Who are the underrated quarterbacks to look out for in college football in 2021? We look into some names that should be big players next year.
Looking ahead to the 2022 NFL Draft Class, there’s two top quarterback prospects; Sam Howell at North Carolina and Spencer Rattler at Oklahoma. After that, there is no set order as to who the top quarterbacks will be. In this article, we will look at some under the radar quarterbacks that should be watched in 2021. With a good year, they could slide into the 3rd spot at QB and possibly even sneak into the 1st-round in the 2022 NFL Draft.
(Disclaimer: The 2020 college football landscape was different because of the COVID pandemic. Some teams faced delays, while others had to cancel games entirely.)
Carson Strong – RS So Nevada
Strong was outside the top 2,000 prospects and ranked the 55th Pro-Style QB. His only offer was from Nevada, so in his first year on campus Strong did not throw a pass. In 2019 Strong took over, throwing for over 2,300 yards, 11 TDs, and 7 Ints in 10 games. In his 2nd year starting, Strong improved in all categories and put up an impressive 160.6 QB rating.
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Nevada’s offensive ranked 11th in pass attempts and did not even try to fake like they were going to run; as 88% of Strong’s attempts were not from play action. 60% of Strong’s throws were 10 yards or under, but he did have success on deep throws as 15 out of his 27 TDs were thrown 20 yards or more. Strong is a true drop-back passer and has great placement and loft on deep throws. He puts throws on the money for WRs to stay in stride and shield defenders.
When Carson Strong is throwing deep, there’s a good chance that ball is going to Romeo Doubs.
STRONG to DOUBS has been as lethal a combination as any in the country, accounting for 770 yds and 9 TDs. Hefty 22.2 ypc average for Doubs.#BattleBorn // #NevadaGrit#devy pic.twitter.com/TpeWpYkNPN
— Felix H. Sharpe II (@sharpereview) November 22, 2020
Where Strong really struggles is when it comes to pressure or off-platform throws. While he can move around in the pocket, he will never be mistaken for a dual-threat QB. Per PFF his rating dropped from 92 to 48 when he was pressured, with 20% of the pressures were turned into him being sacked. In addition to that, he doesn’t have the best mechanics and will not set his feet, causing inaccurate passes on short throws.
It will be interesting how Strong will develop in 2021. The Nevada offense and competition will allow for him to continue to put up great numbers. Strong is great in a clean pocket, but the NFL is trending towards more mobile Quarterbacks. To be selected highly in the 2022 NFL Draft, he will have to show better composure when he gets pressured.
Graham Mertz – RS So Wisconsin
Mertz is the opposite of Strong coming into Wisconsin. He was a top 70 prospect, # 3 Pro-Style QB, and had multiple Power 5 offers. In his freshman year, Mertz only threw nine passes and took a redshirt. In 2020, Mertz took over as the starter and impressed in his first game, going 20 of 21 and throwing five TDs against Illinois. Then Covid hit, and Wisconsin did not play another game for three weeks. Mertz never regained his stride the rest of the season and Wisconsin stumbled to a 4-3 finish.
Mertz has good mobility and is able to make plays inside and outside of the pocket. In the Illinois game, he showed the ability to vary throws and place the ball where the receiver could catch in stride. He was quick and decisive; and needs to show more of that going forward.
Wisconsin QB Graham Mertz threw a catchable ball on 100% of his throws last night. For perspective, he's the only QB to do that in a single game in 2020 (min 20 att, @PFF_College).
I think the freshman might be pretty good. pic.twitter.com/l1RAF4ZDdh
— Anthony Treash (@PFF_Anthony) October 24, 2020
The main problem for Mertz is his opportunities at Wisconsin will be limited. Year in and year out Wisconsin continues to depend on the run game, and pass attempts usually stay in the low 20s per game. The offense is very conservative having 68% of its throws under 10 yards. In his first year as a starter, Mertz struggled with accuracy against pressure but it is hard to evaluate due to the season affected by Covid.
Wisconsin should be very competitive in the Big Ten and this should mean they will be in plenty of big games to watch during 2021. Out of all these under-the-radar quarterbacks, I think Mertz is most likely to stay more than three years because of a lack of passing opportunities.
NFL teams can see the traits he shows but in such a conservative offensive scheme, that might not be enough to rise up draft boards. I am intrigued to see if he can repeat performances (like against Illinois) in a normal season.
Jake Haener – RS Jr Fresno St
In 2017, Haener was a middle 3-star prospect that was ranked the 25th Pro-Style QB; but the only Power 5 offer was from Washington. In 2018, Haener played sparingly in three games but was expected to compete for the starting job in 2019. Once Jacob Eason transferred from Georgia to Washington and won the starting job, Haener decided to transfer to Fresno St. In 2020, Haener had a solid first year with over 2000 yards, 14 TDs, and only five INTs in six games.
Haener is listed as a Pro-Style QB but he has good mobility, and can make plays off-platform at a much better rate right now than Carson Strong. Haener throws at different arm angles and has a quick release. He improvises well and thrives in hurry-up situations. He can progress through his reads quickly which is impressive with his lack of playing experience. For more great analysis on Haener check out Alfred and Felix’s breakdown. It is very informative.
This ball probably floats just a touch too much for me, but you get a sense for Jake Haener's opposite hash arm strength here. pic.twitter.com/VuIoVmU9vw
— Felix H. Sharpe II (@sharpereview) March 1, 2021
Fresno State was 9th in college football in pass attempts in 2020 with over 41 a game. With this pass-heavy approach, 16% of his throws were 20 yards or more with a quarterback rating of 96.5 according to PFF. Haener also does well under pressure and shows some elusiveness. On blitzes, he completed 68% of his passes and had a higher PFF rating than when he wasn’t blitzed. One issue with Haener is that he puts a lot of faith in his strong arm, throwing into tight windows that can lead to costly interceptions.
Fresno State has most of their skill players returning and should continue to have a potent offense in 2021. You will want to catch some of their late-night games to see how Haener progresses. Will he continue to impress and become a name that more people know to come to the end of the 2021 season?
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Tualia Tagovailoa – Jr Maryland
Tua’s brother was a 4-Star top 200 QB prospect that followed his brother and went to Alabama. He played some mop-up duty his freshman year but once Tua left for the NFL, he decided to transfer to Maryland. He received immediate eligibility in 2020 and was the starter, but only was able to play four games because of Covid cancellations. Through four games, Tualia showed promise with two games of three TDs; but also showed his inexperience with two games of three INTs.
Unlike the other QBs on this list, Tualia is a true dual-threat and looked as explosive as his brother before the latter’s injuries.
Athleticism must run in the Tagovailoa family. This time, it's Taulia Tagovailoa with the highlight. pic.twitter.com/z0rDxLrnOt
— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) October 30, 2020
Tualia shows off the ability to move in and out of the pocket and fit the ball into small spaces. He’s able to place the ball in spots where only the receiver can make plays and help avoid big collisions. He does tend to throw 50-50 jump balls for his receivers and can rely too much on his strong arm. This made some sense though because of Maryland’s athletic young receivers. He only attempted 20 deep throws but had a rating below 34 on those.
Taulia Tagovailoa 34-YD dime 🎯
3rd TD of the day
(via @CFBONFOX)pic.twitter.com/xqxX3A3ofd
— Bleacher Report CFB (@BR_CFB) November 7, 2020
Maryland is a sleeper in the Big Ten in 2021, and many think they could surprise some teams with their explosive offenses. Taulia shows flashes of what Tua could do at Alabama but needs to show more consistency. Will a longer, normal season show better decision-making? If so, then he may be joining his brother in the NFL with a short time at Maryland.
Make sure to check out these underrated quarterbacks next year in college football. Whether you play Devy, C2C, or Dynasty formats, these names will be important to know. There are always quarterbacks that rise out of nowhere to become a draft darling like Zach Wilson this year. Don’t be late to the party make sure to be ready to call your shot on who the next one will be.
Brandon Haye
Brandon grew up in Jacksonville, Florida and works as a health insurance data analyst. He has no children, but two fur babies - Squirt and Brownie. He and his wife, Katie, spend their time playing poker and enjoying time with their pups. Brandon is a huge Michigan Wolverine and Jacksonville Jaguars fan. He at one time was in 77 fantasy leagues and loves the game of football. Brandon started writing for The Leauge Winners in 2021.