Ranking the Top 5 Big Ten quarterbacks for 2025 football season

The Big Ten lost a handful of great quarterbacks to the NFL after the 2024 season, but there are still some great ones left over that should dominate in 2025. Here’s who we think are the top five quarterbacks in the Big Ten for 2025:

There’s not a more important position on the field than quarterback. Having a great one can put your team at a huge advantage, while having a subpar one can greatly limit the ceiling of your team. Unsurprisingly, the Big Ten has churned out many a great quarterback over the last few years as one of the best conferences in the game.

This past season, guys like Dillon Gabriel and Will Howard helped lead their teams to prominence with their play. However, with both those great quarterbacks heading to the NFL, there’s now room for a new crop of star signal callers to make a name for themselves during the 2025 season.

Today, we’ll be sifting through the Big Ten’s vast landscape of quarterbacks and determining who the best five are as draw closer to the 2025 campaign. As a caveat, we’ll be limiting this to quarterbacks who have already started games in college.

5. Dante Moore – Oregon

I’ll be somewhat breaking my own rule here with our first quarterback on the list. Moore transferred to Oregon ahead of the 2024 season after starting five games at UCLA in 2023 as a true freshman. That season, Moore completed just 53.5 percent of his passes with 11 touchdowns and nine interceptions. Not the kinds of results you’d expect for a quarterback on this list, but we’ll cut him some slack since he was a true freshman playing in a, shall we say, “limited” offense at UCLA.

By transferring to Oregon, Moore was betting on himself to improve his game while sitting behind Gabriel for a year. Moore didn’t start any games last season and attempted just eight passes, but he’ll be QB1 for the Ducks this year.

Moore entered college as a five-star recruit and possesses talent with both his arm and his legs. Entering his junior season, he should be poised for a breakout at Oregon. The last two starters under Dan Lanning (Gabriel and Bo Nix) were both transfers and found success in their first years with the program. With Moore’s natural talent and the time he had to develop last year, I’d bet on him having a breakout in 2025.

4. Dylan Raiola – Nebraska

Like Moore, Raiola entered college as a five-star recruit with all the arm talent in the world. Unsurprisingly, he took over as Nebraska’s starting quarterback in Week 1 last season despite not playing a college game yet. He had that kind of talent and did an admirable job despite not having the best team around him. He completed 67.1 percent of his passes and finished with 2,819 yards, 13 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.

Heading into 2025, Nebraska is poised to take a step forward under Matt Rhule, and Raiola’s development should be a big reason why. With another year in a college system and already 13 games under his belt, he will be better than most quarterbacks his age. Factor in the fact that the Cornhuskers also brought in a pair of wide receiver transfers in Dane Key and Nyziah Hunter, and the offense as a whole should be much better. We could be looking back at the end of the season and thinking Raiola was ranked too low.

3. Luke Altmeyer – Illinois

He might not be the flashiest player on the field, but Altmeyer has quietly put together a really nice career for himself at Illinois. After playing under Lane Kiffin for two seasons at Ole Miss, he’s entering his third season as the starter for the Fighting Illini.

Last season was his breakout, as he started 13 games and completed 60.8 percent of his passes for 2,717 yards, 22 touchdowns and just six interceptions. Altmeyer also ran for 217 yards and four touchdowns. By making the decision to return for another season, he’ll try to top those numbers and make a good impression on NFL teams.

While Altmeyer represents one of the more talented players at the position in the Big Ten, he did benefit from having Zakhari Franklin and Pat Bryant to throw to last season. Let’s see if his talent is enough to lead Illinois to a similarly successful season in 2025.

2. Fernando Mendoza – Indiana

Indiana came out of nowhere and went 11-1 in the regular season last year. The players that he added through the transfer portal were a big reason why, and quarterback Kurtis Rourke was no exception.

Now, Curt Cignetti will try to make lightning strike twice, as the Hoosiers added Fernando Mendoza from Cal via the transfer portal. He broke out last year in his second season as a starter, completing 68.7 percent of his passes for 3,004 yards, 16 touchdowns and just six interceptions.

Mendoza should lead Indiana to what should once again be one of the conference’s best offenses, as he’ll be aided by a trio of great receivers in Elijah Surratt, E.J. Williams and Omar Cooper. Look for Indiana to be a thorn in the sides of the conferences top teams once again in 2025, especially if Mendoza is as good as advertised.

1. Drew Allar – Penn State

There might not be a more polarizing player in the Big Ten than Allar. Fans might have soured on him after an unspectacular first season as a starter in 2023, but he did take a big step forward in 2024 and helped lead Penn State to the Big Ten Championship Game and College Football Playoff semifinal in the Orange Bowl .

Last season, Allar finished with a 66.5 completion percentage, 3,327 yards, 24 touchdowns and eight interceptions. There was even some buzz after the season that Allar could have entered the NFL Draft , but is back to try and get Penn State to the National Championship while simultaneously improving his draft stock.

In 2025, Allar will have the benefit of throwing to Kyron Hudson and Devonte Ross, a pair of transfers that should raise the ceiling of the passing attack. Furthermore, Kaytron Allen and Nicholas Singleton — perhaps the best running back duo in college football — are also back.

There’s no need to overcomplicate it — with another year under Andy Kotelnicki, Allar should take yet another step forward and show why he’s one of the best quarterbacks in the country.

Others to watch: Nico Iamaleava (UCLA), Julian Sayin (Ohio State), Demond Williams (Washington), Jayden Maiava (USC), Bryce Underwood (Michigan), Mikey Keene (Michigan).