Reese Poffenbarger was dynamic at Albany for the past two seasons. He threw for 36 touchdowns to 13 interceptions with 3,614 yards in 2023. He loves to attack downfield, moves well, and reminds me a bit of a young Baker Mayfield. His two years of starting experience, even at the FCS level, could help him separate from the competition.
Jacurri Brown will give Reese all he can handle, though. Brown is massive at 6-4 and over 220 lbs. He runs well and has shown development with his consistency as a passer. He’s sat behind Tyler Van Dyke for the past two seasons and will have to do the same for Ward this year, but Brown is ready to compete for QB1 come 2025.
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Emory Williams might not belong in tier 2 since he will likely redshirt this season. However, he showed me so much grit and poise on the field last year that I felt compelled to include him. Williams started for the Hurricanes against the two toughest defenses they faced (Clemson and FSU) and managed both games very well as a true freshman. He’s recovering from a broken arm, so his availability for spring football is unclear. However, if he really stands out in practices leading up to the regular season, you can’t completely rule out Williams emerging as the backup.
True freshman Judd Anderson is unlikely to see the field in 2024 and there’s nothing wrong with that. He can use the next season or two to develop. Anderson is an intriguing prospect, as he possesses rare athleticism for someone with a 6-7 frame. He improved drastically from his junior to senior seasons in high school. As a senior at Warner Robins in Georgia, Judd threw for just under 3,000 yards with 30 touchdowns to 7 just interceptions. He also scored 3 rushing TD’s. For Anderson, having the opportunity to learn under Ward, Poffenbarger, Brown and Williams will be invaluable.
It’s a no brainer that Ward will start. Predicting the backup is tougher. I give the slight edge to Poffenbarger right now due to his in-game experience. Even though he comes from the FCS level, numerous quarterbacks, including Cam Ward, have made that transition successfully.
