Grading the QB situations across the ACC
The quarterback position is arguably the most interesting to follow in recruiting to see where prospects go to play and how schools recruit the position. Here’s a look at the scholarship QBs across the ACC.
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MORE: Grading the QB situations across the Big Ten | SEC
CLASS OF 2021 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | Team | State
CLASS OF 2022 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | Team | State
COVERAGE: Rivals Transfer Tracker | Rivals Camp Series
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BOSTON COLLEGE
The starter at Boston College is Phil Jurkovec, a former four-star and Rivals100 quarterback from Western Pennsylvania who signed with Notre Dame before transferring to play in Chestnut Hill. The Eagles went all over for their other quarterbacks as Sam Johnson is a former three-star from Michigan and Daelen Menard is a two-star from Florida in the 2019 class. In the most recent recruiting cycle Boston College got Matthew Rueve out of Ohio.
Farrell’s take: Jurkovec has been a nice get in the transfer portal, but BC hasn’t killed it at QB recruiting, mainly because of Steve Addazio’s run offense. I give the Eagles a C, but that grade will improve under Jeff Hafley.
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CLEMSON
Trevor Lawrence is arguably the best prospect in Rivals history dating back to 2002, and Dabo Swinney secured a huge recruiting victory when he dipped into Georgia for the five-star from Cartersville. The Tigers have another star in the making in five-star D.J. Uiagalelei out of Bellflower (Calif.) St. John Bosco, who has filled in nicely during Lawrence’s absence because of COVID-19. Getting Uiagalelei from across the country was a major recruiting coup. The Tigers also boast mid-level four-star Taisun Phommachanh on the roster. He was ranked No. 168 in the 2019 class out of Avon (Conn.) Avon Old Farms.
Farrell’s take: Is there a higher grade than A-plus? If there is, let’s give it to Dabo. This needs no explanation.
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DUKE
Duke is another school with a transfer quarterback in charge, with former four-star Chase Brice as the starter. Brice is originally from Loganville (Ga.) Grayson who started his career at Clemson and backed up Lawrence. The two other scholarship quarterbacks for the Blue Devils are quite different - one from Wake Forest (N.C.) Heritage in Gunnar Holmberg and the other in Los Angeles Venice’s Luca Diamont. Diamont grew up more than 2,500 miles from Duke’s campus.
Farrell’s take: Brice is a solid transfer as a former four-star, and QB recruiting has been solid under David Cutcliffe, enough for a B grade.
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FLORIDA STATE
Florida State has stayed mainly close for its quarterbacks as former four-star James Blackman played at Belle Glade (Fla.) Glades Central and three-star Jordan Travis, who started his career at Louisville, is from Palm Beach Gardens (Fla.) Benjamin School. In the 2020 recruiting class, three-star Tate Rodemaker is from Valdosta, Ga., and the only QB outside the region is 2020 four-star Chubba Purdy out of Gilbert (Ariz.) Perry.
Farrell’s take: Ugh. They went two cycles without a QB, so Mike Norvell is trying to make up for things and he landed a couple of solid players last year, but overall it’s been a C.
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GEORGIA TECH
Former Florida State commit Jeffrey Sims won the starting job at Georgia Tech as a freshman this season and he’s one of two quarterbacks on the roster from Florida, along with former three-star Tucker Gleason. Two other QBs are in-state prospects: James Graham from Fitzgerald, who was rated as a four-star athlete, and four-star Jordan Yates from Alpharetta (Ga.) Milton.
Farrell’s take: Sims was a high three-star QB and a solid get, and the others have been even better, so I’ll give Tech a solid B-plus here.
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LOUISVILLE
Louisville likes going to Georgia for its quarterbacks - except for its starter. Former four-star Malik Cunningham is out of Montgomery (Ala.) Park Crossing, and he’s the only one not from Georgia. Four-star Jawon Pass is out of Columbus (Ga.) Carver, Evan Conley is from Marietta (Ga.) Kell, and Tee Webb is Louisville’s 2020 signee out of Cartersville, Ga.
Farrell’s take: On paper, the quarterbacks have been solid, although the quality is slipping a bit in recent classes. Overall, this is a B-minus.
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MIAMI
Quarterback is one position that is not loaded throughout the state of Florida, and that’s why Miami’s coaching staff has looked elsewhere for the majority of its players at that position. Starter D’Eriq King is a former three-star from Manvel, Texas, who is also a transfer from Houston. In 2019, the Hurricanes signed two-star Peyton Matocha from Houston (Texas) St. Thomas, and then last recruiting cycle four-star Tyler Van Dyke from Suffield (Conn.) Suffield Academy signed with Miami. The only in-state QB is Rivals250 prospect N’Kosi Perry out of Ocala (Fla.) Vanguard.
Farrell’s take: King is a portal home run, but Perry has been a bust and the jury is still out on the others. But based on King alone, this is an A, because so many teams wanted him.
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NORTH CAROLINA
North Carolina has one of the most loaded and interesting quarterback rooms in the entire ACC, led by former four-star Sam Howell from Monroe (N.C.) Sun Valley, who flipped to the Tar Heels late after being committed to Florida State. Four-stars abound in Chapel Hill, with 2018 signee Jace Ruder out of Norton, Kan., and 2020 signee Jacolby Criswell from Morrilton, Ark. Jefferson Boaz was ranked as a three-star tight end but now is listed at quarterback, and he’s another in-state prospect.
Farrell’s take: Howell was a huge get while the others are average, but with Drake Maye coming, this is clearly an A-minus rating.
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NC STATE
The Wolfpack have gone to all corners of the country for quarterbacks and it’s paid off with some talented players in the years to come. Bailey Hockman was a three-star prospect from Powder Springs (Ga.) McEachern in the 2017 class who transferred in from Florida State. Devin Leary was the lone four-star among the group, and he’s out of Sicklerville (N.J.) Timber Creek. And Dave Doeren and his staff also went West for 2019 three-star Ty Evans from Monument (Colo.) Palmer Ridge and to Phoenix (Ariz.) Paradise Valley for 2020 signee Ben Finley, Ryan’s younger brother.
Farrell’s take: NC State at one point had more QBs in the NFL than anyone else, but the Wolfpack have not capitalized on that at all and efforts have been average. I give them a C.
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NOTRE DAME
Notre Dame went to Northern California for starter Ian Book, a high three-star prospect in the 2016 class, and the Irish are back in that state for 2021 four-star commitment Tyler Buchner, who now plays at San Diego (Calif.) Helix. On the roster already other than Book are 2020 signee Drew Pyne, a four-star out of New Canaan, Conn., and three-star Brendon Clark from Midlothian (Va.) Manchester, who signed as a part of the 2019 class.
Farrell’s take: Oddly, QB recruiting hasn’t been great at Notre Dame, although Buchner is highly rated. The Irish are undefeated, but in this area they get a C.
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PITTSBURGH
Starter Kenny Pickett was a three-star from Oakhurst (N.J.) Ocean Township, and he’s not the only three-star QB from that state, as Nick Patti also had that ranking and he played at Montvale (N.J.) St. Joseph’s. The Panthers have also looked elsewhere for quarterbacks as Joey Yellen was a three-star at Mission Viejo, Calif., who transferred to Pitt from Arizona State. The lone four-star among the group is Davis Beville out of Greenville, S.C., in the 2019 class.
Farrell’s take: Pickett has played better than his ranking, but the rest is a bit of a mess, as we are learning. Pat Narduzzi is a defensive guy and the QB recruiting has been, uh, meh. I give it a C-minus.
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SYRACUSE
Syracuse has five scholarship quarterbacks, which is rare for a lot of teams to have that many, and coach Dino Babers and his staff have gone all over the country for these players. Rex Culpepper is a three-star from Tampa (Fla.) Plant, and Tommy Devito is a three-star out of Ramsey (N.J.) Don Bosco Prep. The only other regional prospect is three-star David Summers from Trumbull (Conn.) St. Joseph’s and then two-stars Dillon Markiewicz and JaCobian Morgan are from McKinney (Texas) McKinney North and Canton, Miss., respectively.
Farrell’s take: Two-star and three-star QBs aren’t getting it done, and I’m surprised Babers hasn’t done better or capitalized on that 10-win season. I give the Orange a C-minus.
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VIRGINIA
Virginia has an interesting mix of quarterbacks, with three-star Brennan Armstrong out of Shelby, Ohio, getting the biggest opportunity. Former three-star Lindell Stone out of Woodberry Forest (Va.) Woodberry Forest School is the lone in-state scholarship quarterback on the roster. The one that continues to be a head scratcher as to why he hasn’t caught on in college football yet is former four-star Keytaon Thompson out of New Orleans (La.) Landry Walker, who started his career at Mississippi State.
Farrell’s take: This isn’t a Who's Who of QBs by any means, although Thompson has insane upside. This is a pure C.
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VIRGINIA TECH
Virginia Tech has a highly talented quarterback room that is led by former three-star Hendon Hooker out of Greensboro (N.C.) Dudley and former four-star Braxton Burmeister, who’s from La Jolla (Calif.) La Jolla Country Day and then transferred from Oregon to Virginia Tech. Four-star Quincy Patterson is from Chicago Solorio Academy, and three-star Knox Kadum, a former James Madison pledge, is out of Rome, Ga. The Hokies have been into the Southeast, Midwest and West for their play-callers.
Farrell’s take: Overall, it’s been good for the Hokies, I think, especially with the transfer of Burmeister and landing Patterson. I give them a solid B.
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WAKE FOREST
Located in Winston-Salem, N.C., Wake Forest does not have any scholarship quarterbacks from the state, but the Demon Deacons have recruited that position regionally with success. Sam Hartman is a three-star from McClellanville (S.C.) Oceanside Collegiate Academy, Michael Kern is a two-star from Orlando (Fla.) Lake Nona. In the most recent recruiting cycle, Wake Forest signed Mitch Griffis out of Ashburn (Va.) Broad Run.
Farrell’s take: The Deacons have found some solid guys, and based on expectations they’ve done an OK job, but no better than a B-minus.