After studying how each of the projected Power 4 starting quarterbacks found the way to the top of their respective depth charts to begin the 2026 season, today it's time to look at the Group of 6. Of the 70 schools in the G-6 conferences, I count 58 returning, declared or projected starters, with 12 jobs still too close to call as of this writing.
Let's start here.
How many Group of 6 QB1s are playing for the school they signed with out of high school? I count 19: Air Force, Army, Boise State, Delaware, Hawaii, Jacksonville State, Kent State, Louisiana, Louisiana Tech, Middle Tennessee, Navy, Nevada, North Dakota State, Old Dominion, Sacramento State*, Sam Houston, Toledo, Utah State* and Western Kentucky. Sacramento State and Utah State earned asterisks because both of their respective starters signed there out of high school, transferred somewhere else, and then transferred back.
That means 39 of the 58 plan to start transfers, with many of the remaining 12 undecided among which transfers to start. In fact, a Group of 6 quarterback is nearly as likely to be a multi-time starter (17) than a homegrown prospect (18). Four G6 starters are multi-time transfers, led by Akron's Reese Poffenbarger (an all-conference quarterback at Albany out of high school, then found himself behind Cam Ward at Miami and Drew Mestemaker at North Texas before winding up in Northeast Ohio), North Texas's Tayven Jackson (a Tennessee signee with stops at Indiana and UCF), and the ultimate journeyman Max Johnson, who played for Ed Orgeron at LSU, Jimbo Fisher at Texas A&M, and Mack Brown and Bill Belichick at North Carolina.
Group of 6 QBs by Level Signed Out of High School (current alignment)
Power 4: 20
Group of 6: 26
FCS: 8
Division II: 2
Junior College: 2
With a home-grown rate of around 33 percent, most G6 schools find their quarterbacks on their way up or down the proverbial ladder. Relatedly, not a single G6 school plans to start a true freshman at quarterback, and only four plan to start redshirt freshmen or true sophomores. By far, the fattest part of the bell curve in the Group of 6 leagues is a 3-star recruit in the class of 2023 or 2022 from either Texas or Georgia.
Group of 6 QBs by Signing Class
2026: 0
2025: 4
2024: 11
2023: 19
2022: 17
2021: 4
2020: 3
Group of 6 QBs by Home State
9: Texas
8: Georgia
5: California
4: Florida
3: Alabama, Louisiana, Utah, Virginia
2: Maryland, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Ohio
1: Arizona, Colorado, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee
Group of 6 QBs by Recruiting Ranking
5-star: 1
4-star: 8
3-star: 32
Unrated: 17
We'll be back next week with a big, sweeping study of all 138 FBS QB1s for the 2026 season.
American
Cale Hellums, Army
fourth-year player with 10 starts in 16 games; signed with Army out of Tomball, Texas; unrated recruit in the class of 2022, spent '22 season at West Point Prep
Charlotte -- too close to call
Mitch Griffis, East Carolina
seventh-year player with 10 starts in 32 appearances; signed with Wake Forest out of Ashburn, Va., with additional stops at Marshall and Texas Tech; a 3-star recruit in the class of 2020
Caden Veltkamp, Florida Atlantic
fifth-year player with 25 starts in 28 games; signed with Western Kentucky out of Bowling Green, Ky.; a 3-star recruit in the class of 2022
Marcus Stokes, Memphis
fourth-year player with 20 starts in 23 appearances; signed with West Florida out of St. Augustine, Fla.; a 3-star recruit in the class of 2023
Braxton Woodson, Navy
fourth-year player with three starts across 24 appearances; signed with Navy out of Altamonte Springs, Fla.; a 3-star recruit in the class of 2023
Tayven Jackson, North Texas
fifth-year player with 16 starts in 27 games across three different universities; signed with Tennessee out of Greenwood, Ind., with additional stops at Indiana and UCF; a 4-star recruit in the class of 2022
Jacurri Brown, Rice
fifth-year player with three starts in 21 games; signed with Miami out of Valdosta, Ga., with an additional stop at UCF; a 4-star recruit in the class of 2022
Michael Van Buren, Jr., South Florida
third-year player with 12 starts in 17 appearances; signed with Mississippi State out of Bowie, Md., with an additional stop at LSU; a 4-star recruit in the class of 2024
Temple -- too close to call
Zeon Chriss-Gremillion, Tulane
fifth-year player with 11 starts in 30 games; signed with Louisiana out of Baton Rouge, La., with a stop at Houston; a 3-star recruit in the class of 2022
Baylor Hayes, Tulsa
third-year player with nine starts across 12 appearances; signed with East Tennessee State out of Brentwood, Tenn.; unrated recruit in the class of 2024
Ryder Burton, UAB
fourth-year player with two starts in nine games; signed with BYU out of Springville, Utah, with a stop at West Virginia; a 3-star recruit in the class of 2023
Owen McCown, UTSA
fifth-year player with 30 starts in 37 games; signed with Colorado out of Rusk, Texas; a 3-star recruit in the class of 2022
Conference USA
Nick Minicucci, Delaware
fourth-year player with 18 starts in 28 games; signed with Delaware out of Midland Park, N.J.; unrated recruit in the class of 2023
JJ Kohl, FIU
fourth-year player with no starts in 12 appearances at two prior schools; signed with Iowa State out of Ankney, Iowa, with an additional stop at App State; a 4-star recruit in the class of 2023
Caden Creel, Jacksonville State
fourth-year player with nine starts in 14 games; signed with Jacksonville State out of Fairhope, Ala.; unrated recruit in the class of 2023
Rickie Collins, Kennesaw State
fourth-year player with 10 appearances; signed with LSU out of Baton Rouge, La., with an additional stop at Syracuse; a 4-star recruit in the class of 2023
Ethan Vasko, Liberty
fifth-year player with 30 games and 10 starts; signed with Coastal Carolina out of Chesapeake, Va.; a 3-star recruit in the class of 2022
Roman Gagliano, Middle Tennessee
third-year player with three starts in eight games; signed with Middle Tennessee out of Opelika, Ala.; a 3-star recruit in the class of 2024
Skyler Locklear, Missouri State
fifth-year player with 16 starts in 21 games; signed with Austin Peay out of Clayton, N.C., with an additional stop at UTEP; unrated recruit in the class of 2022
Trey Hedden, New Mexico State
third-year player with 22 starts in 22 games; signed with Furman out of Tampa, Fla.; unrated recruit in the class of 2024
Landyn Locke, Sam Houston
second-year player with three starts in six games; signed with Sam Houston out of Rockwall, Texas; 3-star recruit in the class of 2025
Rodney Tisdale, Jr., Western Kentucky
third-year player with nine appearances and six starts; signed with WKU out of Jacksonville, Fla.; a 3-star recruit in the class of 2024
FBS Independent
UConn -- too close to call
MAC
Reese Poffenbarger, Akron
sixth-year player with 26 starts in 32 games; signed with Old Dominion out of Middletown, Md., with additional stops at Albany, Miami, and North Texas; a 3-star recruit in the class of 2021
Keldric Luster, Ball State
fourth-year player with nine appearances and no starts; signed with SMU out of McKinney, Texas, with an additional stop at Texas State; a 3-star recruit in the class of 2023
Jay Kastantin, Bowling Green
fourth-year player with 22 career starts; signed with Assumption College out of Needham, Mass.; an unrated recruit in the class of 2022 (spent a year at prep school)
Buffalo -- too close to call
Angel Flores, Central Michigan
fifth-year player with three starts in 21 games; signed with Northern Arizona out of Casa Grande, Ariz.; an unrated recruit in the class of 2022
Noah Kim, Eastern Michigan
seventh-year player with 17 starts across 29 appearances; signed with Michigan State out of Centreville, Va., with an additional stop at Coastal Carolina; a 3-star recruit in the class of 2020
Dru DeShields, Kent State
fourth-year player with 11 starts in 11 games; signed with Kent State out of Beloit, Ohio; a 3-star recruit in the class of 2023
Pop Watson, UMass
fourth-year player and first-time starter with 11 appearances; signed with Virginia Tech out of Springfield, Mass.; a 3-star recruit in the class of 2023
David McComb, Miami (Ohio)
second-year player who redshirted in 2025; signed with Kansas out of Edmond, Okla.; a 3-star recruit in the class of 2025
Nick Polous, Ohio
fourth-year player with three starts in 14 appearances; signed with El Camino Community College out of Granite Bay, Calif.; an unrated recruit in the class of 2023
Carson Conklin, Sacramento State
fourth-year player with 15 starts in 23 games; signed with Sacramento State out of Yorba Linda, Calif., but spent 2025 at Fresno State; a 3-star recruit in the class of 2023
John Alan Richter, Toledo
fifth-year player with one start in nine games; signed with Toledo out of Gray, Ga.; a 3-star recruit in the class of 2022
Broc Lowry, Western Michigan
fourth-year player with 11 starts in 29 games; signed with Indiana out of Canfield, Ohio; a 3-star recruit in the class of 2023
Mountain West
Liam Szarka, Air Force
third-year player with seven starts in 10 games; signed with Air Force out of Aurora, Colo.; an unrated recruit in the class of 2024
Micah Alejado, Hawaii
third-year player with 12 starts in 16 appearances; signed with Hawaii out of Las Vegas; a 3-star recruit in the class of 2024
Carter Jones, Nevada
second-year player with 10 appearances and seven starts; signed with Nevada out of Lancaster, Texas; a 3-star recruit in the class of 2025
New Mexico -- too close to call
Nathan Hayes, North Dakota State
fifth-year player and first-time starter with 18 appearances; signed with NDSU out of West Chicago, Ill.; a 3-star recruit in the class of 2022
Northern Illinois -- too close to call
Luke Weaver, San Jose State
fifth-year player with 26 starts in 31 games; signed with Modesto Junior College out of Manteca, Calif. with an additional stop at Hawaii; a 3-star recruit in the class of 2022
Jackson Arnold, UNLV
fourth-year player with 18 starts in 27 games; signed with Oklahoma out of Denton, Texas, with an additional stop at Auburn; a 5-star recruit in the class of 2023
EJ Colson, Jr., UTEP
third-year player with 10 starts in 13 games; signed with UCF out of Ellenwood, Ga., with an additional stop at Incarnate Word; a 3-star recruit in the class of 2024
Tyler Hughes, Wyoming
fifth-year player with 13 starts in 20 games; signed with William & Mary out of Marietta, Ga.,; an unrated recruit in the class of 2022
Pac-12
Maddux Madsen, Boise State
fifth-year player with 26 starts across 35 appearances; signed with Boise State out of Lehi, Utah; a 3-star recruit in the class of 2022
Colorado State -- too close to call
Fresno State -- too close to call
Braden Atkinson, Oregon State
second-year player with 11 starts in 11 games; signed with Mercer out of Raleigh, N.C.; an unrated recruit in the class of 2025
Jayden Denegal, San Diego State
fifth-year player with 12 starts in 19 games; signed with Michigan out of Apple Valley, Calif.; a 3-star recruit in the class of 2022
Brad Jackson, Texas State
third-year player with 16 appearances and 13 starts; signed with Texas State out of San Antonio; a 3-star recruit in the class of 2024
McCae Hillstead, Utah State
fourth-year player with four starts in 13 games; signed with Utah State out of Lehi, Utah, but spent 2024-25 at BYU; a 3-star recruit in the class of 2023
Caden Pinnick, Washington State
third-year player with 13 appearances and 12 starts; signed with UC Davis out of Roseville, Calif.; an unrated recruit in the class of 2024
Sun Belt
Malachi Singleton, Appalachian State
fourth-year player and first-time starter with 16 appearances; signed with Arkansas out of Kennesaw, Ga., with an additional stop at Purdue; a 4-star recruit in the class of 2023
Arkansas State -- too close to call
Coastal Carolina -- too close to call
Max Johnson, Georgia Southern
seventh-year player with 24 starts in 35 appearances; signed with LSU out of Athens, Ga., with additional stops at Texas A&M and North Carolina; a 4-star recruit in the class of 2020
Cameran Brown, Georgia State
fifth-year player with 10 starts across 27 appearances; signed with West Georgia out of Warner Robbins, Ga., with an additional stop at Texas Tech; an unrated recruit in the class of 2022
James Madison -- too close to call
Lunch Winfield, Louisiana
fourth-year player with eight starts in 13 games; signed with Louisiana out of Lutcher, La.; a 3-star recruit in the class of 2023
Blake Baker, Louisiana Tech
fourth-year player with 10 appearances and seven starts; signed with La Tech out of Cypress, Texas; an unrated recruit in the class of 2023
Aidan Armenta, ULM
fourth-year player with 11 starts in 23 games; signed with New Mexico out of Albuquerque; an unrated recruit in the class of 2023
Carlos Del Rio-Wilson, Marshall
sixth-year player with 25 appearances and 12 starts; signed with Florida out of Atlanta, with an additional stop at Syracuse; a 4-star recruit in the class of 2021
Quinn Heincle, Old Dominion
third-year player with one start in 12 games; signed with ODU out of Downington, Pa.; a 3-star recruit in the class of 2024
Bishop Davenport, South Alabama
fifth-year player with 14 starts in 26 games; signed with Utah State out of Spring, Texas; a 3-star recruit in the class of 2022
Southern Miss -- too close to call
Goose Crowder, Troy
sixth-year player with 10 starts in 26 games; signed with West Virginia out of Gardendale, Ala.; a 3-star recruit in the class of 2021