All fans know about Trevor Lawrence and Justin Fields but what about the guys who are under the radar? These will be the QBs that are poised to have a breakout season in 2020.
Spencer Rattler – Oklahoma
Rattler should be the biggest breakout player in CFB in 2020. He’s a former 5⭐ and #1 QB recruit. In High School he threw for 11,083 yards and 116 TDs. I expect 45 plus total TDs from Rattler in 2020. In a Lincoln Riley Offense the sky is the limit.
Tyler Shough – Oregon
Shough has a chance to be the starting QB for the Ducks in 2020. According to Head Coach Mario Cristobal, Shough entered the spring as the starter giving him a clear advantage. A former 4⭐ he shined in limited action in 2019 going 12-15 for 144 yards and 3 touchdowns. Boston College Transfer, Anthony Brown, won’t just hand over the starting job but if Shough comes out on top I expect a big season.
Michael Penix Jr – Indiana
Penix has completed nearly 69% of his passes while throwing for 1,394 yards and 10 touchdowns. Penix is also a very capable runner who added 164 rushing yards and 2 rushing TDs. All of this in just 9 games of action! A lot of people already know the name, but we think Penix takes the next step in 2020.
Chase Brice – Duke
Brice is someone I’m extremely excited to watch next season. The Blue Devils are a team hard to predict because they’ll go as far as Brice can take them. At Clemson he had 9 touchdowns and carried his squad to a season saving victory over Syracuse in 2018. Under the tutelage of David Cutcliffe I’m expecting Brice to have a big season.
Grant Gunnell – Arizona
Gunnell was thrown into the fire last season as a freshman and he delivered. In 2019 he threw for 1,239 yards and 9 TDs while completing 65.2% of his passes. This season as the full time starter he could put up some video game-like numbers. Gunnell has a big arm and showed good poise and awareness in the pocket.
Brennan Armstrong – UVA
They call him young Tebow in Charlottesville. The Lefty use to wear #98 but now wears #10. Last season he threw for 196 yards and a touchdown in mop up duty. Armstrong had a big High School career in Ohio and has that beautiful lefty touch on his passes. He will be competing with Mississippi State transfer, Keytaon Thompson for the starting job. He has big shoes to fill if he wins the job as Bryce Perkins raised the standard for UVA quarterbacks.
Dylan McCaffery – Michigan
McCaffrey has patiently waited his turn and 2020 could be his time to shine. The former 4⭐ has been 18/35 through the air with 242 passing yards and 3 touchdowns in his career. McCaffrey is an efficient runner who has good accuracy on his throws. He was a heralded recruit coming out of High School and football is in his DNA. He will compete with Joe Milton for the starting job.
Joe Milton – Michigan
Milton has a good chance to win the starting QB job at Michigan next season as well. He’s a former 4⭐ who’s 6’5 230 pounds. He’s got a big arm and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him takeover as the starter at any point in the season.
Jacob Sirmon – Washington
Sirmon is a former 4⭐ QB in the 2018 class who is a big load at 6’5″ and 225 pounds. Sirmon is inexperienced but flashes talent. He is a big time candidate have a breakout season in 2020, and I expect at least 20 plus passing touchdowns.
Cammon Cooper – Washington State
Cooper is a former 4⭐ who will look to win the Cougars starting QB job this upcoming season. The lefty has good placement on his passes and good touch. Don’t be surprised if we see big things from him in 2020.
Ken Seals – Vanderbilt
Seals will be a true freshman this season. He was a 3⭐ recruit from Texas, and rated as the #21 pro-style QB in the 2020 class. I think there is a good chance he comes away with the starting job this upcoming season. He could become a household name before the end of 2020.
Malik Willis – Liberty
Willis is a dual threat QB who transferred to LU from Auburn. He was also committed to Virginia Tech at one point in the recruiting process (Flames Week 1 Opponent). Willis is an excellent runner who had 309 rushing yards 2 touchdowns at Auburn. He has a lot of upside but still has a lot of unknowns at this time. The biggest question mark being his passing accuracy. Hugh Freeze knows how to develop QBs, so I expect for Willis to have a big season.
Kurtis Rourke – Ohio
Kurtis is the brother of Nathan Rourke who had 111 TDs in his career as a Bobcat. Kurtis is taller than his brother at 6’4 and word on the street is he has a better arm. The jury is still out on that, but we think you should remember the name.
Aaron Allen – LA Tech
Allen will have big shoes to fill as he will replace J’Mar Smith if he wins the job. Last season he threw for 446 yards and 3 touchdowns while Smith missed two games. Allen is a dual threat with tons of upside.
Jabari Laws – Army
Laws started 5 games last season and rushed for 484 yards and 4 touchdowns, he also passed for 311 yards and 1 TD. He also completed 80% of his passes. This season as the Black Knights starter I expect Laws to have a big-time season.
Hayden Wolff – Old Dominion
Wolff started three of the final four games last season for ODU as a true freshman. He threw for 737 yards and 2 touchdowns. He has prototypical size at 6’5″ and a big arm to get the ball to his playmaking receivers (Kumah and Fitzgerald). Both of which will benefit from his arm talent.
Frank Harris – UTSA
Harris was 66-91 (72.5%) for 486 yards and 3 touchdowns in 2019 before he went down with an injury. Harris will have to win the job all over again vs. Lowell Narcisse if he wants to start in 2020. Harris is a dual threat with huge upside, and I’m looking forward to watching him play this upcoming season.
Henry Colombi – Utah State
Colombi is 53-69 for 460 yards 2 TDs through the air with 2 touchdowns on the ground. Colombi is a good passer and effective runner who knows the playbook and should have the inside track to start. Don’t be surprised to see his name more and more in 2020.
