeier, Houston's Conner Weigman , and Utah's Devon Dampier are also returning following standout seasons last fall. Although Sorsby or Mestemaker have a strong claim for No. 1 on this list, there's little separation among the top six quarterbacks entering spring practice.
The intrigue in this conference extends the rest of the way to potential breakout candidates in Colorado's Julian Lewis, TCU's Jaden Craig, and West Virginia's Michael Hawkins.
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With spring practice quickly approaching, Athlon Sports will examine the quarterback situations and provide an early ranking for the signal-callers in each of the Power 4 conferences. Here's a pre-spring look at the Big 12 for '26:
Big 12 Football: Way-Too-Early 2026 QB Rankings
Houston quarterback Conner Weigman runs with the ball against the Colorado Buffaloes at TDECU Stadium on Sept. 12, 2025, in Houston, Texas.Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
16. Isaiah Marshall, Kansas
Cole Ballard and Rice transfer Chase Jenkins are in the mix, but Marshall gets the early pre-spring nod as the favorite to replace Jalon Daniels
. The Michigan native redshirted in '24 and played in nine games last season in a reserve role. During his limited snaps, Marshall showcased his ability on the ground with 160 rushing yards on 15 attempts. However, he attempted only three passes in that limited action. The return of Andy Kotelnicki as the team's play-caller should provide a spark for the offense this fall.
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15. JC French IV, Cincinnati
Brendan Sorsby's transfer to Texas Tech leaves an open competition this spring for coach Scott Satterfield. French - a transfer from Georgia Southern - is the frontrunner over Samaj Jones after throwing for 5,882 yards and 38 touchdowns in 36 games in the Sun
Belt.
14. Michael Hawkins, West Virginia
Hawkins and Scotty Fox Jr. will battle this offseason to pilot coach Rich Rodriguez
's prolific attack. Although Fox gained valuable experience last fall, Hawkins is likely to be the favorite to take the first snap of '26. The Oklahoma transfer flashed big-time potential on the ground with 204 yards over 69 carries in '24, but his arm is a work in progress (6.5 yards per attempt that season with just three touchdowns to two picks).
13. Jaylen Raynor, Iowa StateRaynor arrives in Ames as the likely frontrunner to replace Rocco Becht under center in new coach Jimmy Rogers' offense. Over 37 appearances at Arkansas State, Raynor threw for 8,694 yards and 52 touchdowns and ran for 1,183 yards and 15 scores. Familiarity should help Raynor's move to Ames, as his play-caller with the Red Wolves (Keith Heckendorf) was hired as Iowa State's quarterbacks coach.
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12. Cutter Boley, Arizona StateBoley flashed potential during the '25 season at Kentucky but opted to transfer after the arrival of new coach Will Stein. Can Arizona State's staff help Boley reach his potential? Despite some challenging offensive circumstances, Boley threw for 2,160 yards and 15 touchdowns in 11 games with the Wildcats last year.
Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Julian Lewis (10) and defensive end Arden Walker (53) during the spring game at Folsom Field.Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images
11. Julian Lewis, Colorado
Colorado's offense took a significant step back on the stat sheet last season with quarterback Shedeur Sanders
and receiver Travis Hunter
off to the NFL
. Coach Deion Sanders
took steps to fix this group this offseason, including the hire of new play-caller Brennan Marion and his innovative Go-Go offense. Lewis - a former four-star prospect - gained valuable experience in four games last season. His development this spring is a top Big 12 storyline to watch.
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10. Alonza Barnett III, UCFUCF cycled through a couple of quarterbacks in '26, so Barnett's arrival should provide much-needed stability for coach Scott Frost. The James Madison transfer is an excellent fit for this attack after running for 589 yards and 15 touchdowns and throwing for 2,806 yards and 23 scores in the Sun Belt last fall. Barnett III is now a full year removed from an ACL tear suffered at the end of '24 and should be even more dynamic next season.
9. DJ Lagway, BaylorCan coordinator Jake Spavital help Lagway get his career back on track? There's zero doubt about Lagway's physical talent. However, injuries took a toll on his play in Gainesville last season. After a promising freshman year in '24, Lagway tossed 14 picks and posted a low yards per attempt (6.7) last season.
8. Jaden Craig, TCUThe Horned Frogs suffered a significant setback when Josh Hoover transferred to Indiana, but Craig is an intriguing addition from the portal. The Harvard transfer threw for 6,074 yards and 52 touchdowns in 28 career appearances at the FCS level. This spring will provide valuable insight into Craig's development in Fort Worth.
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Oct 4, 2025; Waco, Texas, USA; Kansas State Wildcats quarterback Avery Johnson (2) passes the ball against the Baylor Bears during the first half at McLane Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Chris Jones-Imagn Images
7. Avery Johnson, Kansas StateA fresh start under new coach Collin Klein should help Johnson get back on track in '26. Touted as one of the Big 12's top quarterbacks last season, Johnson didn't quite live up to preseason expectations with 2,385 passing yards and 18 touchdown tosses and another 477 yards and eight scores on the ground. While last season wasn't quite the year most anticipated, the talent is still there for Johnson to rank as one of the Big 12's top signal-callers.
6. Conner Weigman, Houston
Departing Texas A&M
for Houston and a chance to start again helped Weigman get his career back on track. The Texas native finished sixth in the Big 12 in total offense (261.9 total yards a game) and accounted for 36 overall touchdowns in 13 games. Weigman ranked third in the Big 12 in completion rate (65.2 percent) and finished fifth with 105 completions of 10-plus yards.
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5. Bear Bachmeier, BYUBYU's quarterback situation was unsettled after Jake Retzlaff's departure late last spring. However, Bachmeier wasn't fazed as a true freshman, as he won the job in the fall and immediately emerged as one of the top quarterbacks in the conference. The California native accounted for 3,560 total yards and 26 overall scores in a breakout freshman campaign in '25. Bachmeier is just starting to scratch the surface of his potential in Provo.
4. Devon Dampier, UtahDampier's arrival last offseason helped Utah finish No. 1 in the Big 12 in scoring (41.3 points a game) after posting just 23.6 points a contest in '24. The New Mexico transfer nearly ran for 1,000 yards (835) and passed for 2,490 yards and 24 touchdowns to just five picks. The Arizona native has to adapt to a new play-caller (Kevin McGiven) and will share a few snaps with Byrd Ficklin. However, despite those x-factors, Dampier is once again expected to rank among the top quarterbacks in the Big 12.
Arizona Wildcats quarterback Noah Fifita after scoring a touchdown.Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images
3. Noah Fifita, ArizonaAfter a disappointing '24 season, Fifita rebounded in a big way last fall. Behind new play-caller Seth Doege, Fifita earned first-team All-Big 12 honors after throwing for 3,228 yards and 29 touchdowns to just six picks. In matchups against conference opponents, Fifita connected on 63.6 percent of his throws.
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2. Drew Mestemaker, Oklahoma StateMestemaker was one of the top quarterbacks in the transfer portal after ranking first nationally (312.8) in passing yards a contest at North Texas last season. Mestemaker's 34 touchdown tosses also tied for second nationally, while his yards per attempt (9.5) was the best mark among qualified signal-callers. The sophomore followed coach Eric Morris to Stillwater and should make an easy transition to a spot among the top quarterbacks in the Big 12.
1. Brendan Sorsby, Texas TechSorsby was one of the top quarterbacks in the portal and a massive get for coach Joey McGuire's team as it looks to return to the College Football Playoff. The Texas native started his career at Indiana and spent the last two seasons at Cincinnati. Included in that span was a breakout '25 campaign that included 2,800 passing yards and 27 touchdowns to go with 580 more yards and nine scores on the ground. With another standout year in '26, Sorsby would be squarely on the radar for a high pick in next year's draft.
Related: 10 Biggest Winners in College Football's Transfer Portal for the 2026 Season
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This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Feb 25, 2026, where it first appeared in the College Football section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
