Waves of elite high school talent have washed up on college football’s shores since the turn of the millennium, including schools of blue-chip quarterbacks. Using All-Time Football Players recruiting rankings, we assembled and sorted the 20 highest-rated quarterback prospects in the modern recruiting era (since 2000). The list features five current players, including Texas’ Arch Manning and Tennessee’s Nico Iamaleava. LSU commit Bryce Underwood is the only player on this list still in high school (2025).
Longhorns starting quarterback Quinn Ewers joins Manning on this list. The duo were both the top-rated overall prospects in their respective classes and are the only top-20 quarterback prospects of all time to play on the same team. Oregon’s Dante Moore and Florida State’s DJ Uiagalelei also made this list, speaking to the amount of passing talent that’s suiting up for the 2024 season.
Manning, Iamaleava and Moore all hail from the class of 2023. It’s the only class to put three players on this list and is likely to go down as one of the greatest of all time. The class of 2018 has a case with two of the top-rated of all-time: Trevor Lawrence and Justin Fields.
Get the latest football and recruiting scoop on your favorite college team today.
Here are the 20 highest-rated quarterback recruits of the modern recruiting era, ranked:
19. Dante Moore, UCLA
Class: 2023 | Composite Rank: 0.9980
Dante Moore rated as the No. 3 quarterback prospect in the historic class of 2023 and bolted from UCLA to Oregon this offseason, rating as the No. 10 prospect in the transfer portal. Moore completed 53.5% of his passes for 1,610 yards and 11 touchdowns with nine interceptions as a freshman last season and has been tabbed as a bounce-back candidate with the Ducks. He has an opportunity to refine his skills in a backup role as part of one of college football’s top quarterback rooms, and that developmental process should allow him to become a premier starter for the 2025 season.
18. Nico Iamaleava, Tennessee
Class: 2023 | Composite Rank: 0.9981
Nico Iamaleava is the highest-rated quarterback to commit to Tennessee in the modern recruiting era. He saw extended action in the Volunteers’ 35-0 win over Iowa in the Citrus Bowl and turned heads, completing 12-of-19 passes for 151 yards and a touchdown and rushed for 27 yards and three scores. Iamaleava had one of college football’s top spring passing performances. He completed 7-of-9 passes for 96 yards, including a 27-yard touchdown pass to Chas Nimrod.
17. Rhett Bomar, Oklahoma
Class: 2004 | Composite Rank: 0.9982
Rhett Bomar replaced Heisman Trophy winner Jason White as Oklahoma’s starting quarterback in 2005 and threw for 2,018 yards and 10 touchdowns with 10 interceptions. He led the Sooners to a victory against Oregon in the Holiday Bowl and was named the game’s MVP. That would be the highlight of his FBS career. He was dismissed from the team for impermissible benefits and resurfaced at Sam Houston State. He threw for 3,355 yards and 27 touchdowns against 13 interceptions as a senior and left as the Bearkats’ all-time leading passer.
16. Kyle Wright, Miami
Class: 2003 | Composite Rank: 0.9984
Kyle Wright played sparingly as a freshman with the Hurricanes and had his best collegiate season as a sophomore in 2005, completing 58.6% of his passes for 2,403 yards and 18 touchdowns with 10 interceptions. His touchdown passes led the ACC. Wright was tabbed a breakout candidate in 2006 but disappointed, tossing seven touchdowns to eight interceptions in nine games. Security had to restrain Wright’s father during a notorious incident when fans booed the Miami quarterback during a loss to Virginia Tech that season. Wright threw 12 touchdowns and 14 interceptions as a senior in 2007.
15. DJ Uiagalelei, Clemson
Class: 2020 | Composite Rank: 0.9984
DJ Uiagalelei is on his third team after committing to Clemson in the class of 2020. Florida State tabbed Uiagalelei to replace Jordan Travis after a renaissance season at Oregon State last year, when he threw for 2,638 yards with 21 touchdowns and seven interceptions. It was an impressive return to form for the No. 2 overall prospect. He threw more interceptions (10) than touchdowns (9) in his final season at Clemson and will have an opportunity to face his former team when the Tigers make the trip to Tallahassee this fall.
14. Brodie Croyle, Alabama
Class: 2001 | Composite Rank: 0.9986
Brodie Croyle helped keep the Alabama program afloat in the years prior to Nick Saban. He played in 12 games as a freshman on a Crimson Tide team that finished 10-3. He threw for 2,303 yards and 16 touchdowns against 13 interceptions as Alabama finished 4-9 during Mike Shula’s first year on the job and played just three games as a junior before tearing his ACL. His 2,499 passing yards in 2005 was the highest single-season total in Alabama’s school history at the time. He led the Crimson Tide to a victory in the 2006 Cotton Bowl Classic that year and was named the game’s offensive MVP.
13. Russell Shepard, LSU
Class: 2009 | Composite Rank: 0.9986
Russell Shepard chose LSU over Texas, Florida, Michigan and USC in the class of 2009 because he believed it was the best spot for him to continue playing quarterback. He ultimately lost the starting gig, never attempted a pass and played running back and receiver for the Tigers. He caught 52 passes for 572 yards and rushed for 733 yards during his career and scored 10 total touchdowns. He was picked up by the Philadelphia Eagles as an undrafted free agent in 2013 and enjoyed a seven-year pro career before retiring in 2020.
12. Mark Sanchez, USC
Class: 2005 | Composite Rank: 0.9988
Sanchez sat his first three seasons at USC behind Matt Leinart and John David Booty. He was named the starter for his final season in 2008 and didn’t disappoint. He completed 65.8% of his passes for 3,207 yards and 34 touchdowns with 10 interceptions. His touchdowns were the second-most in program history behind Leinart. He led the Trojans to a 12-1 record and drilled Penn State in the Rose Bowl to end his career in Los Angeles.
11. Jimmy Clausen, Notre Dame
Class: 2007 | Composite Rank: 0.9988
Jimmy Clausen arrived at his commitment announcement in a stretch Hummer and threw for 1,254 yards and seven touchdowns with six interceptions as a true freshman in 2007. He improved as a sophomore, completing 60.9% of his passes for 3,172 yards and 25 touchdowns with 17 interceptions and helped the Fighting Irish snap their NCAA-record nine-game bowl losing streak in the Hawaii Bowl. He finished his senior season with 3,722 yards passing and 28 touchdowns with four interceptions, leading Notre Dame to a 6-6 record.
10. Matt Barkley, USC
Class: 2009 | Composite Rank: 0.9993
Matt Barkley was the first true freshman to start at quarterback in USC history in 2009 and was considered a Heisman candidate entering the 2012 season after throwing for 3,528 yards and 39 touchdowns in 2011. He had USC at No. 1 in the preseason polls that season, but the Trojans suffered a loss to Stanford in Week 3 and unraveled towards the end of the season. UCLA’s Anthony Barr smashed Barkley in the penultimate game of the regular season, separating his shoulder and ending his college career.
9. Arch Manning, Texas
Class: 2023 | Composite Rank: 0.9995
Arch Manning arrived at Texas as the No. 1 overall prospect in the class of 2023 and is the highest-rated prospect to commit to the Longhorns out of high school in the modern recruiting era. He threw just five balls as a true freshman and completed two for 30 yards. He backed up the hype during Texas’ spring game this offseason, completing 19-of-26 pass attempts for 355 yards and three touchdowns, including a 75-yard bomb on his first pass attempt.
8. Terrelle Pryor, Ohio State
Class: 2008 | Composite Rank: 0.9997
Terrelle Pryor started three seasons at Ohio State and finished his Buckeyes career with 6,177 passing yards, 57 touchdowns and 26 interceptions. He also ran for 2,164 yards and 17 touchdowns in Jim Tressel’s offense. He started his career as the Big Ten Freshman of the Year and ended it as the 2010 Rose Bowl MVP. His best season came as a junior in 2010. He completed 65.0% of his passes for 2,772 yards and 27 touchdowns with 11 interceptions. He rushed 135 times for 754 yards and four scores.
7. Brock Berlin, Florida
Class: 2000 | Composite Rank: 0.9998
Berlin spent the first two seasons of his career at Florida, where he played sparingly behind incumbent Rex Grossman. Berlin transferred to Miami after his sophomore season and threw for 5,099 yards and 34 touchdowns against 23 interceptions during his two seasons with the Hurricanes. He was undefeated against Miami’s rivals, Florida (2-0) and Florida State (3-0). That success did not translate to the pro ranks, though, as Berlin went undrafted and played in just two career NFL games.
6. Bryce Underwood, LSU
Class: 2025 | Composite Rank: 0.9998
Underwood is the highest-rated commit in LSU history, narrowly edging out program great Leonard Fournette (2014) for the top spot. The Belleville (Mich.) phenom led his team to a combined 40-2 record the past three seasons, including state championships in 2021 and 2022. He earned Gatorade Michigan Player of the Year honors as a junior, completing 179-of-276 passes (64.8%) for 3,329 yards and 44 touchdowns with three interceptions. 247Sports Director of Scouting Andrew Ivins compared Underwood to former Clemson star Deshaun Watson.
5. Quinn Ewers, Ohio State
Class: 2021 | Composite Rank: 1.0000
Ewers was the top overall prospect in the class of 2021 when he signed with Ohio State. After just one season with the Buckeyes, though, he transferred to Texas, returning to the state where he starred at Southlake Carroll High School and won the Longhorns’ starting job for the 2022 season. He showed flashes of his potential, completing 58.1% of his passes for 2,177 yards and 15 touchdowns with six interceptions, though he struggled with consistency. Ewers took his game to another level in 2023, ranking among the Heisman Trophy favorites for much of the year and leading the Longhorns to their first College Football Playoff appearance.
4. Vince Young, Texas
Class: 2002 | Composite Rank: 1.0000
Young is widely regarded as one of the best college players of all time, regardless of position. He is tied as the highest-ranked prospect to ever sign with Texas and more than lived up to the hype, earning Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year honors in his first season with the program. It was the 2005 campaign that cemented his legacy, though. His heroic performance in the BCS National Championship Game against USC, in which he totaled 467 yards of total offense in a win against USC, capped a year in which he finished runner-up for the Heisman while winning the Davey O’Brien, Maxwell and Manning Awards.
3. Bryce Young, Alabama
Class: 2020 | Composite Rank: 1.0028
Bryce Young is the second-highest-rated player to enroll at Alabama in the modern recruiting era, trailing offensive tackle Andre Smith (2006). He set numerous records with the Crimson Tide, including a school record for most passing yards in a single game (559), and won several player of the year awards in 2021, including the Heisman Trophy. He passed for 4,872 yards, 47 passing touchdowns with seven interceptions in 15 games that season. Young is the only quarterback in Alabama history to throw for 3,000+ yards in two seasons.
2. Justin Fields, Georgia
Class: 2018 | Composite Rank: 1.0032
Justin Fields played behind Jake Fromm as a five-star freshman at Georgia. He successfully filed a waiver with the NCAA to be immediately eligible at Ohio State and assumed the starting position in 2019. He helped the Buckeyes to a Big Ten title and College Football Playoff appearance during his first season and got back to the final four the year after that, this time falling to Alabama in the national championship game. Over two seasons in Columbus, the decorated dual-threat racked up 78 total touchdowns.
1. Trevor Lawrence, Clemson
Class: 2018 | Composite Rank: 1.0032
Lawrence is one of the best quarterback prospects to ever pass through the high school ranks. He was both the top player overall and top signal-caller in the class of 2018, and his impact was felt immediately at Clemson. He started as a freshman for the Tigers and led them to a win in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game. In three years, he passed for more than 10,000 yards with 108 total touchdowns, 90 of which came through the air, while earning two first-team All-ACC selections and one first-team All-America honor.
