The Big Ten has long been a factory for NFL talent, year after year filling draft boards and training camps with stars on both sides of the ball. While the SEC often dominates the headlines, the Big Ten can make a strong case as the league’s best pipeline for professional quarterbacks. From Hall of Famers and Super Bowl champions to modern-day stat machines, the list runs deep.
So let’s have some fun. We’re breaking down every current Big Ten school and naming the best NFL quarterback to come from each program. This isn’t about who was the best college quarterback, but rather whose game translated best to the pros.
Here’s our look at the best NFL quarterback from every Big Ten school.
Illinois: Jeff George
The University of Illinois doesn’t have a deep history of great NFL quarterbacks, but Jeff George stands atop the list.
Selected first overall by the Indianapolis Colts in the 1990 NFL Draft, George entered the league with massive expectations. Unfortunately, he never lived up to them. He went just 14-35 as a starter for the Colts and spent the rest of his career bouncing around with the Falcons, Raiders, Vikings, and Washington.
Career Stats: 27,602 yards, 154 touchdowns, 113 interceptions
Honorable Mention: Tony Eason
Indiana: Trent Green
Much like Illinois, Indiana hasn’t been known for quarterback greatness, but Trent Green was a reliable, productive pro.
A two-time Pro Bowl selection, Green had multiple 4,000-yard seasons in an era when that was a rarity. Though his playoff record (0–2) leaves something to be desired, he was a steady, accurate leader during his years with the Chiefs.
Career Stats: 28,475 yards, 162 touchdowns, 114 interceptions
Honorable Mention: Michael Penix Jr.
Iowa: C.J. Beathard
Iowa has produced plenty of strong linemen and tight ends, but quarterbacks? Not so much.
C.J. Beathard has carved out a solid NFL career as a dependable backup, which, by Iowa standards, makes him the top pick. Until the Hawkeyes develop a true franchise quarterback, Beathard remains the answer here.
Career Stats: 3,886 yards, 19 touchdowns, 14 interceptions
Honorable Mention: Chuck Long
Maryland: Boomer Esiason
One of the most underrated quarterbacks in NFL history, Boomer Esiason was the 1988 MVP, a four-time Pro Bowler, and the man who led Cincinnati to the Super Bowl that same year.
Esiason’s long career often gets overshadowed by his contemporaries, legends like Montana and Marino, but his production and leadership made him a franchise cornerstone.
Career Stats: 37,920 yards, 247 touchdowns, 184 interceptions
Honorable Mention: Neil O’Donnell
Michigan: Tom Brady
The easiest pick on the board.
Tom Brady is the greatest quarterback, and arguably the greatest player, in NFL history. A seven-time Super Bowl champion, three-time MVP, and the all-time leader in passing yards and touchdowns, Brady defined an era of dominance that will never be matched.
Career Stats: 89,214 yards, 649 touchdowns, 212 interceptions
Honorable Mentions: Brian Griese, Elvis Grbac, Jim Harbaugh
Michigan State: Kirk Cousins
Kirk Cousins has quietly built one of the most productive careers of any quarterback in the modern era.
A four-time Pro Bowler, Cousins ranks among the NFL’s top 20 all-time in both passing yards and touchdowns. While his 1-3 playoff record continues to be his biggest blemish, his consistency over a decade-plus makes him the clear choice from East Lansing.
Career Stats: 43,181 yards, 288 touchdowns, 126 interceptions
Honorable Mention: Earl Morrall
Minnesota: Mike Hohensee
Yuck, this is pretty embarrassing for the Golden Gophers.
The best option is Mike Hohensee, who started two games for the Bears in 1987. That’s it. Two games. For a program with as much history as Minnesota, that’s hard to believe.
Career Stats: 343 yards, 4 touchdowns, 1 interception
Honorable Mention: None
Nebraska: Vince Ferragamo
Nebraska has produced great defenders and running backs, but quarterback success has been limited. Vince Ferragamo earns the nod here largely by default.
Ferragamo had an uneven decade-long career but did manage a 3–3 postseason record and a Super Bowl appearance with the Rams.
Career Stats: 11,336 yards, 76 touchdowns, 91 interceptions
Honorable Mention: Bernie Masterson
Northwestern: Otto Graham
An all-time legend.
Otto Graham led the Browns to three NFL Championships before the Super Bowl era and was widely regarded as the best quarterback of the 1940s and 50s. A five-time Pro Bowler and member of both the College and Pro Football Halls of Fame, Graham is an easy pick.
Career Stats: 23,584 yards, 174 touchdowns, 135 interceptions
Honorable Mention: Trevor Siemian
Ohio State: C.J. Stroud
For all its college dominance, Ohio State has rarely produced productive NFL quarterbacks.
C.J. Stroud has somewhat rewritten the narrative, as he’s at least been above average. In just two seasons with the Houston Texans, he’s led them to the playoffs twice. If he stays healthy, and Houston improves its offensive line, he will become the Buckeyes’ best NFL quarterback by a mile.
Career Stats: 9,458 yards, 54 touchdowns, 22 interceptions
Honorable Mention: Justin Fields (*please note we aren’t counting Joe Burrow here because he never started a game for the Buckeyes)
Oregon: Dan Fouts
A six-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro, Dan Fouts was one of the most prolific passers of the late 1970s and early 1980s.
Playing in Don Coryell’s innovative “Air Coryell” offense, Fouts helped redefine the modern passing game. Fellow Charger Justin Herbert may one day claim this spot, but for now, Fouts remains the Ducks’ gold standard.
Career Stats: 43,040 yards, 254 touchdowns, 242 interceptions
Honorable Mention: Justin Herbert
Penn State: Kerry Collins
Kerry Collins never quite became the superstar many expected when he was drafted fifth overall, but he was a dependable starter for more than a decade.
He led the Giants to a Super Bowl appearance in 2000 and posted consistent numbers throughout his career. Collins may not have been spectacular, but he was steady, and that’s enough to lead this list for the Nittany Lions.
Career Stats: 40,922 yards, 208 touchdowns, 196 interceptions
Honorable Mention: Milt Plum
Purdue: Drew Brees
The Boilermakers might not have a deep football tradition, but their quarterback lineage is elite.
Drew Brees was an easy pick here, ranking second all-time in both passing yards and touchdowns. A Super Bowl champion and future Hall of Famer, Brees redefined efficiency and accuracy in the modern NFL.
Career Stats: 80,358 yards, 571 touchdowns, 243 interceptions
Honorable Mentions: Bob Griese, Len Dawson
Rutgers: Ray Lucas
The Scarlet Knights’ quarterback history is thin, and Ray Lucas gets this selection largely by default.
Lucas spent most of his career with the Jets, starting sporadically, before a short stint in Miami. He wasn’t flashy, but he lasted several years in the league, which counts for something.
Career Stats: 3,029 yards, 18 touchdowns, 17 interceptions
Honorable Mention: Tom Savage
USC: Carson Palmer
Carson Palmer entered the NFL as the No. 1 overall pick in 2003, carrying the weight of massive expectations. He had a rollercoaster career, showing flashes of brilliance in Cincinnati and enjoying his best stretch in Arizona, where he finished second in MVP voting in 2015.
Palmer never won a Super Bowl, but he put together a long and productive 15-year career, with numbers that are better than most people realize.
Career Stats: 46,247 yards, 294 touchdowns, 187 interceptions
Honorable Mention: Sam Darnold
UCLA: Troy Aikman
While Troy Aikman’s career stats don’t pop off the page, his success does.
A three-time Super Bowl champion and Hall of Famer, Aikman was the leader of the 1990s Cowboys dynasty and one of the defining quarterbacks of that era.
Career Stats: 32,942 yards, 165 touchdowns, 141 interceptions
Honorable Mention: Billy Kilmer
Washington: Warren Moon
Warren Moon’s path to NFL greatness was unlike any other.
After dominating the CFL, Moon didn’t join the NFL until age 28 but still managed to make nine Pro Bowls and earn a Hall of Fame nod. His career longevity, arm talent, and leadership made him one of the most respected players in league history.
Career Stats: 49,325 yards, 291 touchdowns, 233 interceptions
Honorable Mention: Mark Brunell
Wisconsin: Russell Wilson
Russell Wilson is the clear pick for the Badgers.
A Super Bowl champion and 10-time Pro Bowler, Wilson was one of the NFL’s elite quarterbacks for much of the 2010s. His mobility, leadership, and deep-ball accuracy made him one of the faces of the league.
Career Stats: 46,921 yards, 353 touchdowns, 114 interceptions
Honorable Mention: Randy Wright
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