Making an immediate impact as a true freshman quarterback is rare. Players like Trevor Lawrence are the exception rather than the norm. However, in a 2023 recruiting class that is headlined by standout signal-callers, there are multiple potential first-year starters. Who are the impact true freshmen quarterbacks to watch out for in the 2023 college football season?
College Football Top Impact True Freshmen Quarterbacks for 2023
Jaden Rashada, Arizona State
The Jaden Rashada saga started in Miami, took a turn to Florida, and ultimately ended on the opposite coast in Tempe as the crown jewel of Arizona State’s 2023 recruiting class. Although the Sun Devils added Drew Pyne from the transfer portal, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the former Notre Dame QB riding the pine in favor of one of the hottest QBs in the class.
There are multiple reasons for Rashada to be considered one of the immediate impact true freshmen quarterbacks. The landing spot gives him a winnable QB battle and a head coach in Kenny Dillingham, who has engineered QB success. The new Arizona State QB also boasts an advanced arm, pocket presence and mobility, and has the frame to facilitate some early weight gain.
Dante Moore, UCLA
One of the top ranked quarterbacks in the 2023 recruiting class, Dante Moore was committed to Oregon before flipping to Pac-12 rivals UCLA in one of the more stunning moves of the cycle. With a grade of 99.407, the Martin Luther King HS product is the 10th overall recruit according to the 2023 CFN Fusion recruiting rankings.
A highly experienced high school QB, Moore is impressively developed as one of the top impact true freshmen quarterbacks. He’s capable of standing tall in the face of pressure, has the arm talent to deliver accurately to all field levels, and is already mechanically sound. Moore has every chance of beating out transfer QB Collin Schlee to replace NFL-bound Dorian Thompson-Robinson.
Nico Iamaleava, Tennessee
Joe Milton ruthlessly dissected Clemson to close out the 2022 CFB season and apparently give himself a leg up in the Tennessee Volunteers QB competition. However, the former Michigan QB with the bazooka arm has shown to be inconsistent during his career, and there’s every chance that Nico Iamaleava can unseat him as the starter this summer.
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The ninth overall prospect in the CFN Fusion recruiting rankings, Iamaleava has the mental and physical make up to be one of the top immediate impact true freshmen quarterbacks. His arm talent is absurd, flicking his wrist effortlessly to deliver accurate deep shots for fun. Meanwhile, the 6’5″ QB has the creation capacity to thrive in Josh Heupel’s offense if he wins the job.
Aidan Chiles, Oregon State
Oregon State averaged almost 16 fewer pass attempts per game than rushing attempts in the 2022 season. Furthermore, they return starting QB Ben Gulbranson and added former Clemson five-star recruit DJ Uiagalelei out of the transfer. Between scheme and competition, the Beavers don’t automatically scream impact true freshmen quarterbacks success.
However, given the breakdown of form and confidence seen by Uiagalelei last fall, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Aidan Chiles get an opportunity to impress in the 2023 college campaign. A true dual-threat, he can manipulate defenses on designed runs or with out-of-structure improvisation. Meanwhile, he has a dangerous arm with the ability to throw from multiple angles.
Zane Flores, Oklahoma State
The 2023 Oklahoma State offense is going to look very different from last season. Leading running back Dominic Richardson headed across conference to Baylor, and starting quarterback Spencer Sanders took the transfer portal to Oxford, Mississippi. That leaves Garret Rangel and Gunnar Gundy as the most experienced of an inexperienced QB room.
Entering that room from the 2023 cycle is Zane Flores, the 190th overall prospect in the CFN Fusion recruiting rankings. The New England native was highly productive in high school and led Gretna to a state title in 2021. Accurate with good velocity generation, Flores’ decision-making could lead to him being one of the immediate impact true freshmen quarterbacks.
Gabarri Johnson, Missouri
Missouri has a plethora of talented pass catchers that give immediate impact potential for a true freshman quarterback like Gabarri Johnson. The arrival of former Miami QB Jake Garcia from the transfer portal — alongside in-house young gun Sam Horn — makes his potential ascension slightly more difficult, but the Lincoln High School dual-threat QB could earn time early.
Johnson is a clean, accurate quarterback, who has thrown few interceptions during his high school career. His ability to throw with touch and anticipation can get the best out of a playmaker like Luther Burden III and Oklahoma transfer Theo Wease Jr. Meanwhile, the 6’0″, 200-pound QB has the toughness to drag a team kicking and screaming across the finish line.
Myles Jackson, Stanford
Myles Jackson was a top-25 quarterback prospect in the 2024 recruiting class before reclassifying and committing to Stanford. With Tanner McKee heading to the NFL draft, Jackson enters a QB room short on experience, giving him the potential to earn the Day 1 starting job and impose himself as one of the immediate impact true freshmen quarterbacks this season.
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A record-setting QB for Millikan High School, Jackson combines high level football intelligence with the physical tools to dominate on the football field both with his arm and legs. With the hiring of former Sacramento State head coach Troy Taylor to lead the Cardinal, you can expect a more high-scoring offense than we’ve become accustomed to from Stanford.
William Watson III, Virginia Tech
Watching the Virginia Tech offense last fall was painful, with the Hokies ranking 118th in scoring offense with just 19.3 points per game. They’ve taken steps to overhaul that side of the ball in the transfer portal, landing one of the nation’s top receivers in Ali Jennings and adding former Baylor QB Kyron Drones.
Yet, William Watson III might be one of the most important acquisitions. The Hokies flipped the 2021 MaxPreps Massachusetts HS Player of the Year from Nebraska, and Watson very well could be one of the top immediate impact true freshman quarterbacks from this class. He’s fast and fluid on the move, and has the arm talent to drive the ball into tight windows while making good football decisions.
Jax Leatherwood, Nevada
As the highest-ranked Group of Five quarterback recruit in the 2023 cycle, Jax Leatherwood deserves some appreciation as a potential impacter immediately as a true freshman. Not that the Scripps Ranch quarterback needs any help standing out from the crowd as he towers over every other QB in the class at 6’8″ and 235 pounds.
Leatherwood enters a QB room with not a lot of production after a disappointing post-Carson Strong season in 2022. With 3,915 yards and 53 touchdowns to just two interceptions in his final full season, Leatherwood certainly brings production to the Wolf Pack QB room. An early comparison to Justin Herbert based on his physical tools should earn Leatherwood a shot at starting.
Marcus Stokes, West Florida
It isn’t just at the DI level that you’ll find impactful true freshmen quarterbacks. Marcus Stokes’ path to the West Florida Argonauts has been well documented, but the former four-star recruit will get the opportunity to showcase his skill set early and often at the DII level.
With his quick release and above-average arm strength, Stokes can be highly productive in an offense that made Austin Reed a valuable college football commodity. Meanwhile, the former Florida Gator commit has the athletic capability to punish defenses with his legs and his ability to throw on the run.
Who Is the Top Impact True Freshman QB in 2023?
While Texas QB Arch Manning is the No. 1 overall prospect in the 2023 recruiting cycle as per the CFN Fusion recruiting rankings, his potential to sit atop the immediate impact true freshmen quarterbacks is lessened by the environment that he finds himself entering in Austin.
Few true freshmen quarterbacks have the level of competition that Manning faces, with former five-star passer Quinn Ewers the current incumbent for the Longhorns.
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While Ewers had an uneven debut last fall, additional experience — both for himself and his surrounding cast — should ensure performances more akin to expectations. As a result, I’d expect to see Ewers hold off Manning at least for the 2023 college football season.
While Oklahoma’s Jackson Arnold might have some small opportunity to see the field in relief of Dillon Gabriel, it falls on Moore and Rashada to lead the immediate impact true freshmen quarterbacks in the 2023 college football campaign.
