10. Taylen Green, Boise State
Boise State went 10-4 last season and may have finished better had Green started from week 1. The 6’6″, 223-pound Green looks the part of a guy you see on Sundays. He made several Freshman All-American lists last fall. Green threw for over 2,000 yards and ran for nearly 600 while amassing 24 total touchdowns. He could turn into a really good one with 3 years of eligibility left.
9. Carter Bradley, South Alabama
Jaguars head coach Kane Wommack is going places, namely a P5 head coaching job within a couple of years. Carter Bradley will help him get there. A 10-3 2022 with only 1 conference loss tells you how quickly they have turned things around in Mobile. Bradley started his college career at Toledo, spending 4 years in the MAC. Last year at South Alabama, he threw for 3,343 yards and 28 TDs.
8. Hank Bachmeier, Louisiana Tech
Bachmeier has already had a heck of a career at Boise State before hitting the portal and landing in Ruston for his final collegiate season. He has thrown for nearly 7,000 career yards and 41 TDs. A career record of 20-9 is something else he brings to Sonny Cumbie’s new-look Bulldog squad. With any luck, they’ll better the 3-9 record of 2022.
7. Chevan Cordeiro, San Jose State
Former Hawai’i QB Cordeiro enters year two at San Jose State and year 6 of college football. He threw for 23 TDs and 3,200 yards last year while running for 9 more. The dual-threat signal-caller has run for over 1,300 career yards. The Spartans were a respectable 7-5 in a 2022 that, included the tragic death of a teammate. With normalcy and consistency, especially from Cordeiro, I expect them to improve on that record.
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6. Davis Brin, Georgia Southern
Brin was one of the G5’s top passers in 2021, but after being hampered by an ankle injury in 2022, he entered the portal and ended up in Statesboro. Clay Helton had an impressive year one with the Eagles last season, which made me eat a little crow, but I am super excited to watch them this fall. For those of us who play college fantasy, Brin will be a guy who comes off the board early.
5. Austin Reed, Western Kentucky
Reed transferred to WKU from West Florida, where he won a DII national title. In his first year with the Toppers, he threw for 4,744 yards and 40 TDs. We’ve become accustomed to QBs in this offense putting up gaudy numbers, and Reed is no exception. He has all the tools to succeed in the Air Raid. Tyson Helton has continued success at WKU, and I’d be surprised if they don’t keep the trend of passing success going with new OC Drew Hollingshead, formerly WR coach at Mississippi State.
4. Frank Harris, UTSA
Harris returns for his 7th season at UTSA, and what a career he’s had so far. He’s amassed a 31-9 record for a nearly brand-new program and a pair of double-digit win seasons for Jeff Traylor. Harris is dynamic, tough, and a good leader. He’ll have a decent chance to throw for his 100th career TD this fall and already has 24 rushing TDs under his belt.
3. Kurtis Rourke, Ohio
Rourke may not have the name brand of Pratt or McCall, but he was, quietly, PFF’s highest-graded FBS QB until his season-ending knee injury against Ball State on November 15th last fall. In short, he may have been more important to his team than any player in college football last year. The Ontario-born Rourke completed nearly 70% of his throws for a 25-4 TD-Int ratio. His injury was devastating, and it’ll be vital that he return healthy if we expect to replicate anywhere near his previous performance.
2. Grayson McCall, Coastal Carolina
McCall courted the transfer portal but, for reasons unknown, chose to stay at Coastal even after Jamey Chadwell left for Liberty. The only man ever to win Sun Belt Player of the Year 3 times has a career record of 29-4 while throwing for an eye-popping TD-Int ratio of 78-8. What can we expect out of the now Tim Beck-led Chanticleers and McCall? My guess is still a very solid team in a Sun Belt conference that continues to get better.
1. Michael Pratt, Tulane
On the back of Tulane’s historic 12-2 season, Pratt has to top any list of G5 QBs. Much will be asked of him in 2023, as he lost a great deal of his supporting cast from the last season, and the Green Wave will rely on him more than ever. Last year he threw for over 3,000 yards and 27 TDs to only 5 interceptions while also rushing for 10 more scores. He will be on most preseason watchlists for major awards.
