ESPN’s Bill Connelly released his first set of Power 4 quarterback rankings for the 2026 college football season.
Clemson’s Tait Reynolds certainly has a lot of room to climb in those rankings after the season’s first month.
Connelly currently ranks Reynolds at No. 66 out of 68 Power 4 QBs.
The low placement reflects a slow statistical start for Reynolds, who rates 133rd nationally in ESPN’s Total QBR metric (29.0). The true freshman signal-caller has completed 54 of his 84 passes (64.3%) for 521 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions through four game appearances (two starts), while also rushing for 83 yards on 41 carries.
After senior Christopher Vizzina started Clemson’s first two games of the 2026 campaign, Reynolds took over as the starter for the ACC opener vs. North Carolina in Week 3, when he led a second-half rally to win his first career start. He then helped guide the Tigers to a win over Cal last Friday in his first career road start.
“Reynolds led a late rally against North Carolina that, for all we know, saved the Dabo Swinney era,” Connelly wrote. “He also improved late in the game against Cal. But the freshman is averaging just 9.9 yards per completion and 5.3 yards per dropback with loads of sacks, and he has to face Miami’s and Virginia Tech’s top-30 defenses in October.”
The only two Power 4 QBs that Connelly ranks behind Reynolds are both in the ACC as well – Boston College’s Mason McKenzie (No. 67) and Syracuse’s Steve Angeli (No. 68). Clemson is scheduled to face Angeli and the Orange on Nov. 7 at Syracuse.
Despite Reynolds’ bottom-rung ranking by Connelly, Miami head coach Mario Cristobal had plenty of praise for the talented 6-foot-2, 215-pound rookie ahead of Saturday’s matchup between the Hurricanes and Tigers at Clemson’s Memorial Stadium (7:30 p.m., ABC).
“Great player,” Cristobal said. “Ultra-competitive. His nature, his demeanor — a guy that has already mastered the offense in a short amount of time. Great arm, extremely accurate, great feet, tough, physical, an absolute specimen of a player, of an athlete, and the guy that just finds ways to win.”
