Big 12 Rankings: Is Longhorns Quinn Ewers Conference's Top QB?

Quinn Ewers could end up being the top passer in the Big 12 by the season's end.

© Daniel Dunn-USA TODAY Sports

Barbecues, the midsummer classic and fireworks aren't the only things that kick off July. Ranking season usually signifies the start of college football chatter inching closer and closer. 

Teams achieve greatness or fail to meet expectations based on quarterback play. No, that's not the only reason for a team's program's deficiencies, but it can be the difference between a winning season or a losing campaign. 

Kansas and Texas A&M are excellent programs to explain the latter. The Aggies boasted the No. 1 recruiting class in 2022 and featured exponential amounts of talent returning to College Station. They finished below .500 for the first time since 2008. 

Kansas, meanwhile, has been the Big 12's blemish in football for decades. Two years into the Lance Leipold era, the Jayhawks found themselves ranked in the AP Poll for the first time since 2009 after starting the season 5-0. 

The Big 12 remains college football's fun-filled conference with plenty of unknowns. Texas and Oklahoma always find themselves at the top of the preseason rankings, but a dark horse manages to sneak its way into Arlington with a chance to claim the conference title. 

Follow along with LonghornsCountry as we rank every position group heading into the 2023 Big 12 regular season. First up, let's take a look at every projected starting quarterback heading into the first season of the new 14-team league. 

1. Jalon Daniels, Kansas

If not for a midseason shoulder injury, Daniels could have found his way into Heisman conversations entering November. He was the league's most dangerous quarterback due to his dual-threat mobility and impeccable arm strength. On more than one occasion, the Jayhawks were in games late because No. 6 was pulling them across the finish line.

In nine games, Daniels threw for 2,014 yards with 18 touchdowns. He also tacked on 474 rushing yards and another seven scores with his legs. The Jayhawks return leading receivers Luke Grimm and Lawrence Arnold after stellar seasons in 2022, so experience shouldn't be a concern. If Daniels picks up where he left off a season ago, there's going to be a race to the finish for first-team All-Big 12 quarterback with his name as the headliner. 

2. Quinn Ewers, Texas

Did Ewers underachieve in 2022? Without question. Is there reason to think he's still the top passer in the conference? Again, without question. The former top recruit of 2022 returns to the Forty Acres with the intent of leading Texas to a Big 12 title after throwing for 2,177 yards and 15 touchdowns in 10 starts last season. 

Talent-wise, Ewers has everything scouts covet at the professional level. There's touch in his passes. He can attack all three phases of the field. Athleticism is a strength and Ewers' ability to evade pressure in the pocket plays in his favor. 

Accuracy and decision-making will need to improve. Last season, Ewers completed just over 58 percent of his throws and only connected 11 times on throws over 20 yards downfield. If he can hone in on those two areas, there's reasons to believe in the first-round hype surrounding Ewers entering a pivotal year in Longhorns' history. 

3. Dillon Gabriel, Oklahoma

Gabriel might be the most grounded quarterback on the list. He's entering his fifth season as a starter, has experience playing in Jeff Lebby's offensive personnel and has proven multiple times that he can lead a program to a conference title. That might not be a good thing for the Sooners entering Year 2 of the Brent Venables era. 

After shining for three seasons at UCF, Gabriel took a step back not just in production (3,163 yards, 25 touchdowns and six interceptions) but also in persona. Gabriel's athleticism has always been a staple of his game. Maybe another Year in Big 12 country will unlock the tools missing from a season ago to help send the Sooners back to Arlington one final time. 

4. Will Howard, Kansas State

Howard's been "the other guy" in Manhattan for two seasons, but he gained the trust of both Chris Klieman and offensive coordinator Collin Klein. Both Skyler Thompson and Adrian Martinez missed time in their final college seasons, opening the door for Howard to expand his reps. 

In K-State's final eight games, he tossed 15 touchdowns against four interceptions and helped the Wildcats win their first conference title since 2012. There's no denying he's the starter for 2023, but can he build off an impressive end to last season? 

5. John Rhys Plumlee, UCF

He's a newcomer to the conference, but Rhys Plumee has been thriving as a run-first quarterback since his days at Ole Miss. Conversations about dual-threat quarterbacks begin and end with the Knights quarterback. A versatile weapon that can do a bit of everything, part of the reason UCF fans feel they can win the Big 12 in Year 1 is because of their quarterback.

Rhys Plumlee truly does a bit of everything. He threw for over 2,500 yards and 14 touchdowns in his first season under Gus Malzhan. He averaged 5.4 yards per run and scored 11 times on the ground. Plumlee even caught a 16-yard pass on a trick play against Cincinnati, paying homage to his days as a receiver at Ole Miss.

6. Kedon Slovis, BYU

Slovis heads to his third program in three years after struggling to win in the ACC last season with Pitt. But while the Panthers could be looking to pounce for a conference title with former Boston College QB Phil Jurkovec, the Cougars can exhale a sigh of relief knowing they'll be in good hands with a veteran. 

Slovis gained national recognition and first-round buzz after a breakout freshman campaign at USC in 2019. Since then, negatives surrounding his name often have been linked to inadequate receiver play or a lack of direction in terms of personnel. Slovis is a three-year starter, so replacing Jarren Hall should come with ease in terms of veteran presence. Production? That comes down to his relationship with the offensive personnel in the Provo passing game. 

7. Tyler Shough, Texas Tech

Shough likely would be higher if not for a slew of injuries over the past two years. A broken collarbone in Week 4 against Texas shut him down for the remainder of the 2021 season. Last year, he missed six weeks after suffering another broken collarbone in the season-opening win over Murray State. 

When healthy, Shough has exceptional arm strength, quality decision-making and mechanics that can regularly torch defenses. He's also more mobile than given credit, as evident by his 111-yard, two-touchdown outing in the Texas Bowl win over Ole Miss. From a skills standpoint, Shough could be one of the brightest players in the conference, but his only flaw so far has been his availability. 

8. Blake Shapen, Baylor

Shapen enters a prove-it year for the Bears after mixed results in 2022. Sure, he held off Mississippi State transfer Sawyer Robertson in spring practice, but live reps will ultimately decide if he can remain QB1 for an entire 12-game season. 

Without Shapen's consistency against Oklahoma State in the Big 12 championship early, the Bears wouldn't have come back to claim a victory late. But while Shapen finished with over 2,700 yards, he never threw for over 210 yards in six of his seven final starts. There needs to be a middle ground to the junior's game if he expects to remain the Bears' starter throughout the season. 

9. Hunter Dekkers, Iowa State

Replacing Brock Purdy was always going to come with challenges for Iowa State, but Dekkers found his stride toward the season's end. He threw for over 220 yards in five of his six final starts while completing at least 65.5 percent of his throws. 

Dekkers' biggest concern remains his turnover rate. Interceptions came in bunches rather than single-form, as over half his of turnovers came within three games. If he can limit the turnovers and turn up the touchdowns, the Cyclones could be a sleeper to win the conference for the first time in program history. 

10. Donovan Smith, Houston

Smith filled in for Shough under Joey McGuire at Texas Tech last fall, so he'll have some experience. Results, however, varied. As a runner, he excelled in the red zone with seven TDs. As a passer, he threw five of his eight interceptions on the opposing side of the field. 

Smith's not guaranteed to win the starting job for Dana Holgorsen's offense, but he is the most ready to take over Week 1. Part of the reason for his transfer was due to the flawed mechanics in Lubbock. Will they be fixed in Houston? 

11. Chandler Morris, TCU

Morris beat out Max Duggan for the starting job once Sonny Dykes took over for Gary Patterson, but a shoulder injury during the second quarter against Colorado changed things. Duggan had the hot hand and kept the starting nod, leading the Horned Frogs to an undefeated regular season and a spot in the College Football Playoff. 

The verdict remains a mystery on Morris, who's only recorded 108 pass attempts in his first three seasons. There's potential and belief internally. Dykes wouldn't have named him QB1 last year if he didn't think Morris could win. Time will tell if the former Oklahoma recruit can deliver in similar fashion to that of Duggan. 

12. Emory Jones, Cincinnati

Like Slovis, Jones is on his third team in three years. Unlike Slovis, the senior has struggled everywhere he's been. While known for his dual-threat ability at Florida, Jones must trust his legs as much as his arm for Scott Satterfield if he hopes to bring the Bearcats success in 2023. Last season, he only averaged .5 yards per run at Arizona State and was highly ineffective outside the red zone. 

13. Alan Bowman, Oklahoma State

Who knows what the Cowboys are getting in Bowman? He started in 2018 for Texas Tech and looked promising with over 2,600 yards and 17 TDS. Ever since, he's regressed, leading to his demotion and eventual transfer to Michigan where he played in four games in two years with the second-team offense. He could end up being the biggest surprise on the list but also be a colossal mess for the Pokes in what could be a prove-it year for Mike Gundy. 

14. Garrett Greene, West Virginia

Greene might split reps with Nicco Marchiol, but it doesn't really matter for Neal Brown entering July. The Mountaineers expect to be one of the more run-heavy offenses in the country, thus likely giving Greene the edge entering July. In three years, he's rushed for more TDs (9) than he's thrown (7) and has a bit more elusiveness in the open field. 

---

Want the latest in breaking news and insider information on the Longhorns? Click Here to Subscribe to the Longhorns Country Newsletter

Want even more Texas Longhorns? Check out the SI.com team page here

Follow Longhorns Country on Twitter and Facebook.

Make sure to subscribe to the Longhorns Country Podcast today! Click here To Listen.