In an offense-first conference like the Pac-12, the signal caller makes all the difference. A year ago, Sophomore Jake Browning at Washington and Redshirt freshman Sam Darnold at USC proved how a high-performance quarterback leads to a team's offensive success.
Both stars return in 2017, and are not alone as top QBs in the conference.
[divider]Top 5s in the Pac-12
RB | WR | TE | OL | DT | DE | LB | S | CB | K | P | Coaches[divider]
Big Ten: Top QBs[divider]
5. Justin Hebert (SO) — Oregon
63.3%, 1,936 YDS, 19 TD, 4 INT
Hebert, all 6-foot-6 and 225 pounds of him, is a good athlete who scrambled for 273 yards and two scores a year ago. But his arm talent is where he'll make his mark in Eugene.[divider]
McLaughlin: Top 5 RB in SEC | TE | QB | OT | C | OG
[divider]
4. Josh Rosen (JR) — UCLA
59.3%, 1,915 YDS, 10 TD, 5 INT
Rosen played just six games a year ago due to injury but a healthy version of him showed what he was capable of when he passed for nearly 3,700 yards and 23 TD as a freshman two years ago.[divider]
3. Luke Falk (SR) — Washington State
70%, 4,468 YDS, 38 TD, 11 INT
Falk seems to remain the most underrated quarterbacks in the country, often getting the label of a system guy — which is dumb, all QBs are system guys. Falk is great in Mike Leach's Air Raid and due to a new set of receivers — Gabe Marks and River Cracraft are gone — and a proven running game, we may see Falk throw down the field more than ever.[divider]
2. Jake Browning (JR) — Washington
62.1%, 3,430 YDS, 43 TD, 9 INT
Browning was terrific in Year 2 under Chris Petersen and while he won't have John Ross to throw deep balls to, Dante Pettis is one of the top returning receivers in the country and the Huskies O-line may be one of the best in the nation. Browning's shoulder bothered him for the latter portion of the season, but he had surgery and is full-go this summer.[divider]
1. Sam Darnold (SO) — USC
67.2%, 3,086 YDS, 31 TD, 9 INT
Darnold exploded onto the scene a year ago and is the top QB prospect in the country heading into the season. Arm strength, poise in the pocket and accuracy are three of Darnold's top attributes, which plays well at any level. USC lost a lot of skill position talent in the 2017 Draft, but it's a rinse and repeat show in Troy on that front.[divider]
Others to keep an eye on in 2017: Troy Williams (SR) — Utah; Ryan Burns (SR) — Stanford; Blake Barnett (SO) — Arizona State; Steven Montez (SO) — Colorado; Brandon Dawkins (JR) — Arizona; Ross Bowers (SO) — California; Jake Luton (JR) — Oregon State.
