Power ranking quarterbacks on the Texas Longhorns 2024 schedule (2024)

Patrick Conn

May 23, 2024 8:12 pm CT

We are just 99 days away from kicking off the 2024 college football season where the Texas Longhorns will usher in a new era of football. As they head to the SEC the challenges will increase but if they proved anything last year, they have the talent to compete with big boys of the south.

The team did lose a lot of offensive talent to the NFL draft but head coach Steve Sarkisian did a masterful job of raiding the transfer portal. Isaiah Bond is expected to lead the new group of wide receivers which also includes former Houston Cougars talented wideout Matthew Golden. Quinn Ewers will have no shortage of options to get the ball to for this offense.

With that in mind, Longhorns Wire power ranked each opposing quarterback on the schedule in 2024.

Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi, Colorado State Rams

Kevin Lytle/The Coloradoan / USA TODAY NETWORK

Career Stats:

Year	Comp	Att	Comp%	Yards	TD-INT
2022	17	37	45.9	194	1-2
2023	292	470	62.1	3,460	22-16

We kick things off with Colorado State quarterback Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi. The Rams signal caller is heading into his third season with Colorado State, and his second as the starting quarterback. He threw for over 3,400 yards last season but struggled with turning the ball over. The Longhorns defense will be licking their chops at the opportunity to snag a few passes to set the offense up in the season opener.

Hunter Herring, ULM Warhawks

Peter Forest/The (Monroe) News-Star via Imagn Content Services, LLC

Career Stats:

Year	Comp	Att	Comp%	Yards	TD-INT
2023	16	30	53.3	121	1-0

The UL-Monroe Warhawks will usher in a new era of football after Terry Bowden was let go. Bryant Vincent comes over to run the program after serving as the offensive coordinator with New Mexico. There is quite a bit of projection with Hunter Herring but the combination of him being coached by Vincent should give the Warhawk faithful some hope for the future of the program.

Owen McCown, UTSA Roadrunners

Andrew Dieb-USA TODAY Sports

Career Stats:

Year	Comp	Att	Comp%	Yards	TD-INT
2022	57	100	57.0	600	2-2
2023	43	58	74.1	442	4-3

It is never easy being the guy replacing a talent the level of Frank Harris but that is what Owen McCown faces in 2024. Most of his playing time came in the bowl game against Marshall where McCown threw for 251 yards on 31 passes. He led the Roadrunners to their ninth win of the year against the Thundering Herd in the Miami Beach Bowl. Texas will be his biggest test of the year when UTSA heads to Austin on Sept. 14.

Diego Pavia, Vanderbilt Commodores

Meg Potter/Sun-News / USA TODAY NETWORK

Career Stats:

Year	Comp	Att	Comp%	Yards	TD-INT
2022	101	190	53.2	1,450	13-6
2023	221	366	60.4	2,973	26-9

Diego Pavia was one of the catalysts of the turnaround for New Mexico State, along with head coach Jerry Kill. With the latter retiring from football, Pavia opted to join the SEC with the Vanderbilt Commodores. This dual threat will make life difficult for opposing defenses. The Longhorns will need to play with good containment on the edge when he lines up under center.

Taylen Green, Arkansas Razorbacks

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Career Stats:

Year	Comp	Att	Comp%	Yards	TD-INT
2021	0	0	0.0	0	0-0
2022	166	271	61.3	2,042	14-6
2023	121	212	57.1	1,752	11-9

K.J. Jefferson left Arkansas for UCF opening up a spot for Taylen Green, who comes over from Boise State. Green didn’t enjoy as good of a season production wise as he had in 2022 but 2024 will provide plenty of challenges. He will be key to turning it around in Fayetteville and keeping Sam Pittman off the proverbial hot seat.

Check out Razorbacks Wire for more on Arkansas

Alex Orji, Michigan Wolverines

Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK

Career Stats:

Year	Comp	Att	Comp%	Yards	TD-INT
2022	1	1	100.0	5	0-0
2023	0	0	0.0	0	0-0

When it comes to ranking a quarterback with one career pass attempt, there is a lot of projection going on. Alex Orji is talented and has football bloodlines. He has two brothers who play defense for the Vanderbilt Commodores. The Texas native wasn’t highly touted coming out of high school but he does possess an athletic prowess. Orji rushed for three touchdowns over the last two seasons in mop up duty behind J.J. McCarthy. He is the projected starter over Jayden Denegal and Jack Tuttle.

Check out Wolverines Wire for more on Michigan

Brock Vandagriff, Kentucky Wildcats

Jeff Faughender/Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK

Career Stats:

Year	Comp	Att	Comp%	Yards	TD-INT
2021	0	1	0.0	0	0-0
2022	0	2	0.0	0	0-0
2023	12	18	66.7	165	2-0

Former four-star Georgia signee Brock Vandagriff opted to test the transfer portal to get an opportunity to start in 2024. He joined SEC rival Kentucky to take over their quarterback vacancy. Much like a couple of other passers on this list, it is all about projection. He has talent but will that pay off for the Wildcats in year one? That remains to be seen.

Check out UK Wildcats Wire for more on Kentucky

Blake Shapen, Mississippi State Bulldogs

Scott Wachter-USA TODAY Sports

Career Stats:

Year	Comp	Att	Comp%	Yards	TD-INT
2021	62	86	72.1	596	5-0
2022	233	368	63.3	2,790	18-10
2023	184	298	61.7	2,188	13-3

Blake Shapen is a familiar face in a new place. The former Baylor quarterback joined the Mississippi State Bulldogs through the transfer portal following the hire of Jeff Lebby. Shapen led Baylor against Texas in Austin on Nov. 25, 2022. The Horns took care of business on that day, 38-27. The former Baylor QB will lead a transfer infused offense when the Bulldogs head to Austin in September.

Jackson Arnold, Oklahoma Sooners

Rob Gray-USA TODAY Sports

Career Stats:

Comp	Att	Comp %	Yards	TD-INT
44	69	63.8	563	4-3

A new era is upon those who reside north of the Red River. Dillon Gabriel opted to transfer to the Oregon Ducks, putting Jackson Arnold under the spotlight moving forward. We saw a glimpse of the future in the Alamo Bowl game against Arizona. Arnold looked like an experienced quarterback but a full offseason as the guy should help his confidence moving into 2024.

Check out Sooners Wire for more on Oklahoma

Conner Weigman, Texas A&M Aggies

Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Career Stats:

Year	Comp	Att	Comp%	Yards	TD-INT
2022	73	132	55.3	896	8-0
2023	82	119	66.7	979	8-2

Conner Weigman has been a talented quarterback ever since he signed on to play for the Ags, it has been about keeping him on the field. Not having Evan Stewart on the outside will hurt some but as long as he can stay on the field then the Aggies will be fine on the offensive side of the ball. Having Moose Muhammad III back for another season gives Weigman a proven weapon on the outside.

Check out Aggies Wire for more on Texas A&M

Graham Mertz, Florida Gators

Matt Pendleton/Gainesville Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK

Career Stats:

Year	Comp	Att	Comp%	Yards	TD-INT
2019	9	10	90.0	73	0-0
2020	118	193	61.1	1,238	9-5
2021	169	284	59.5	1,958	10-11
2022	164	286	57.3	2,136	19-10
2023	261	358	72.9	2,903	20-3

Despite all the distractions going on with the Florida Gators, quarterback Graham Mertz is one of the major positives for the team. He is coming off his best season as a starter and the team will need to rely on No. 15 to weather the storm. Otherwise it could be a stressful year for William Napier.

Check out Gators Wire for more on Florida

Carson Beck, Georgia Bulldogs

Joshua L. Jones / USA TODAY NETWORK

Career Stats:

Year	Comp	Att	Comp%	Yards	TD-INT
2021	10	23	43.5	176	2-2
2022	26	35	74.3	310	4-0
2023	302	417	72.4	3,941	24-6

Carson Beck joins Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers as two of the top NFL draft prospects at the position heading into the 2024 season. His first year as the starter went about as well as expected, leading the Bulldogs to almost flawless season. They missed out on the CFP due to a loss in the SEC title game. The showdown in Austin will prove who is the top dog in the SEC for all intents and purposes.

Check out UGA Wire for more on the Bulldogs