The quarterback market in the 2027 recruiting class is, finally, about to heat up this spring.

Major college football programs have tended to lock down quarterback commits early in a given cycle, securing their future at the position and landing cornerstone pledges to build the rest of a recruiting class around. But as of March 4, only 10 of the 24 passers in the SC Next 300 are committed, leaving the 2027 quarterback class fascinatingly unsettled as prospects flock to campuses during the quiet period that runs from March 2 to April 14.

Explanations include the cycle's rash of relatively late risers, such as four-stars Davin Davidson and Will Mencl and the quality and depth of the quarterback talent in previous classes. Shifting incentives around quarterback development in the sport's revenue-share era are a driver, too. With the ability to add experienced passers via the offseason transfer portal, multiple Power 4 general managers tell ESPN that programs are opting for a slower approach with high school quarterbacks in order to evaluate needs into the fall and maintain roster flexibility.

Nonetheless, there's still no more important position than quarterback in all of sports. And as spring approaches, college football's top programs are finally poised to dive headfirst into the QB market.

As top-ranked quarterback Elijah Haven progresses toward a commitment, teams like Michigan and Notre Dame work to flip No. 1 pocket passer Kamden Lopati, and top schools circle the nation's top passers, we dive into the latest on the 2027 quarterback class.

Fresh SEC contender rising with top-ranked QB Elijah Haven

Haven, the lone five-star passer in the current SC Next 300, remains in a category of his own atop the 2027 quarterback class. And despite teasing an impending commitment decision across January and February, ESPN's No. 1 overall QB remains uncommitted.

Alabama, Auburn, Florida and Kentucky have been the leaders of the pack in Haven's recruitment since the start of the new year. Now, ahead of a potentially decisive run of spring visits over the next month-plus, another SEC program has been ramping up its efforts: Georgia.

"They've been one of the more recent teams," Haven told ESPN. "It's a great school and a great program. I'm looking forward to getting up there for sure."

The Bulldogs initially offered Haven in June 2025 and hosted the record-setting quarterback from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, last November. But Georgia had largely hung in the background of his recruitment into the early weeks of 2026 before offensive coordinator Mike Bobo and offensive analyst Brandon Streeter upped their level on contact, Haven said.

With the Bulldogs preparing to get more involved in the 2027 quarterback market, per program sources, Haven is expected to schedule an unofficial visit sometime over the next month.

Georgia will certainly have ground to make up with Haven, who visited front-runner Alabama in January, his third visit there since mid-October. Haven told ESPN he plans to return to Tuscaloosa again this spring with trips to Auburn, Florida and Kentucky also in the works.

"I want to try to get to all these schools I'm still looking at," Haven said. "Hopefully once I do that I'll be ready to make a decision and it'll be go time from there."

Which programs are in the mix for top QBs?

Auburn Tigers: First-year coach Alex Golesh solidified the Tigers' QB room through the transfer portal this offseason, headlined by Byrum Brown, Golesh's QB at South Florida. But the program's long-term outlook at the position became murky after coveted 2025 signee Deuce Knight transferred to Ole Miss in January. Now, Golesh and Auburn are engaged with a number of quarterbacks this cycle.

The Tigers remain in the mix for Haven, who visited Auburn in January and is expected back on campus this spring. Still, with rival Alabama considered the heavy favorite to land Haven, industry sources tell ESPN that Auburn is prioritizing another dual-threat prospect: four-star Israel Abrams (No. 116 overall), the first 2027 quarterback the Tigers offered after Golesh took over the program late last year.

Abrams, a 6-foot-4 recruit from Illinois' Montini Catholic High School, told ESPN that he has forged a quick connection with Golesh since December. He'll visit the Tigers for the second time since mid-January later this month and plans to return in June as part of a spring visit slate that includes trips to Florida State, Kentucky and Purdue, with Miami also in the mix.

Auburn also has kept in contact with rising four-star passer Davin Davidson (No. 175 overall), a prospect Golesh's staff began recruiting at USF. Top 300 quarterbacks Wonderful Monds IV (No. 93 overall), Jamison Roberts (No. 229) and Will Mencl (No. 237) are other targets atop the Tigers' board headed into the spring.

Florida Gators: The Gators have a quarterback competition on their hands in 2026 with Georgia Tech transfer Aaron Philo and redshirt freshman Tramell Jones Jr. competing to replace DJ Lagway. Jones and 2026 signee Will Griffin give Florida plenty of eligibility in its quarterback room. Yet Jon Sumrall and his staff are still working hard to land a 2027 passer.

ESPN sources view the Gators as one of the leading contenders for Davin Davidson, the surging 6-7, 210-pound pocket passer from Sarasota, Florida. Davidson's connection with the program began under former coach Billy Napier and he has emerged as a priority under the new regime with regular contact coming from Sumrall, offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner and quarterbacks coach Joe Craddock. Davidson told ESPN he intends to return to Florida for another visit this spring.

Relationships are also a driving factor in the Gators' pursuit of four-star quarterback Jamison Roberts, whose ties to Sumrall date to the coach's time at Troy. Additionally, Florida remains involved with both Haven and Monds, another pair of top quarterbacks with longstanding connections to the program.

Florida State Seminoles: The Seminoles embark on 2026 with a short-term solution at quarterback in Ashton Daniels, a third offensive coordinator in as many years and a coach on the hot seat in Mike Norvell. Unfettered, Florida State hits the spring in the mix for some of the nation's best QBs.

Monds, ESPN's No. 4 pocket passer, stands as the program's top in-state target, per ESPN sources. The 6-2, 225-pound quarterback has known Norvell for years and will return to campus this month amid a flurry of spring visits after he attended the program's junior day in January.

The Seminoles have been playing catchup in Abrams' recruitment since offering the four-star quarterback on Jan. 28, but Florida State is slowly gaining traction in his process. Abrams told ESPN that he's locked in a pair of visits with Florida State, including an official visit in June.

The program is set to host four-star quarterback Andre Adams (No. 137 overall), another recent offer, later this month. Sources tell ESPN the Seminoles have continued flip efforts with Texas A&M commit Jayce Johnson (No. 81).

Georgia Bulldogs: The flip of five-star recruit Jared Curtis at the end of the 2026 cycle threw a wrench into the Bulldogs' long-term plans at quarterback. After a late start at the position in the 2027 class market, Georgia is casting a wide net as the program ramps up its efforts to land a QB this spring.

As mentioned above, the Bulldogs have upped their efforts with Haven over the past month and are expected to host ESPN's No. 6 overall prospect this spring.

Georgia hosted four-star passer Peter Bourque (No. 123 overall) on Monday and have emerged among the leaders for the 6-5 passer from Massachusetts since his Feb. 17 decommitment from Michigan. The Bulldogs are involved with a number of other quarterbacks, including Davidson, Roberts and four-star Colton Nussmeier (No. 108), the brother of former LSU star Garrett Nussmeier. Georgia also holds in-state quarterback Kharim Hughley, a Clemson commit, in high regard and could step up its efforts to flip ESPN's No. 121 overall recruit.

Kentucky Wildcats: The decommitment of three-star passer D.J. Hunter last month was another signal of the Wildcats' ambitions at quarterback in the 2027 class. With a proven track record and an intriguing offense to offer, first-year coach Will Stein and offensive coordinator Joe Sloan are searching for an elite arm to join the program's pipeline behind 2026 signee Matt Ponatoski.

Sloan built a close relationship with Haven during his time calling plays at LSU, and that connection has been the driver in pulling Kentucky into the mix for ESPN's No. 1 quarterback, who plans to visit with the program before making a decision this spring.

Abrams visited the Wildcats under the previous coaching staff last fall. He told ESPN the offensive setup at Kentucky under Stein and Sloan is "a quarterback's dream" and is scheduled for an official visit with the program in June. The Wildcats also hosted Adams, ESPN's No. 10 pocket passer, on Monday and remain involved with Nussmeier, whose brother blossomed into one of college football's top passers in Sloan's offense at LSU from 2021-25.

Miami Hurricanes: Given the Hurricanes' reliance on the transfer portal and the program's addition of Dereon Coleman in the 2026 class, Miami may not present the most attractive landing spot to 2027 quarterbacks. Nonetheless, Mario Cristobal & Co. are chasing top prospects.

Four-star Will Mencl (No. 237 overall) stands among Miami's top quarterback targets, per ESPN sources. Mencl told ESPN the Hurricanes have "come in late but come in hard" in a recruitment that has taken off in 2026, and the 6-4 pocket passer from Chandler, Arizona, is set to visit Miami later this month.

The Hurricanes are the most recent entrants into the chase for Abrams, who told ESPN he is working to finalize an unofficial visit with the program at the end of March.

Locally, Miami remains a longstanding player in the increasingly crowded recruitments of Davidson and Monds. Sources tell ESPN the Hurricanes will be serious contenders for Neimann Lawrence if the coveted 2028 quarterback from Plantation, Florida, chooses to reclassify.

Five risers to watch this spring

Kamden Lopati, No. 50 overall, Illinois commit

Perhaps no quarterback in the 2027 class has garnered more attention in the early months of 2026 than Lopati. Committed to Illinois since last July, ESPN's No. 1 pocket passer is reevaluating his options this spring ahead of visits to Cal, Duke, Michigan and Notre Dame.

"I just want to make sure my commitment's the right fit," Lopati told ESPN. "Illinois knows how I feel about them, and I know I'm a priority for them. They've always made me feel that way. But I want to be open-minded and make sure I've made the right decision."

Previously unrecruited by Michigan, Lopati was the first quarterback the Wolverines offered after Bourque's decommitment last month. The offer was owed heavily to the "insanely close" relationship Lopati said he developed with Michigan coach Kyle Whittingham and offensive coordinator Jason Beck at Utah. The duo visited Lopati in January, and they have continued to sell the big-armed QB on his fit in Beck's offense and Michigan's plans at quarterback.

Lopati describes Notre Dame as a "dream school" with the same sort of tradition and history as Michigan. First-year Cal coach Tosh Lupoi has been at the forefront of the Bears' efforts to keep Lopati out west. Lopati's leading factors in his interest at Duke are potential for early playing time, a record of quarterback development and academics.

Wonderful Monds IV, No. 93 overall

Monds debuted at No. 93 in the SC Next 300 after his reclassification from the 2028 cycle, and his recruitment stands among the most intriguing across the 2027 quarterback class.

The 6-2 passer from Vero Beach, Florida, will kick off the next phase in his process, with spring visits to Florida, Florida State, Miami, Notre Dame and Ohio State. However, sources close to Monds indicate that his recruitment remains open, with Auburn, Arkansas, South Carolina and Syracuse among the programs to intensify their efforts in recent weeks.

Davin Davidson, No. 175 overall

Davidson held only six Division I offers before Jan. 1. Since then, the towering quarterback prospect has picked up more than 25 offers and watched his recruitment explode after standout performances at recent Elite 11 and Under Armour Next camp appearances.

"The last month and a half has been insane," Davidson said. "It's probably been the craziest time in my life."

Davidson tells ESPN that in-state contenders Florida and Miami have "a head start" in his rapidly accelerating process. Among the more recent programs to enter the fray, Auburn, Georgia and Kentucky have made significant progress in recent weeks. Mississippi State, Notre Dame and Virginia Tech have also made headway with Davidson as he works to finalize a busy run of spring visits over the six weeks, with an eye on an April commitment date.

Jamison Roberts, No. 229 overall

Since announcing his top-eight schools last month, Roberts tells ESPN that he has been dialed in on a longtime leader and opened his process to a trio of late-emerging contenders.

Oklahoma remains at the forefront of Roberts' recruitment. Led by offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle, the Sooners were one of the first major programs involved with Roberts and have made the 6-3 passer from Saraland, Alabama, a clear priority. "I love the way Coach Arbuckle develops QBs, and Oklahoma has such a great lineage there," Roberts said.

A more recent riser: Florida. The Gators skyrocketed in Roberts' recruitment alongside Oklahoma in early 2026 before formally offering him Tuesday in a pursuit driven primarily by the arrival of Sumrall, who initially recruited Roberts during his two seasons at Troy in 2022 and '23. "I've known him a long time," said Roberts, who plans to visit Florida this spring.

In addition to potential visits with Arkansas, Auburn, Duke, Iowa, Kentucky, Northwestern and Ole Miss, Roberts told ESPN that he's considering recent interest from Colorado and Georgia.

Will Mencl, No. 237 overall

Another late riser in the 2027 class, Mencl told ESPN that Auburn, Miami, Oregon and Penn State are his top schools as he prepares for March visits and targets an April commitment date.

Mencl describes a "family feel" with Golesh at Auburn and an offensive coaching staff that began recruiting him at South Florida. Similarly, Mencl has developed a connection at Oregon across three visits with the Ducks. While Stein's departure for Kentucky marked a blow late last year, Mencl told ESPN he's encouraged by coach Dan Lanning's decision to promote Drew Mehringer to replace Stein as offensive coordinator and the continuity of the program's playbook.

Miami and Penn State are newcomers in Mencl's process. The Hurricanes have been aggressive in their pursuit since offering Mencl in January, and the mobile passer from Chandler, Arizona, is increasingly intrigued with Miami's offense and track record of quarterback development. The Nittany Lions, who extended an offer to Mencl shortly after coach Matt Campbell's arrival from Iowa State, will get an opportunity to woo Mencl when he visits campus later this month.

Other recruits of note

Colton Nussmeier, No. 108 overall: The younger brother of former LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier, the younger Nussmeier will have his own opportunities to play in the SEC. Nussmeier told ESPN that he remains in regular contact with Arkansas, Georgia and Kentucky, among others, with plans to get out for campus visits this spring.

Kharim Hughley, No. 121 overall, Clemson commit: The dual-threat quarterback from Gainesville, Georgia, has been the top-ranked member of the Tigers' 2027 class since last July. Hughley told ESPN he's in the process of developing a relationship with new Clemson offensive coordinator Chad Morris and remains locked in with the Tigers despite persistent contact from other programs, including Georgia.

Peter Bourque, No. 123 overall: A prototypical pocket passer, the 6-5, 200-pound Bourque pulled his commitment from Michigan last month because of concerns regarding his fit in the run-heavy offense the Wolverines are set to use under new offensive coordinator Jason Beck, sources told ESPN. The picture of Bourque's recruitment will become clearer as he evaluates his options this spring, but Georgia, Penn State and Virginia Tech have emerged as early leaders in his reopened process. Bourque visited the Bulldogs earlier this week.

Luke Babin, No. 268 overall: The 6-3 passer from Woodville, Texas, has been picking up steady Big 12 interest since pulling his pledge from Vanderbilt last month. Sources tell ESPN Babin is expected to take visits to Baylor, Houston, Kansas State and Oklahoma State later this spring.

Sione Kaho, No. 289 overall: Cal, Oregon, Stanford and Washington are leading the race for Kaho, ESPN's No. 2 overall prospect in the state of Washington. The 6-2 pocket passer plans to visit all four schools this spring, with an eye on a summertime commitment.