5. New Mexico — Dylan Hopkins
Hopkins is a newcomer to the Mountain West, but there’s a good reason why he followed new Lobos offensive coordinator Bryant Vincent to Albuquerque. It’s because he spent the last two years as one of the better quarterbacks in Conference USA at UAB, completing 64.7% of his throws for 9.3 yards per attempt with 31 touchdowns and a 2.4% interception rate.
He gives UNM instant credibility at the position, even if the Lobos still have plenty of questions elsewhere on offense, and should be a focal point of the team’s potential for a rebound in 2023.
4. UNLV — Doug Brumfield
Health concerns have plagued Brumfield in his two seasons under center with the Rebels, but he made strides in ten games last year with a 64.6% completion rate, the second-highest in the Mountain West, 7.5 yards per attempt, and ten touchdowns against five interceptions.
He also remains dangerous as a runner, scoring six times on the ground in 2022. That helped bail him out when he wasn’t so sharp as a passer, as was the case against Fresno State (18-33-172-0-0, 60 rushing yards), and could make him a dark horse offensive player of the year candidate this fall.
3. San Jose State — Chevan Cordeiro
After transferring to the Spartans from Hawaii, Cordeiro had the best overall season of his career with a 60.7% completion rate, 23 passing touchdowns, and a 1.4% interception rate. It wasn’t always easy, though, as he also absorbed 43 sacks and, against Fresno State in particular, had one of his more uneven games of 2022 (22-45-302-1-1).
When he’s on his game, though, few players in the Mountain West can do as much with their arm and feet as Cordeiro. He remains a primary reason why you can’t count the Spartans out as a title contender in 2023.
2. Boise State — Taylen Green
Green’s emergence was one of the biggest reasons why Boise State turned its 2022 around, but the Bulldogs got a better look than just about anyone at the ups and downs which marked his redshirt freshman year.
His first showdown with Fresno State came early in his tenure as QB1, but he answered the bell on the road and completed 10-of-18 passes for 127 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception in a 20-point victory. The Bulldogs defense returned the favor in the Mountain West football championship game, though, and Green had the worst overall game of his young career while posting a 17-38-175-1-2 line.
On the whole, though, Green’s tools as a passer and runner are undeniable. He completed 61% of his throws for 7.5 yards per attempt and, after adjusting for sacks, ran for 620 yards, as well, accounting for 24 total touchdowns. He’ll make an ideal foil for the Red Wave over the next few years.
1. Purdue — Hudson Card
Card spent three seasons with the Texas Longhorns and made five starts in 22 appearances, but he never claimed the starting role outright against Casey Thompson and Quinn Ewers in that time, prompting his move to East Lafayette.
He could be a quality replacement, though, for the departed Aiden O’Connell, who was a fourth-round selection in April’s NFL Draft. According to Pro Football Focus, Card had an adjusted completion rate of 74.8% in 2022, which ranked second among Big 12 quarterbacks with at least 100 dropbacks, but he also sports a career 65.5% completion rate and 7.9 yards per attempt with 11 touchdowns and just two interceptions in 194 attempts.
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