Ranking the best quarterbacks that Auburn will face during the 2025 season

The 2025 season is quickly approaching, which means it is a great time to scout every quarterback that the Auburn Tigers are slated to face this season.

Auburn will head to Baylor to open the 2025 season on Aug. 29 for a game that is sure to excite those who love great passing games. The Tigers will face Ball State and South Alabama before opening SEC play at Oklahoma, then Texas A&M, to close the September portion of the schedule. Auburn will also face a College Football Playoff participant in Georgia, as well as arch rival Alabama at home this season, with games against Kentucky, Vanderbilt, Missouri, and Arkansas mixed in.

The docket of quarterbacks Auburn is slated to face is a great mix of experienced quarterbacks and those aiming to make a name for themselves as transfers or being first-year starters. Auburn's defensive backfield will be experienced and ready to slow down each team's passing game every week.

Ahead of the 2025 season, here is a look at every quarterback Auburn is slated to face this season, ranked No. 12 to No. 1.

No. 12 Kaiel Kelly, Ball State Cardinals

The first player on our list has had a strange, yet eventful college career to say the least. Ball State's Kiael Kelly began his career as a defensive back at Ball State in 2022 before making the move to offense, where he has played quarterback and wide receiver. He started in seven of 11 games in 2023 at quarterback, where he passed for 577 yards and two touchdowns while adding 724 yards and seven scores on the ground. He caught three passes for 10 yards as a receiver last season.

There is zero doubt that Kelly will be a major player in Ball State's offense when the Cardinals visit Auburn on Sept. 6, but will it be at quarterback?

No. 11 DJ Smith, Mercer Bears

Smith started seven games for Mercer in 2024 and returns as the eldest quarterback on the roster. The JUCO product completed 74% of his passes last season for 1,300 yards and nine touchdowns, while rushing for an additional 152 yards and four touchdowns. He has zero issue slinging the ball as he passed for over 200-yards in four games last season, with his best game coming in his Mercer debut against Presbyterian, where he passed for 320 yards and three scores.

Smith joins Kelly from Ball State in being a quality dual-threat quarterback, and will definitely not be the last on our list. Smith will lead the Mercer Bears into Jordan-Hare Stadium on Nov. 22 as an appetizer for Thanksgiving Day, as well as the Iron Bowl.

No. 10 Beau Pribula, Missouri Tigers

Missouri will replace several offensive threats this season, including quarterback Brady Cook. In steps Drew Pribula, a former three-star quarterback who spent his first two seasons at Penn State. Pribula attempted just 56 passes in Happy Valley, but was solid in short-to-medium depth situations by completing 18-of-21 passes from depths between 0 and 19 yards for 229 yards and five touchdowns.

Pribula has a great arm, and he hopes that he will be meshed well with his offensive line before leading his Tigers into Auburn on Oct. 18.

No. 9 Zach Pyron, South Alabama Jaguars

The former Fyffe Red Devil and Pinson Valley Indian will lead South Alabama into Jordan-Hare Stadium on Sept. 13. Pyron showcased his dual-threat ability in three seasons at Georgia Tech by passing for 995 yards and rushing for 271 yards. After briefly transferring to Minnesota for spring practice, he elected to come back to his home state to play for Major Applewhite and the South Alabama Jaguars.

Pyron was a phenomenal quarterback in our state as a high school player, and will look to find similar success at South Alabama this season.

No. 8 Ty Simpson, Alabama Crimson Tide

There's a new sheriff in Tuscaloosa as Ty Simpson will take over for Jalen Milroe as the starting quarterback for the Alabama Crimson Tide. He is the poster child for "waiting it out" as he is set to take over the offense in his fourth season with the Tide. In three seasons, he has completed 51 passes for 381 yards and zero touchdowns. He has thrown just one "turnover worthy pass" according to Pro Football Focus, and his receivers have dropped seven of his passes.

He is unproven, but his story could change before the Iron Bowl, which is slated for Nov. 29 at Jordan-Hare Stadium.

No. 7 Gunner Stockton, Georgia Bulldogs

Gunner Stockton got his feet wet in the College Football Playoffs last season when the Georgia Bulldogs faced Notre Dame in the quarterfinals. Stockton takes over for Carson Beck, who left Athens during the offseason to transfer to Miami, and the Rabun County, Georgia native is ready to take over his home-state team. He holds a 68.7% completion percentage and 124 rushing yards over the last two seasons as a back-up to Beck.

Stockton will lead Georgia into Jordan-Hare Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 11, in a game slated for prime time.

No. 6 Marcel Reed, Texas A&M Aggies

The line is officially drawn between inexperienced, unproven quarterbacks and quarterbacks and quarterbacks with at least one year of starting service. Reed returns to Texas A&M after starting eight games for the Aggies last season, splitting time with Conner Weigman, who is now a Houston Cougar.

Reed passed for 1,864 yards last season and rushed for an additional 543 yards with 22 total scores. His dual-threat ability will create havoc for SEC foes all season long, and will test the likes of Keldric Faulk and the Tigers' defense in College Station on Sept. 27

No. 5 Zach Calzada, Kentucky Wildcats

An old friend will visit Jordan-Hare Stadium on Nov. 1 when Zach Calzada leads the Kentucky Wildcats into Auburn. Calzada suited up briefly for the Tigers during the 2022 season, but never saw the field due to a shoulder injury that required surgery. He would enter the transfer portal following the 2022 season, where he eventually ended up at FCS Incarnate Word.

Calzada bounced back by passing for 6,342 yards and 54 touchdowns in two seasons at Incarnate Word, he also broke out his run game by rushing for 332 yards in 2024. Expect Calzada to be extra motivated to face his former team in November.

No. 4 Diego Pavia, Vanderbilt Commodores

Diego Pavia led Vanderbilt to the Birmingham Bowl last season and is poised to beat Hugh Freeze for the fourth straight season in 2025. Pavia passed for over 2,000 yards and 20 touchdowns for the second-straight season, and cut down on his interceptions by throwing just four, and tossing just seven "turnover worthy passes." His great decision-making, mixed in with his run game, has haunted Auburn over the last two seasons, and the Tigers will look to end his good fortune on Nov. 8 in Nashville.

No. 3 Sawyer Robertson, Baylor Bears

Former Mississippi State quarterback Sawyer Robertson passed for 3,058 yards last season in his first full year as Baylor's starting quarterback and is going to be the core of Baylor's air raid system yet again this season. Auburn's defensive backfield will be the most experienced unit on the field, but will be tested greatly in week one with Baylor's aerial attack on Aug. 29 in Waco.

No. 2 Taylen Green, Arkansas Razorbacks

Taylen Green will be another great passer that Auburn will be tasked with slowing down this season. Green threw for over 3,154 yards and 15 touchdowns last season while showcasing his running game that he developed at Boise State by pounding out 602 yards. Green is the highest-graded offensive quarterback that Auburn will face this season, and they will look to slow him down on Oct. 25 in Fayetteville.

No. 1 John Mateer, Oklahoma Sooners

Out is Jackson Arnold/Michael Hawkins, in steps John Mateer. Mateer transferred to Oklahoma from Washington State, joining his offensive coordinator, Ben Arbuckle. Mateer, like Pavia, is a great decision-maker. Last season at Washington State, Mateer threw just 16 turnover-worthy passes in 348 attempts, throwing seven interceptions to 29 touchdowns. He also added 1,008 yards on the ground. If Oklahoma corrects the issues that plagued Arnold last season, Mateer could end the season as a Heisman-trophy finalist.

Mateer and the Oklahoma Sooners will welcome Auburn to town on Sept. 20, which will be the SEC opener for Auburn.

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This article originally appeared on Auburn Wire: Auburn football: Ranking Auburn's QB competition for 2025