Cam Mellor of CFN Ranks All 134 FBS Quarterbacks, and One Is "In a Class of His Own"

Cam Mellor of the College Football Network broke down every quarterback room in the FBS, and he picked Oregon Ducks quarterback Dillon Gabriel as the top QB in college football this season.

Of Gabriel he writes:

A class of his own, Dillon Gabriel is not only the most proven quarterback returning to college football in 2024, he’s arguably the best at any number of quarterbacking facets. You name it, Gabriel’s likely the leader in the clubhouse as the best in the country or deserving of his place among the best.

Downfield outside the numbers? Gabriel’s the best.

Pocket presence? Gabriel’s the best.

Creation capacity? Gabriel’s the best.

The list goes on and on. Simply put, inside the Oregon Ducks offense, Gabriel could not only have a career year but also set NCAA records for yards in a career.

As talented as he is, Gabriel has also proven everyone wrong at every stop along his collegiate journey, and he comes fully equipped to be prepared as anyone has been in the transfer portal era to take over from the get-go and surpass even the loftiest of expectations in his first and only year in Eugene.

Mellor closely evaluated the film of all the quarterbacks in Division One to arrive at his ranking. He stressed this was not a study of their pro-level abilities or draft stock, but instead based on their ability to be effective for their college team.

He chose Carson Beck of Georgia second, Jalen Milroe of Alabama third. Jaxson Dart of Mississippi and Brady Cook of Missouri are 4th and 5th.

Among Big Ten quarterbacks, Drew Allar of Penn State checks in at #14. Ohio State's Will Howard places 20th. Mellor writes, "It could be said that of all the veteran transfer quarterbacks this season, Will Howard stepped into the easiest gig in the country." But he goes on to praise Howard's knowledge, football acumen and leadership ability, noting that with his exceptional mobility the Kansas State transfer creates a lot of pressure on defenses. "Somehow, even at 6’4″ and 237 pounds, Howard plays even bigger on the field," Mellor writes.

Former Duck Tyler Shough, now at Louisville for his final year of college football, ranked number 50. No other Big Ten QB cracked the Top 50, though Purdue's Hudson Card placed 51st. He's a transfer from Texas who'll host the Ducks on Friday night October 18th. Michigan State's new starter Aidan Chiles claims the 52nd spot, a dual threat transfer who played for new Spartan head coach Jonathan Smith at Oregon State. The Ducks meet him in Autzen Stadium Friday night October 4th. Mellor selected Washington's transfer quarterback Will Rogers (formerly Mississippi State) 60th in the country, just slightly above average, befitting a Husky team that's projected for 6.5 wins in 2024.

The list is another reminder that the Oregon defense won't face the gauntlet of quarterbacks it encountered in the PAC-12 last season. Cam Ward, D.J. Uiagalelei, and Cam Rising are in other leagues. Caleb Williams and Michael Penix are in the NFL.

Mellor is the executive editor of the College Football Network based in Columbus, Ohio, a graduate of Florida State.