Big 12 Quarterback Rankings for 2026

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Quarterback play is usually a strength across the Big 12, so it’s no surprise the conference has no shortage of talented signal-callers once again entering the 2026 college football season. It’s a close call at the top between Oklahoma State’s Drew Mestemaker and Arizona’s Noah Fifita, while a strong second tier of quarterbacks is in place with Utah’s Devon Dampier, BYU’s Bear Bachmeier and Houston’s Conner Weigman. Kansas State’s Avery Johnson and Texas Tech’s Will Hammond are two of the Big 12’s top wild-card quarterbacks in ‘26.

Ranking the quarterbacks by conference or nationally is no easy task. To help compile the rankings, some projection was involved for 2026. This was not a ranking of quarterbacks based only on accomplishments so far or pro potential. All factors — pure talent, supporting cast, having a clear hold on the No. 1 position, previous production, ’26 projection, and scheme changes (just to name a few) — were considered to rank the quarterbacks in the Big 12.

Ballard is locked into a tight competition with Isaiah Marshall to replace Jalon Daniels this fall. The former walk-on has played in 15 games with the Jayhawks since ‘23, rushing for 209 yards and throwing for 445 yards and three scores in that span. Marshall brings more rushing ability to the offense, but Ballard has the edge in experience. Both quarterbacks could play a good chunk of snaps in ‘26.

French IV was a steady starting quarterback for Georgia Southern’s offense over the last two years. In his first full season as the starter in 2024, French IV threw for 2,831 yards and 17 touchdowns. Last year, French IV upped his passing yardage to 2,929 and tossed 20 scores. The Georgia native also ran for 612 yards and eight scores during his career in Statesboro. Cutting down on the interceptions (19 over the last two years) is a must to succeed in the Big 12.

Hawkins Jr. was a key get for West Virginia from the transfer portal. In two years at Oklahoma, Hawkins Jr. passed for 950 yards and six touchdowns and added 262 yards and two scores on the ground. The Texas native’s ability to make plays on the ground should be a great fit for coach Rich Rodriguez’s offense in ‘26. The upside of Hawkins Jr. as a passer is the biggest X-factor, but his arrival should lead to a much-improved West Virginia offense this fall, especially with fellow transfer Cam Cook (Jacksonville State) also joining at running back.

Related: Big 12 Predictions for 2026

With zero returning starters, Iowa State is a program in transition under new coach Jimmy Rogers. However, the new staff reloaded the roster with a hefty class of transfers, including Raynor, who will handle the starting quarterback job in ‘26. The North Carolina native played in 37 games (with 36 starts) at Arkansas State from 2023-25 and threw for 8,694 yards and 52 touchdowns in that span. Raynor also added 1,183 yards and 15 scores on the ground. How the senior transitions to the Big 12 and a tougher level of play is a question mark. However, his experience and mobility are valuable assets on a team looking for new playmakers to emerge this fall.

Lewis’ development is a big reason for optimism in Boulder after a disappointing 3-9 record last season. The former four-star prospect saw action in four games as a true freshman last year, completing 52 of 94 throws for 589 yards and four touchdowns. New coordinator Brennan Marion is one of the Big 12’s top assistant hires for 2026 and should help Lewis’ overall progression and development this offseason. How fast can Lewis reach his potential under Marion?

After UCF averaged only 5.3 yards a snap in Big 12 games last year, coach Scott Frost dipped into the transfer portal for Barnett III to upgrade the team’s play under center. Barnett III ranked among the top Group of 6 quarterbacks in college football over the last two seasons and led James Madison to a spot in the College Football Playoff in 2025. In 12 appearances in ‘24, the North Carolina native threw for 2,598 yards and 26 touchdowns and ran for 442 yards and seven scores. Despite suffering a significant knee injury at the end of the ‘24 campaign, Barnett III returned in time to start all 14 games for the Dukes last year. In that stretch, he maintained his rushing ability (589 yards and 15 touchdowns) to go with 2,806 yards and 23 scores through the air. Improved accuracy (-3.5% completions over expected rate per Hudl IQ) is a must as Barnett III moves to a higher level of competition.

Boley and the well-traveled Mikey Keene were competing to replace Sam Leavitt as Arizona State’s No. 1 quarterback this fall. The guess here is that Boley will emerge as the starter, as the Kentucky transfer brings intriguing upside to Tempe. In 15 games in Lexington, Boley threw for 2,498 yards and 17 touchdowns. However, his interception total (16 over 354 attempts) is a major concern. Boley possesses a strong arm, and with one of the Big 12’s best receiving corps at his disposal, he should be able to hit several big plays this year. Per Hudl IQ, 16.4% of Boley’s completions resulted in gains of 15-plus yards at Kentucky in ‘25.

Craig is one of the Big 12’s most intriguing signal-callers entering 2026. The New Jersey native starred at Harvard in the Ivy League over the last two years, throwing for 5,299 yards and 48 touchdowns. His career completion rate is a solid 61%, while his interception total (12 over 714 attempts) displays a knack for taking care of the ball and limiting mistakes. Craig earned first-team All-Ivy League honors and was also a Walter Payton Award finalist in ‘25. Adjusting to FBS defenses and the overall jump in competition is a huge challenge for the fifth-year quarterback. However, Craig’s arm talent and experience should be a solid fit for TCU’s offense.

Lagway’s physical talent isn’t in question. But after an injury-filled and up-and-down 2025 season at Florida, can the former five-star prospect reach his potential at Baylor? In two seasons with the Gators, Lagway threw for 4,179 yards and 28 touchdowns. However, he also tossed 23 picks in that span. After averaging 10 yards per attempt in ‘24, Lagway dipped to 6.7 last year. Lagway’s struggles in ‘25 were also reflected in advanced metrics. Per Hudl IQ, Lagway had a -0.12 EPA/Play and just a 43.4% success rate.

The spotlight will be focused on Hammond throughout the 2026 season. The Texas native is on the mend from a knee injury suffered in October last year but is on track to return to 100% by the opener. Additionally, Hammond won’t get much time to knock off the rust, as he was pushed into the starting role after Brendan Sorsby was ruled ineligible and later applied for the NFL supplemental draft. In eight games last year, Hammond threw for 680 yards and seven touchdowns against three picks. He also added 299 yards and five scores on the ground. Talent isn’t in question for Hammond, and his rushing ability (assuming his knee is 100%) will make Texas Tech’s offense even more dangerous. However, there’s also plenty of unknown entering his first year as the full-time starter.

Johnson’s 2025 season certainly wasn’t bad. Over 12 games, he threw for 2,385 yards and 18 touchdowns against six picks and rushed for 477 yards and eight scores. However, those totals represented a step back from his ‘24 production (2,712 passing yards and 25 touchdowns; 605 yards and seven scores on the ground). New coach Collin Klein should help Johnson get back on track this fall and take full advantage of his dynamic athleticism. And if the fourth-year quarterback makes significant progress as a passer (59% career completion rate), All-Big 12 honors will be within reach.

Weigman’s talent has never been in question, but for a variety of reasons, the Texas native was never able to put it all together in his first stop (Texas A&M). However, after a strong 2025 debut at Houston, Weigman is poised to rank among the Big 12’s top signal-callers this fall. Over 13 starts, Weigman passed for 2,705 yards and 25 touchdowns against nine picks. He also ranked second on the team with 700 rushing yards and scored 11 times on the ground. Incoming freshman (and five-star prospect) Keisean Henderson is set to work as Weigman’s backup in ‘26.

Starting as a true freshman quarterback is never easy, but Bachmeier thrived for BYU in 2025. En route to helping the Cougars reach the Big 12 title game (and nearly the College Football Playoff), Bachmeier threw for 3,033 yards and 15 touchdowns and rushed for 527 yards and 11 scores. The California native ranked seventh among Big 12 quarterbacks in total offense (254.3 yards a game) and finished second in the conference with 10 completions of 40-plus yards. If Bachmeier continues to progress as a passer — especially with a revamped set of receivers in ‘26 — the sophomore will rank even higher on this list by the end of the season.

Related: Big 12 Predictions for 2026

Dynamic is the best way to sum up Dampier’s debut in Salt Lake City last season. After transferring from New Mexico to Utah following the ‘24 campaign, Dampier certainly lived up to the hype as one of the Big 12’s top transfers. In 12 contests, Dampier threw for 2,490 yards and 24 touchdowns against only five interceptions. The Arizona native finished second on the team with 835 rushing yards and scored 10 times on the ground. Dampier’s 277.1 total yards a game ranked fourth among Big 12 quarterbacks last year. However, there’s room to improve as a passer. Dampier averaged 7.3 yards per attempt and connected on under 60% (59.8%) of his passes in Big 12 games in ‘25. Backup quarterback Byrd Ficklin (513 rushing yards last year) also returns to spell Dampier as needed this fall.

After a disappointing 2024 campaign, Fifita rebounded in a big way last season. The California native earned first-team All-Big 12 honors after throwing for 3,228 yards and 29 touchdowns against only six picks. Fifita also chipped in three scores on the ground. Per Hudl IQ data, Fifita had a solid success rate of 46.8% and displayed his accuracy by posting a 6.2% CPOE. The Wildcats will need to retool a bit around Fifita. However, last year’s rebound and overall solid performance should carry into the ‘26 season.

Mestemaker was one of the best stories in college football last season. The former walk-on emerged as one of the top quarterbacks in the nation by leading a North Texas offense that averaged 45.1 points a game in ‘25. The 6-foot-3 signal-caller with a rocket arm torched defenses for 4,379 passing yards and 34 touchdowns against nine picks. Mestemaker averaged 9.5 yards per attempt and tied for first nationally among quarterbacks with 11 completions of 50-plus yards. Hudl IQ’s advanced metrics showcase Mestemaker’s impressive ‘25 campaign, as he recorded a 0.33 EPA/Pass and a success rate of 54.9%. He’s one of the top transfer quarterbacks for ‘26 and a big reason why Oklahoma State could be a wild-card team to watch in the Big 12 title race.

This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Aug 20, 2026, where it first appeared in the College Football section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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