Tyler Van Dyke dubbed top-15 quarterback in college football

Only two Big Ten quarterbacks are ranked ahead of Van Dyke in the reputable rankings.

Wisconsin quarterbacks Tyler Van Dyke (10) and Braedyn Locke (18) warm up on the field north of Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wisconsin on Saturday April 27, 2024 before the team's intrasquad scrimmage. / Mark Stewart / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK

We are inching closer to the official start of the 2024-25 college football season, which means we are inching closer to the Wisconsin debut of transfer quarterback Tyler Van Dyke. Pro Football Focus (PFF) thinks Van Dyke can be one of the best signal callers in the country this season.

PFF ranked all 75 starting quarterbacks in major conference college football and Van Dyke is a lot higher on the list that most would expect: No. 15. Oregon's Dillon Gabriel and Penn State's Drew Allar are the only two Big Ten quarterbacks ranked higher.

"After a rollercoaster ride at Miami that oscillated between stardom and struggle, Van Dyke brings his bazooka arm to Madison. He doesn’t move much, but when he is protected, he can make any throw on the field from the pocket," Dalton Wasserman wrote. "If Van Dyke can avoid streaks of bad ball security, he can substantially raise the ceiling of the Badgers’ offense."

It has been well documented that Van Dyke had great moments, but also some struggles during his time at Miami (FL). Ultimately, he is one of the most experienced quarterbacks in the country with nearly 7,500 career passing yards, 54 touchdowns and 23 interceptions.

He had a career-high 85.9 PFF grade in 2023, which is more than 10 points higher than the breakout season he had as a redshirt freshman in 2021.

Consistency will be the biggest question for Van Dyke in 2024. In the middle of last season he had four straight games with a PFF grade lower than 70. With Wisconsin's daunting schedule, there is very little room for that type of error.

The Badgers coaching staff and the general public are well aware of the talent that Van Dyke possesses, but he's going to have to bring it every single week to live up to the top-15 hype PFF is generating.