The AFC South was one of the most entertaining divisions in all of football during the 2025 season, and we're expecting nothing less in 2026.
This division features exclusively former top-10 picks at the quarterback position, including two former #1 overall picks in Cam Ward and Trevor Lawrence. And not just because of their NFL Draft status, this is going to be a pressure-packed year for the quarterbacks in the AFC South overall.
The Jaguars looked like one of the best teams in the NFL last season, and will need to fight hard to stay where they're at after somewhat of an underwhelming, maybe even disappointing offseason. The Titans have a new head coach and renewed optimism. The Colts are in a make-or-break year with Daniel Jones coming off of injury.
And finally, the Texans have a major financial decision looming with CJ Stroud, whose performance in 2026 could earn him the biggest contract in league history. With training camp on the horizon, our latest NFL Power Rankings will rank every quarterback in this division worst to best for 2026.
NFL Power Rankings: Ranking AFC South starting QBs worst to best for 2026
4. Cam Ward, Tennessee Titans
Cam Ward is considered one of the top breakout candidates in the NFL entering the 2026 season, and for good reason.
He was the #1 overall pick in last year's draft, he's got all the talent in the world, and he showed some serious mental toughness with the way things went during his rookie year with the Titans.
Despite the fact that the Titans fired head coach Brian Callahan in the middle of the season, Ward continually showed he was taking steps forward week after week. That doesn't mean his stats were better every single week over the course of the season, but in the NFL, progression is not always linear.
We saw things from Ward last season with big-time throws, accuracy, escaping pressure, and executing in some clutch situations to believe that with a better supporting cast, he can be one of the most improved players in the league. And that's exactly what the Titans got him.
The hiring of Brian Daboll as OC, drafting Carnell Tate, signing Wan'Dale Robinson, and the progression of all the other young players around Ward now give him the chance to take a giant leap this season.
3. Daniel Jones, Indianapolis Colts
If there is one quarterback in the AFC South that brings about instant skepticism when his name is brought up, it's got to be Daniel Jones.
The former first-round pick of the New York Giants has shown that he can be a really good quarterback when healthy, but injury issues cut short the best season of his career in 2025. Still, the Colts rewarded what he did do for them last year with a sizable raise, giving him over $60 million in guaranteed cash on a two-year deal.
Still, this year feels like an audition for both Jones and Shane Steichen with the Colts, or it could be their last chance. The Colts haven't won the AFC South in a long time (over 10 years), and the pressure is on.
Jones can be a dynamic threat both as a passer and runner (19 passing TDs, 5 rushing TDs last season), but he's also been prone to turning the ball over. He cut down on the turnover-worthy plays quite a bit last season, but everyone was waiting each week for the clock to strike midnight and the carriage to turn into a pumpkin.
We'll see if Jones can not only come back healthy, but get back to the level we saw him playing at pre-injury.
2. CJ Stroud, Houston Texans
There is a reason why the Houston Texans and CJ Stroud have not yet agreed to a massive contract extension to make him one of the richest players in league history.
Despite looking like a superstar in his rookie year with the team back in 2023, Stroud has been a bit of a limiter for the Texans' offense the past couple of seasons. And it really doesn't make much sense. He took 90 sacks over his first two NFL seasons, 52 of which came in 2024. The Texans have set out to completely revamp their offensive line since that season, and Stroud showed some signs of improvement last year.
But since that rookie year, his yards per game significantly decreased (274 down to 218), his turnover-worthy plays increased, and he just hasn't felt like the same type of impact player.
Still, Stroud has all of the traits to be a franchise quarterback. His arm talent is there, his anticipation and accuracy are there, and his football IQ is high. If he can recapture that magic we saw in 2023, he's going to get a massive pay day in the very near future.
1. Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars
Trevor Lawrence was in somewhat of a similar boat to Cam Ward back in the 2022 season, and he had a major breakthrough.
The first year of the Doug Pederson era for the Jaguars looked like it was going to be the launching pad into an era of total prosperity, but the Jaguars took an absolute nosedive in 2023, and couldn't recover in 2024 as Lawrence was limited to just 10 games.
With Liam Coen coming in last offseason, the Jaguars went from being one of the 5 worst teams in the NFL to being one of the best, especially late in the season. It didn't feel like anyone was going to be able to get in their way during the playoffs and live to tell the tale, but the Buffalo Bills played the role of stopper.
Lawrence, in particular, was on a heater in the second half of last season. He finished 5th in the MVP voting after throwing 29 touchdowns and running for another 9, looking like the Trevor Lawrence we all saw once upon a time at Clemson. If he can take even another step forward in his game, the Jaguars might be bound for the NFL's final four in January.
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