Big 12 Football Quarterback Power Rankings: Week 5
There is no position in all of sports that is more important than the quarterback. A good quarterback can help hide other areas of weakness on a team while bad ones can bring down even the best of teams. Either way, having good quarterback play is crucial for any team that hopes to make it all the way. Just like with team power rankings, I wanted to do a weekly quarterback power ranking after every weekend. Here you will find out who is trending up or down depending on their play on the field.
1. Kansas QB Jalon Daniels
No need to look twice because a Kansas quarterback has taken the top spot on this list for the first time ever. Jalon has completely put this team on his back, and he just keeps getter better each and every week. He has thrown for 11 touchdown passes and has just turned the ball over one time in four games. Not only is he leading the way for his team with his arm, but he also leads the team in rushing yards as he has rushed for over 300 yards this season to go along with four rushing scores. Right now, he is the best quarterback in the Big 12 and he belongs in the Heisman conversation if he keeps playing like this.
2. Oklahoma State QB Spencer Sanders
When it comes to Spencer Sanders, turnovers have always been an issue. While he did get better last season, he had a huge meltdown in the Big 12 championship game against Baylor. Now in year five at Oklahoma State, Spencer has done a much better job at taking care of the football. I know the opponents haven’t been great but through just three games he has 13 total touchdowns and has just thrown one interception. The schedule is going to pick up this week but so far, I have really liked what I have seen from Spencer.
3. Baylor QB Blake Shapen
There is a reason that this man took the starting quarterback job in the spring, and I can see why. Blake was great in the Big 12 title game a year ago and now he is really coming into his own as a starting quarterback. He is super-efficient and always seems to have a calm presence in the pocket, but he can also extend plays with his feet. Shapen has completed nearly 70% of his passes so far this year and has turned the ball over just once. If Baylor is going to keep winning games, it will be because of the play of this man right here.
4. Oklahoma QB Dillon Gabriel
He certainly didn’t have his best performance against Kansas State but he’s still a solid quarterback. Just like Spencer Sanders, Dillon has a total of 13 touchdowns through four games and is one of the few starting quarterbacks in the entire country who has yet to throw an interception. He does a great job taking care of the football, but he did miss some open throws in the loss to Kansas State on Saturday.
5. West Virginia Quarterback JT Daniels
Some people may not love the stat line JT has but honestly the man hasn’t had a ton of help at times. West Virginia has lost two games already, but it wasn’t because of JT Daniels or the offense. His team has played a tough schedule so far, but he has impressed me with his accuracy and his arm. Daniels isn’t afraid to throw into tight windows and is able to put the ball exactly where it needs to be even when he’s under pressure.
6. Iowa State QB Hunter Dekkers
Hunter came back to earth a little bit after Saturday’s loss to Baylor. He has had some questionable throws but those are expected in his first season as a starter. However, you can clearly see that the talent is there. Dekkers has a big arm and makes quick decisions. He can put the ball where it needs to be, and he is athletic enough to make a play with his feet. Through four games, Hunter has completed 71.6% of his passes which is the second highest in the Big 12 right now.
7. Kansas State QB Adrian Martinez
Some people may want him higher on the list after Saturday and I totally understand. Adrian put the Kansas State team on his back and carried them to a victory in Norman, Oklahoma. He has rushed for nearly 300 yards this season and has six rushing touchdowns which is tied for the second most in the Big 12. However, I still have plenty of questions about him throwing the football. We simply haven’t seen him use his arm a whole lot this year and I can’t forget about the Tulane loss from a week ago. I really like the upside he has but I want to see the complete package.
8. Texas Tech QB Donovan Smith
Donovan has had quite a few ups and downs this year just like last season. In 2021, Tyler Shough got injured and Smith had to fill in. Now the same exact thing happened this year as Smith is going to be the starter for a while. Last weekend against NC State, Smith made too many mistakes to the point where he could have been benched. But this past Saturday against Texas, he was great as he threw for 331 yards and two scores. He did a great job in short yardage situations and led his team to a big win. If he can be more consistent, then he will climb up this list.
9. TCU QB Max Duggan
You can call Duggan a backup or a starter, but he has filled in nicely for Chandler Morris who was injured in the first game of the season. Ever since then, Duggan has taken over and has thrown eight touchdown passes with zero interceptions. He also has the highest completion percentage in the Big 12 (77%) but he’s only attempted a little over 60 passes so far this year. The Frogs have a huge test this weekend with Oklahoma coming to town and whether it’s Duggan or Morris playing, they have a chance to move up a few spots if they play well.
10. Texas QB Hudson Card
When Quinn Ewers went down in the first quarter against Alabama, it was up to Hudson Card to become the man under center. While he has had a couple of good moments, he hasn’t impressed me much at all. I know Texas leans on the run game, but he has to make more plays with his arm because if not, Texas isn’t going to win many games this season.
