Ranking quarterbacks on 2024 Arkansas football schedule from Quinn Ewers to Payton Thorne

FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas football is ushering in a new era under center this fall.

After three seasons with KJ Jefferson leading the offense, Boise State transfer Taylen Green is now in charge of maximizing Bobby Petrino's offense and engineering a bounce back after last year's struggles.

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But what about the other quarterbacks on the Razorbacks' schedule?

We ranked the 12 quarterbacks Arkansas is set to face this season, from Heisman candidates to an in-state rival's positional battle.

1. Quinn Ewers, Texas

The best quarterback on the schedule is a newcomer to the SEC, who led his team to the College Football Playoff last season. Ewers is back — keeping Archie Manning on the bench — to lead Texas in a new era for the program. The Texas native who began his career at Ohio State threw for 3,479 yards and 22 touchdowns last season with six interceptions. He's got experience on the biggest of stages, including a road win over Alabama on his résumé, and will hope another strong year elevates his draft status for April.

2. Jaxson Dart, Ole Miss

Dart follows Ewers, but two-through-four on this list feel interchangeable. We'll start with the Utah native, who leads an Ole Miss team brimming with confidence and expectations after an 11-2 season that turned into an A-plus performance in the transfer portal. Dart could easily exceed the 3,364 passing yards and 23 touchdowns he amassed last season with weapons like Tre Harris, Caden Prieskorn and South Carolina transfer 'Juice' Wells in the fold.

3. Brady Cook, Missouri

Cook was one of the biggest surprises in the SEC last season, leading the Tigers to an 11-2 record while throwing for 3,317 yards and 21 touchdowns. He'll take on a bigger role this year with the departure of running back Cody Schrader, but Cook will be throwing to a potential Heisman candidate this fall in Luther Burden III. There is a lot of hype coming out of the Columbia, and Arkansas will hope to spoil any great Tigers' season on Thanksgiving weekend.

4. Conner Weigman, Texas A&M

The redshirt sophomore hasn't started more than five games in a collegiate season, but he's been terrific in limited action. Weigman averaged three touchdowns and more than 300 yards through the first three games of 2023 before sustaining a season-ending foot injury. There isn't as much buzz around the Aggies after Jimbo Fisher's departure and the hiring of Mike Elko, but that could be a good thing for Weigman and the program.

5. Garrett Nussmeier, LSU

Nussmeier is another quarterback with limited reps, but huge potential. He'll follow in the footsteps of Heisman winner Jayden Daniels and lead an offense needing to replace first-round wide receivers Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr., but LSU is always loaded with talent at the skill positions. With Daniels out, Nussmeier threw for 395 yards and four touchdowns in a bowl win over Wisconsin, and he could be a one-and-done starter in college football.

6. Nico Iamaleava, Tennessee

Speaking of impressive postseason games, Iamaleava was named Most Valuable Player of the 2024 Cheez-It Citrus Bowl after scoring three rushing touchdowns and throwing for another in a 35-0 win over Iowa. At the time, it was the first start for a highly-touted true freshman. Today, the former five-star recruit is the undisputed starter for a Tennessee team hoping to improve off last year's 9-4 campaign.

7. Alan Bowman, Oklahoma State

Bowman is the first quarterback on the list from outside the SEC, and he will present the first real test for the Razorbacks' defense in week two. He's also the most experienced quarterback Arkansas will face in 2024, entering his seventh season of college football. In his first year with the Cowboys, Bowman threw for 3,460 yards, but he had 14 interceptions. Forcing turnovers will be key for Arkansas to pull off the upset.

8. Payton Thorne, Auburn

Arkansas fans might expect Thorne to be higher on this list after the Tigers' quarterback scored four touchdowns in a 48-10 drubbing of the Hogs last season. Thorne is a terrific athlete, and ran for more than 500 yards in 2023, but he had two games with more than 200 passing yards. He still needs to become better inside the pocket, but Hugh Freeze has a knack for maximizing his quarterbacks.

9. Blake Shapen, Mississippi State

Shapen arrives in Starkville after a three-year run with Baylor. He threw for 2,188 yards and 13 touchdowns in 2023 despite missing time with multiple injuries. Shapen has all the tools, and he was an MLB Draft pick coming out of high school in 2022, and he will lead the Bulldogs into a new era under head coach Jeff Lebby. While he was the offensive coordinator at UCF, Ole Miss and Oklahoma, Lebby was able to consistently produce some of the best offenses in the country.

10. Jacob Zeno, UAB

The Blazers went 4-8 in 2023, but Zeno is talented enough to strike fears of a potential upset in the Fayetteville home opener. The sixth-year quarterback threw for 3,126 yards and scored 24 touchdowns last year under Trent Dilfer. Zeno also has experience in SEC environments, having played at Georgia in 2023.

11. Jack Turner, Louisiana Tech

Turner is entering his first season as a full-time starter. He did get some experience last year, throwing for 1,017 yards and five touchdowns in four starts. His most impressive performance came on the road against Nebraska, where he logged 250 passing yards and a touchdown as the Bulldogs fell 28-14.

12. Chancellor Edwards or Mekhi Hagens, UAPB

The Golden Lions weren't shy about letting different quarterbacks get extensive reps last season. Edwards and Hagens are back after combining for 1,014 passing yards and 11 total touchdowns in 2023. Hagens is the better runner, while Edwards is the more efficient passer. Arkansas will likely see both signal callers in the season opener down in Little Rock.

This article originally appeared on Fort Smith Times Record: Ranking quarterbacks on 2024 Arkansas football schedule from Quinn Ewers to Payton Thorne