Ranking the top five quarterbacks on LSU football's 2026 schedule

NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos...

It's hard to win in major college football without strong quarterback play. Indiana, the defending national champion, was led by No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza. LSU football fans will remember 2019, when QB Joe Burrow was the headliner and had a historic season.

So often in this sport, the winner of a game wins because it had the better quarterback. With that in mind, we'll rank the top five quarterbacks on LSU football's schedule in 2026. LSU's slate is tough, and that means the Tigers' defense will be tasked with stopping some talented passers.

LSU should have a pretty good QB of its own, with high expectations for top-ranked QB transfer Sam Leavitt. Leavitt comes to LSU from Arizona State, where he led the Sun Devils to the College Football Playoff in 2024.

Here are the top five quarterbacks on LSU's 2026 schedule.

5. Kamario Taylor, Mississippi State

Taylor made his debut as a blue-chip true freshman in 2025. He signed with Mississippi State as the No. 77-ranked recruit in the class and didn't waste much time finding the field. By the end of 2025, Taylor was Mississippi State's starting quarterback.

Taylor is a popular pick to break out in 2026. The talent is evident—Taylor has a big arm, and he's dynamic on the ground. Dual-threat QBs have posed problems for LSU's defense in recent years, which makes Taylor particularly threatening for the Tigers' defense. Taylor averaged over six yards per run and scored eight touchdowns on the ground last fall.

In the bowl game vs. Wake Forest, Taylor averaged over 18 yards per completion. He may not be the most consistent, but he's a big play waiting to happen.

4. Marcel Reed, Texas A&M

I am often a Reed critic, but it's hard to deny what he's done in his two previous games vs. LSU. Reed surpassed 200 yards through the air and 100 on the ground in his last meeting vs. the Tigers. In 2024, Reed came off the bench and was the spark for Texas A&M in a comeback win to beat LSU. Other SEC defenses have figured out how to stop Reed, but LSU has seen enough of the Texas A&M quarterback.

The good news? A&M will be back in Baton Rouge again this year. LSU will get the benefit of the home crowd when defending the Texas A&M offense. That didn't matter much last year, though.

3. Byrum Brown, Auburn

Brown is the only 2026 transfer on this list. With head coach Alex Golesh going from USF to Auburn, Brown followed. Like Taylor and Reed, Brown can do damage with his legs. He has good size, and tackling the Auburn quarterback is a tough task.

Brown has four years of experience and brings 7,000 career yards and 61 career touchdowns to Auburn. He averaged 9.1 yards per pass in 2025 and looked good when USF faced Power Four competition. His 91.5 PFF offensive grade led all AAC quarterbacks last year. The jump to the SEC won't be easy, but Brown has the tools to handle it.

2. Trinidad Chambliss, Ole Miss

Chambliss emerged as a star in Lane Kiffin's offense at Ole Miss in 2025. Now, Kiffin is in Baton Rouge, but Chambliss opted to remain with the Rebels. Chambliss is electric. He's a magician and the play isn't over until he's on the ground.

Last year, LSU actually did a good job of containing Chambliss on the ground, but the veteran passer threw for 311 yards vs. Blake Baker's defense. Chambliss is a Heisman Trophy candidate entering 202,6 and few QBs can match his experience. LSU will once again have its hands full with the Ole Miss offense.

1. Arch Manning, Texas

Putting Manning at No. 1 was easy for me. I know there are Manning critics out there, but I think he's worth the hype. Manning was let down by his offensive line and pass catchers in 2025, but now his supporting cast is arguably the best in the SEC. Manning finished 2025 on a heater and is the early favorite to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2027 NFL Draft.

There's not a throw Manning can't make. He's got the arm strength, and he's accurate, too. And if that wasn't enough, Manning proved he can be dynamic in the QB run game.

LSU will host Texas in mid-November. By then, we'll know if LSU's on track for the College Football Playoff or if Kiffin's first year was a letdown, but there's a good chance this ends up being a must-win game in Death Valley.

This article originally appeared on LSU Wire: Ranking the top five quarterbacks on LSU football's 2026 schedule

More at NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos