Rivals QB Week: Highest ranked ACC quarterbacks of Rivals era

It’s QB Week at Rivals.com, so we thought it would be interesting to take a look back at the highest ranked quarterback prospects signed by each Power Five conference. Today we continue with the ACC with a couple of NFL starters and a few massive busts.

RELATED: Top Big Ten QBs | Top SEC QBs | Full coverage

The skinny: Wright long favored Miami and USC, while Tennessee made a late push down the stretch. However, when it came time to make a decision in early September, he committed to the Canes. Wright’s college career at Miami never truly materialized, as he passed for 5,835 yards, 38 touchdowns and 31 interceptions in his three seasons. After going undrafted in 2008, Wright signed with Minnesota. He also spent time with San Francisco but never made an active roster in the NFL.

Farrell’s take: Wright had it all: size, arm strength, the ability to extend the play and slide in the pocket, accuracy. It’s hard to understand why he flopped so badly, but that’s the risk with quarterbacks. Sometimes they just can’t handle the increased speed of the next level and the game became too fast for Wright. His career wasn’t horrific, but he sure fell short of the big-time expectations in Miami and was part of the reason Miami fell from grace in the mid 2000’s.

The skinny: While it was assumed that Virginia Tech was the heavy leader for Marcus after his brother, Michael Vick, was a star in Blacksburg, the younger Vick did take his time and actually wasn’t considering the Hokies until late in the process. He took official visits to VT, Miami, Tennessee and Virginia before committing to the Hokies on National Signing Day. Vick’s career never came close to reach the successes of his brother, as suspensions and on-field incidents led to his dismissal in early 2006. Making himself eligible for the approaching NFL Draft, Vick went undrafted and was signed as a free agent by the Miami Dolphins. He played in one game for the Dolphins in 2006, but was not resigned. Legal issues have followed Vick since that point, including DUI’s, probation violations and drug charges.

Farrell’s take: Vick wasn’t as talented as his brother, but he wasn’t far off. Some teams, like Miami, wanted him as a wide receiver, which I could never understand because Marcus was so dominant with his dual-threat abilities. He was a better natural passer than Michael at the same stage but wasn’t as explosive as an athlete. Had he kept his head on straight, he could have been a star.

The skinny: After committing to Florida State in August, Winston still took official visits to Alabama, LSU and Stanford, before re-affirming his commitment after an official visit to Tallahassee. After redshirting during his freshman season, Winston turned in a remarkable 2013 season that resulted in the Heisman Trophy and helped lead Florida State to the National Championship. While Winston's sophomore season did not meet the levels of 2013, to nobody’s surprise, he decided to forego his final two seasons at Florida State and declare for the NFL Draft. Despite plenty of off-the-field concerns, Winston was still selected with the No. 1 overall pick of the 2015 draft by Tampa Bay where he has had two productive seasons and is now preparing to lead a talented Bucs team this fall.

Farrell’s take: Coming out of high school, Winston was a skinnier version of what you saw at Florida State and now in the NFL. Many felt he was simply a dual-threat guy, but in camp settings he was on point with his footwork, his balance and weight shift to his release point. He was a pure passer, plain and simple. It’s still amazing to me that some didn’t have him as a five-star prospect. It’s no surprise he was a No. 1 NFL pick.

The skinny: Lee took official visits to Florida State, Texas, Ohio State and Auburn, and then trimmed his list down to the Noles, Longhorns and Tigers, before committing to the Seminoles in late January. Lee battled Drew Weatherford for the starting job during his playing career in Tallahassee, ultimately losing out. He decided to forego his final season, which led him to go undrafted in 2008. After a failed attempt with Baltimore, Lee spent the next eight seasons in several Arena Leagues and the United Football League, as both a quarterback and wide receiver.

Farrell’s take: The most athletic quarterback I’ve ever seen? Could be. Lee was an absolute freak with his feet and he was simply dynamic with the ball in his hands. His passing, especially his accuracy from the pocket, wasn’t great, but we assumed he would develop that skill. His numbers were off the charts in high school and his threat to run allowed him to be so successful as a passer. He never took the next step.

The skinny: While Taylor trimmed his list down to Virginia Tech and Florida before his decision, the Hokies were always considered the huge favorite. He pulled no surprises as he committed to the Hokies in late July. Taylor passed for 7,017 yards and rushed for 2,196 during his collegiate career in Blacksburg, but he didn’t get drafted until the sixth round by Baltimore in 2010. He saw sporadic playing time in his four seasons with the Ravens, before signing with Buffalo for three-years prior to the 2015 season. The starter with the Bills the last two seasons, Taylor has proven himself as an NFL quarterback, but now more is expected out of him as the 2017 season approaches.

Farrell’s take: This was the year Jimmy Clausen and Ryan Mallett were all the rage and we debated whether we should have four different five-star prospects at quarterback (Cam Newton was in this class as well). Taylor didn’t have great size, but Hampton Roads was known for producing freaky athletic quarterbacks back in the late 1990s and early 2000s like Ronald Curry, Michael Vick, Allen Iverson (yes the hoops Hall of Famer) and Marcus Vick and we felt Taylor would be the next in line. We also felt he was a better pure passer than any of them, throwing one of the prettiest balls I’ve ever seen. Things have worked out pretty well for Taylor, and this ranking was a good one.