North Carolina’s best quarterbacks
Sam Howell has the most passing yards in North Carolina history, 10,283 from 2019 to 2021.
Of the ACC’s best quarterbacks since 2004, Sam Howell is 6th.
North Carolina’s quarterbacks this season
- Billy Edwards Jr.8 games, 233.9 a game1,871passing yards
By decade: 2020s · 2010s · 2004–09
passing yards in North Carolina history
- 1Sam Howell2019 – 202110,283
- 2T.J. Yates2007 – 20109,377
- 3Darian Durant2001 – 20048,755
- 4Bryn Renner2010 – 20138,221
- 5Drake Maye2021 – 20238,018
- 6Marquise Williams2012 – 20157,965
- 7Ronald Curry1998 – 20014,987
- 8Mitch Trubisky2014 – 20164,752
- 9Jason Stanicek1991 – 19944,683
- 10Mike Thomas1991 – 19954,368
From Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0), through the 2025 season, which counts bowl games from 2002.
Compare with in · side by side
Every quarterback since 2004
| Place | Player | passing yards | passing touchdowns | wins |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sam Howell2019 – 2021 · 37 games | 10,283 | 92 | 20 |
| 2 | T.J. Yates2007 – 2010 · 45 games | 9,377 | 58 | 24 |
| 3 | Bryn Renner2010 – 2013 · 35 games | 8,221 | 64 | 19 |
| 4 | Drake Maye2021 – 2023 · 28 games | 8,018 | 63 | 18 |
| 5 | Marquise Williams2012 – 2015 · 46 games | 7,965 | 61 | 31 |
| 6 | Mitchell Trubisky2014 – 2016 · 31 games | 4,762 | 41 | 19 |
| 7 | Nathan Elliott2016 – 2018 · 18 games | 3,150 | 20 | 7 |
| 8 | Matt Baker2004 – 2005 · 16 games | 2,671 | 10 | 6 |
| 9 | Jacolby Criswell2020 – 2024 · 23 games | 2,663 | 16 | 15 |
| 10 | Darian Durant2004 · 12 games | 2,238 | 17 | 6 |
| 11 | Cameron Sexton2006 – 2008 · 17 games | 2,110 | 13 | 7 |
| 12 | Billy Edwards Jr.2026 · still playing | 1,871 | 15 | 4 |
| +1,871 this season | ||||
| 13 | Gio Lopez2025 · 11 games | 1,747 | 10 | 4 |
| 14 | Chazz Surratt2017 – 2020 · 15 games | 1,352 | 8 | 5 |
| 15 | Joe Dailey2006 – 2007 · 12 games | 1,316 | 7 | 3 |
| 16 | Conner Harrell2023 – 2024 · 10 games | 560 | 4 | 6 |
| 17 | Max Johnson2024 – 2025 · 5 games | 503 | 2 | 1 |
| 18 | Cade Fortin2018 · 4 games | 388 | 1 | 0 |
| 19 | Brandon Harris2017 · 6 games | 346 | 1 | 1 |
| 20 | Jace Ruder2018 – 2020 · 6 games | 98 | 1 | 3 |
| 21 | Michael Merdinger2024 · 1 game | 86 | 0 | 0 |
| 22 | Manny Miles2017 – 2018 · 3 games | 55 | 1 | 2 |
| 23 | Vincent Amendola2019 · 2 games | 48 | 0 | 2 |
| 24 | Au'Tori Newkirk2025 · 2 games | 23 | 1 | 1 |
| 25 | Miles O'Neill2026 · still playing | 22 | 0 | 1 |
| +22 this season | ||||
passing yards by decade
2020s
- Drake Maye2021 – 2023 · 28 games8,018
- Sam Howell2020 – 2021 · 24 games6,642
- Jacolby Criswell2020 – 2024 · 23 games2,663
- › Billy Edwards Jr.2026 · 8 games1,871
- Gio Lopez2025 · 11 games1,747
2010s
- Bryn Renner2010 – 2013 · 35 games8,221
- Marquise Williams2012 – 2015 · 46 games7,965
- Mitchell Trubisky2014 – 2016 · 31 games4,762
- Sam Howell2019 · 13 games3,641
- T.J. Yates2010 · 13 games3,418
2004–09
- T.J. Yates2007 – 2009 · 32 games5,959
- Matt Baker2004 – 2005 · 16 games2,671
- Darian Durant2004 · 12 games2,238
- Cameron Sexton2006 – 2008 · 17 games2,110
- Joe Dailey2006 – 2007 · 12 games1,316
Also at North Carolina: running backs · wide receivers · tight ends · defenders · kickers · punters · North Carolina record book
Method
- Every quarterback who played at North Carolina since 2004, ranked by passing yards over his games there. Bowl and playoff games count.
- The numbers here start in 2004, so a quarterback who played at North Carolina before then isn't here.
- A decade counts his passing yards at North Carolina in its seasons.
- The record book's numbers are the school's own. Where they and the box scores differ for one player, the box scores are missing a game or count bowls another way.
- A quarterback still playing at North Carolina is counted at tonight's numbers against the record book's, which run through the 2025 season.