Similar to 2022, the SEC once again looks to be loaded with elite signal-callers. Some of the ones with the most hype have been a bit disappointing to start the year, to be fair, but others have been shockingly good. How do they stack up against each other right now? We break it down with our league quarterback power rankings following Week 2.

16. Zach Calzada, Kentucky

Marsk Stoops is truly living up to his identity with Zach Calzada at quarterback. Before getting hurt, Calzada completed just 47.2 percent of his passes for 234 yards, no scores and one interception. By next week, another Wildcats quarterback may be in our power rankings, as Calzada could be either too hurt or not good enough to play.

15. D.J. Lagway, Florida

Billy Napier’s finish to last season, beating two ranked teams, overrated D.J. Lagway’s play. He didn’t do anything until lighting it up in the bowl game, but the combination of the wins and his last impression led everybody to believe he is elite. Lagway completed a bunch of easy passes in the Gators’ loss to the South Florida Bulls, but he did nothing special, and scoring just 16 points puts him here.

14. Gunner Stockton, Georgia

All the concerns about Gunner Stockton are now validated, as he’s been underwhelming this year. Despite no games against a Power Five school, Stockton’s quarterback rating is a mere 140.7. He’s averaging just over seven yards a completion, has only 86 rushing yards, has only scored twice, and is why the Bulldogs’ offense looked so bad against the Austin Peay Governors, so he’s at the bottom of our power rankings.

13. Ty Simpson, Alabama

A rough start at the Florida State Seminoles was certainly going to knock Ty Simpson down this list, but he showed what he can be last Saturday, completing all 17 pass attempts for 226 yards and three touchdowns for the Crimson Tide in a 73-0 win over the Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks. He’s built to run the Kalen DeBoer offense, so a few more games should help him a lot.

12. Arch Manning, Texas

Similar to Simpson, Arch Manning struggled in a road loss to a Power Four school to open the year but righted the ship in an easy matchup the next week. He accounted for five touchdowns and threw for 295 yards against the San Jose State Spartans as the Longhorns won 38-7. Like Simpson, expect him to improve with more games under his belt.

11. Garrett Nussmeier, LSU

Winning is the only thing putting Garrett Nussmeier over Simpson and Manning to this point. He did beat the Clemson Tigers on the road. However, that team barely beat the Troy Trojans last week, and Nussmeier’s Tigers looked awful against the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs offensively. Right now, he’s averaging under six yards an attempt with just two touchdowns, so if he doesn’t pick it up this week, he’ll fall further.

10. LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina

Similar to Nussmeier, LaNorris Sellers entered this year with a lot of hype only to see his team get to 2-0 largely without his help. The Gamecocks have been winning with defense, but Sellers has been betetr than Nussmeier to this point. He’s averaging nearly nine yards an attempt and has 385 total yards of offense and three total touchdowns, but he’s got to do more to move up these power rankings.

9. Marcel Reed, Texas A&M

We now move to the quarterbacks with great stats but no test yet. Marcel Reed is completing 66 percent of his passes for the Aggies and averaging eight yards an attempt. He has 614 yards of total offense with eight touchdowns and no interceptions. With a visit to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish this week, if he keeps this up, he could shoot into the top five very soon.

8. Taylen Green, Arkansas

Another Bobby Petrino quarterback is putting up video game numbers, and this time he’s helping Sam Pittman keep his job. Taylen Green is completing 71.9 percent of his passes, is averaging just under 10 yards an attempt and has generated 753 yards of total offense to go with 11 total touchdowns and just two interceptions. Like Reed, he needs a Power Four opponent before we move him up, though.

7. Blake Shapen, Mississippi State

The stats were there in the first one, and the clutch gene was there in the second. Blake Shapen led the Bulldogs on a game-winning drive to upset the Arizona State Sun Devils at home last week, and he is completing 68.2 percent of his passes right now, averaging over eight yards an attempt and has generated 559 total yards with four touchdowns along with just one interception.

6. Austin Simmons, Ole Miss

Take out the interceptions, and Austin Simmons is top three in our power rankings. He’s got a road win, over a Power Four school, at Kentucky, and he’s generating 637 yards of total offense with four total touchdowns. Lane Kiffin will get him going soon enough, and the Rebels will be more than fine with him at the helm, but he’s got to better control his turnovers.

5. Jackson Arnold, Oklahoma

Another quarterback with a Power Four road win, Jackson Arnold is balling with the Tigers. He’s completing 77.8 percent of his passes right now, averaging eight yards and attempt, and has generated 501 yards of total offense and five touchdowns with no interceptions. Of course, his signature game is at the Baylor Bears, who don’t play defense, so he has more to prove, but this is a great start.

4. Joey Aguilar, Tennessee

Nobody in Knoxville misses Nico Iamaleava right now. Joey Aguilar has completed 66.1 percent of his passes, is averaging over nine yards an attempt and has five touchdowns with no interceptions. He’s generated 569 yards of total offense, and he has a Power Four win away from home, leading UT to a dominating victory over the Syracuse Orange to start the season.

3. Diego Pavia, Vanderbilt

That moxy Diego Pavia entered the season with is working out, as he just generated 254 yards of total offense in a road win over a Power Four school for the Commodores. Right now, Pavia is completing 74.4 percent of his passes for a remarkable 10.9 yards per attempt while generating 573 yards and five touchdowns of total offense with just one interception. He’s doing big things for Vandy.

2. Beau Pribula, Missouri

Eli Drinkwitz has another quarterback to run his system. After scoring 61 points in the opener, Beau Pribula threw for 334 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions in the Tigers’ win over the Kansas Jayhawks. He is completing 79.1 percent of his passes, averaging over nine yards an attempt and has generated 678 yards of total offense with seven total touchdowns and no picks. Right now, Pribula is a Heisman favorite.

1. John Mateer, Oklahoma

Brent Venables’ upgrade with last year’s Washington State Cougars quarterback and offensive coordinator worked against the Michigan Wolverines. John Mateer threw for 270 yards in a huge win, and it pushed him up our power rankings and into the Heisman race. He’s now completing 71.8 percent of his passes, averaging over nine yards an attempt and has 760 yards of total offense with seven total touchdowns and just two picks.