Bama Central

Talk of the Tide: Who is the Best QB in the SEC in 2021?

Where does Alabama quarterback Bryce Young stand amongst the SEC's best?

Tyler Martin

With SEC Media Days on the horizon in Birmingham, Alabama, questions surround multiple programs and their respective quarterback situations. 

At a couple schools, new faces will start under center like with Alabama's Bryce Young, who will replace a Heisman finalist in Mac Jones, and Florida's Emory Jones, who will try to replicate the same success the Gators had with Kyle Trask last season. 

There are still many quarterback battles in the conference as well like at LSU between the likes of Myles Brennan and Max Johnson, Texas A&M with Haynes King and Zach Calzada, Tennessee with Hendon Hooker, Harrison Bailey or Joe Milton and Kentucky with Beau Allen, Joey Gatewood and Will Levis. 

Georgia's JT Daniels, Ole Miss' Matt Corral and Auburn's Bo Nix are the familiar names at the position just weeks away from fall camps opening up. 

Without further ado, here are Tyler Martin's top five signal callers in the SEC prior to the 2021 season:

5. Connor Bazelak, Missouri, So.

Bazelak makes the cut after a season that saw him complete 67 percent of his passes for 2,366 yards and seven touchdowns on his way to winning SEC Freshman of the Year. He performed admirably in Eli Drinkwitz's first year in Columbia and the only place to go is up for the 6-foot-3, 220-pound signal caller.

He could very well find himself in the upper echelon of SEC quarterbacks after 2021 by getting Missouri back to a bowl game for the first time since 2018.

4. Myles Brennan/Max Johnson, LSU, Sr./So.

Before Brennan's hip injury that forced him to miss seven games of the 2020 season, he completed 60 percent of his passes (79-of-131) for 1,112 yards, 11 touchdowns and only three interceptions. When he was healthy, Brennan wasn't close to being the heart of LSU's issues in 2020. However, his absence paved the way for Johnson to lead the Tigers to two pivotal victories against Florida and Ole Miss to close the season. In five games of action, Johnson was 88-of-150 for 1,069 yards and eight touchdowns to only one interception. 

Either way coach Ed Orgeron and company turn behind center, the Tigers are in good hands.

3. Bryce Young, Alabama, So.

Young might have the least amount of experience on this list but he possesses the most upside. As the nation's best overall player in the 2020 recruiting cycle, Young flashed at times in a mop-up role for the Crimson Tide last season with 156 passing yards and one touchdown on only 13 completions. 

Having an experienced offensive mind in Bill O'Brien as his offensive coordinator will help a ton and, even with the losses of  weapons like Jaylen Waddle, DeVonta Smith and Najee Harris, Young will have arguably the most talented roster in the country at his disposal to do damage with.

2. JT Daniels, Georgia, Jr.

After transferring to Athens from USC, where Daniels suffered a torn ACL, he burst onto the scene late in 2020 throwing for 1,231 yards, 10 touchdowns and only two interceptions in just four games for the Bulldogs. Daniels will be the key for Georgia and its national-championship aspirations in 2021 as the Bulldogs are a completely different team with a signal caller that can push the ball down the field and execute Todd Monken's system to perfection.

Although with only four SEC games under his belt, Daniels sits at No. 2 on this ranking but could very well be the clear-cut No. 1 when it's all said and done.

1. Matt Corral, Ole Miss, Jr.

In Lane Kiffin's first year at the helm in Oxford, Corral was electric, throwing for 3,337 yards and 29 touchdowns, while completing over 70 percent of his pass attempts. He joined Jones (77 percent) as the only passers in the league to eclipse a 70-percent completion percentage. He also was a threat on the ground with 504 rushing yards and an additional four scores.

The only concern was the turnovers as Corral had 14 interceptions, six of which came in a loss to Arkansas. If that issue gets remedied in year two under Kiffin, then watch out, because the Rebels could make some noise in the treacherous SEC Western division.

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Tyler Martin
TYLER MARTIN

Tyler Martin is a staff writer with Bama Central and has been covering the Crimson Tide since August of 2019. He emphasizes in recruiting, football, and basketball, while covering all other Alabama athletics. 

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