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iowajerms
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Bedlam signal-callers rule McElroy's QB rankings
Power 5 QB rankings
1. Baker Mayfield, Oklahoma (Previous rank: 1)
2. Mason Rudolph, Oklahoma State (Previous rank: 4)
3. J.T. Barrett, Ohio State (Previous rank: NR)
4. Khalil Tate, Arizona (Previous rank: NR)
5. Lamar Jackson, Louisville (Previous rank: 2)
6. Josh Rosen, UCLA (Previous rank: 3)
7. Will Grier, West Virginia (Previous rank: 7)
8. Ryan Finley, NC State (Previous rank: NR)
9. Josh Jackson, Virginia Tech (Previous rank: 8)
10. Trace McSorley, Penn State (Previous rank: 10)
11. Jake Fromm, Georgia (Previous rank: NR)
12. Sam Darnold, USC (Previous rank: 5)
Others receiving consideration (alphabetical order): Jake Browning, Washington; Kelly Bryant, Clemson; Luke Falk, Washington State; Nick Fitzgerald, Mississippi State; Jalen Hurts, Alabama; Malik Rosier, Miami; Jarrett Stidham, Auburn; John Wolford, Wake Forest
Omissions due to injury: Deondre Francois, Florida State; Justin Herbert, Oregon; Shea Patterson, Ole Miss
Power 5 QB rankings
1. Baker Mayfield, Oklahoma (Previous rank: 1)
Since the start of Big 12 play, the Sooners have looked average, at best. Defensively for the Sooners, it appears to be the same story, just a different day. Mayfield has risen to the challenge and has led his team to some high-scoring wins. Oklahoma allowed 31 points per game in October -- good for 96th in the FBS. If not for the spectacular play of their QB, there's no telling where the Sooners might be. With so many great games coming up on their schedule, I can't wait to see what Big Game Baker has up his sleeve in November. Get your popcorn ready.
Rudolph has been rock solid all season long, but I'd be lying if I said October was smooth sailing. The Cowboys had ugly offensive performances against WVU and Texas. However, in the midst of adversity, the Cowboys seem to have found a bit of an identity on defense. All that being said, Rudolph remains the key to a special season in Stillwater. If he catches fire, the Cowboys might not lose another game in the regular season. The best QB matchup of the season is just a couple days away, and the debate for the top spot could potentially be settled this weekend when the Pokes welcome the Sooners to T. Boone Pickens Stadium.
Finally. Prior to the Penn State game, Barrett wouldn't have made the top 10. Yes, his numbers warranted inclusion, but the passing game looked just like it did toward the end of the 2016 season -- sideline-to-sideline, underneath throws with minimal risk downfield. That changed against the Nittany Lions. He was aggressive and precise, adding to what was a ridiculous run in October, completing 78 percent with 12 TDs and no interceptions. I think most people with a QB pedigree, myself included, have been tough on Barrett ("he's a system QB," "he hasn't improved since '14," "he was a deer in the headlights against Oklahoma"), and that criticism was fair. But, after being around Barrett over the last few years and getting to see what kind of person he is, I've never been more happy to be proven wrong in my life. Hello, Heisman? (Keith Jackson voice) We will see.
Where did this guy come from?! When I did my rankings in September, he was a backup, the Wildcats were 2-2 and Rich Rodriguez was a dead man walking. Fast forward to the end of October, the Wildcats are 6-2 and Tate is being mentioned in the Heisman Trophy race. He lapped the field in October by compiling a Total QBR of 99.1 (5.7 points higher than No. 2 J.T. Barrett). His 840 rushing yards in October were 115 more than anyone else in the FBS. He has had four rushes that have gained more than 70 yards. He's a human highlight reel and the college football world needs to take notice.
Jackson continues to be worth the price of admission. He leads the FBS in total offense with 3,837 yards. That total is more than 900 yards more than the second player on the list (Mason Rudolph). Louisville went 1-3 in October, and he certainly didn't have his best stuff at times (see Boston College game), but he remains so dangerous and difficult to defend. He just hasn't been able to overcome all the holes around him. It's difficult to hold him solely responsible, but he definitely needs to elevate his play in the final month to remain in the top five.
Even though he left with a finger injury last week, Rosen remains the only reason to watch UCLA football this season. After starting the season red hot, October was a mixed bag for his team. He had a nice performance against Oregon, but bookended that outing by looking rough against Arizona and Washington. He's a very difficult player to rank right now because of the inconsistencies. Should Rosen be held entirely accountable for the roller-coaster season his team has been on? I don't think so, but there is certainly room for improvement within his game. One thing is for sure, he remains the most talented passer in college football and a virtual lock to be the first QB off the board come April's NFL draft.
He was poised to crack the top three prior to his game against Oklahoma State, but the four-interception performance was tough to watch. He still leads the FBS with 28 touchdowns, but his gunslinger mentality came back to bite him in the bad weather last week. Grier is all about high risk, high reward and isn't afraid to roll the dice. He has attempted 79 passes that have traveled over 20 yards, which is 24 more attempts than the player with the second most in the FBS (Sam Darnold). I love his confidence and moxie, but he has room to grow to become a more complete and situationally aware player.
He's human! Well, sort of. Finley threw his first interception since Nov. 19, 2016, on Saturday ending a streak of 339 attempts. However, it looked like Notre Dame was offside and Finley was rolling out thinking he had a free play. Unfortunately for him, all the Golden Domers got out of the neutral zone before the ball was snapped. The ball was underthrown, picked and immediately returned to the house for a back-breaking pick-six. OK, time to move on. Finley has been a star this year. He's likely the most underappreciated QB on this list from a national perspective. I even had a head coach in the ACC tell me that he's the best QB in the league. NC State is having its best season in years and could lock up the ACC Atlantic this weekend with a win against Clemson, and Finley is a big reason why.
Jackson continues to be a star in the making. His efficiency and accuracy have dipped slightly the past couple weeks against Duke and North Carolina. He has turned in two of his worst passing performances of his young career in consecutive weeks, but when you look at the entire body of work, he is still a top-10 QB. He has completed 47 percent of his passes that travel 20 yards or more downfield (fourth in Power 5). He has completed 47 percent of his passes that travel 20 yards or more downfield (4th in Power 5). That number dropped considerably in October, when he completed just 3-of-12 on such throws. His biggest test might come Saturday when he faces an undefeated Miami team with the ACC Coastal Division title on the line.
McSorley is the ultimate grinder and a guy I'd love to have on my team. With Saquon Barkley held mostly in check against Ohio State, it was McSorley who gave the Nittany Lions' offense a boost. Yeah, the stat sheet was relatively modest, but I thought he was lights out against the Buckeyes. He did a great job maneuvering in the pocket for timely scrambles and bought some time for receivers to uncover when he escaped. He might get a little overshadowed in his own backfield, but he's a stud. Time to give him his due.
I love Fromm. His poise, maturity and confidence are difficult to wrap your head around. He's doing things as a true freshman that you don't always see from NFL QBs. His maturity can best be summed up in a single play. Go watch UGA's third offensive snap against Florida: third-and-2, Florida overloads the protection to Fromm's right and he calmly delivers the ball accurately to his hot route. D'Andre Swift promptly turns upfield and gains 40. It's rare to see a young man with such an incredible grasp of the position and the offense. His stats aren't big because they don't need to be. If they needed to be, I guarantee he could and would deliver. If you absolutely have to have a stat to justify this ranking, then you'll see he's fourth in the Power 5 in passer efficiency behind Baker Mayfield, J.T. Barrett and Mason Rudolph. He's 19 and he's playing championship-caliber football. It might not be sexy, but it's very effective.
Through the first eight games, he has looked nothing like the 2016 version of himself. He has been a walking turnover with 10 interceptions, and he has lost seven fumbles. He was undoubtedly the best QB in college football coming into the season, but he was poised to drop out of the rankings prior to returning to form against a suddenly good Arizona State defense. His first TD against the Devils was a thing a beauty. A perfectly placed go ball down the left between two defenders into the waiting hands of Deontay Burnett. Those are the throws that we should see multiple times a game, every week. He's capable; it's just a matter of execution. I'm rolling the dice with this ranking by basing it entirely on upside and where I expect Darnold to be in the coming weeks. His best football is on the horizon.
Others receiving consideration (alphabetical order): Jake Browning, Washington; Kelly Bryant, Clemson; Luke Falk, Washington State; Nick Fitzgerald, Mississippi State; Jalen Hurts, Alabama; Malik Rosier, Miami; Jarrett Stidham, Auburn; John Wolford, Wake Forest
Omissions due to injury: Deondre Francois, Florida State; Justin Herbert, Oregon; Shea Patterson, Ole Miss