The top five returning quarterbacks in college football for 2014

Several of college football's most exciting quarterbacks have declared for May's NFL Draft. The likes of Johnny Manziel, Teddy Bridgewater, and Blake Bortles will be missed on Saturdays, but there's still a wealth of great talents who will be back under center in the college ranks for 2014.

Here's a look at five quarterbacks worth getting excited over for next season. 

Marcus Mariota - Oregon Ducks

Mariota was a Heisman favorite throughout most of the 2013 season, then a knee injury slowed him down substantially. The Oregon sophomore was not his usual mobile self after suffering a partially torn medial collateral ligament in the Ducks win 42-14 win over UCLA on October 26. Oregon's season took a nosedive in its following game when they lost to Stanford, followed by an upset at the hands of Arizona two weeks later. Mariota threw his first interception of the season on November 23rd in the 42-16 loss to the Wildcats.

Despite failing to reach the national title game, or even a BCS bowl game, Oregon's offense was explosive all season under Mark Helfrich. Mariota flashed his greatness in the Ducks 30-7 win over Texas in the Alamo Bowl, finishing 18-of-26 for 253 yards and a touchdown and picking up 133 yards rushing on 15 carries. 

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Nick Marshall - Auburn 

Marshall, a converted defensive back, burst onto the scene as part of a surprising Auburn's team's top ranked rushing offense. Marshall may have been the best option quarterback in the country last season, rushing for 1,068 yards and 12 scores while throwing for 1,976 yards, 14 touchdowns and six interceptions. After a year of experience as a signal caller, not to mention helping Auburn to an appearance in the national title game, Marshall enters 2014 as an early Heisman hopeful. 

He'll have to improve upon his 59.4 completion rate, but being the centerpiece in Gus Malzahn's unpredictable offense should make Marshall one of the most exciting players to keep an eye on next season. How many quarterbacks can say they completed a pass to themselves last season?

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Braxton Miller - Ohio State

Miller elected to return to school for 2014, where he will be expected to once again compete for the Heisman Trophy and the Big Ten title. Miller was a Heisman favorite entering 2013, but he missed parts of three games in September, which cut into his ability to put up the kind of gaudy numbers he's capable of. 

The rushing totals will be there for Miller, who's rushed for 3,054 yards and 32 touchdowns in three seasons. If he continues the trend of improving his passing ability, we might be looking at the best quarterback in the country. 

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Bryce Petty - Baylor

Petty's first turn as the starter in Waco netted quite the return. Baylor's offense averaged 52.4 points per game, 359.1 passing yards, and 259.1 rushing yards. Petty's contribution to all those totals was apparent week in, week out. The junior finished second to Jameis Winston in passer efficiency rating (174.29), fourth in passing yards (4,200), and 11th in passing touchdowns (32).

On top of the great passing numbers, Petty was a boss on his feet, pounding in 14 scores. If Petty couldn't pass it or pound it in, he'd just flip himself over the goal line.

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Jameis Winston - Florida State

What needs to be said about the 2013 Heisman Trophy winner? He's back at Florida State as a redshirt sophomore, and he'll be expected to take a run at back-to-back honors, both individual and with his national champion Seminoles teammates. You can't bring him down. Can't.