With the Independence Day holiday now in our rearview mirror, it’s just another sign of how close we are to college football making a highly anticipated return on Saturdays.

In the SEC, there are a ton of both new and old faces ready to take on prominent roles this season — and of course — the most widely discussed of those roles is the quarterback position.

But who will actually seize the title of best gunslinger in the best conference in college football?

Here are some of the contenders, ranging from the obvious names, to ones that might sneak up on us.

LaNorris Sellers

South Carolina

If the question were solely based on best returning quarterback, Sellers may have this one in the bag. He is one of the most talented signal callers in the nation and brought his Gamecocks to the brink of their first-ever appearance in the College Football Playoff during his first year starting. With Alabama, LSU, Ole Miss, and Clemson on the schedule this year, Sellers has a chance to introduce himself to the rest of the country as an absolute superstar.

DJ Lagway

Florida

Similar to Sellers, Lagway carried the Gators once he stepped into a starting role and is likely the only reason his head coach is still in charge of the program. Florida has a murderer’s row of a schedule again and it will be tough for them to avoid losses, but Lagway is absolutely in this conversation.

Garrett Nussmeier

LSU

Nussmeier is not nearly as flashy as some of the other options on this list, but he has a ton of experience and has for the most part been rock solid throughout his career. Many believe this is the year the Tigers take that next step after a huge offseason, and the play of Nussmeier is going to go a long way towards determining that.

Arch Manning

Texas

Of course Manning has to be on the list. Perhaps the most famous backup quarterback in the history of college football, the nephew of Peyton and Eli has bided his time and waited to take the reigns for the Longhorns after coming out of high school as the top player in the nation. Those in the know believe Manning is the real deal, and he will have an extremely bright spotlight on him from the very first game.

John Mateer

Oklahoma

Mateer transfers in from Washington State after a spectacular season and is really the Sooners last hope to turn things around on offense. After things did not work out with Jackson Arnold (now with Auburn), head coach Brent Venables brought both Mateer and his offensive coordinator from Washington State and though they have not gained a ton of attention, it could be one of the nation’s most important upgrades.

The others

Quarterbacks stepping into starting roles — like Ty Simpson at Alabama, Austin Simmons at Ole Miss, and Jackson Arnold at Auburn — are well worth keeping a close eye on as well. All three former high profile recruits are capable of entering the top of this conversation if they can run their offenses effectively and take their teams to the next level.

The post Who will be the best quarterback in the SEC this season? appeared first on Yellowhammer News.