ESPN tabs Cam Rising as one of the best quarterbacks in CFB in 2024

Utah quarterback Cam Rising is one of the best gunslingers in college football

In what was expected to be a possible three-peat of Pac-12 titles for Utah in 2023 ended up being injuries galore for the Utes who had a mediocre season.

They lost a slew of players to season-ending injuries throughout the year, but it was their leader and quarterback Cam Rising whose injury may have impacted them the most. While losing anyone to injury is detrimental, Rising never suited up despite the ongoing charade put on by the staff that he would.

The then sixth-year senior sat out all season long as the Utes got what they could out of both Bryson Barnes and Nate Johnson. On the bright side for Utah fans, Rising did opt to run it back for a seventh year in 2024, and will look to lead them to their first Big 12 title.

Cam Rising / Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Being that he is one of the more proven and experienced quarterbacks in the country, it is no surprise that ESPN views him as one of the 10-best quarterbacks in the country. In a recent ranking of the top 10 quarterbacks, Rising came in as the No. 9 signal caller.

ESPN's David Hale highlighted how big of a loss Rising was to the Utes, citing the huge decline in offensive performance. 

But for a true appreciation of Rising's value, just look what happened to Utah's offense when he missed the 2023 campaign with a knee injury. The Utes went from averaging nearly 39 points in 2022 to just 23 last year, and saw a decline of 85 passing yards per game, while their pass TD total was cut in half.

Assuming he is able to return to the form of the quarterback who threw for over 3,000 yards and 26 scores the last time we saw him, the Utes should be making a push for the College Football Playoff. To make things even better for the program, highly-touted freshman quarterback Isaac Wilson will have a chance to sit behind and learn from Rising in 2024.