Who are the starting quarterbacks in the SEC for 2025? Here's a look at each projected starter for the conference:
The 2025 college football season is just around the corner, with teams across the country kicking off training camp.
There are plenty of new faces around the SEC, given the current landscape of college sports with the transfer portal — especially at the quarterback position.
Former five-star recruit Arch Manning, the nephew of NFL legends Peyton and Eli Manning, is set to start for Texas after sitting behind Quinn Ewers for two seasons. There are also seven returning starters in the conference, and five transfers projected to start at their new programs.
The SEC has numerous Heisman Trophy contenders in 2025, and that doesn't stop at the quarterback position.
Here's a look at the projected starters and quarterback battles for SEC programs ahead of the 2025 season:
Projected SEC quarterbacks in 2025
Here's a look at the projected SEC starting quarterbacks in 2025, broken down by returning starters, transfers and first-year starters.
SEC quarterbacks: Returning starters
LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina
Sellers, who's returning to the Gamecocks for his second season as starter, is one of the leading preseason candidates for the Heisman Trophy. The 6-foot-3, 240-pound signal caller passed for 2,534 yards with 18 touchdowns to seven interceptions last season as a redshirt freshman, also rushing for 674 yards and seven more scores.
If Sellers can take a step forward after his promising first season as South Carolina's starter, the Gamecocks might just be a College Football Playoff contender.
Garrett Nussmeier, LSU
Also returning for his second season as full-time starter, Nussmeier is viewed as one of the top returning starters in all of college football. The fifth-year senior passed for 4,052 yards with 29 touchdowns to 12 interceptions last season, and a strong final season could help him contend to be one of the top quarterbacks available in the 2026 NFL Draft.
LSU added multiple high-end offensive weapons in the transfer portal for Nussmeier, led by receivers Nic Anderson (Oklahoma), Barion Brown (Kentucky) and tight end Bauer Sharp (Oklahoma), while also returning Aaron Anderson and Chris Hilton.
Diego Pavia, Vanderbilt
Pavia was one of the surprise impact players of last season, particularly after he led Vanderbilt to one of its best wins in school history over No. 2 Alabama.
The second-year Commodores starter — who started his career at the junior college ranks before transferring to Vanderbilt via New Mexico State — received a waiver from the NCAA to play a sixth season in 2025. He passed for 2,293 yards with 20 touchdowns to four interceptions last season, also rushing for 800 yards and eight scores.
Pavia proved he has the ability to play in the SEC last season, and he'll be looking to build on his breakout showing from 2024 this season.
DJ Lagway, Florida
Lagway appears to be one of the future stars of college football after a successful freshman season. Florida went 6-1 in games he started last season.
The former five-star recruit passed for 1,915 yards with 12 touchdowns to nine interceptions last season, winning games he started against Ole Miss and LSU. He is, however, limited in training camp with an apparent ankle injury after dealing with a shoulder ailment in spring practices.
Lagway's health will be one to monitor in the coming weeks, with the Gators likely turning to Harrison Bailey or Aidan Warner if Lagway is unable to start the season.
Marcel Reed, Texas A&M
Reed was thrust into the starting role in 2024 after struggles from former five-star recruit Conner Weigman opened the door for the then-redshirt freshman. He won his first three starts and had a signature win over LSU, in which he rushed for three touchdowns.
Reed is one of the best runners at the position in the conference, and if he can take a step forward in the passing game, he could emerge as one of the top dual-threat quarterbacks in the league and potentially the country. Reed finished the season completing 147 of 240 pass attempts (61.3%) for 1,864 yards and 15 touchdowns to six interceptions in eight starts. He also rushed for 547 yards and seven touchdowns.
Taylen Green, Arkansas
A former Boise State transfer, Green showed flashes of greatness last season with his dual-threat skillset. However, he struggled with turnovers at times, with nine interceptions and eight fumbles.
The 6-foot-6 quarterback finished the 2024 season with 3,154 passing yards and 15 touchdowns, also rushing for 602 yards and eight additional scores. Green has a high ceiling due to his elite athletic ability, and will be looking to improve on his consistency in 2025.
Blake Shapen, Mississippi State
Shapen missed the majority of the 2024 season for the Bulldogs after transferring from Baylor, where he played for three seasons.
Shapen was effective in 2024 when healthy, passing for 974 yards with eight touchdowns to an interception in four games before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury against Florida in the conference opener. The sixth-year senior is hoping for one last go in his final season of eligibility.
SEC quarterbacks: Transfers
John Mateer, Oklahoma
Oklahoma made a splash in the transfer portal with Mateer, who was the No. 6-ranked player in the transfer portal by 247Sports, and the No. 3 quarterback.
Mateer was tied for the nation's lead in total touchdowns (44) last season at Washington State, and he reunites with former offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle, who was hired away from Wazzu in the offseason by the Sooners.
Mateer has received lots of hype in the lead up to his first season in the SEC, and Oklahoma is banking on the dual-threat quarterback to be the answer for its rebuilt offense after a disappointing 6-7 finish in 2024.
Jackson Arnold, Auburn
Arnold, the former starter at Oklahoma, had a whirlwind of a 2024 season and is looking for a fresh start at Auburn.
The former five-star quarterback struggled mightily in his first season as the Sooners starter last season, although he played with a makeshift offensive line and numerous injuries to his receiving core. Coach Hugh Freeze is banking on rebuilding Arnold's confidence after his disappointing finish last season.
Still, Arnold led Oklahoma to an upset win over Alabama last season, against whom he rushed for 131 yards on 25 carries.
Zach Calzada, Kentucky
SEC fans might remember Calzada from 2021, when he led Texas A&M to an upset win over Alabama after passing for 285 yards with three touchdowns.
Calzada has since spent time as a backup at Auburn, and most recently started two seasons at Incarnate Word before returning to the SEC with Kentucky. The seventh-year senior is one of the oldest players in college football, and is the favorite to win the job at Kentucky, although he'll have to beat out Cutter Boley, who started multiple games for the Wildcats last season.
Joey Aguilar, Tennessee
Aguilar was part of a quarterback "trade," of sorts. Aguilar, who originally transferred to UCLA in the winter transfer portal, re-entered the portal in the spring and signed with the Vols. The move came after Nico Iamaleava left Tennessee for UCLA following a dispute over NIL earnings.
Aguilar took the long path to Tennessee, starting his career at Diablo Valley Community College before transferring to Appalachian State, where he started two seasons. The fifth-year starter passed for 3,003 yards with 23 touchdowns to 14 interceptions last season, and will need to beat out Jake Merklinger and George MacIntyre in training camp.
Beau Pribula, Missouri
Pribula, a transfer from Penn State, is set for his first season as a college starter after being used as a runner in multiple sets for the Nittany Lions last season.
Pribula has shown he can run, with 571 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns in two seasons at Penn State. However, he's a bit of an unknown as he has yet to take meaningful snaps as a starter in his career.
Pribula will be tasked with replacing Brady Cook, a former veteran starter for coach Eliah Drinkwitz and the Tigers.
SEC quarterbacks: First-year starters
Arch Manning, Texas
Manning, who's likely the most popular name in college sports, has sky-high expectations heading into his third season in college and first year as Texas' starter.
The former No. 1-ranked recruit passed for 939 yards with nine touchdowns to two interceptions last season, as he made two starts Louisiana-Monroe and Mississippi State last season while also playing in mop-up duty. Manning obviously comes from the first family of quarterbacks, and he's set to lead the national championship-contenders Longhorns in 2025.
Ty Simpson, Alabama
Simpson has waited his turn, and is expected to serve as the starter in his fourth season with Alabama.
He has seen limited time as backup for the Crimson Tide, but is in his second year in coach Kalen DeBoer's system and is surrounded by numerous high-end offensive weapons, headlined by receiver Ryan Williams. He could be pushed by five-star freshman Keelon Russell or even former Washington transfer Austin Mack throughout the season if he struggles.
The former blue-chip prospect should be a quality player for Alabama, although the jury is still out on his ceiling in 2025.
Gunner Stockton, Georgia
Stockton was thrust into action in the College Football Playoff last season after Carson Beck suffered a season-ending injury in the SEC championship against Texas.
The junior signal-caller wasn't outstanding in the CFP against Notre Dame, completing 20 of 32 passes for 234 yards with a touchdown as the Bulldogs fell 23-10 and couldn't get much offense going against the eventual national runners-up.
Stockton has received high praise from coach Kirby Smart in the leadup to the season, and he'll look to keep Georgia as a national championship contender.
Austin Simmons, Ole Miss
Another quarterback with limited experience, Simmons is set to take over for Ole Miss and Lane Kiffin's high-powered offensive scheme.
The left-hander played sparingly behind first-round pick Jaxson Dart last season, but he did look impressive when he entered for a drive against Georgia midseason, completing 6 of 7 passes for 64 yards and leading a touchdown drive in the eventual win against the Bulldogs.
The former four-star recruit could be a surprise breakout in the 2025 season for the Rebels.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: SEC quarterbacks 2025: Who starts at each school this season?
Category: General Sports
