Photo Credit: American Conference
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The American Conference enters 2026 with several intriguing quarterbacks. The league lost major production from last season. Still, several talented signal-callers return. Others arrived through the transfer portal. A few teams also face quarterback competitions. Therefore, ranking all 14 teams creates plenty of debate. These rankings consider experience, production, talent, and projected impact. Here is how I rank every American Conference quarterback entering 2026.
- Owen McCown, UTSA
McCown enters 2026 as the American’s top quarterback. He has developed into one of the conference’s most reliable passers. He threw for 2,995 yards and 30 touchdowns last season. His completion percentage also improved from 63% to 67.6%. Meanwhile, he completed 13 passes covering at least 40 yards. McCown also brings two years of starting experience at UTSA. That combination gives the Roadrunners tremendous stability. He deserves the top spot heading into the season.
- Caden Veltkamp, Florida Atlantic
Veltkamp enters the season as another proven American quarterback. He ranked among the nation’s most productive passers last season. Veltkamp averaged 303.4 passing yards per game. He also threw 24 touchdown passes. Additionally, he completed 67% of his attempts. However, Veltkamp threw 17 interceptions last season. Cutting down those mistakes could make him even more dangerous. His massive workload still makes him one of the league’s best.
- Cale Hellums, Army
Hellums brings a completely different style to the conversation. The Army quarterback dominated on the ground last season. He rushed for 1,223 yards and 18 touchdowns. Those numbers ranked first among FBS quarterbacks in rushing yards. He also recorded six games with at least 100 rushing yards. Hellums threw for 694 yards and four touchdowns. Army does not ask him to throw frequently. Still, his ability within the Black Knights’ option attack makes him extremely valuable.
- Braxton Woodson, Navy
Woodson takes over after Blake Horvath’s departure. That creates significant expectations in Annapolis. However, Woodson already has plenty of experience within Navy’s system. He has appeared in 24 games during his career. He also has 760 rushing yards and 10 rushing touchdowns. Woodson added 516 passing yards and three passing scores. His athleticism fits Navy’s offense perfectly. Therefore, I expect him to become one of the conference’s breakout quarterbacks.
- Marcus Stokes, Memphis
Stokes could climb these rankings quickly. He arrives at Memphis after an outstanding season at West Florida. Stokes threw for 3,297 yards and 30 touchdowns in 2025. He also rushed for 367 yards and 10 touchdowns. Those numbers demonstrate tremendous dual-threat ability. However, Memphis still has a quarterback competition. Air Noland continues to compete with Stokes for the job. If Stokes wins, his upside could become enormous.
- Michael Van Buren Jr., South Florida
Van Buren gives South Florida plenty of quarterback talent. He previously spent time at Mississippi State and LSU. Across 17 career appearances, he has thrown for 2,896 yards. He also has 19 passing touchdowns and six rushing scores. That experience should help him transition into USF’s offense. However, Luke Kromenhoek also competed for the position. Van Buren entered the offseason with the advantage. Brian Hartline will need to maximize his considerable talent.
- Emory Williams, East Carolina
Williams remains an intriguing quarterback option at East Carolina. He spent three seasons at Miami before transferring to the Pirates. Williams played in 12 games during his Hurricanes career. He threw for 813 yards and four touchdowns. He also completed 62.9% of his attempts. However, Mitch Griffis continues competing with Williams for the starting job. That makes Williams difficult to rank higher. His talent still gives ECU plenty of optimism.
- Baylor Hayes, Tulsa
Hayes enters his second season at the FBS level. He followed coach Tre Lamb from East Tennessee State to Tulsa. Hayes threw for 2,158 yards and 12 touchdowns last season. He also rushed for 190 yards and three scores. His ability to create explosive plays makes him intriguing. Hayes also performed well against several strong opponents. Another year in the system could produce a major jump.
- Kadin Semonza, Tulane
Semonza brings plenty of potential to the defending conference champion. He won MAC Freshman of the Year at Ball State in 2024. That season produced 2,904 passing yards and 25 touchdowns. Semonza then redshirted while working behind Darian Mensah. Now, he gets another opportunity to lead an offense. Tulane has a strong quarterback tradition. Semonza will have to handle those expectations immediately. Still, his previous production makes him a fascinating option.
- Tayven Jackson, North Texas
Jackson brings extensive FBS experience to North Texas. He has played at Tennessee, Indiana, and UCF. Across 27 games, he has thrown for 3,451 yards. He also has 16 career passing touchdowns. Jackson adds another eight rushing touchdowns. North Texas lost significant production from last year’s roster. Therefore, Jackson’s experience could prove extremely valuable. He may not have the highest ceiling here. However, his floor gives the Mean Green stability.
- Jacurri Brown, Rice
Brown brings plenty of athletic ability to Rice. He previously played at Miami and UCF. Brown has appeared in 25 games during his college career. He has thrown for 906 yards and six touchdowns. More importantly, he has rushed for 821 yards and eight scores. That rushing ability fits Rice’s option offense extremely well. The Owls need more passing production, though. If Brown improves as a passer, Rice could become dangerous.
- Ryder Burton, UAB
Burton enters 2026 with limited starting experience. He played nine games last season and started twice. Burton threw for 708 yards and seven touchdowns. He completed 63.3% of his attempts. However, he also threw five interceptions on only 98 attempts. That turnover rate must improve. Still, his performance against Memphis showed what he can provide. Another year could help Burton become much more consistent.
- Jaxon Smolik, Temple
Smolik represents one of the conference’s biggest unknowns. He transferred to Temple after three seasons at Penn State. However, he has never attempted a college pass. That creates significant uncertainty heading into the season. Still, Smolik has intriguing arm talent and rushing ability. He also must hold off Ajani Sheppard during the competition. Therefore, his ranking comes with considerable caution. The upside remains there, though.
- Cole Gonzales, Charlotte
Gonzales enters the season with plenty of experience from his FCS career. He spent 2025 as a reserve at Pitt. Before that, he starred at Western Carolina. Gonzales accumulated 6,682 passing yards and 51 touchdowns there. He also rushed for 562 yards and three touchdowns. Charlotte needs a major offensive improvement. The 49ers averaged only 14.3 points per game last season. Gonzales currently has the edge in Charlotte’s quarterback competition. Conner Harrell continues working back from a serious knee injury.
The American Has Plenty of Quarterback Talent
The American Conference may lack the national quarterback recognition of larger leagues. However, the position remains one of its strengths. McCown and Veltkamp provide proven production at the top. Hellums and Woodson bring tremendous rushing ability. Meanwhile, Stokes could become the conference’s biggest breakout candidate. Van Buren also brings Power Four experience to USF. Several teams still face quarterback competitions. Memphis and East Carolina both have unresolved battles. Charlotte also continues monitoring Harrell’s recovery. That means these rankings could change quickly. Still, McCown deserves the top spot entering 2026. His accuracy, production, and experience give UTSA a major advantage. The American will also feature plenty of intriguing quarterback storylines. Those battles could shape the conference race. Most importantly, several quarterbacks have opportunities to change their reputations. That should make the 2026 American Conference season fascinating from start to finish.
Author Profile
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Bradley Walker (VP) and Head of our Florida operations for NGSC Sports, bringing extensive experience across collegiate, professional, and amateur athletics. His coverage spans USF Athletics, including football, baseball, lacrosse, and softball, as well as University of Tampa baseball.
Bradley also provides coverage of minor league baseball with the Clearwater Threshers and Major League Baseball with the Tampa Bay Rays. On the national stage, he covers college football bowl games and conference championship matchups, along with premier golf events across the PGA Tour, LIV Golf, and LPGA Tour.
In addition to his reporting work, Bradley is the play-by-play announcer for Pinellas Park High School Patriots football, lending his voice and insight to Friday night lights.
He is also an active podcast host and contributor, serving as a host on The Walker Report, where he delivers in-depth sports analysis, interviews, and coverage across multiple levels of competition.
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