College football rankings: Sam Howell, Spencer Rattler and the top 20 quarterbacks of 2021

6. Dillon Gabriel, UCF

Running Josh Heupel’s prolific offense at UCF, it’s not shocking that Dillon Gabriel has put up some eye-popping numbers in his first two seasons as the starter for the Knights. However, it wouldn’t be unfair to say that, entering his junior year, Gabriel has already established himself as the most physically gifted quarterback that the program has seen in their recent era of success.

Though the Knights were limited to just 10 games in the 2020 season, he put up better numbers than he did in his true freshman season. He threw for 3,570 yards (which was 83 fewer than in 2019 but also in three fewer games) with 32 touchdowns and only four interceptions. He consistently showcased his ability to throw deep balls in an offense that loves to do just that.

One of the big questions with Gabriel entering the 2021 campaign, though, is what will happen now that Heupel has left for Tennessee and former Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn takes over. It could be a bit of a give-and-take situation as Malzahn’s offense isn’t necessarily as quarterback-friendly but he could be asked to use his athleticism in the run game more often.

Helming a new offense should give Gabriel an opportunity to prove himself further, both as a different type of passer (one who can improve on a 60.0 percent completion rate) and a dual-threat player. In any case, what he’s done through two years is more than enough to inspire confidence in what he’s capable of.