The most updated Big Ten quarterback rankings are here. Following the action from Week 9, here are the top Big Ten QBs, ranked from 1 to 18.
2024 Big Ten QB Rankings
As with all of our conference rankings and our national quarterback evaluations, the Big Ten QB rankings below consider everything involved with quarterbacking at the major college football level.
While statistics are listed, they were not the lone deciding factor in ranking the athletes.
Other factors in these rankings include but are not limited to game film, injury history, play-calling, offensive system knowledge and continuity, general quarterbacking mechanics, level of competition, the elevation of supporting casts, and several other influential factors.
All Other QB Rankings
National 1-134 | ACC | Big 12 | SEC | Pac-12 | AAC | CUSA | MAC | MWC | Sun Belt | Independent
Tier 1: The Elite Big Ten QBs
1) Dillon Gabriel, Oregon
The top quarterback in the Big Ten is also the top quarterback in the entire country as Dillon Gabriel is now the leader in the clubhouse for the Heisman and second all-time in passing touchdowns. It’s really as simple as this, though: Gabriel is the best player on the best team in the country.
2) Kurtis Rourke, Indiana
The Indiana Hoosiers have been arguably the biggest surprise team in the Big Ten, if not nationwide, and Kurtis Rourke has been the biggest on-field catalyst for this. Rourke has thrown for 15 touchdowns against just three interceptions and is doing so while averaging the second-highest yards per attempt among full-time starting quarterbacks in the country.
3) Drew Allar, Penn State
When Drew Allar is called upon to let it rip, he’s been accurate and dominant. The problem is, Allar doesn’t have to do that a ton because of the offensive prowess on the ground for the Nittany Lions. Still, he gives Penn State a chance to win with his talent elevating skills as well as his downright dominant downfield accuracy.
Tier 2: Well-Above-Average Big Ten QBs
4) Max Brosmer, Minnesota
The Max Brosmer we thought we were going to see this preseason has started to show up down the stretch of the season as Minnesota has reaped the rewards. Brosmer has thrown six touchdowns in his past two games and has led the Gophers to three straight victories. He’s dominant when he goes downfield, but he’s learned the speed of the FBS in front of our eyes, and has started taking what defenses are giving him with much success.
5) Luke Altmyer, Illinois
Luke Altmyer’s game doesn’t come across as flashy, but for Illinois, that works just fine. And yet, Altmyer doesn’t get the credit he deserves for his ability to buy time with his feet and uncork accurate passes to every level of the field. It’s time to put some respect on Altmyer’s name.
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6) Miller Moss, USC
There are times when Miller Moss looks like a world-beater. But there are also times when you’re left to scratch your head, wondering why. Fortunately, for USC, there have been more of the world-beating moments lately, and he’s thrown for at least 300 yards in three of his last five games and multiple touchdowns in five of his last six games.
7) Will Howard, Ohio State
Save for the final play against Oregon, Will Howard has had a very solid season for Ohio State, his first in Columbus. It could be said that he has the least to do as a starting quarterback with the talent around him, but Howard has done plenty with his arm talents to indicate his abilities. When he’s on his game, he’ll create ample opportunities for his skill players, and sometimes, that’s all he’ll ever need to do.
8) Billy Edwards Jr., Maryland
The performance against Minnesota notwithstanding, Billy Edwards Jr. gives the Maryland Terrapins a jolt of life with his quarterbacking ability. When he’s on his game, Edwards throws with great anticipation and with terrific power. He’ll have to hone in on those skills as the Terps schedule gets more and more difficult this season.
Tier 3: Above-Average Big Ten QBs
9) Dylan Raiola, Nebraska
The big true freshman has done plenty in 2024 to warrant why he was such a sought-after recruit coming out of high school. A dominant thrower downfield, when Raiola continues to improve on his down-to-down consistency, this Nebraska offense could be unstoppable. There isn’t anything that Raiola doesn’t have in terms of quarterbacking skills at a high level, he just needs to harness them all consistently against top-tier opponents.
10) Will Rogers, Washington
For far too many seasons, Will Rogers’ lone bugaboo in terms of his evaluation has been his accuracy to the intermediate and deep portions of the field. With Washington, he’s averaging a career-high in yards per attempt yet continued to show those inaccuracies downfield. Still, save for a rough outing against Indiana in Week 9, he’s played solid, above-average football that keeps Washington in most games.
Tier 4: Average Big Ten QBs
11) Aidan Chiles, Michigan State
We thought we would see a movie from the Michigan State offense, or at least that’s what Aidan Chiles promised us. After what we’ve seen through eight games, there has been enough to keep us in our seats and watching, but we probably won’t watch again. For every three-touchdown, 300-yard performance, there are two rough outings that showcase the growth that is necessary for the entire Spartan team, including Chiles.
12) Hudson Card/Ryan Browne, Purdue
Okay, so, this ranking takes into account what we saw from Hudson Card at his finest and the dominant downfield gunslinging performance we saw from Ryan Browne at the same time. There is life to this Purdue team, and there should be no reason from here on out that we don’t see them slinging it all over the field, taking chances, and hoping to play spoiler for their remaining opponents.
13) Ethan Garbers, UCLA
Ethan Garbers is a talented quarterback; there’s no denying that. His performance against Rutgers was terrific, but his previous four outings prior had been incredibly rough to watch. It feels like the game finally slowed down against Rutgers, and it allowed us to see what was wrong with Garbers and the Bruins offense this season: They can’t process fast enough and are at least a year out from competing for anything in the Big Ten.
Tier 5: Work-To-Be-Done Big Ten QBs
14) Athan Kaliakmanis, Rutgers
Though Athan Kaliakmanis has played the best football of his career in 2024, it’s still be an incredibly difficult viewing for some. He’s been slow to make the right reads and all too often makes the wrong reads. There is plenty of inaccuracies to every level of the field that are followed up by frustratingly well placed footballs that make you wonder why we can’t see that on every rep.
15) Davis Warren/Alex Orji, Michigan
This situation is ridiculous for Michigan because it’s crazy to think how they went from J.J. McCarthy to not having an answer at the quarterback position nine weeks into the next season. Davis Warren looks the part, at times, but then hardly looks like an FCS athlete. Alex Orji can’t make an accurate pass past the line of scrimmage, but is dynamic with the ball in his hands. There has to be an answer here.
16) Braedyn Locke, Wisconsin
The Phil Longo system isn’t pretty to quarterbacks who cannot make progressive reads and throws to the sidelines. Braedyn Locke wasn’t supposed to be starting at this stage of his career and growth within Longo’s system, but here we are. And outside of a few good throws, we’ve been left with our answers as to why Tyler Van Dyke was originally brought in this past offseason.
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17) Jack Lausch, Northwestern
Give credit to where credit is due for Jack Lausch, he’s put forth a gritty game or two this season and kept Northwestern in a handful of starts. He’s given Northwestern a boost at times, but outside of a Maryland game, he’s run a sluggish offense with even more questionable decisions than not.
18) Cade McNamara, Iowa
Cade McNamara was benched from the Iowa offense during an offensive shellacking of Northwestern. That’s right, it’s gotten so bad at Iowa’s quarterback position that even during blowout victories, the quarterbacks have been pulled, not to rest, but because they’ve not played their part. McNamara or Brendan Sullivan, however, it’s just simply bad at QB for Iowa.
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