Locked On Hawkeyes - Daily Podcast On Iowa Hawkeyes Football & Basketball - BIG 10 SQUAD: Ranking the BEST Quarterbacks in the Big 10 | Where does Jeremy Hecklinski rank?

Episode Date: March 5, 2026

Who will emerge as the Big Ten’s top quarterback in 2026—Dante Moore, Julian Sayin, or a surprise contender? The Big 10 Squad debates Tom Fornelli’s latest rankings, spotlighting rising stars like De’Mon Williams, Jayden Maiava, Josh Hoover, and Bryce Underwood. Heated discussions erupt over Josh Hoover’s upside at Indiana, Malik Washington’s raw talent at Maryland, and whether Rocco Becht or Caden Houser truly belong in the Big Ten’s top tier. Position battles, conference dynamics, and program futures take center stage as the squad questions Michigan’s quarterback development, the state of Wisconsin’s Dairy Raid under Luke Fickell, and Iowa’s search for a top-12 signal caller with Jeremy Hechtlinski. Will high-profile transfers—like Nico Iamaleava and Aidan Chiles—shake up the rankings, or does a new face like Tavien St. Clair at Ohio State threaten to break out this season? Get the ultimate Big Ten quarterback preview here. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Who are the best quarterbacks in the Big Ten going into 2026? Is Dante Moore number one? What about Julian saying that gets discussed? On today's a locked-on Big Ten squad. You're talking ball with the Big Ten squad, sponsored by game time. From USC to Ohio State, from Michigan to Oregon, from Nebraska to Washington, is the local experts of the Locked-on Podcast Network, bringing you scoops, breakdowns, and the most comprehensive preview of the upcoming Big Ten weekend.

know her feelings and thin skin allowed. Squad up, you're part of the Big Ten Squad. Happy Thursday, everybody. Welcome to this week's three-man locked-on Big Ten Squad. I'm your host, Spencer McLaughlin, the host of Lockdown Ducks. Neutral Arbiter couldn't be found this week. He's lost in a dangerous wilderness somewhere. Roman Tomashoff of Lockdown Huskies is here with Trent Condon of Lockdown, Hawkeyes.

Of all the hosts to show up for the quarterback show, How about Locked-on Hawkeyes legend, Trent Condon? I tell you what, the irony is not lost on me. So everybody sit back, relax, and get ready to enjoy it. Why don't we start with the list that was put out by Tom Fornelli over at CBS Sports? And I think it's a great list. I don't know that a better list has ever been put out in the history of college football. He's got a history of lists, and I was going to be stunned there for a second.

Well, it's close. It's close. have been some there have been some great great lists out there so i didn't i didn't want to be too dramatic you know i wanted to want to have the proper amount of excitement there dante more's number one nice julian sayan number two jaden miava three josh hover four damon williams five rocko backed at penn state six bryce underwood at michigan seven katen hauser number eight at illinois washington nine at maryland sneaky good pick number ten colton joseph at wisconsin roman with the top five and your guy, DeMond Williams coming in at number five.

Is that right that he's behind Josh Hoover, Jaden Mayava, Julian Sane, and Dante Moore? I know at least one of those is right, but you can debate the others. So the one that I sat there and looked at was, as Josh Hoover, the one that you really want to put him ahead of DeMond Williams at this point in time. And then I remember we had the same conversation on this show a year ago as it pertained to Fernando Mendoza. So yeah, I think this is right. I think this is fair.

And with DeMond's struggles in the big games last season, the three losses to teams that were ranked at the end of the year and then Wisconsin, this feels like the right spot because there are still things in DeMond Williams' game that are not perfect. He still needs to continue to throw over the middle of the field. And he needs to be better about throwing the ball away at different points in time and not taking hits when he doesn't need to. But after just one year as a starter, as a true sophomore, I feel really good about where

he is. And I feel like we could look back on this at the end of the year and say it's a little low, even though things are still a little awkward in that case, as Tom Four, no, he noted. in that article. Yeah, the Josh Hoover thing, Trent, I think is appropriate. Has he taken a snap in the Big Ten? No. He was my number one most impactful quarterback transfer of the offseason, just because I had him as my number one quarterback in the Big 12 going into last year over on lockdown college football. He then goes to Indiana. The system couldn't be any better. I mean, Curtis Rourke and Fernando Mendoza. What were those guys?

before they went to play for Kurt Signetti, right? And what do we think about them now? I think that, frankly, there's a divide we'll talk about in just a moment after, kind of at DeMond Williams, I should say. But overall, I think Tom's done some good work here, Trent. I do too. And, you know, the crazy thing is I see Hoover at four. I'm huge on him. I think he's going to have a tremendous year. And where we're located, I cover both Iowa and Iowa State. So Big 12 and Big 10 together. I've seen a lot of Josh Hoover over the last three years. Always felt like there was even more upside to him. A lot of turnovers that's been the knock against him.

And it reminds me so much of the conversations we're having with Mendoza. A lot of people believe myself included, it was going to be an upgrade. Nobody could have envisioned. I don't think the season, obviously, that he put together this past year coming from Cal where he had to do a lot and maybe he tried to do a little bit too much. And I think the same kind of thing is going to happen here with Josh Hoover. Live arm can make all the throws definitely a tremendous talent that's coming in. there, a couple with the fit that they're going to have. I maybe would even have him a spot higher in this list because we've got to see with

my avid this year what it's going to look like without that tremendous wide receiver group they had a season ago. So this was one at Hoover. Some people might think that's a little bit high. I think it was even a touch low. I think he's going to be incredible this season for the Hoosiers. Yeah, I think Hoover could be at least at number three. I like Dante Moore, Julian saying back to back.

Look, Craig Sheiman, have locked on Big Ten. is here just a little bit behind schedule as always that's the way that things roll along and that's okay we like craig anyway no matter when he shows up so what do you think of tom fournelly's top five uh we'll get to the back half in in a moment craig but dante more julian sayton jaden may avid josh hoover juburned deman williams as the top five quarterbacks in the big ten any objections there on your part i i don't have any by the way now it's officially a squad we've got four people so yeah yeah i think that i think that's the threshold You know, I couldn't help but think about last year at this time, we thought, what, Stone Cold Lock?

We're going to have Drew Aller was going to dominate the Big Ten. Dante Moore was on the list. Nobody saw Fernando Mendoza coming. And now I think it's Dante Moore and everybody else on my list anyway. I think he is primed and ready to go. Yeah, I know you'll love it. That's great. Oh, yeah, Craig, you missed it.

He's not neutral. of college football. Great stuff. No, I couldn't find. I couldn't locate him. He's gone off the reservation for a little while. What boy is back. Frankly, when you only have three to four,

the neutral arbiter has to go out the window and has to actually opine a little bit to keep the show moving, right? Yeah. Well, you know, we were the, uh, the three stooges before, but now we are a squad of four. We are, we are very, very mighty indeed. There is an interesting similarity between guys seated. fifth through 10th on this list. And just for the sake of Ryan Herrings, we've got to talk about Colton Joseph making an appearance.

You know what? Go, yeah, Wisconsin. Wisconsin quarterback plays been awesome the last couple of years. We will talk about that. The Big Ten Squad continues. First, this episode brought to you by our friends at Mazda. This is Mazda's moving the game forward for those who show there's more to the score than what's on the screen. moments like Fernando Mendoza's fourth and five quarterback draw.

I mean, absolute stone cold killer. I can't believe it was the play call at some level, though I understand because, well, it worked out, of course, for the Indiana Hoosiers. Even Mendoza said he couldn't believe that was the call, but went out, got a block from Pat Coogan, executed in Indiana, won the Big Ten's third straight national championship. Those moments remind us of what it really takes to raise the bars.

the extra work off the field, dialing in every detail, given it that extra fire, that grit, and I never quit mentality. Mazda puts that same passion into every single model. Highlights like Fernando Mendoza scramble, amongst other great plays made by the quarterbacks on this list, they make the real. What it took to get there makes it count.

There is more to a Mazda because there is more to you. All right, here's the cutoff that I notice after four, and you could maybe even put Hoover into this particular camp. I think the common theme, Roman, I'm starting with you on this, between guys five through ten, is questioning whether they can deliver in the big game. You mentioned it with DeMond Williams earlier, but Bryce Underwood looked good against some lower-level competition,

but against some of the best teams, not all of them, some of the best ones he played this past year, like Ohio State didn't look quite as good. Rocco Becked, same sort of thing. He's got, I think, a little bit more big game cachet, but I think we're all sitting here wondering, is he really capable of being one of the best quarterbacks in the Big Ten? Am I, am I just overreacting to something that clicked in my head three minutes ago? No, I think this is fair because I, you know, I bring up the DeMond Williams part and all that.

With Rocco Beck, on top of that, we have to see it against Big Ten defense now, which is going to be a completely different discussion than what it was in the Big 12. And I want to take a step further, Spencer, because you talked a little bit about Malik Washington earlier. I think that he's a little underrated on this list. And this is one of those guys where I don't even want to, you know, because it's just so rare to go out there and see these true freshman quarterbacks deliver in such big moments. I don't know if it's necessarily fair to lump him into that category this early in his career.

And I feel like with just some of the defense that we saw from Maryland last year as well, you can't throw so much of that on him. And I'm really looking forward to seeing him potentially take a big step forward this season too. Yeah, I agree. You know, the completion percentage wasn't there, but threw for almost 3,000 yards on a dreadful Maryland team. 17 touchdowns, 9 picks, 58% completion percentage. So I'm with you at number 9.

You know, like, Cate and Houser at 8 at Illinois. Like, am I really? Trent, would you take Houser over Washington at this point in time? I don't know that I would. Absolutely not. I mean, if all things are equal, we know that Maryland will get off to a tremendous start and then they'll fall apart in the back two-thirds of the year like they do seemingly every single season. Death Texas is.

in Maryland's path. Right, exactly. I mean, if you could have September, Washington, it'd be a no-brainer. And overall, I mean, if you put Washington in Illinois spot, and if you took Hauser and put him in Maryland spot, would you have the rankings the same? Yeah, I'm completely with you. You talk about upside from Leak Washington. It's definitely there. We saw the spurts in his first year and a lot of excitement about it. Is he going to have enough help, though? That remains the question. In terms of raw talent, I think you could even make an argument for Washington. He should be up maybe in that five, six range when you're talking about that. But I'm sure there's a little bit more that goes into it than just what we think about these guys, their prospects, how good they are.

Because it's also about your surrounding talent. That's the big question, obviously, in Maryland. Craig, I want to throw this one at you specifically in the seven versus six matchup. I will not be saying it the other way, just for the dumbest meme of all time. Thank you. Thank you. Would you really, no, no, Craig. That was not an invitation to do that.

I'm sure somebody my age knows. Gosh started. I have laughed at this nonsense and I hate myself for it. Anyway, would you take Rocco Beck's over Bryce Underwood? Because I look, I like Rocco Becked, gamer, but man, Bryce Underwood's upside is what? Top 10 pick in the NFL draft. Rocco Beck can't sniff that area. Michigan's actually got him a quarterback coach. Kyle Whittingham is there. Heck, I might take Bryce Underwood over DeMond Williams and I like DeMond Williams. I think that's fair.

In fact, he didn't have a quarterback coach and the whole Jerome Moore, I guess, you know, looking back, it wasn't really a good developmental staff for him. And I remember when Bryce Underwood said, no, I'm still going to LSU. I'm not going to Michigan next door because I want to go play for Brian Kelly and develop myself as a quarterback. And then all of a sudden, $12 million showed up for Oracle. He's like, oh, okay, I'm going to be a Wolverine. He didn't develop at all last year.

In fact, I think he played better when Biff Post. was calling the shots for those two games. Or actually three when you include the bowl game. But I was fascinated early on in the year last year between Bryce Underwood and Malik Washington. I was willing it to happen. Like, oh, maybe we can have a Big Ten freshman year battle weekend, a week out. And actually early on last year, if I recall, when we're wondering, when we can take

the trading wheels off of Bryce Underwood, you know, Malik Washington was throwing a couple of 300-yard games here and there. And part of that is because he's at Maryland. Say what we will about Mike Lockley. Say what we will that they are guaranteed to start out four and oh and then probably finish four and eight. Do you know that Talia Tongavolaola is the all-time leading passer, the Big Ten, from when he was at Maryland? A lot of people don't realize that. They throw the ball there, Maryland.

So it's a great spot from to be. I don't know how much longer Loxley is going to be there. But I am looking at Underwood to take a massive step forward this year. I'm looking forward to spring football. I just want to check it out a little bit. I actually did a podcast on it a couple of days ago. I just, I think the pressure's on his shoulders. I think he's got everything in place to get himself developed.

We like to see a lot of improvement from year one to year two. This is Bryce Underwood's trophy to take, not by, not by Big Ten championship trophy, but just really to go up and take a, take that next step as a quarterback, I think, this year. And yeah, you're right. You're going to be a top 10 pick in the NFL someday, I think. It could be. Yeah, I mean, the last quarterback for Michigan didn't work out as well in the NFL. I got a buddy who's a Vikings fan who are not the Super Bowl champions like my Seahawks.

What do you think, Robbins? Yeah. I tell you what one point about Maryland. See, Romans got nothing there. This is gosh, it was great. Anyway. I just disagree. One, you disagree that this.

No, by the way. Yeah, yeah, disagree that the Seahawks won the Super Bowl. Is that, is that a, I disagree? Yeah. Yeah. This is the Big Ten squad. Yeah, it is, but you're a Patriots guy for no particular reason. I mean, there is a good reason, but yeah.

There is a good. That's good. One thing with Maryland, Craig, that I could see happening. I think we're all waiting for Mike Loxley to get fired at some point. Can you imagine the lineup of programs that are going to go and try and raid that Maryland roster? You're going to have Malik Washington with two years of developmental. experience in a passing offense. And they've got Zion Ely, who's one of the top players in the country coming in. And look, maybe Maryland's NIL collective can pull a rabbit out of the hat and

keep those guys around. But man, I think whenever that domino falls, those are just the two most high profile pieces that I think schools like Oregon, Ohio State, big time SEC programs are just going to try and go after. I think that's the, that's the, Yes, correct. Zion's the five-star offensive lineman coming in, right? Defensive lineman, yeah. Okay. I think that guy's the only reason that Loxley still has a job.

They didn't want to lose him when he committed. I think that's the only reason he's still there right now. And you're right. Those two pieces, Gonzo, if he gets fired. Yeah, I think they'll be pretty quickly out the door. When we get back, I have a question for Trent that is certainly on everybody's mind, because everyone wants to know the answer to this question. First, this episode brought to you by our friends over at game time.

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download the game time app today now it is time for the five-hour energy flavor flavor flavor flavor flavor-in-thru-draft you know what I'm gonna bring the rest of the big 10 squad back in for this one give me your number one five-hour energy flavor big board prospect I am a strawberry watermelon guy through and through high upside very low risk Roman who's number one on your big board. I got to go a strawberry banana here. Every time I go to a smoothie, that's one of my go to flavors. And if I ever need a little boost, that that's where I got to go. Trent, who is at the top of your list? Well, you guys know me. I'm an incredibly sweet person. So it's about blue ras for me.

It's the flavor you can't find out there anywhere else. I'm looking for that deep prospect, blue raspberry. That's a good pick. Good pick there from Trent Condon. Craig, number one of your big board. Is there any other picked in Pummergaret? Let's go wild. Let's go crazy. Whoa. Absolutely. Wild card pick there from Craig Sheeman of Locked on Big Ten. You can get your five hour energy flavor as well to stay energized all throughout the day. Find your new favorite flavor of five hour energy shots available at five hour energy.com

or Amazon. All right, Trent, the question on everybody's mind, how in the world is an Iowa quarterback, not on somebody's list of the top 10 quarterbacks in the Big Ten. And as a reminder, there are 18 teams in this conference, meaning if you're not in the top 10, you don't have a top half quarterback in the league. How is that possible, Trent? Top nine, Spencer. I know.

I'm saying if you're not in the top 10, you're not in the top half. I suppose, oh, I see what you're saying because Colton Joseph technically doesn't apply. Yeah, go ahead, Trent. It's not surprising. And I can't come back with any ammunition. Look, Jeremy Hecklinski, who is the presumed starter. Nobody's seen him. He played three snaps at Wake Forest as a freshman registered that year.

he was the number three quarterback coming into this season. Actually supplanted Hank Brown after Iowa blew the game and was a screen pass away from beating Indiana back in October, as we all know. Adam beat with a screen pass. Hank Brown couldn't compete it, complete it. And Indiana continues their undefeated run. Not competing against Indiana? That's right here. You guys have a different conversation in that one, definitely.

So with Hecklinski, the thing that I do get excited about, I have no problem with them being 18th. I think he probably should be 18th on this list because we really don't know. He's a little guy. He's 5-11. He's not thick either. It's not a situation where we're talking about a big, strong guy, but he can move around. And what we've seen these last couple of years and certainly this last season with the quarterback that is mobile, moving past the Spencer Petrises, the Nate Stanley's of the world, and getting to a more dynamic quarterback that can at least do something with their legs.

Grinowski was a stud with that. The passing wasn't quite there. At Glinsky's got a lot of upside, a lot of excitement. and to do that to take over the backup role in the middle of the season at a program like Iowa. Kirk Farrance doesn't like to do things like that. He does not like to make any kind of movement at the quarterback position. I think says a lot. It says a lot about what Tim Lester's looking for in a quarterback.

I think you're going to see continued development out of the passing game. And I think by the end of the season, he's not certainly going to be the 18th quarterback in this league. The question for Hawkeye fans is probably going to need a little bit more out of the quarterback throwing the ball this year. Could even be in the top dozen, the top 12. You put him 12 next season. You give that to me right now in a platter, say he will be the 12 best quarterback in the Big Ten. I would take it because that means I was at minimum, probably nine and three. Very well could be 10 and two.

Craig, you look eager to jump in. Yeah. First of all, can I say that your T's going into the break? Hey, big question for Trent. I mean, you had me hooked. I was like, where are we going next? And to come out and deliver by talking about the 18th ranked quarterback at the Big Ten. who we hope to be number 12.

Remember we're kids and we say, yeah, we're number one. Does anybody have a foam finger that says, hey, we're number 12? You just got to buy one of those piece foam fingers that hold them up together. No, that's a job. Great job by you. I have been beating down. Thank you. Thank you.

I am. Iowa football. Yeah. By the way, speaking of 5 foot 11 quarterbacks, Roman, any comment on whether they can have success in the Big Ten? they certainly can we've seen that right damon williams at a game for we threw 400 yards and rushed for 130 it's certainly very possible so trent if that's your biggest hold up there's hope for you brother very nice very very nice i want i want to talk about colton joseph that's named plenty of folks probably don't know but craig i want to start with you on this colton joseph fcs transfer coming over to

be Luke Fickle's savior. And I'm not being facetious when I say the best thing he could do for Luke fickle is don't get hurt. It has been two straight seasons of banged up starters and a lineup of backups that don't meet the smell test for what you need to compete in the big 10. I think that's the biggest task ahead of him because something's obviously in the water up there in Madison, right? I would even argue if they were to stay healthy.

I had no expectations of the quarterbacks he brought in. I've already forgotten the kid from Miami that got hurt after two games from a couple of years ago. Oh, Tyler Van Dyke. I've never high on him because he was hot and cold to come out and say, we're going to change all Wisconsin from grounded pound to dairy raid. And you lead with Tanner Mordecai. What are we doing? the kids he's bringing in to transfer, he keeps striking out a quarterback.

That's the big problem. And again, I grant you, they got injured, but I was never thrilled with the guys who's bringing in in the first place. And you think a guy like Luke Fickle could get the quarterback position right, or at least just be middle of the road, be like I will root for the 12th best. 12th, sorry for the shot. But that's all it would take. Just be mediocre at quarterback.

And Luke Fickle can coach for many, many more years. Can I, can I throw this at you as a name that's not on the list, but is a, is a big name. And if the situation's right, we've seen how good he can be. No Nico Iamaleava on this list. He's on the list. He's number 12. He's 12. Number 12.

What you're shooting for. Well, yeah, but we're just, we're just, we're just. Yes, he's Iowa's dream. I was just looking at the top 10. And look, Colton Joseph, interesting guy coming over to Wisconsin this offseason. How many amongst the four of us, show of hands, how many of you, if your team, for Roman, that's Washington, me, that's Oregon, Trent, that's Iowa, Craig, that's Indiana. If you had the choice in the portal going into this year between Colton Joseph and Nico Iamalea, how many of you are taking Colton Joseph? for those listening on audio that is oh for four how many of you were taking nico in that debate

yeah yeah all four that's four hands for nico that's like the most positive moment on a podcast nico's had said about him in a very long time because the only reason i want us to to put our hands up right there but i think that could be the biggest riser i mean i don't know roman bob chesney ucla i've seen crazier things happen sure i mean yeah that's if that's the way you want to look at it i just can't get over, just how often he turns the ball over. And just some of the dumb things he does multiple times a game, man, just running into sacks and all these different things. Can Bob Chesdy turn it around? Sure, it's going to take a whole lot to convince me that he actually is going to be able to do it with Nico specifically.

I mean, Nico beat Penn State last year. Yeah. Yeah. Hey, I'll give you a hot take, a 19th ranked quarterback that made me keep an eye. Tavia and St. Clair as a five-star kid has been sitting in Ohio. State for a year. Julian's saying, I know he was a Heisman finalist. He got almost no votes. He was like last place of the four final finalists there. He's not mobile at all. But Tavian St. Clair is mobile. He's thick. He's strong. I don't know. I would just say stranger things have happened there too. Keep an eye on him.

Because what they can do, park him for two straight years is a five star. They're going to lose them. I just, I don't know. I'm going to be curious watching that battle because I think there might be a little bit of a battle in spring football between those two at Ohio State. Interesting. Trent, anybody not on the top 10 list that you think could get there by the end of the year? Yeah. Nico, I think, is an interesting conversation at the very least as we've kind of run through that. I go all the way down, the kid from Michigan State. And I'm not going to try to pronounce his name right now because I'll screw it up. But we saw glimpses at him last season where you saw somebody that has something. We'll see what it looks like, you know, kind of everything and all the new pieces

that are going to go around there. But maybe not. even top 10, back to the top 12 again. I think that's a guy that could definitely ascend up the list. He showed enough last year with Sparty that that could be a guy we'll be talking about that. Yeah, there was a lot of improvement that we saw as a full years of start. How about the guy that he's replaced at Aidan Charles? I was just about to say, no one's showing love to Aden Childs

and his offensive coordinator, Chip Kelly. Oh, what a world. What, what, what a brand new stadium coming sometime, not for opening day. Yeah, for opening day, but they'll have it at some point inside. We'll wrap it there. Roman Thomas Schoff, Lockdown Huskies, Trent Condon, Lockdown, Hawkeyes, Craig Sheiman, Lockdown Big Ten. I'm Spencer McLaugh from Lockdown Ducks and Lockdown College Football.

Appreciate everyone listening. We will see you next time. And until then, hope you have a wonderful rest of your day.