In a recent list of quarterback rankings by Zachary Neel at Ducks Wire, Jayden Maiava is ranked as one of the top 4 quarterbacks in the Big Ten. Here are his thoughts on Maiava after this season:
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“Jayden Maiava has a chance to be one of the best players in the Big Ten this year, and in the Heisman mix if things go well in Los Angeles. He’s a talented passer with a lot of past production, and he impressed last year with Lincoln Riley.”
With a lot of doubts surrounding him coming into this season, Jayden Maiava was very impressive in his first real season as a starter. He showed great improvement and led the Trojans to a 9-4 season in USC’s second season in the Big Ten. They defeated Iowa and Michigan, two signature victories that proved USC belonged in the Big Ten.
It said a lot about Lincoln Riley’s confidence in Maiava if he was the priority this offseason and Husan Longstreet left to go to LSU. Riley has the utmost confidence in his starting quarterback. If Year 2 will be a step forward for Maiava, he should very well end up in the Heisman conversations and finish the season as a possible finalist.
It’s great to see many recognize that Maiava is not only one of the best quarterbacks in the Big Ten, but also one of the best quarterbacks in the country. Big things are coming for Maiava this season and he will be up to the challenge of leading the Trojans to more success than they achieved last season.
This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: USC’s Jayden Maiava enters 2026 season with a lot to prove in Big Ten