Let’s examine the quarterback position to determine who is on the rise and who has seen their stock decline now that spring practices and the spring portal have played out.
STOCK UP
Ty Simpson, Alabama
Stop me if you have heard this before, but Ty Simpson had a strong spring by all indications from the Tide beat reporters. In fact, new OC Ryan Grubb went so far as to say that Simpson would be the Week 1 starter if they had to play right now. Simpson appears to have significantly widened the gap between him and the other two options- Austin Mack and Keelon Russell. This doesn’t necessarily mean his job is safe should he struggle early in the season. But it sounds like Grubb and DeBoer have found their man, and that is certainly worth something in CFF.
CJ Carr, Notre Dame
Carr was in a real competition to start the spring with Angeli and a fake competition with Minchey. This staff wanted Carr to step up to win this job, and it sounds like he did just that. He got rave reviews throughout practices and capitalized in the spring scrimmage with a stellar performance. Things were abundantly clear after the spring, which forced Angeli to pack his bags and ride off to Syracuse (more on that later). Carr will be the next QB up for prolific OC Mike Denbrock.
Arch Manning, Texas
Arch Mania was already in full gear, so how could his stock get any higher? Here is how- you add the top WR in the portal in Emmett Mosley V and the top TE in the portal in Jack Endries. Texas just provided Arch with multiple top-tier receiving options to go along with Wingo and Moore. The only question now is, will the Horns’ defense take a big enough step back to allow Arch and this offense to engage in a few shootouts?
STOCK DOWN
DJ Lagway, Florida
Lagway had one of the strangest springs in recent memory. He didn’t throw a single pass due to an undisclosed, mysterious shoulder injury that apparently took place at the end of 2024. The inability to throw four months after his last game is the reddest of red flags. This has all the feels of a Labral tear, with a decision not to perform surgery in January, but still wasn’t healed in April. Surgery now would likely put him on the shelf for the entirety of the season. This could all be precautionary, and he could have a great season. But, he could also reaggravate whatever is currently limiting him.
Gio Lopez, North Carolina
Lopez is simply the classic case of leveling up in competition to an inferior CFF system while being surrounded by limited play-makers. Never a combo we like to see. We don’t know how Bill Belichick and his girlfriend envision this offense in 2025. Freddie Kitchens is fine as an OC, but he’s no Major Applewhite. Will this staff be willing to let Lopez cook and be comfortable with the mistakes that will inevitably come with that? I have my doubts.
Rickie Collins, Syracuse
Collins had a wild ride this spring after transferring in from LSU. He was named the starting quarterback before spring concluded. He sat out the spring scrimmage with a hand injury and watched his key competition in Michael Johnson Jr transfer out, only to see Notre Dame’s Steve Angeli transfer in. Sprinkle in that his top receiving option, Trebor Pena, left after spring concluded, and you have a really rocky past few weeks for the once expected heir to Kyle McCord. The addition of Angeli certainly puts Collins’ starter status in question.
