Of the 16 returning, declared or widely anticipated starters, there are more 2-time transfers (five) than homegrown quarterbacks (four). That includes the defending league champion in Darian Mensah, who will defend the crown he won at Duke while playing for Miami. The ACC also boasts two of the three sixth-year players we've found of the 51 QBs studied thus far in North Carolina's Billy Edwards and Stanford's Davis Warren.
Relatedly, the ACC is not expected to have a 5-star recruit amongst its ranks, compared to 10 3-stars, a walk-on, and a Division II signee. With the Duke job still open, the other 16 starters have a median of 11.5 starts, down from the SEC's 15.5 and the Big Ten's 175.
Of course, one does not have to be a 5-star to play like a 5-star, as seen by Mensah, Cal's JKS, and Kevin Jennings, who journeyed all of 12 miles from South Oak Cliff High School to SMU.
Who is the ACC's fourth-best quarterback, behind those three? I have some guesses, but
ACC QBs by Signing Class
2026: 0
2025: 2
2024: 4
2023: 4
2022: 4
2021: 2
ACC QBs by Home State
2: Alabama, California, Florida, Ohio
1: Georgia, Hawaii, Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas, Virginia
ACC QBs by Recruiting Ranking:
5-star: 0
4-star: 4
3-star: 10
Unrated: 2
ACC QBs at a Glance
Mason McKenzie, Boston College
fourth-year player with 23 starts in 25 games; signed with Saginaw Valley State out of Caledonia, Mich.; an unrated recruit in the class of 2023
Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele, Cal
second-year player who started all 13 games as a true freshman; signed with Cal out of Ewa Beach, Hawaii; a 4-star in the class of 2025
Christopher Vizzina, Clemson
fourth-year player with one start in 14 games; signed with Clemson out of Birmingham, Ala.; a 4-star recruit in the class of 2023
Duke -- too close to call
Ashton Daniels, Florida State
fifth-year player with 23 starts in 37 games at two universities; signed with Auburn out of Buford, Ga.; a 3-star recruit in the class of 2022
Alberto Mendoza, Georgia Tech
third-year player with 10 career appearances; signed with Indiana out of Miami; a 3-star recruit in the class of 2024
Lincoln Keinholz, Louisville
fourth-year player with 10 career appearances; signed with Ohio State out of Pierre, S.D.; a 4-star recruit in the class of 2023
Darian Mensah, Miami
fourth-year player who has started all 27 games in which he's appeared; signed with Tulane out of San Luis Obispo, Calif., with a stop at Duke; a 3-star recruit in the class of 2023
Billy Edwards, North Carolina
sixth-year player with 14 starts in 28 games; signed with Maryland out of Springfield, Va., with a stop at Wisconsin in between; a 3-star recruit in the class of 2021
CJ Bailey, NC State
third-year player with 22 starts in 25 games; signed with NC State out of Miami; a 3-star recruit in the class of 2024
Mason Heinstchel, Pitt
second-year player with nine starts in 10 games; signed with Pitt out of Oregon, Ohio; a 3-star recruit in the class of 2025
Kevin Jennings, SMU
fifth-year player with 39 appearances and 26 starts; signed with SMU out of Oak Cliff, Texas; a 3-star recruit in the class of 2022
Davis Warren, Stanford
sixth-year player with nine starts in 17 games; signed with Michigan out of Manhattan Beach, Calif.; a walk-on in the class of 2021
Steve Angeli, Syracuse
fifth-year player with four starts in 25 games; signed with Notre Dame out of Westfield, N.J.; a 3-star recruit in the class of 2022
Beau Pribula, Virginia
fifth-year player with 10 starts across 34 games; signed with Penn State out of York, Pa., with a stop at Missouri; a 3-star recruit in the class of 2022
Ethan Grunkemeyer, Virginia Tech
third-year player with seven starts in 12 games; signed with Penn State out of Lewis Center, Ohio; a 4-star recruit in the class of 2024
Gio Lopez, Wake Forest
fourth-year player with 23 starts in 27 appearances; signed with South Alabama out of Madison, Ala., with a stop at North Carolina; a 3-star recruit in the class of 2023