USC quarterback Jayden Maiava’s stock is quickly climbing.
Heading into the 2025 college football season, Jayden Maiava’s name rarely came up in national conversations. Instead, nearly all of the attention was focused on Arch Manning, the Texas quarterback stepping into the starting role with sky-high expectations and the weight of his family name.
Manning dominated preseason headlines and draft discussions, while Maiava was viewed as more of an afterthought. He was considered a solid starter, but not someone projected to challenge the top quarterbacks in the country.
After four weeks of impressive play, Maiava is changing that narrative quickly.
As Sports Illustrated noted, “Landing at No. 9 on the list—even without a lengthy scouting breakdown—speaks volumes. NFL evaluators don’t just want flashy arm talent; they want reliability, maturity, and decision-making. Maiava is proving he has all three.”
The USC quarterback has thrown for 1,223 passing yards, nine touchdowns, and zero interceptions with a 95.5 QBR. He has an additional four touchdowns on the ground and has led the Trojans to a 4-0 start.
Jayden Maiava’s College Football Career
Maiava redshirted his first year at UNLV in 2022. In 2023, Maiava became the starting quarterback for UNLV and was named the Mountain West Freshman of the Year. He led the team to a 9-win season and the Mountain West Conference Championship game, which was their first appearance since the 1980s.
Maiava entered the transfer portal after the season and initially committed to Georgia. He then changed his mind and chose to transfer to USC. That decision is proving to pay off big time.
The former four-star recruit took over the starting quarterback role from Miller Moss towards the end of the 2024 season. During Maiava’s time as a starter, he led the team to a 3-1 record in his first four starts, along with a Las Vegas Bowl victory over Texas A&M.
That short but impactful four-game audition in 2024 laid the groundwork for what’s become a true breakout in 2025. Maiava earned the trust of Lincoln Riley and his coaching staff at the end of last season. Now, with a full offseason as the unquestioned starting QB, Maiava has stepped firmly into the spotlight.
He’s thriving as the face of USC football and is emerging as one of the best quarterbacks in the nation.
Maiava Emerging as an NFL Draft Prospect
Maiava’s early-season surge has quickly translated into NFL Draft buzz. For having very little preseason NFL Draft talk, he’s now climbing into the top-10 of several updated prospect rankings.
Scouts have been impressed not only by his arm strength and deep-ball efficiency, but also by his poise, maturity, and decision-making under pressure as he has yet to commit a turnover this season.
Sports Illustrated captured Maiava’s rise perfectly:
“As USC’s season unfolds, the spotlight will only grow brighter. If Maiava continues to pair efficiency with explosiveness, his draft stock could climb even higher — perhaps pushing him past Manning in future updates. For now, he’s gone from overlooked to undeniable, a quarterback whose game translates to the next level and whose draft arrow is pointed firmly up.”
That assessment sums up why Maiava’s name keeps gaining momentum. He’s playing clean, winning football that NFL scouts look for. If his trajectory continues, it’s only a matter of time before he’s not just mentioned alongside Arch Manning but also surpassing other top names in the 2026 quarterback class.