Where you choose to play matters in college football. Every quarterback worth his weight in salt strives to play as early and as often as possible. The more amount of games you play in, the bigger your brand gets, and the more money you will make. Of course, there are upperclassmen all across the sport who have become household names based on what they have done the last few seasons.
What I wanted to do today is to take a look at a few incoming freshmen I think have a great to halfway decent chance of starting games this season. It may not happen right away for some of these guys, but there are pathways for all five of them I am about to mention to lead their teams out of the tunnel on fall Saturdays this year. A few may win the job out of fall camp, while others may have to wait a bit.
I used the top quarterback recruits of the 2025 recruiting cycle from the 247Sports Composite Index for this exercise. Most of these players are well-known in the recruiting sphere, so they have some level of brand recognition coming in. We are talking about five, top-150 recruits, all of whom were rated with four-stars or better. My thought is their allure is too strong to keep them on the bench.
Let's start with a guy I am really high on, but also recognize that he flipped painfully late in the cycle.
5. California Golden Bears quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele
James Campbell (Ewa Beach, HI): No. 65 overall, No. 7 quarterback, No. 1 Hawaii
Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele looks like he will be the next great Hawaiian quarterback. The Ewa Beach native initially committed to Cal last spring before flipping to Oregon in early December. After briefly enrolling, he hit the transfer portal and went back to Cal. He was part of spring practice in Berkeley. Ourlads has JKS listed as the primary backup to Ohio State transfer Devin Brown on the depth chart.
The reason why I am quite bullish on JKS eventually taking the starting job from Brown is Brown has never been much of a thrower. I mean, he wore a running back's number when he played for Ohio State! Given that Justin Wilcox lost so much in the transfer portal this past season in stars Fernando Mendoza going to Indiana and Jaydn Ott going to Oklahoma, I have a feeling Cal will be a meritocracy.
The idea of what JKS can be at Cal and what he may do in the ACC intrigues me more than Brown.
4. Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Keelon Russell
Duncanville (Duncanville, TX): No. 2 overall, No. 2 quarterback, No. 1 Texas
Even though Ourlads has him listed as the third-stringer behind Ty Simpson and former Washington transfer Austin Mack, freshman Keelon Russell seems to be the most talented Alabama quarterback. He is so excited to play for Kalen DeBoer and grow in Ryan Grubb's system. To me, Russell was never going to be the Week 1 starter in Tuscaloosa, but if either guy ahead of him falters, he will have a shot.
Having played his high school football in Texas, you know that Russell has faced tough competition before. Yes, the SEC is a step up from that, but competition will be key in his quest to overtaking Mack and Simpson. The biggest thing I think he has going for him is he was an Alabama recruit by this current coaching staff. Simpson predates that and Mack was not even an Alabama guy to begin with.
I love Russell's upside, but we will need to see Simpson struggle first, and possibly Mack as well.
3. Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Julian Lewis
Carrollton (Carrollton, GA): No. 126 overall, No. 10 quarterback, No. 15 Georgia
Julian Lewis grew up in my neck of the woods in Carrollton, Georgia near the Alabama border. While Georgia was interested in him to some degree, he had long been a USC commit before flipping to Colorado late in the cycle last year. The Coach Prime Effect is real, y'all! With Shedeur Sanders off to the NFL, the only thing standing in the way between Lewis starting is a star Group of Five transfer.
Coming over from the Group of Five ranks is former Liberty starter Kaidon Salter. While he had a great deal of success playing for Jamey Chadwell, that was in CUSA and Colorado plays in the Big 12. Since Lewis grew up playing his high school football in Georgia, he may be physically ready to play more than you would think. It is all about maturity, something that has not always been Salter's forte.
Next year feels like the year for Lewis, but it is not like Colorado is that deeply invested into Salter.
2. Michigan Wolverines quarterback Bryce Underwood
Belleville (Belleville, MI): No. 1 overall, No. 1 quarterback, No. 1 Michigan
Bryce Underwood is the first of two true freshman quarterbacks I believe will win the starting job at their respective schools. I mean, why would he not? Underwood is the No. 1 overall recruit in his cycle and will be going to a team in Michigan that had all sorts of issues at the position last year. It is why Ourlads has him as QB1 on Michigan's depth chart at this stage of the college football offseason.
What has me slightly concerned is who all is behind him on the depth chart, as well as Sherrone Moore still trying to find his footing as the Michigan head coach. Davis Warren is still on the team, albeit coming off a torn ACL. Mikey Keene has come over from Fresno State by way of the transfer portal. Jadyn Davis is still on the team as well. Will Moore be ride or die with Underwood right away?
Keep in mind that Moore will be suspended for the Central Michigan and Nebraska games this year.
1. Maryland Terrapins quarterback Malik Washington
Archbishop Spalding (Severn, MD): No. 54 nationally, No. 5 quarterback, No. 2 Maryland
I do not feel like I am going out on all that much of a limb here. I would be stunned if Malik Washington is not the starting quarterback for the Maryland Terrapins right away. The former Archbishop Spalding standout is listed as QB1 on Maryland's depth chart over on Ourlads. He is a local product that is playing for an offensive-minded head coach who needs to win to keep his job in Mike Locksley.
With Locksley having a new boss in Jim Smith coming over from the Atlanta Braves to be Maryland's new athletic director, now is not the time to be beholden to what was not working in College Park. In a perfect world, Maryland would love to win big with a local product to help awaken this potential sleeping giant over in the Mid-Atlantic. If Washington is a success, then Maryland will finally be that.
For so many reasons, Maryland needs to go all-in and empower Washington from the start this year.