I think Taylor should be in the 5 slot, although this is far from a top-heavy class of Big Ten QBs. I think the author here is a bit too infatuated with the running and speed of Denard and Taylor both. I just remember Urban Meyer questioning whether Denard should even be in the game during the first half vs us. He's athletic, no doubt, but it seems like the dizzying highs come at the cost of a lot of mistakes, and a lack of proficiency in operating an offense. He's not extraordinary, but I dunno. I think they very possibly have a better overall guy waiting in the wings in Devin Gardner.
I think Braxton is poised to take the league and the NCAA by storm. Colter also, is very impressive. And I know it's our duty to hate Iowa, but Vandenberg seems to have a pretty solid resume behind him, with his 25/7 TD/INT ratio. Of this list, he is the leading passer by 850 yards. Those three guys plus Denard, should be make top 4, with Denard at 2 or 3. Taylor 5, O'Brien 6 because he is such an unknown.
I'm not hating on Taylor, but he is a work in progress who is taking time this spring to try and correct years of some really bad habits in his footwork and throwing mechanics. He is also making up for a lot of lost time in learning how to quarterback (the lost time is no fault of his own). He may be a junior now, but he's still a work in progress. And as much promise as our offense is, that is also a work in progress.
Caveat, I don't think this list should be made on the basis of the surrounding talent. It's a ranking of the individual quarterbacks, not a ranking of the best teams (surely NU would be Top three there). Given a team of a certain level, who's the guy you pick to quarterback it? For me Braxton and Colter would top the list. They have the all-around skills that, combined witth their athleticism, makes them potentially extraordinary, potentially right now.