LSU has had some talented quarterbacks during program history, and the debate rages on as to who the five best quarterbacks ever to put on a Tiger uniform were. Here's our take on how the top five shakes out.

Tommy Hodson was arguably the best QB to ever play at LSU

5. Y.A. Tittle

Yes, Tittle is certainly most well-known for his time in the NFL, and we won’t say that didn’t help bump him into the fifth spot ahead of names like Jeff Wickersham, Matt Mauck, Matt Flynn, Herb Tyler, Jamie Howard, Alan Risher and Zach Mettenberger. He certainly made a name for himself with the 49ers and Giants, turning in a 17-year career as a two-time NFL MVP and seven-time NFL Pro Bowl selection. But while at LSU, Tittle lined up at quarterback as Bernie Moore made the transition from the single-wing to a T-formation in 1945. And he answered in a big way, passing for 2,525 yards and 23 touchdowns, which were huge numbers in an era where the forward pass wasn’t the preferred method of moving the football. In 1947, Tittle was named the Cotton Bowl MVP.

4. Rohan Davey

Davey was the first LSU quarterback to put up a huge season for the Tigers during the “modern era”, and he held on to the Sugar Bowl’s passing record until Tim Tebow broke it with the Florida Gators. His 3,347 passing yards during the 2001 season is still the most by a quarterback in LSU history, and his 4,415 career passing yards ranks among the Top 10 in program history. His 528 yards gained on 35-of-44 passing against Alabama in 2001 still stands as the most passing yards in a single game in team history.

3. JaMarcus Russell

On talent alone, Russell was probably the greatest quarterback to put on an LSU uniform. His NFL career busted out after being taken with the No. 1 overall pick, but that didn’t make his college days a wash. From 2004-06, Russell passed for 6,625 yards - third-most in school history. He also passed for 3,129 yards during the 2006 season, becoming only the second LSU quarterback to ever eclipse the 3,000-yard mark in a season (Rohan Davey and Zach Mettenberger also accomplished the feat). His 52 career passing touchdowns remains second-best in school history behind Hodson, and his 28 passing touchdowns in 2006 is tied with Matt Mauck for most in a single-season by a Tiger quarterback.

2. Bert Jones

Jones was the first LSU quarterback to ever be awarded consensus First-Team All-American honors, and while he had only started two games prior to the end of his junior campaign, he started every game as a senior, ultimately leading LSU to a 12-2-1 record as a starter. LSU spent all but one week in the Top 10 during that 1972 season, and Jones ended up finishing fourth on the Heisman Trophy ballot. During his 17 games with the Tigers, Jones passed for 3,225 yards and 28 touchdowns, which - at the time - was the most career passing yards and touchdowns by any quarterback in school history.

1. Tommy Hodson

Hodson can certainly make a case for being the best quarterback to suit up for the Tigers. He left school as the SEC's all-time leading passer at the time, and he still holds the LSU record for most career passing yards (8,938) and most career touchdowns (69). His 8,938 career passing yards is also 2,194 yards more than the next name on the list: his predecessor Jeff Wickersham. He played all four seasons he was in Baton Rouge, and even led the Tigers to a Top 10 ranking as a freshman. And all these years later, Hodson still leads the program in career completions (674) and victories by a starter (31).