This upcoming college football season will be a reloading year for SEC quarterbacks.
Several of the top quarterbacks within the conference such as Alabama’s Bryce Young, Georgia’s Stetson Bennett, and Tennessee’s Hendon Hooker are now members of NFL franchises and have paved the way for new players to make their marks.
Despite the departure of the aforementioned household names, there will be a strong mix of returning talent and transfers, all looking to make a name for themselves.
Auburn is included in the mix, as Michigan State transfer [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag] has joined the conversation for the quarterback competition with [autotag]Robby Ashford[/autotag] and [autotag]Holden Geriner[/autotag].
Following spring practice, as well as the closing of the spring transfer portal window, Patrick Conn of College Sports Wire broke down each SEC team’s projected started quarterback and ranked them according to projected production. With Thorne being the projected starter for Auburn, he makes Conn’s list at No. 10 within the SEC.
How can Thorne climb the ladder of the SEC quarterback rankings? Conn says that he needs to get back to his 2021 form.
It was a down year for Payton Thorne in East Lansing last season after putting up over 3,000 yards and 27 touchdowns in 2021. Thorne was a late addition to the transfer portal and chose to join Hugh Freeze on the Plains. He is the likely starter for Auburn, who has been looking for a quarterback in the transfer portal this offseason. If Thorne returns to his 2021 form, Auburn should be a lot more dangerous on offense.
After passing for 3,240 yards and 27 touchdowns in 2021, a season in which Thorne led Michigan State to a Peach Bowl win, he threw for just 2,679 yards and 19 scores in 2022.
Here is a complete look at College Sports Wire’s Spring QB rankings:
- KJ Jefferson, Arkansas
- Will Rogers, Mississippi State
- Jayden Daniels, LSU
- Devin Leary, Kentucky
- Spencer Rattler, South Carolina
- Joe Milton, Tennessee
- Spencer Sanders, Ole Miss
- Connor Weigman, Texas A&M
- Graham Mertz, Florida
- Payton Thorne, Auburn
- Tyler Buchner, Alabama
- Carson Beck, Georgia
- AJ Swann, Vanderbilt
- Brady Cook, Missouri
Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Taylor on Twitter @TaylorJones__
[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbyzb4ahnasj2m3 player_id=01f5k5y2jb3twsvdg4 image=]
[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1364]