6 new college QBs bettors need to know about

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The 2017 college football season is being labeled the year of the quarterback by ESPN and for good reason. The defending Heisman winner Lamar Jackson returns to Louisville and there’s a solid chance Sam Darnold, Josh Allen and Josh Rosen could go one, two, three in next year’s NFL Draft.

College football bettors aren’t interested in known products like the quarterbacks mentioned above. Staying ahead of the bookies means rolling up your sleeves and doing some homework on the new faces under center this season.

Here are six new signal callers bettors need to know about heading into Week 1 of the college football season.

Kelly Bryant, Clemson Tigers

Bryant is a former four-star recruit as a dual-threat quarterback. He displayed his skills in his freshman season picking up 178 yards through the air and 175 on the ground.

Replacing a program legend like Deshaun Watson won’t be easy, but Clemson has enough talent to win without Bryant having replicate Watson’s production. The Tigers return four starters on the offense line and many weapons at the receiver and running back positions.

The junior’s strengths as a passer and a playmaker are similar to Watson’s, just not at the same level, which means Clemson should not have to change its offense to best suit Bryant.

The Tigers’ schedule should help out Bryant’s development as the new starting quarterback. Clemson is a 38.5-point favorite against Kent State in Week 1. Bryant’s true test will come the following week when the defending champions host Auburn.

Jarrett Stidham, Auburn Tigers

Speaking of Auburn, War Eagle supporters haven’t been this excited about their starting quarterback since some guy named Cam Newton left. Stidham, a former four-star recruit from Baylor, was described by former coach Art Briles as the best young quarterback he’d ever been around.

Stidham passed for 1265 yards and 12 touchdowns while completing 68.8 percent of his passes as a freshman in 2015. He left Baylor, sat out the 2016 season and is still one of the top Heisman candidates at 25/1 according to Bet365.com.

The predictability of the Auburn’s offense is what’s held this team back. The Tigers ranked sixth in total rushing yards per game and 112th in passing yards last season. If Stidham can bring balance to the offense, Auburn could mount a serious challenge to Alabama in SEC West.

The War Eagle are 35-point favorites Week 1 against Georgia Southern.

Malik Rosier, Miami Hurricanes

Rosier is another dual-threat quarterback and was a three-star recruit signed in 2014. He has experience, but he’s not exactly an inspiring choice.

Rosier will have a strong understanding of the offense after serving the last two seasons as the backup QB to Brad Kaaya in Miami. Kaaya left the Hurricanes as the program’s all-time leader in passing yards after three seasons as the starting quarterback.

Rosier’s lone start happened in 2015 against the Duke Blue Devils. Rosier passed for 272 yards and two touchdowns while completing 20 of his 29 pass attempts. Miami won and covered as a 10-point underdog.

The Hurricanes open the season against Bethune Cookman (no odds available) this Saturday. Miami is favored to win the ACC Coastal division at +125 and fourth choice at +650 to win the conference outright.

Max Browne, Pittsburgh Panthers

Browne started last season as the starting quarterback at Southern Cal but lost his job to true freshman Sam Darnold after blowout losses to Alabama and Stanford. Browne passed for 507 yards and two touchdowns and two interceptions while completing 62 percent of his pass attempts.

A former five-star recruit and now a graduate transfer at Pitt, Browne is known as a pro style quarterback. He’s not going to get you many first downs with his legs but he will hang in the pocket and find the open target.

He takes hold of an offense that scored more than 40 points per game and outgunned Clemson and Penn State last season.

Pitt hosts Youngstown State in Week 1 before visiting Penn State in Week 2. The Panthers are 25/1 long shots to win the ACC.

Todd Huntley, Utah Utes

This sophomore, dual-threat, three-star recruit unseated senior Troy Williams and won the starting job in Utah. The move isn’t a shock but still surprising considering Williams is a team captain and guided the team to a 9-4 (7-6 ATS) campaign a year ago.

Huntley was named Florida’s Gatorade Player of the Year after his senior high school season in 2015 when he threw for 3636 yards and 42 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.

Utah opens the season against North Dakota in Week 1. Oddsmakers have the Utes at 14/1 to win the Pac-12 - behind USC, Washington, Stanford, UCLA, Oregon and Washington State.

Josh Jackson, Virginia Tech

From Michael Vick to Jerod Evans, the Hokies like a quarterback who can pick up a first down with his feet. Jackson is the latest fleet-footed signal caller to win the starting QB job. He’ll become the first true freshman starting QB at VT since Tyrod Taylor in 2007.

Virginia Tech coach Justin Fuente built a reputation for making a star out of QB Paxton Lynch at Memphis. Lynch started all three years he was at school including as a true freshman in 2013.

Fuente made magic with Evans and the Hokies offense in 2016. Can he do it again with Jackson?