Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart is making his case as a Heisman contender, but moving into SEC play, he is set to face some challenging competitors.
Brock Vandagriff (Kentucky)
Vandagriff is a very gifted passer, with a 66.7% completion through two games — one at Georgia and the other at Kentucky. He is someone who makes the right read most of the time.
In an Aug. 31 game against the University of Southern Mississippi, he threw for 169 yards, three touchdowns and an interception.
While he can run, he tends not to slide, opening himself up for big hits and potential injuries. He also tends to stand in the pocket, which can become a hindrance if the opposing team’s defensive line is quick enough. Vandagriff does not have the strongest arm, either. His longest pass was 46 yards, in which the receiver ran 20 yards after the catch. He is also still a bit inexperienced as this is his first year starting.
LaNorris Sellers (South Carolina)
Sellers is the perfect example of a running quarterback, running for 68 yards and a touchdown against Old Dominion. He has a cannon for an arm, and is able to launch the ball to almost anywhere on the field. Sellers could be a huge problem for the Rebels.
Sellers is a redshirt freshman, making him a young and inexperienced starter in the SEC. While he has a good arm, accuracy has been an issue. He has had a 57.45% completion rate through two games.
Garrett Nussmeier (LSU)
Garrett Nussmeier is filling the big shoes of former LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels, who left Death Valley as Heisman Trophy winner and the first overall pick in the NFL Draft. Nussmeier is a talented player who is helping shape the Tigers’ offense game by game.
Though he has always been seen as a backup quarterback, Nussmeier has found success that has put LSU in the AP Top 25 rankings. Nussmeier helped the Tigers in the nailbiter win at South Carolina that came down to the final seconds of play, as well as topping newest Big 10 contender UCLA 34-17 at home.
Both the LSU and Ole Miss offenses are competitors, but the Rebels add extra talent with their receivers and running backs. Dart’s dual ability to throw and run creates a big threat to LSU’s secondary. Nussmeier takes a fearless approach to deep passes and can be seen as a gunslinger, something the Rebel secondary needs to beware of.
Jackson Arnold (Oklahoma)
Arnold is entering his second year with the Sooners, making him an experienced player in the Brent Venables system. Arnold, like South Carolina’s Sellers, is a flashy quarterback. He can move in and outside of the pocket. He is also an efficient quarterback, completing 63.7% of his passes, throwing for six touchdowns so far this season.
Arnold is a boom or bust type of quarterback; he will try and go for the big play rather than the easy one. He will also sit in the pocket too long on occasion — showcased by his six sacks against Temple and Houston combined. Arnold tends to be skittish in the pocket at times as well, causing some mistakes.
Taylen Green (Arkansas)
Green is one of the fastest players in the SEC, running for 88 yards in the Razorbacks’ first game. He also has tremendous passing skill, throwing for 229 yards and two touchdowns in week one against Arkansas-Pine Bluff.
Green’s stats on paper do not compare to Dart’s. In the past three games, Green has thrown at least one interception. In the last two games, he has recorded 44% and 42% completion rates, compared to Dart’s 71% completion percentage against Georgia Southern in week four.
Green’s only major weakness is one that many mobile quarterbacks have — he will sometimes leave the pocket too soon.
Carson Beck (Georgia)
Beck is a potential No. 1 overall pick for a reason. His passing from the pocket is the best in the SEC. Beck can place the ball almost anywhere with insanely good accuracy; he threw for 278 yards and two touchdowns against a Clemson team that had a lot of hype behind them.
Beck’s high school scouting report from 247 characterizes him as a classical pro-style quarterback with a fairly filled-out frame. It also mentions his solid passing form and above-average arm strength with good accuracy. Four years into his collegiate career, that report seems to be spot on.
The only knock on Beck is that he is not mobile. He had 19 yards on three rushes against Clemson and is almost a non-factor in the running game.
DJ Lagway and Graham Mertz (Florida)
The Gators operate a dual quarterback system. Freshman DJ Lagway has played in four games, and senior Graham Mertz has played in three. Lagway has five fewer pass attempts and an 8.3% lower completion but has 130 more passing yards than Mertz. However, as a dual-threat quarterback with lots of talent and athleticism, Lagway has potential.
Mertz spent four years with Wisconsin before transferring to Florida in 2023. By most metrics, last year was his best collegiate season. According to College Football Reference, Mertz has a 164.5 passer efficiency rating after just three games, which — if the season ended today — would be his highest efficiency rating in his six collegiate seasons. That said, the season still has a long way to go, so that number could significantly drop or rise.
Michael Van Buren Jr. (Mississippi State)
After quarterback Blake Shapen was injured last week, Mississippi State named freshman Michael Van Buren Jr. as starting quarterback for the Bulldogs.
In a rougher debut for Buren, Mississippi State fell 48-25 to Florida last week to open up SEC play. Van Buren completed 7 of 13 passes for 100 yards after Shapen left the game.
While it is hard to tell who the Bulldogs will keep as their consistent QB1, it appears Van Buren will get comfortable in the starting spot until further notice.
