The Sun Belt feels like a much older conference than it is in 2024. As it remains the lone conference in college football to hold divisions, the Sun Belt also saw no expansion and no college football realignment from a year ago, furthering it’s case for the top G5 conference this fall.
However, the Sun Belt QB Rankings are so heavy at the top that it’s seemingly just a two-horse race for elite play at the QB position this season.
2024 Sun Belt QB Rankings
As with all of our conference rankings and our national quarterback evaluations, the Sun Belt 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. The list below prefers programs with a solidified quarterback situation and one signal-caller who plays significant snaps against top-tier competition. Two-quarterback systems will always be looked down upon, especially in those cases where an answer has not yet been provided for the long term.
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
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Tier 1: The Elite Sun Belt QBs
1) Jordan McCloud | Texas State
National Rank: 11
There isn’t much more that we can say about Jordan McCloud’s dominant season a year ago with JMU. The much-traveled quarterback finally found a home in Harrisonburg and rewarded the Dukes with a dominant campaign that saw him throw for 35 touchdowns against just 10 interceptions and turn the Dukes into a national power.
Now, after the changes at JMU, McCloud was sent looking for a friendly place to call home late in the portal season. Thankfully for college football fans, the situation at Texas State got murky with a former Arizona QB and TJ Finley, so a marquee opening happened to find a suitable replacement with McCloud.
GJ Kinne’s new quarterback could have a potentially dominant year all the same, albeit in a slightly different offensive system than McCloud saw his most success from a season ago. If Kinne’s offense can pit to McCloud’s strengths, of which there are many, this team can not only dominate the Sun Belt this year, they can challenge for the Group of Five’s presence in the College Football Playoffs.
And that sums up just how good McCloud was a year ago and where his ceiling now is.
Tier 2: Well-Above-Average Sun Belt QBs
2) Joey Aguilar | App State
National Rank: 37
It’s hard to believe that Joey Aguilar didn’t win the job out of camp last year. To be honest, it’s almost staggering to realize that he didn’t win the job out of camp, given what he did on the field last year.
Even in relief of Ryan Burger in Week 1, Aguilar wowed. He threw four touchdowns coming off the bench on 84.6% completion percentage and the Mountaineers never looked back. When all was said and done, Aguilar completed just under 63% of his throws for nearly 4,000 yards and 33 touchdowns.
A gunslinger by nature it appears, Aguilar began to take better care of the ball from a decision-making standpoint down the stretch of the season a year ago, and became a constant threat to take over ball games. He has a big arm and a truly talented ability to test defenses deep or take something off his throws in the intermediate area all the same.
Entering the season as the man in Boone, Aguilar has the Mountaineers eyeing the Sun Belt Championship, and after watching more of his highs from a year ago, that should be the bar for this team if Aguilar is on his game.
Tier 3: Above-Average Sun Belt QBs
3) Jaylen Raynor | Arkansas State
National Rank: 46
What a debut season it was for Jaylen Raynor a year ago. The Red Wolves true freshman quarterback ran for five scores (dominating at times on the ground) and threw for another 17 (again, dominating at times) a yer ago.
He’s back for his sophomore season ready to put on a further display of what makes him a special talent for Arkansas State. Raynor is certainly not the biggest guy from the pocket, but he plays a much bigger game than his size may indicate.
Raynor can spot defenders trailing receivers and makes the right decision in the blink of an eye more often than not. His release is unique, but he has shown it works for him to get the ball out quickly to streaking receivers with even the slightest bit of separation.
He played well above his age would indicate, even limiting mistakes under pressure a year ago, even if he got a bit lucky a handful of times (looking right at that South Alabama game). This year, with another fall camp under his belt, the ceiling has been raised for Raynor and the Red Wolves.
Tier 4: Average Sun Belt QBs
4) Braylon Braxton | Marshall
National Rank: 71
There’s a lot to like about Braylon Braxton’s overall game as a dual-threat quarterback. He’s a well-above-average rusher of the football with plenty of arm talent at his disposal, even if we really didn’t see that during his final season with Tulsa last year.
Braxton has thrown for 12 touchdowns in his career, wowing during the 2022 season with both his arm and his legs, but struggled mightily as a passer in limited action a year ago. He has plenty of arm talent, and against FAU a year ago, he reminded us all of that.
With Marshall, however, the Thundering Herd will hope to get more that in addition to the elusive runner he is with the ball in his hands. Braxton can anticipate throws with the best of them and has plenty of power, but will have to work on keeping his vision downfield and reading coverages as the Sun Belt defenses continue to improve.
Tier 5: Work-To-Be-Done Sun Belt QBs
5) Grant Wilson | ODU
National Rank: 79
It was a rocky season of inconsistencies and some turnover-worthy play down the stretch for Grant Wilson, but the ODU signal-caller presents more potential than most in his tier in the Sun Belt. Wilson, who transferred in after two seasons at Fordham, wasted no time last season in showing what he can do, but struggled in early season action against Texas A&M Commerce and Southern Miss, prompting questions at the position.
However, after a string of strong performances down the stretch, Wilson’s overall debut season with the Monarchs looked solid on the surface. He plays much bigger than his 6’3″ frame would indicate and he has plenty of arm strength to push the ball downfield with accuracy and touch.
His poise was tested at times, however, and he struggled (as most do) under pressure. Continuing his improvements in all facets will be key, but understanding to live another down and not force throws into small coverage windows under duress or from the pocket are crucial to Ricky Rahne, Wilson and Co. this year.
6) Dylan Morris | JMU
National Rank: 81
After four seasons with the Washington Huskies, Dylan Morris jumped into the portal and found a home in Harrisonburg. Despite what looked like some consistency within the program, the Dukes are once again back at the lab with a new head coach, new coaching staff, and a new face at quarterback for 2024.
However, like last year, Morris is a battle-tested, veteran quarterback for the new regime at JMU. Morris comes fully equipped with a sound fundamental game and some elevation skills around him.
He started the full season for Washington in 2021, throwing 14 touchdowns against 12 interceptions, but that didn’t tell the whole story of the Huskies program that season. In fact, it didn’t really tell the whole story of some of the bad luck he had go his way during the year as well.
In spot duty over the past two seasons under Kalen DeBoer and behind Michael Penix Jr., Morris showed that he’s still got plenty of talent to warrant a job as the starting quarterback. But are his best playing days behind him or is there just too much roster turnover with the Dukes to present much this fall?
No matter which way it’s sliced, Morris has his work cut out for him this year.
7) Chandler Fields | Louisiana
National Rank: 82
In four starts last year, Chandler Fields reminded us all why he was the guy a year before. Fields returned to the field in Week 10, getting the start for the Ragin’ Cajuns each week there after last season, throwing seven scores in that stretch against just one interception.
Fields may lack top-end athleticism and certainly top-end arm talent, but he makes plenty of correct decisions time and time again when he plays from within the structure of the offense.
He’ll need to lean into his ability to spot his receivers over the middle of the field as he continues to improve at pushing the ball outside the numbers, but Fields can bank on his ability to diagnose coverages and continue to read well in the progressive game in the process.
It’s a far cry from the offenses we got used to seeing at ULL with Fields at the helm, but if he returns to the top form that he showed in 2022, Louisiana can win some games this year.
8) Goose Crowder | Troy
National Rank: 93
Officially named the starting quarterback with just 10 days before the Saturday of Week 0, Goose Crowder is the man for the Trojans in 2024. He comes in after throwing just 13 passes a season ago and even fewer in his two seasons at West Virginia prior.
Still, Crowder has the arm talent to back up him winning the starting job at Troy this fall and he was able to show that off in a couple of moments a year ago and with the Mountaineers in mop-up duty. Crowder has great size and an ability to spot receivers open as they are separating.
But he’ll have to work on his dispersal and ability to find his targets downfield if he hopes to progress in these rankings. Or even just win some games this fall.
9) Zach Gibson | Georgia State
National Rank: 112
Once upon a time, Zach Gibson was a 10-touchdown, 0-interception thrower of the football for the Akron Zips. But that time was three seasons ago and he’s thrown just 104 attempts in two years down at Georgia Tech following it.
Now, does Gibson have an accurate arm and a talented decision-making ability? Yes, absolutely. But are his best playing days behind him? Maybe.
Then again, look at who he tried to beat out at Tech, and it makes a bit more sense when you see what Haynes King was able to become in front of our eyes the past two seasons. Now, looking for a career resurgence in the midst of a massive turn around at Georgia State, Gibson will hope to anchor the team in a state of confusion it appears on the surface.
With his ability to run point from the pocket and dice up defenses when he’s at the top of his game, Gibson can be that light that leads the Panthers for the 2024 season.
10) Tate Rodemaker | Southern Miss
National Rank: 113
After four years at Florida State, the time was finally right for Tate Rodemaker to move on when the Seminoles moved on from Jordan Travis and went to the portal looking for his replacement. Rodemaker started two games for FSU, a tough outing against Jacksonville State in 2020 and a rivalry game victory over Florida in 2023.
That being said, both games weren’t as polished as we’d come to expect from a Mike Norvell quarterback and he’s thrown far more errant passes than he has noteworthy throws in his career to date. Rodemaker is an athlete with the ball in his hands and there’s no denying his athleticism overall.
But the decision-making an inability to drive the ball to the sidelines plagued his time at FSU, notably even in victory against the Gators last season. He’s a big signal-caller with plenty of frame to find his receivers downfield, if he can make better decisions, he may be able to elevate the USM talent all the same.
11) Gio Lopez, Bishop Davenport | South Alabama
National Rank: 119
Though not much of a battle on the surface, Gio Lopez and Bishop Davenport may have some enticing attributes that could excite South Alabama fans this season. However, we only saw limited samples of Lopez a season ago, and it came in a bowl game against Eastern Michigan.
Lopez threw four touchdowns against two picks a season ago, mainly in spot duty, but with a start to his credit. However, three of those scores came against a depleted EMU team in the 68 Ventures Bowl to end the year.
Though he has a unique skill set overall, Lopez is certainly feeling the pressure of keeping the job with Davenport behind him.
With one collegiate start under his belt, Davenport is a far cry from the quarterbacks who have started at South Alabama over the past handful of seasons. Davenport’s only action as a passer came in 2022 with Utah State, starting a game against Wyoming but throwing two interceptions compared to just one touchdown that year with the Aggies.
But once upon a time, Davenport was a dominant passer and athlete for Spring High School in Texas. That level of high school football should hold some serious weight if Lopez were to struggle and Davenport continues to improve.
12) Dexter Williams II | Georgia Southern
National Rank: 122
Once upon a time, Kalen DeBoer and Kane Wommack recruited Dexter Williams II to Indiana. The year was 2019, however, and my how much we’ve changed since that time. DeBoer and Wommack are now re-connected at Alabama, while Williams himself has come back south to his roots as well at Georgia Southern.
Williams, however, didn’t have quite the success like DeBoer/Wommack did before heading south. He played sparingly during his four seasons at Indiana, maintaining eligibility during his freshman year during the COVID season before sustaining an ACL injury in 2021. After spot duty in 2022, Williams redshirted at Indiana in 2023 before entering the portal the following offseason.
Now at Georgia Southern, Williams hopes to rekindle some of the success that former transfer quarterbacks have seen in recent years with the Eagles. There is no denying he’s a talented athlete with the ball in his hands, but is he the downfield passer that Clay Helton and Co. are actually looking for?
The Georgia Southern offense is set to look quite a bit different than it did with Kyle Vantrease and Davis Brin the past two seasons, and maybe that will lead to more victories. But Williams will certainly have to be more than he’s shown during his four-year college career to date.
13) Hunter Herring | UL-Monroe
National Rank: 131
We’ll mince no words here: Hunter Herring has his work cut out for him as the starting quarterback for the UL-Monroe WarHawks. This offense is set to look completely different than last year in the first year under new head coach Bryan Vincent, and maybe that’s a good thing considering how down on their luck they were last year.
Herring is the lone holdover from the QB room under former head coach Terry Bowden, who has played a snap for the team, but that’s putting it nicely. He dropped back just 38 times a season ago, starting the Week 2 game against Lamar and playing in place of Jiya Wright against Army in their Week 1 upset.
But it wasn’t a pretty two games for Herring. He averaged under four yards per pass attempt in his action a season ago and hardly completed 50% of his throws. In such a limited capacity, it’ll be interesting to see if Herring has the leg up or if it’s truly General Booty time in Monroe.
On everyone’s list for best name among quarterbacks, Booty has yet to throw a collegiate pass at the FBS level after spending 2022 and 2023 with the Oklahoma Sooners. Make no mistake about it: the former California High School standout who transferred to Allen High School in Texas knows a thing or two about slinging the ball. Perhaps it’s just a matter of time before he’s back at it with the Warhawks.
14) Ethan Vasko | Coastal Carolina
National Rank: 132
Starting the last four games for Coastal Carolina to end the year last season, Ethan Vasko didn’t enter fall camp as the unquestioned starter in Conway. Instead, we’re left with a discussion around which quarterback between Vasko and Noah Kim can run coach Tim Beck’s offense better in 2024.
While Vasko started the last four games and threw for over 770 yards and seven touchdowns in the process, the team lacked a consistent downfield passing attack and seemed beholden on Vasko’s ability with his legs to buy time in the pocket or simply take off out of the backfield.
Sure, Vasko is talented with his legs, but this Coastal offense will run much smoother if Vasko can run the offense as the point guard it requires from the pocket.
Kim flashed at times for Michigan State, but struggled his way out of the lineup after a three-interception game against Iowa to cap his two-year stint in East Lansing. He does have some serious talent with his arm, as evidenced by his two-game start to last year, but like Vasko, was inconsistent from within the structure of the offense and spotting receivers open through his progressions downfield.
This job is always an interesting job to win, but in 2024, it feels weird for the Chants to not have the guy behind center yet.
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