Compared to the 2020 college football season, 2021 featured more high-flying offenses capable of routing an opponent. Part of this increased offensive production came with the return of the standard 12-game regular season, which had been reduced due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. However, the main reason was a combination of creative offensive scheming and talented personnel on some of the nation’s best teams. Let’s look back at where the top five 2021 college football leading passers began their journeys to the top of the passing leaderboard.
5. C.J. Stroud (4,435 yards)
The current Ohio State Buckeye played his entire high school career at Rancho Cucamonga (CA), where he gained numerous recognitions. He totaled a whopping 47 touchdowns his senior year, which earned him an invite to the 2020 All-American Bowl. Stroud also was named MVP of the Elite 11, a prestigious quarterback competition featuring stars nationwide.
Under Stroud, the Cougars’ offense thrived, but as a team, they failed to win a state championship, going 7-5 in 2018 and 9-4 in 2019.
Stroud redshirted his first year at Ohio State and succeeded during the 2021 season when he was paired with standout receivers such as Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson. He is sure to be one of the nation’s top college quarterbacks entering the 2022 season.
4. Brennan Armstrong (4,449 yards)
As a senior at Shelby (OH), Brennan Armstrong led the Whippets to an undefeated regular season. He passed and rushed for over 1,000 yards and claimed All-Ohio honors along the way. His 3-star ranking earned him offers from schools like UNC, Minnesota, and Ohio.
Following his junior year, Armstrong committed to the Golden Gophers. However, he would later decommit after his first senior playoff game and sign with the Virginia Cavaliers just a month later.
Armstrong early-enrolled and sat behind star Bryce Perkins, waiting for his turn to shine. He seized that chance on the field in 2021 and became one of the country’s leading CFB passers.
3. Will Rogers (4,739 yards)
The development between Rogers’ junior and senior years at Brandon (MS) was the key to his current stardom. As a junior in 2018, Rogers passed for over 3,000 yards but turned the ball over 12 times while passing for 23 touchdowns.
Then, after an offseason of hard work and preparation, Rogers stunned the state with 38 TDs and only three interceptions his senior season, during which he threw for 3,608 yards. That exhibition solidified his status as a 3-star recruit and earned him an offer from Mississippi State, which he accepted.
2. Bryce Young (4,872 yards)
Is there any surprise that an Alabama quarterback cracks this top five? The highly touted high school prospect started his career at Cathedral (CA), but later transferred to Mater Dei (CA), where he passed for a whopping 58 touchdowns his senior year to some of the nation’s most talented receivers. Young’s stats were some of the best in the nation, and he earned several accolades, including USA Today’s Offensive Player of the Year award.
Unsurprisingly, Young chose the nation’s best program in Alabama, where he sat his first year behind national-championship-winning quarterback Mac Jones. Young and the Crimson Tide came close to repeating in 2021, but fell just short to Georgia.
1. Bailey Zappe (5,967 yards)
Zappe had a season for the ages, passing for over 1,000 yards more than Young. The Western Kentucky standout began his passing barrage at Victoria East in Texas, where he threw for 3,770 yards and 37 touchdowns his senior year. That year, the Titans scored over 48 points in eight of their 14 games.
Despite this success, Zappe had no stars to his name and committed to play at Houston Baptist. Two years later, he took the step up to Western Kentucky, where he was a perfect fit for the Hilltoppers’ pass-heavy system. He ended the 2021 season as the leading college football passer.
Naturally, it would seem that the best college passers were also the best in high school. However, only one player on this list came out of high school as a 5-star recruit, and of the nation’s leading college football passers, the top one had no stars and was barely recognized. It seems that college passing abilities are not dependent on high school rankings, but rather rely on scheme fit and development.
In the future, college football may be defined by the overlooked high school players rather than the nation’s best talents. Who will be the next no-star recruit to dominate the college football landscape?
