There were plenty of highly touted Devy QB frosh that entered the NCAA in 2023, many of whom saw no playing time. Still, with the 2023 collegiate season all but wrapped up, it’s important to look toward the 2024 season through the lens of the 2024 sophomore QB landscape. I’ll rank my top three guys below and explain why I think they’re stellar Devy investments moving forward.
Arch Manning (QB – Texas)
Arch Manning was probably the highest touted of the frosh QBs last year if for no other reason than his namesake. He saw no meaningful snaps in 2023, but with Malik Murphy entering the transfer portal and Quinn Ewers potentially heading to the NFL, the door could be open for Manning to take the next step. Even if Ewers sticks around, I expect Arch to be poised for a huge 2025 collegiate campaign, something that could be accelerated by a year if Ewers leaves for the draft. Word out of Texas lately is that Arch has developed well, has a great command of the playbook, and has added a ton of bulk which will help him endure the rigors of a collegiate season.
If I was drafting in a startup Devy today Arch would be a huge target for me after the big incoming rookie names fly off the board.
Nico Iamaleava (QB – Tenn)
Another frosh QB who didn’t see any meaningful snaps in 2023 is the former Long Beach Polley stud Nico Iamaleava. I only have him second to Manning because I think Manning has a better football IQ and is more polished. However, with Joe Milton being a senior this year, Iamaleava is poised to take over the starting job in 2024 for the Tennessee Volunteers. I saw a ton of backyard-ball style of play when I watched Iamaleava’s high school tape, similar to Justin Fields (QB – CHI) or, dare I say it, Patrick Mahomes (QB – KC).
Iamaleava has a cannon for an arm and wheels for days, so look for him to set the NCAA world on fire in 2024 and tell the competition that he is going to ‘Iamaleavem’ in the dust! Invest with confidence.
Malachi Nelson (QB – Transfer Portal)
Sitting behind Caleb Williams for all of 2023, Malachi Nelson’s future is up in the air for 2024 as he recently entered the transfer portal. Nelson was very highly touted coming out last year and seemed the heir apparent to Caleb Williams at USC.
That won’t be the case, and instead, Nelson gets to decide what college he wants to take the reigns on for 2024. The current top bidders for his services are Cal, Houston, TCU, South Carolina, and Tulane. All except Tulane make sense landing spots for the sophomore sensation and I look for him to show all gas no breaks as he teaches people who he is when he takes the reigns in 2024.
Honorable Mention:
Those guys are my top three Devy Sophomore QBs, but I also want to discuss a dark horse frosh who could find himself under center on one of the best teams in college football in 2024:
Jadyn Davis (QB – Michigan)
If J.J. McCarthy leaves for the draft, Michigan doesn’t have much else at QB besides the five-star recruit. Davis is a 6’1” 200 lb dual-threat QB who is a bit raw, but QB Guru John Harbaugh should be able to iron out the wrinkles quickly. Jadyn Davis is a name to remember, and you heard it here first!
Thanks for reading! Any questions/positive feedback/negative feedback/whatever I can be found on Twitter @DynastyPatrolHQ. #DFFArmy #AlwaysBeBuilding #AlwaysBeScouting #DynastyFootball #NFL #NFLTrades #NFLDraft #NFLInjuries #PlantYourFlag
