The SEC has established itself as the top power conference in college football with outstanding defenses, powerful rushing attacks and future NFL stars paving the way at the top programs. However, the one area where the SEC hasn’t quite measured up is at the quarterback position where the top teams in the conference manage to thrive on an annual basis despite not having an elite passer on their roster. There won’t be many top quarterbacks in the SEC once again in 2016 but there is some impressive talent at the top led by a pair of potential future first round picks from Tennessee and Ole Miss. Here is a look at the top quarterbacks in the SEC right now.
Chad Kelly
Ole Miss Rebels
Ole Miss is set at the quarterback position with Kelly back for his senior season and true freshman Shea Patterson really impressing Hugh Freeze and the coaching staff throughout the spring. Kelly is the unquestioned No. 1 and all eyes will be on him and the Rebels offense to see if he can top the numbers he put up last season. Kelly completed 65.1-percent of his passes for 4,042 yards and 31 touchdowns compared to 13 interceptions a year ago with another 500 rushing yards and 10 scores. Kelly has all of the tools to match those numbers again in 2016 as a 6’2’’, 215-pound passer with a live arm that can make all of the throws and a solid cast of receivers. There is a case to be made for both of the top two quarterbacks in the SEC at No. 1 but we will side with Kelly based on the numbers he put up in 2015.
Joshua Dobbs
Tennessee Volunteers
The 6’3’’, 207-pound Dobbs has all of the tools to put up elite numbers heading in to the 2016 season with a rocket arm, accuracy, intelligence and excellent pocket presence. Dobbs took another major step forward last season when he completed 60-percent of his passes for 2,291 yards and 15 touchdowns compared to five interceptions while rushing for another 671 yards and 11 scores. Dobbs’ ability to move the ball both through the air and on the ground makes him a dangerous dual-threat option for the Vols. Factor in a strong cast of weapons at the skill positions and there is every reason to expect Dobbs to put up the best numbers of his career this season.
Brandon Harris
LSU Tigers
There is a major drop off following the top two quarterbacks on the board, which is illustrated by the fact that Harris is third on this list despite the constant theme last season that LSU needed better quarterback play in order to be a legitimate contender in the SEC. Harris completed just 53.8-percent of his passes for 2,165 yards and 13 touchdowns compared to six interceptions last season but after another full offseason there are a lot of people that feel he is ready to take a significant step forward in 2016. LSU has pinned its hopes on Harris’ arm and while the raw talent has always been there his development as a quarterback will absolutely be the key to the Tigers’ success this season.
Trevor Knight
Texas A&M Aggies
It’s pretty amazing that the Aggies could lose their top two quarterbacks in one offseason and still end up with the fourth-best quarterback in the SEC. That is the case after they brought in Knight to be their starter. The 6’1’’, 206-pound dual-threat passer lost his job at Oklahoma but that had more to do with the fact that Baker Mayfield is an absolute stud than his own shortcomings. That is not to say that Knight doesn’t have his limitations, but he will be surrounded with some sneaky good weapons at Texas A&M this season. He should have every opportunity to put up quality numbers. The Aggies have lost a ton of quality at the quarterback position over the last couple of years from Kenny Hill to Kyle Allen, so this is about as good of a situation as they could have asked for.
The Aggies gave Knight a second chance at redemption and if he plays to his potential he will prove he deserves this spot on our list of the top quarterbacks in the SEC heading in to the 2016 season.
