The Pac-12 quarterback picture for 2026 is starting to take shape, and The Athletic’s latest tiers list gives a clear snapshot of where the league’s passers stand. Texas State’s Brad Jackson came out on top among Pac-12 quarterbacks in the national rankings, landing in Tier 3 and checking in at No. 27 overall. Boise State’s Maddux Madsen landed in Tier 5 at No. 61 overall.
Taking a similar approach, Boise State Broncos on SI grouped the eight projected Pac-12 starters into three tiers of its own.
At the top sits Jackson, and the numbers explain why. In 2025, he completed 251 of 352 passes for 3,224 yards with 21 touchdowns and seven interceptions, while also running for 744 yards and 17 scores. The analysis called him the “first-team all-Pac-12 quarterback frontrunner” after a huge freshman season, noting that he finished fifth nationally in completion percentage and earned third-team all-Sun Belt honors.
Also in the upper tier is Pinnick, who put together a strong 2025 season at UC Davis before making the jump. He threw for 3,206 yards, 32 touchdowns and 10 interceptions on 240 completions in 345 attempts, and added 437 rushing yards and three touchdowns.
The breakdown pointed to his success in former Boise State offensive coordinator Tim Plough’s offense, where he won Big Sky Freshman of the Year honors and helped lead UC Davis to the FCS quarterfinals. The big question is the level change, but the talent is obvious.
Madsen, meanwhile, lands in the middle group. He finished 2025 with 176 completions on 302 attempts for 2,334 yards, 18 touchdowns and nine interceptions, plus 81 rushing yards and four scores.
He missed three games because of injury and, according to the analysis, battled accuracy and pocket presence issues throughout the year. Even so, he brings the most experience in the conference with 26 career starts.
Murphy is another quarterback who fits in that middle range. He completed 161 of 277 passes for 1,805 yards, nine touchdowns and eight interceptions in 2025.
Oregon State’s overall season was described as a mess in all three phases, and Murphy lost his starting job after eight starts. Still, there’s a reason he remains a name to watch: he was a former four-star recruit and posted a strong sophomore season at Duke with 2,933 yards, 26 touchdowns and 12 interceptions before transferring west.
Hejny’s profile is much smaller, but the upside is there. He went 5-for-10 for 96 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions in 2025 at Oklahoma State, and also scored once on the ground.
The analysis noted that he was TCU-bound out of high school, started on opening day for Oklahoma State last year, and then suffered a season-ending broken foot in Game 1. He has only 10 college pass attempts to his name.
Denegal also falls into the same tier after an uneven 2025 at San Diego State. He threw for 1,807 yards, nine touchdowns and eight interceptions while completing 143 of 243 passes, and added four rushing touchdowns. The report described him as a big-armed quarterback who can help in the run game, but said he needs to be more consistent throwing the ball in 2026.
Martin is expected to open the season as Fresno State’s starter, and his college resume is still thin. He completed 11 of 17 passes for 105 yards and one touchdown at Maryland in 2025. The analysis said he played sparingly over two seasons with the Terrapins, but has the tools to be an effective passer in the Pac-12 after Fresno State’s rough quarterback play last season.
Hillstead rounds out the group after a brief stop at BYU. He completed 4 of 5 passes for 33 yards in 2025 and did not throw a touchdown or interception. He started four games for Utah State as a true freshman before transferring to BYU, then returned to the Aggies this season.
In Other News...
Which Oregon State Freshmen Could Force Their Way Onto The Field
Oregon States first offseason conditioning program for its 11 true freshmen is already offering an early look at which newcomers might matter sooner rather than later. As the Beavers start sorting out their debut-season options, a handful of first-year players have separated themselves as names to watch, each bringing a different kind of rsum from high school and a different path toward the field.
Kai Wheaton, Tre Garrison, Jeremiah Brown and Cynai Thomas all fit that conversation, though the routes are not the same. Some are pushing into crowded position groups, some can help on special teams right away, and others are trying to turn spring momentum into a larger role once the season begins. Oregon State does not need every freshman to hit immediately, but the ones who can force the issue will make the roster decisions a lot more interesting. [Read more 🡒]