Top 10 Best College Quarterbacks of All Time

The Top Ten

  1. Tim Tebow

    Tim Tebow played quarterback for the University of Florida from 2006 to 2009. He won the Heisman Trophy in 2007 and was part of two BCS National Championship teams. Tebow finished his college career with 145 total touchdowns, the most in SEC history at the time.

    Threw a touchdown pass, going 1/1 in the national championship in 2006. In 2007, he won the Heisman Trophy, throwing 32 touchdowns on a 66% completion percentage and rushing for 23 touchdowns as well. In 2008, he threw for 30 touchdowns with only four interceptions, achieving a 64.4% completion percentage.

    After losing 31-30 to Ole Miss in week 4, he gave an emotional speech expressing his shame for letting down the fans and promised that no quarterback in college football would ever work harder than him, lead a team harder, or have a team that worked harder than his. The Gators did not lose another game, winning 51-21 against No. 4 LSU, 49-10 against No. 8 Georgia, 56-6 against No. 24 South Carolina, and 45-15 against No. 23 Florida State. They won the SEC Championship 31-20 against No. 1 Alabama and then the national championship game 24-14.

    Returning for his senior season, the Gators started 12-0 but lost the SEC Championship game 13-32. He had a remarkable last game, winning the Sugar Bowl 51-24 against No. 4 Cincinnati, with help from Angel Hernandez, throwing 17/18 for 295 yards and three touchdowns in the first half, finishing with 533 yards total. He finished four seasons with 88 passing touchdowns and 57 rushing touchdowns.

  2. Danny Wuerffel

    Danny Wuerffel was the quarterback at the University of Florida from 1993 to 1996. He won the Heisman Trophy in 1996 and led Florida to a national championship that same season. Wuerffel finished his career with more than 10,000 passing yards and 114 touchdowns.

  3. Cam Newton

    Cam Newton played one season at Auburn in 2010 after transferring from junior college. He won the Heisman Trophy and led Auburn to a national championship that year. Newton accounted for 50 total touchdowns during his only season with the Tigers.

    Auburn QB was probably the best ever! He's probably almost the only reason I watch the Panthers! Gonna go deep in the playoffs, then lose right before the Super Bowl! The Packers and Steelers are going, or the Saints and Colts are going! I hope it's the second one! I love Drew Brees and I love Andrew Luck!

    The best I've ever seen in my lifetime.

  4. Tommie Frazier

    Tommie Frazier played for the Nebraska Cornhuskers from 1992 to 1995. He led the team to back to back national championships in 1994 and 1995. Frazier is remembered for his 75 yard touchdown run against Florida in the 1996 Fiesta Bowl.

    Honestly, what is the purpose of playing football? If your goal is to win games, perform great on the biggest stage, and win championships, then nobody was better than Tommie Frazier. Frazier was a four-year starter, losing only three games. Two of his losses were during his freshman year, one of which was in the Orange Bowl vs. No. 7 ranked FSU (he still won the MVP of the game). The third loss was in the Championship game to FSU during his sophomore year (again, he won the MVP award).

    Frazier didn't lose a single regular season game after his freshman year and won consecutive undefeated National Championships in his final two years. He won the MVP award in four major bowl games (three Orange Bowls, one Fiesta Bowl), including three consecutive National Championship games.

    If all you care about is throwing for a lot of yards, regardless of winning big games, go ahead and choose someone else.

  5. Charlie Ward

    Charlie Ward played quarterback for Florida State from 1989 to 1993. He won the Heisman Trophy in 1993 and led Florida State to a national championship that same season. Ward passed for over 3,000 yards and added 339 rushing yards during his Heisman-winning year.

  6. Matt Leinart

    Matt Leinart started at quarterback for USC from 2003 to 2005. He won the Heisman Trophy in 2004 and led USC to a national championship. Leinart finished his career with over 10,000 passing yards and 99 touchdowns.

  7. Vince Young

    Vince Young played quarterback at the University of Texas from 2003 to 2005. He led Texas to a national championship victory in the 2006 Rose Bowl against USC. Young accounted for more than 6,000 passing yards and 3,000 rushing yards during his career.

  8. Peyton Manning

    Peyton Manning was the starting quarterback at the University of Tennessee from 1994 to 1997. He passed for more than 11,000 yards and 89 touchdowns during his college career. Manning finished second in Heisman Trophy voting in 1997 before becoming the first overall pick in the 1998 NFL Draft.

  9. Andrew Luck

    Andrew Luck started at quarterback for Stanford from 2009 to 2011. He passed for over 9,000 yards and 82 touchdowns during his college career. Luck was a two-time Heisman Trophy finalist and the first overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft.

  10. Marcus Mariota

    Marcus Mariota played quarterback for Oregon from 2012 to 2014. He won the Heisman Trophy in 2014 after leading Oregon to the College Football Playoff National Championship Game. Mariota finished his career with more than 13,000 yards of total offense.

    If you replaced any of the above QBs with Mariota, he would outproduce them easily. He would've won a national championship if he had been targeting his top four wide receivers instead of the fifth-string guys who weren't even supposed to play until the year after he left. He was a clutch QB and rarely turned the ball over.

    First ever to have that kind of a touchdown to interception ratio, even considering all turnovers. He didn't even have 10 turnovers his final year and had over 60 total touchdowns. He should be at least top 3, seeing as he outplayed Andrew Luck every time they matched up in college.

    OK, every Ohio State fan should know this. Ohio State got real lucky that two of our starting receivers were hurt and our starting tight end was hurt.

    11. The Newcomers
  11. ?

    Joe Burrow

    Joe Burrow played quarterback at LSU from 2018 to 2019 after transferring from Ohio State. He won the Heisman Trophy in 2019 and led LSU to a national championship. Burrow set the NCAA single-season record with 60 touchdown passes that year.

    No one had a better year than Burrow. He looked like a pro playing with college kids.

  12. ?

    Johnny Unitas

    Johnny Unitas played college football at the University of Louisville from 1951 to 1954. He passed for over 3,000 yards during his college career. Unitas later became one of the most successful quarterbacks in NFL history.

    Ever heard of the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm?

    13. The Contenders

  13. Johnny Manziel

    Johnny Manziel played quarterback for Texas A and M from 2012 to 2013. He won the Heisman Trophy as a freshman in 2012 after recording over 5,000 yards of total offense. Manziel finished his college career with 93 total touchdowns in two seasons.

    Then he became one of the worst quarterbacks in NFL history.

  14. Baker Mayfield

    Baker Mayfield played college football at Texas Tech in 2013 and then at Oklahoma from 2015 to 2017. He won the Heisman Trophy in 2017 after passing for over 4,600 yards. Mayfield ended his college career with 131 passing touchdowns.

    This guy would win games that shouldn't have been won by the Sooners. Extremely fun to watch also.

    Second best passer efficiency seasons of all time. Second most efficient career passer ever, only after Sam Bradford. Take away his walk-on year at Tech and he's the GOAT, no doubt.

  15. Deshaun Watson

    Deshaun Watson was the starting quarterback for Clemson from 2014 to 2016. He led Clemson to the 2016 national championship, defeating Alabama. Watson threw for over 10,000 yards and 90 touchdowns during his college career.

  16. Doug Flutie

    Doug Flutie played quarterback at Boston College from 1981 to 1984. He won the Heisman Trophy in 1984 after throwing for over 3,600 yards. Flutie is widely remembered for his game-winning Hail Mary pass against Miami that season.

  17. Jameis Winston

    Jameis Winston played quarterback at Florida State from 2013 to 2014. He won the Heisman Trophy in 2013 while leading Florida State to a national championship. Winston finished his college career with 65 touchdown passes in two seasons, completing over 66 percent of his passes during that span.

  18. Roger Staubach

    Roger Staubach played quarterback at the U.S. Naval Academy from 1962 to 1964. He won the Heisman Trophy in 1963. Staubach served in the U.S. Navy after graduation before playing professionally.

  19. Robert Griffin III

    Robert Griffin III played quarterback at Baylor from 2008 to 2011. He won the Heisman Trophy in 2011 after recording over 4,900 total yards and 47 touchdowns. Griffin finished his college career with 10,366 passing yards and 2,254 rushing yards.

    He's really good! He should be #1. I don't agree with this list, but watching RG3 play is amazing.

  20. Joe Montana

    Joe Montana played quarterback at Notre Dame from 1975 to 1978. He led the Fighting Irish to a national championship in 1977. Montana threw for more than 4,100 yards during his college career.

  21. Case Keenum

    Case Keenum played quarterback for the University of Houston from 2007 to 2011. He set NCAA records for career passing yards with over 19,000 and career touchdown passes with 155. Keenum was a two-time winner of the Sammy Baugh Trophy.

  22. Michael Vick

    Michael Vick played quarterback at Virginia Tech from 1999 to 2000. He led the Hokies to the BCS National Championship Game following the 1999 season as a redshirt freshman. Vick passed for 3,299 yards and rushed for 1,299 yards during his two seasons.

  23. Graham Harrell

    Graham Harrell played quarterback at Texas Tech from 2005 to 2008. He finished his career with 134 touchdown passes and more than 15,000 passing yards. Harrell led the Red Raiders to an 11-2 season in 2008, including a Big 12 South title and a win over Texas that season.

  24. Kellen Moore

    Kellen Moore played quarterback at Boise State from 2008 to 2011. He won 50 games as a starter, the most in NCAA history at the time. Moore finished his career with over 14,000 passing yards and 142 touchdowns.

  25. Drew Brees

    Drew Brees played quarterback for Purdue University from 1997 to 2000. He threw for over 11,000 yards and 90 touchdowns during his college career. Brees led Purdue to a Big Ten Championship and a Rose Bowl appearance in 2000.

  26. Steve Young

    Steve Young played quarterback at Brigham Young University from 1981 to 1983. He passed for over 7,700 yards and 56 touchdowns during his career. Young won the Davey O'Brien Award as the nation's best quarterback in 1983.

  27. Bryce Petty

    Bryce Petty played quarterback at Baylor from 2010 to 2014. As the starter in 2013 and 2014, he passed for over 8,000 yards and 61 touchdowns. Petty led Baylor to back to back Big 12 championships.

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