Rivals Rankings Week: Storylines to follow with top 2025 quarterbacks
The Rivals250 for the 2026 class has been updated and now it’s time to break down each position. We start with the quarterbacks by looking at four big storylines moving forward.
NEW 2026 POSITION RANKINGS: Pro-Style QB | Dual-Threat QB
JARED CURTIS ADDS HIS FIFTH STAR
It’s been a long time coming but now Curtis can count himself among the nation’s elite quarterbacks. The former Georgia commit was elevated to a five-star and now ranks No. 4 in the Rivals250.
Curtis has exceptional arm talent – meaning he can throw with power, accuracy and touch from multiple arm angles while in the pocket or on the move. He isn’t a reluctant runner and can make defenses pay when they don’t account for him as a ball carrier.
Curtis seems like he would much rather throw than pick up yards with his legs but, after accounting for 58 total touchdowns this season, he’s happy to score either way.
THE RACE FOR NO. 1
As it stands now, the order of the quarterbacks is Ryder Lyons, Faizon Brandon, Jared Curtis, Brady Smigiel, Dia Bell and Landon Duckworth. Each of those top-50 quarterbacks brings something special to the table but Lyons, Brandon and Curtis – Nos. 2, 3 and 4 in the Rivals250 – are a cut above the rest at this point in the evaluation process.
Generally, a quarterback ranks No. 1 in the Rivals250 because they are almost always the choice at No. 1 in the NFL Draft. But right now the uber-talented offensive tackle Jackson Cantwell owns the top spot in the Rivals250. Lyons, Brandon and Curtis are all in position to dethrone Cantwell, but who will actually make it to the mountain top?
We love the way Lyons plays and the tools he brings to the field, but what impact will his Mormon mission have on his development at the college level? Brandon is progressing at a rapid rate and it’s going to be interesting to see just what his ceiling looks like at the end of the evaluation cycle.
Curtis might have the most talented arm of the three, but how ready for the next level will he be without challenging himself against high-end competition?
IS THERE ANOTHER FIVE-STAR?
Lyons, Brandon, Curtis and Smigiel are already five-stars but this quarterback class has some solid depth. Could one or even two more five-stars emerge?
Dia Bell has a ton of upside and has been progressing nicely, but he sustained a lower leg injury during his team’s playoff run. It will be interesting to see how he bounces back.
Landon Duckworth is an awfully impressive athlete and he has shown signs of significant improvement as a passer. A closer look at him this offseason could be a prelude to another move up the rankings.
Jaden O’Neal is physically imposing with a big arm and solid mechanics. Helaman Casuga is a prolific passer with mobility and impressive accuracy down the field. Jonas Williams elevated his play as a junior and could find himself in the five-star discussion down the road as well.
HOW MANY WILL TRANSFER?
It’s the middle of the winter transfer window so it’s fitting to wonder just how many of these quarterbacks will end up finishing their college career with a team they didn’t originally sign with. For a frame of reference, around 70 quarterbacks signed with Power Four programs in the 2024 recruiting class. More than 170 quarterbacks have already entered the transfer portal during this cycle and that number should top 200 before all is said and done.
What does that mean for the quarterbacks in the 2026 class? Saying more than half of them will find themselves transferring at least once is a good bet.
