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Mountain West Analysis
Mountain West quarterback rankings
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Jackson Arnold, a freshman, has completed 108 of 182 passes for 1391 yards, 10 TDs and 2 interceptions this season. He has added 408 rushing yards and 6 rushing TDs. Skill rating 95.
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Liam Szarka, a freshman, has completed 19 of 38 passes for 296 yards, 1 TD and 4 interceptions this season. He has added 391 rushing yards and 7 rushing TDs. Skill rating 95.
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Nathan Hayes, a freshman, has completed 123 of 196 passes for 1470 yards, 12 TDs and 7 interceptions this season. He has added 207 rushing yards and 4 rushing TDs. Skill rating 93.
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Tyler Hughes, a freshman, has completed 108 of 172 passes for 1131 yards, 5 TDs and 7 interceptions this season. He has added 617 rushing yards and 6 rushing TDs. Skill rating 92.
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EJ Colson Jr., a freshman, has completed 55 of 83 passes for 628 yards, 7 TDs and 3 interceptions this season. He has added 108 rushing yards and 1 rushing TD. Skill rating 88.
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Taron Dickens, a freshman, has completed 138 of 210 passes for 1364 yards, 6 TDs and 5 interceptions this season. He has added 14 rushing yards and 0 rushing TDs. Skill rating 86.
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Micah Alejado, a freshman, has completed 202 of 337 passes for 2186 yards, 9 TDs and 6 interceptions this season. He has added 24 rushing yards and 0 rushing TDs. Skill rating 82.
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Luke Weaver, a freshman, has completed 138 of 219 passes for 1620 yards, 11 TDs and 6 interceptions this season. He has added 80 rushing yards and 1 rushing TD. Skill rating 82.
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Toa Fa'avae, a freshman, has completed 49 of 87 passes for 787 yards, 4 TDs and 4 interceptions this season. He has added 245 rushing yards and 2 rushing TDs. Skill rating 81.
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Carter Jones, a freshman, has completed 53 of 89 passes for 654 yards, 3 TDs and 2 interceptions this season. He has added 57 rushing yards and 1 rushing TD. Skill rating 79.
How these rankings work
One quarterback per program: the player with the most pass attempts in 2026. Quarterbacks are ordered by skill rating, a 0-99 grade built from passing and rushing production, completion percentage, yards per attempt, touchdown rate, interception avoidance and experience. Passing yards break ties. Programs whose passer has not attempted a pass yet are not listed. See how it shapes the race in the power rankings.
Each Mountain West program's leading passer, ranked by skill rating built from 2026 production and efficiency, with the season numbers behind each spot. Rebuilt from the latest stats through the season.
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Frequently asked questions
Who is the top-ranked quarterback in the Mountain West?
Jackson Arnold of UNLV ranks first with a skill rating of 95, ahead of Liam Szarka of Air Force. The order is computed from 2026 passing, rushing and efficiency numbers.
Who are the Mountain West starting quarterbacks in 2026?
Each program's leading passer by attempts this season: Jackson Arnold (UNLV), Liam Szarka (Air Force), Nathan Hayes (North Dakota State), Tyler Hughes (Wyoming), EJ Colson Jr. (UTEP), Taron Dickens (Northern Illinois), Micah Alejado (Hawai'i), Luke Weaver (San José State), Toa Fa'avae (New Mexico), Carter Jones (Nevada).