#1 Bryce Perkins - UVA
Kurt Benkert was a difference maker for UVA in a number of games last year. Yet, his most impressive game came on September 16th against UConn, where he threw for 455 yards, 3 TD's and completed 75% of his passes on 40 attempts. His presence behind center will certainly be missed in Charlottesville.
However, there is reason for excitement. Newcomer and JUCO-transfer, Bryce Perkins turned heads this Spring and is the expected starter for the Hoos'. He's exceptionally fast, has a great arm, accurate and an admirable work ethic.
You won't find much tape on Bryce but there are a couple of videos from his junior college games. Here's one that outlines his speed and creativity within the pocket:
Obviously Benkert will be missed but this new style of play from Perkins will make the Hoos' offense a force in 2018. While he will certainly be exciting, do note that this is a work in progress. For one, watch how he stares down receivers. He seldom looks past his first option, and almost never past his second. While his pocket presence and speed allow him to escape would be sacks, he will have to develop better vision when playing experienced secondaries.
#2 Josh Jackson - Virginia Tech
This time last year, Hokie fans were incredibly excited for newcomer QB, Josh Jackson. His quickness, arm strength and instinct reminded many of VT legend, Michael Vick. Early through the 2017 season, he even looked the part. After the first five games, Jackson was completing 65% of his throws, tossed 11 touchdowns and just 1 pick. Then came Clemson, and Jackson's performance took a dip as he threw for 2 INT's, and just 250 yards on 44 attempts.
Despite the hot start, Jackson finished the year only completing more than 20 throws in five games, and in four games he threw for less than 200 yards. Things didn't get better this off-season either as rumors circulated that he had been suspended indefinitely due to academic issues.
Hokies' coach Justin Fuente is well known for his ability to develop quarterbacks. But with the season opener against Florida State, Jackson needs to start improving sooner rather than later.
#3 Stephen "Buckshot" Calvert - Liberty
Calvert's coming out party occurred during week 1 against Baylor, when he threw for 447 yards, 3 TD's and completed 44 passes on 60 attempts. His incredible performance led the Flames to a 48-45 win over the Bears. The competitiveness continued for the next two weeks as Liberty got off to a 3-0 start. Calvert's success would be short-lived however. In week 4, Jacksonville State shut down the Flames passing attack. Buckshot only completed 46% of his throws, threw a pick and was sacked twice in the loss. That game would set the tone for a four game losing streak. Eventually, he would lead the Flames back to the win column and a 6-5 finish.
The most impressive part about his 2017 season is that he averaged 40 passing attempts per game (among the highest in FCS), and still completed 59%. Not to mention, last season he was working with a very new receiving core. Now, he has one of the most experienced receiving cores in college football and an offensive line that returns 6 players with seven or more starts.
#4 Steven Williams - ODU
Last year, at 17 years old, Steven Williams was the youngest starting QB in all of FBS. With 11 interceptions, and 55% completion percentage, he certainly displayed his youth throughout the year. However, he also showed an incredible ability to escape sacks and engineer a run-pass-option offense. As the year went on, coaches started trusting Williams more and he saw his rushing attempts go from 7 per game (first five games) to 11 per game (last five games).
No one can doubt Williams' ability to evade sacks or frustrate linebackers with option plays. That said, he has to improve his accuracy and cut down on the interceptions in year two. Additionally, there's now the concern that he could be injured. If he's injured, it's of particular concern due to his style. Many option style quarterbacks suffer from multiple injuries throughout their career and most endure at least one season ending injury. His most recent recorded measurements show him at 6'4" 196 lbs. That is incredibly thin. Again, while you can't deny the athleticism, can he stay healthy and improve his decision making? That answer could be the difference in a bowl game for the Monarchs.
5. Ben Dinucci - JMU
Now that Dukes' great, Bryan Schor has graduated, there is a major hole at QB in Harrisonburg. There are four players expected to compete for the coveted starting role, but most believe the starter will be Cole Johnson or Ben Dinucci. A transfer from Pittsburgh, Ben Dinucci possesses FBS experience and also has demonstrated an ability to run an option style offense. Because there is not a clear cut favorite for the starting QB job, expect head coach Mike Houston to favor the running game this autumn. So, a quarterback with experience running an option style offense at the FBS level seems like the favorite.
All of that said, Dinucci was certainly not beloved in Pittsburgh and never found himself as a consistent starter. While appearing in eleven games, Ben completed just 91 passes on 167 attempts (54%) and threw 6 TD's while countering with 7 INT's. Can he run the ball? Yes, but he only averaged 2.5 yards per carry last year. His biggest strength is leading receivers open through play-action. Again though, he's really not accurate. If the Dukes' offense gets off to a rough start, Dinucci may be replaced. For now though, a bit of experience should help alleviate any pain caused by Schor's departure.
