ESPN college football writers Eli Lederman, Max Olson, and Adam Rittenberg have assembled their picks for every Power 4 starting quarterback job, and that list includes an early guess at quarterback for all 16 Big 12 schools.
Rather than guess the depth chart, the assessment predicts the most-likely name to lead the offense out onto the field in Week 1. Some picks are clear, while others merit some discussion and extra thought.
Arizona State transfer Sam Leavitt, now at LSU, and Utah’s Devon Dampier were at the front of the Big 12’s national quarterback presence in 2025; Texas Tech’s Brendan Sorsby, transferring from Cincinnati, and Kansas State’s Avery Johnson are each on the cusp of major senior send-offs.
National champion, Indiana, even got a piece of the conference’s portal pie with TCU transfer Josh Hoover.
Simply put, the Big 12 will feature several talented and unpredictable names under center in 2026. ESPN’s projected starters average 240.3 yards per game; Even young guns, such as BYU true freshman Bear Bachmeier, were capable of a 12-2 finish and a bowl win last year.
Jaylen Raynor’s upgrade comes full circle
ESPN tabbed Arkansas State transfer Jaylen Raynor as Iowa State’s starter for Week 1 vs. Southeast Missouri. Raynor is filling the void left by Rocco Becht, who followed Matt Campbell over to Penn State.
Raynor is making the jump to the Power 4 from the Sun Belt, where he threw for a career-high 3,361 yards, 19 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions with a 7-6 Red Wolves team last year. Jimmy Rogers went out and grabbed two transfer receivers in Omari Hayes (Tulane) and Cody Jackson (Tarleton State) to bolster the room again next season. The Cyclones signed a fifth wide receiver transfer on Wednesday.
Jaden Craig replaces Josh Hoover at TCU
ESPN tabbed Harvard transfer Jaden Craig to assume the quarterback spot left by Josh Hoover in Week 1 in a rematch with North Carolina at home.
Craig threw for 6,074 career yards with the Crimson in three seasons before transferring to Fort Worth this offseason. The Harvard alum passed on his NFL Draft buzz in favor of another college season.
JC French IV plugged in for Cincinnati
ESPN tabbed Southern Georgia transfer JC French IV as its Week 1 starter at home against Boston College.
French, another Sun Belt starter of two seasons, enters the Bearcats’ quarterback room with Samaj Jones, who shared snaps with senior Brady Lichtenberg during a 35-13 loss to Navy in the Liberty Bowl. French threw for 5,882 career yards and 38 touchdowns in three seasons with the Eagles.
ESPN’s projected Big 12 starters in 2026
Arizona State: Cutter Boley (R. So.)
Arizona: Noah Fifita (R. Sr.)
BYU: Bear Bachmeier (So.)
Baylor: DJ Lagway (Jr., Florida)
Cincinnati: JC French IV (R. Sr., Georgia Southern)
Colorado: Julian Lewis (R. Fr.)
Houston: Conner Weigman (R. Sr.)
Iowa State: Jaylen Raynor (Sr., Arkansas State)
Kansas: Cole Ballard (R. Jr.)
Kansas State: Avery Johnson (Sr.)
Oklahoma State: Drew Mestemaker (R. So., North Texas)
TCU: Jaden Craig (R. Sr., Harvard)
Texas Tech: Brendan Sorsby (R. Sr., Cincinnati)
UCF: Alonza Barnett III (R. Sr., James Madison)
Utah: Devon Dampier (Sr.)
West Virginia: Michael Hawkins Jr. (R. So., Oklahoma)
