Derek Garcia might not start at UNLV this season but head coach Dan Mullen is high on his potential. He said the true freshman quarterback reminds him of Tom Brady.
But only during the team period…
One of the most interesting quarterback battles in college football will come down to 11-on-11s. Garcia is being presented with a real opportunity to beat out Jackson Arnold by the coaching staff in Las Vegas.
Who is Derek Garcia?
As a native of Ventura, California, Garcia was rated as a three-star prospect in the recruiting Class of 2026. The 6-foot-4, 195-pound signal-caller ranked as one of the top 60 players at his position and a top 1,100 athlete overall.
He received 12 scholarship offers from schools all over the country. That list includes Kansas, Cal, Oregon State, Syracuse, Minnesota and Nevada. UNLV ultimately received his commitment after a heavy push from offensive coordinator Corey Dennis. The staff in Las Vegas is extremely high on his potential.
Not only does Garcia have a great frame on which to build for a college pocket passer, he is smooth in his delivery and comfortable rolling to either side. His accuracy is perhaps his best his best attribute.
Garcia can layer the ball to all three levels of the field and has a nice, effortless touch on the deep ball. He threw for more than 7,000 yards and 76 touchdowns during his high school career and led Ventura to its first-ever state championship appearance as a senior.
The tape speaks for itself! There is a lot of buzz about Derek Garcia’s potential.
UNLV’s true freshman quarterback cannot throw against air.
Despite what his three-star rating might suggest, Garcia is considered one of the most promising prospects on the West Coast. UNLV was thrilled to get him in the system as the expected backup and eventual successor to former Auburn and Oklahoma quarterback Jackson Arnold…
… unless he messes around and wins the starting job outright as a freshman.
The Runnin’ Rebels will hold 15 spring practice sessions between March 26 and the spring game on April 22. Head coach Dan Mullen loves what he has seen from Derek Garcia thus far, even if he is something of an “anomaly.”
UNLV 🏈 Freshman QB Derek Garcia was one of the top QB recruits in the west. Coach Dan Mullen calling him an anomaly (in a good way)@DerekGarcia_5 @unlvfootball pic.twitter.com/9yuWkQyHyj
— Chris Maathuis (@sports8) April 5, 2026
The true freshman quarterback can only play against a real defense. He looks absolutely terrible during individual position drills but he looks like “Tom Brady” during the 11-on-11 period.
There are some guys who are just gamers. Garcia appears to be one of them.
Arnold arrived to Las Vegas in January with the former five-star billing and extremely high expectations. His true freshman counterpart arrived to Las Vegas in January with a three-star rating and nothing to lose. It will be interesting to see whether the latter can beat out the former despite the discrepancy. Mullen seems to love Garcia in game situations!