With no spring transfer portal window in 2026, college football rosters for the upcoming season are mostly finalized as of mid-May—barring any extreme cases. That means it’s time to take a look at the most important position on the field for the sport’s top programs: the quarterbacks.
Spring ball is now complete, and with the insight we’ve gained from a busy offseason and early practices, Sports Illustrated will project every Power 4 starting quarterback, as well as a handful of Group of 6 signal-callers over the next couple of weeks.
Throughout the past month, SI has taken a look at every Big Ten, ACC, Big 12 and SEC signal-caller in 2026. Finally, it’s time to take a look at those poised to break out from outside of the power conferences. There’s a familiar face back at Notre Dame, but the Sun Belt, the American and the Mountain West also boast some must-watch talents. Let’s take a closer look at 13 of them.
Air Force: Liam Szarka
2025 Stats: 62.5% completion rate, 1,294 yards, nine touchdowns, five interceptions, 169.5 efficiency rating
There’s a lot to like about Szarka’s game, even if he doesn’t pop off the screen as a passer. He ran for more than 110 yards in five straight games last season, keeping the Falcons in close games against Boise State, Hawai’i, Navy and UNLV. Part of the issue was Air Force ranked 116th in defense, resulting in just a three-win season in Szarka’s first year as a starter. With only 120 passing attempts in 2025, Szarka doesn’t qualify among the most efficient passers in the country, but the plays he is able to make are devastating for opposing defenses and may get even better now that he has a year under his belt.
Army: Cale Hellums
2025 Stats: 47 for 87, four touchdowns, three interceptions, 129.3 efficiency rating
Though he didn’t start the opening week against Tarleton State, a baffling double-overtime loss, Hellums took on a massive role in the following week’s upset at Kansas State, taking on a season-high 41 carries for 124 yards and two touchdowns. Though Jeff Monken continued to vacillate between Hellums and Dewayne Coleman for the next few weeks, Hellums eventually made himself undeniable, rushing for 997 yards and 15 scores from Oct. 4 until the end of the season. Army went 6–2 in that stretch after a 1–3 start, which bodes well with Hellums now having the clear nod going into 2026.
Boise State: Maddux Madsen
2025 Stats: 58.3% completion rate, 2,334 yards, 18 touchdowns, nine interceptions
After packing a whopping one-two punch with Ashton Jeanty en route to a CFP appearance in 2024, Madsen came back down to Earth last season. Nagging injuries played a role in the overall swoon to his production, but more concerningly, his accuracy was down significantly (62.4% in 2024 to 58.3% in ’25) and he threw three more interceptions in three fewer games played. There are still signs for hope as Boise State won the conference championship in a muddled year for the Mountain West, with Madsen throwing for 289 yards and scoring four total touchdowns in one of his best games of the season. If the Broncos fancy entering the playoff conversation again, a return to the quarterback’s 2024 form will be necessary.
FAU: Caden Veltkamp
2025 Stats: 67% completion rate, 3,641 yards, 24 touchdowns, 17 interceptions, 135.2 efficiency rating
If you’re looking to back a player with returning production next season, few have more of it than Veltkamp. He led the country in completions (346) and attempts (516) by a wide margin, eclipsing 50 attempts in a game five times in 2025. Though on its face, he might be fairly accurate for someone tasked with throwing so often, Veltkamp also led the nation in interceptions, which increased significantly from his redshirt sophomore year at Western Kentucky. If he can cut down on those unforced errors, FAU could reach bowl eligibility for the first time since the Lane Kiffin era in 2019.
Hawai’i: Micah Alejado
2025 Stats: 66.3% completion rate, 3,106 yards, 24 touchdowns, nine interceptions, 141.2 efficiency rating
The Rainbow Warriors turned some heads in the Mountain West last season, in part because of the breakout redshift freshman. Alejado was trusted to do a lot, completing the second-most passes per game in the country. That occasionally led to consequential mistakes, like the three interceptions in a close loss to Fresno State or the 18 sacks taken in his first five starts. But there’s plenty of boom potential as well, and Alejado’s ability to protect the football and evade pressure improved throughout the season. Hawai’i won nine games in 2025 and will eye a similar showing this fall.
Memphis: Air Noland
2025 Stats (South Carolina): 2 for 3, 13 yards
Noland came into the college game with significant fanfare as a four-star recruit, but simply hasn’t gotten an opportunity. He got lost in a crowded Ohio State room as a freshman in 2024 (the same year now Buckeyes starter Julian Sayin came aboard) and then served as a backup to LaNorris Sellers and Luke Doty at South Carolina. Even with a step down to Memphis, the starting job isn’t guaranteed to be his with Division II West Florida transfer Marcus Stokes boasting far more in-game experience. First-year coach Charles Huff has said the competition won’t be settled until the summer.
Navy: Braxton Woodson
2025 Stats: 9 for 19, 110 yards
The Blake Horvath era in Annapolis is finally over, leaving a frightening hole behind center that may be difficult to immediately replace. Woodson seems to be the next man up, having played a factor in the Midshipmen’s run game last season, when he racked up 414 yards and six touchdowns (third most on the roster). He has a similar build to Horvath, obviously needed with the physical brand of offense at Navy, but may face an uphill battle with fullback Alex Tecza and Swiss Army knife Eli Heidenreich also having graduated in 2025.
North Dakota State: Nathan Hayes
2025 Stats: 25 for 44, 381 yards, four touchdowns, one interception
The Bison have developed somewhat of a reputation as a quarterback factory of late. Over the past 11 years, five North Dakota State quarterbacks have gotten drafted, including 2025 starter Cole Payton. Hayes was Payton’s backup (as Payton was for sixth-round draft pick Cam Miller) and just hasn’t gotten a chance to show his stuff yet. The Bison’s lineage is strong—it’s just that this season also comes with a jump up in competition as NDSU takes on the Mountain West for the first time in the FBS. That may put Hayes in a tricky spot of trying to play up to a previous standard when the level of difficulty increased significantly.
Notre Dame: CJ Carr
2025 Stats: 66.6% completion rate, 2,741 yards, 24 touchdowns, six interceptions, 168.1 efficiency rating
Carr is deserving of being mentioned alongside the top power-conference players in the country after commanding a dominant Notre Dame team down the stretch last season. It certainly helped to have a talent like running back Jeremiyah Love to build the offense around, but the redshirt freshman was far more than a game manager. Devastatingly accurate and with an ability to make plays on the run when needed, Carr delivered key throws time and time again as the Irish nearly backdoored their way into the playoff. With a significantly lighter schedule in 2026 (a welcome sign for Notre Dame given Carr’s struggles against stiffer competition) and more responsibility falling on his shoulders, the 21-year-old is a true Heisman candidate.
South Florida: Michael Van Buren Jr.
2025 Stats (LSU): 62.3% completion rate, 1,010 yards, eight touchdowns, two interceptions, 133.3 efficiency rating
The Brian Hartline era begins for the Bulls and the first major decision of his tenure will come from deciding on a starting signal-caller. Van Buren, an LSU transfer, figures to be the presumptive favorite after showing flashes when taking over for Garrett Nussmeier last season. But Hartline won’t rule out Mississippi State transfer Luke Kromenhoek just yet, saying that this will remain a “battle for a while.” Competition seems like a good problem to have for a program that should be capable of competing at the top of the American and possible for a playoff spot.
Texas State: Brad Jackson
2025 Stats: 71.3% completion rate, 3,224 yards, 21 touchdowns, seven interceptions, 164.0 efficiency rating
Jackson was one of the more exciting surprises of the 2025 campaign en route to being named third-team All-Sun Belt, behind two quarterbacks (Alonza Barnett III and Colton Joseph) who are now presumptive starters in the Power 4. The redshirt freshman combined for 3,741 yards of offense and 34 touchdowns, leading the country in rushing touchdowns from a quarterback. He ended the year seventh in total offense per game, seventh in passing efficiency and sixth in points responsible for. With his two top receiving targets back in the fold (Beau Sparks and Chris Dawn Jr.), Jackson is set up for another monster season.
UNLV: Jackson Arnold
2025 Stats (Auburn): 63.3% completion rate, 1,309 yards, six touchdowns, two interceptions, 121.7 efficiency rating
Arnold is the latest to never fully put the pieces together at the P4 level only to end up in Sin City with a system tailored to set up dual-threat quarterbacks for success. It worked to perfection last year for Anthony Colandrea, who vaulted back up to Nebraska after a monster year with the Rebels. The lower level of competition could work wonders for Arnold, who struggled mightily against superior teams in the SEC the past two years. He also dealt with a brutal offensive line at Auburn (taking 30 sacks in 10 games), an area that should actually improve under Dan Mullen at UNLV.
UTSA: Owen McCown
2025 Stats: 67.6% completion rate, 2,995 yards, 30 touchdowns, seven interceptions, 149.7 efficiency rating
Few quarterbacks at the G6 level have as much experience as McCown, son of NFL journeyman Josh McCown. The welcome sign for the Roadrunners is just how much better he’s gotten each year. The highs are now incredibly high (31 for 33 for 370 yards and four touchdowns in a win vs. Tulane), it’s just that the lows can dip into the basement (11 for 20 for 84 yards with three sacks in a 55–17 defeat at North Texas). But turnovers, sacks and incompletions were way down last season when compared to 2024. If McCown can stay even more consistent this fall, UTSA could leap from middle of the pack to near the top of the American and coach Jeff Traylor could get some serious looks at the P4 level.
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