Joel Klatt Ranks the Top 5 College QBs, Chooses a Rolls Royce Over a Minivan

It wasn't exactly a diss; it was more a preference for flash and notoriety over competence.

On the Joel Klatt Show today Klatt ranked his top five quarterbacks in the FBS, and he placed Dillon Gabriel 5th behind Carson Beck, Shedeur Sanders, Cam Rising and Quinn Ewers.

Klatt had solid reasons for all his picks, and he didn't slight Gabriel in his evaluation. About the new Oregon starter he said, "Dillon Gabriel, I think is going to have a phenomenal season for Oregon. He's a great fit for what offensive coordinator Will Stein wants to do."

"I'm a huge fan of this fit and what it could be with all that talent around him at Oregon, great wide receivers and now you get into that experience factor which you know is a big factor for me."

"I think he's going to have a great year. I think he's a really good player. A point guard, smart, knows where to go with the ball and he's accurate."

In context he made clear that this was a ranking of these guys as college quarterbacks rather than an evaluation of their NFL potential. Chances are, Gabriel would be even further down a list like that, owing to his size and below-average arm strength.

But Klatt gave Gabriel plenty of credit for starting 49 games and playing well in different systems. At Oregon, with these weapons and this offense, he just might take his team further than any of these "better quarterbacks."

Winning games, not showing up to practice in a Rolls Royce, is the ultimate measure of a quarterback's value, you'd think. Gabriel's not going to rip into his teammates in the media and on the sideline, either.

With his NIL deal Gabriel bought a minivan so he could pick up his receivers to go throw over the summer.

At number one Carson Beck has to face three preseason top ten opponents on the road this year, and number 16 Clemson in Atlanta for the season opener. We'll find out just how good he is, particularly because he has to run the Georgia offense this season without Brock Bowers or Ladd McConkey. Always as the Bulldogs signal caller he's surrounded by a massive array of talent, but a bigger share of the load will be on him as a senior. He led the SEC in passing last season with 3,941 yards, while throwing 24 touchdowns with 6 interceptions.

Beck's numbers aren't overwhelming: He gets tremendous credit for playing for a Top Three team in the nation's premier conference, perhaps deservedly.

As an old Colorado Buff Klatt might be forgiven for leaning so hard into the Shedeur Sanders hype. Sanders was sacked 52 times on a 4-8 team, throwing for 3,230 yards with 27 TDs and just 3 interceptions. Putting up 27-3 with that kind of pressure certainly merits respect, but at the same time, how well does Sanders motivate his teammates, and how many of those 52 sacks reflect his timing and pocket awareness.

It's hard to give that much credit to a quarterback who doesn't win and doesn't lead. Scenes of him ripping teammates on the sideline or sulking in the late stages of a loss can't be ignored: Sanders has those classic NFL attributes in terms of arm strength and accuracy, but leadership is a big part of a quarterback's job.

Cam Rising is a tremendous competitor and the perfect Utah quarterback. The Utes should dominate in the Big 12, and he's likely to have a great year coming back from injury

For Quinn Ewers, there's added pressure after making the final four last season. He's in the SEC now, and wide receivers Xavier Worthy and AD Mitchell, tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders, and running back Jonothan Brooks all left in the 2024 NFL draft.

Of this top five, considering schedule, offensive scheme, teammates and leadership, who's the most likely to hoist the National Championship Trophy at the end of the year? That's a different question, but ultimately a more important one.