We all know quarterbacks like Kaidon Salter, Byrum Brown, and Dillon Gabriel are likely going in the first round in CFF drafts. We also know there is a big group of second and third-tier quarterbacks consisting of about 15 or so more guys.
From there, it’s about finding a couple more guys to round out your rosters. On a 20-man roster, it isn’t out of the norm to carry up to four QBs. So you need to know who to look towards at the end of your CFF drafts.
Five Quarterbacks to Draft Towards the End of CFF Drafts
John Mateer (Washington State Cougars)
Washington State will basically be playing a Mountain West schedule after the dissolution of the PAC-12. With the exception of their annual game with Washington, a tilt with Texas Tech, and a matchup with Oregon State, the Cougars will face off against G5 rosters. That leaves room for new starting QB John Mateer to take over for the departed Cam Ward. Last season, Washington State averaged over 336 passing yards per game. I don’t expect them to change their offensive philosophy. Mateer is currently the 31st QB off the board in CFF drafts, going in the middle of the 14th round.
Giovanni Lopez (South Alabama Jaguars)
South Alabama has a manageable schedule inside the Sun Belt Conference and Gio Lopez is a legitimate dual-threat quarterback. He played in five games in 2023 but finished strong with a big four-touchdown performance in the Jaguars’ bowl game victory over Eastern Michigan. Currently being drafted at the 198th overall spot and the 44th QB taken, Lopez offers clear value in the middle of the 17th round.
Josh Hoover (TCU Horned Frogs)
Last season, Chandler Morris injured his knee, leading to Josh Hoover taking over at quarterback for TCU. In his six starts, Hoover threw for over 300 yards five times and over 400 yards twice. He won’t offer much in the run game, but he has shown the ability to put up big numbers through the air. Currently being selected as the 46th QB off the board, Hoover’s current CFF ADP suggests he could be had at the end of the 17th or early in the 18th round.
Maalik Murphy (Duke Blue Devils)
The writing was clearly on the wall for Maalik Murphy at Texas. He was sandwiched between Quinn Ewers and Arch Manning but was going to be left out eventually. A physical specimen, Murphy has a huge arm and is athletically talented enough to be a solid CFF producer. His move to Duke leaves him with fewer weapons to work with, but also quite a bit less competition. The 68th QB in CFF drafts, according to ADP. Maalik Murphy can currently be had in the 27th round.
DeQuan Finn (Baylor Bears)
Being skeptical of DeQuan Finn’s ability to handle the jump in competition is one thing. Allowing him to go completely undrafted… like he is going in most drafts… is another. Finn was a CFF standout during his time at Toledo. A true dual-threat quarterback, he can score for you in multiple ways. Now, he is jumping from the MAC to the Big XII. The jump in talent also means he will have better weapons to work with…especially in a conference that doesn’t play much defense.
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