Ranking SEC quarterbacks: Take Garrett Nussmeier, Arch Manning or DJ Lagway with top pick?
- No SEC quarterback is more proven than Garrett Nussmeier, but if building a team, would you gamble on upside of Arch Manning or DJ Lagway? It's an interesting debate.
- John Mateer making a Cam Ward-like impact? Oklahoma certainly hopes so.
- Austin Simmons at Ole Miss, a sleeper in SEC quarterback rankings, should not be ignored.
No SEC quarterback is more proven than Garrett Nussmeier, but if you're building a depth chart, would you go with the LSU quarterback first, or gamble on the upside of Texas' Arch Manning or Florida's DJ Lagway?
Our annual SEC quarterback draft is back!
On this edition of "SEC Football Unfiltered," a podcast from the Paste BN Network, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams go head-to-head trying to build the best four-deep roster of SEC quarterbacks.
Adams makes a safe choice with his No. 1 pick, then gambles with a couple of quarterbacks who haven't yet proven themselves in the SEC. Toppmeyer counters with a barrage of sophomore quarterbacks, headlined by a new starter with his top pick.
Here's how their draft pans out:
Drafting SEC quarterbacks for 2025 football season
Adams Pick 1: Garrett Nussmeier (LSU) – He's proven, and I love his arm. Don't overthink this. I'm taking the top guy.
Toppmeyer Pick 1: Arch Manning (Texas) – Manning's upside is tremendous. That became apparent in his spot-starting and off-the-bench duties this past season.
Toppmeyer Pick 2: DJ Lagway (Florida) – Lagway, after injuring his hamstring in October, spurred Florida's four-game win streak to finish the season. Can't wait to see what this dual-threat talent can do if healthy for a full season.
Adams Pick 2: John Mateer (Oklahoma) – Yeah, he's never played in the SEC, but he proved his dual-threat abilities at Washington State. Remember the last Cougars quarterback who transferred? Mateer can have a Cam Ward-like impact.
Adams Pick 3: Austin Simmons (Ole Miss) – I saw enough during Simmons' drive in relief duty against Georgia to know I want him on my team. He's Lane Kiffin's next budding star.
Toppmeyer Pick 3: LaNorris Sellers (South Carolina) – At this point in the draft, I'm taking the best quarterback left on the board. That's Sellers. He kept improving throughout his first season as a starter, to the point where he's one of the SEC's top four returning quarterbacks.
Toppmeyer Pick 4: Nico Iamaleava (Tennessee) – Iamaleava didn't live up to the hype in his redshirt freshman season, but I can't let a quarterback with his arm talent go undrafted. I'm thinking we didn't see the best of Iamaleava in 2024.
Adams Pick 4: Taylen Green (Arkansas) – I could go a number of directions with my final pick, but I'll take the veteran with a number of gritty wins on his résumé.
Final rosters
Adams: Garrett Nussmeier (LSU), John Mateer (Oklahoma), Austin Simmons (Ole Miss), Taylen Green (Arkansas)
Toppmeyer: Arch Manning (Texas), DJ Lagway (Florida), LaNorris Sellers (South Carolina), Nico Iamaleava (Tennessee)
Later in the episode
∎ The hosts debate whether spring football games are on the verge of extinction.
Where to listen to SEC Football Unfiltered
Blake Toppmeyer is the Paste BN Network's national college football columnist. John Adams is the senior sports columnist for the Knoxville News Sentinel. Subscribe to the SEC Football Unfiltered podcast, and check out the SEC Unfiltered newsletter, delivered straight to your inbox.