The first full week of National Football League preseason games, which concluded Sunday night, offered a reminder of the professional league’s heavy Atlantic Coast Conference flavor, especially at the most important position on the field.
While the NFL’s regular season won’t begin until Sept. 8, current projections have eight former ACC quarterbacks as the likely starters behind center for their respective pro teams. If that theme holds, as expected, a full one-quarter of the 32-team NFL will have an ACC product calling the offensive signals on opening day.
The only other college conferences with more than three of their former players projected as first-string NFL quarterbacks this season are the Southeastern Conference, with six, and the Pac-12, with five.
Here’s the full ACC list, in alphabetical order:
Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens (Louisville)
Daniel Jones, New York Giants (Duke)
Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars (Clemson)
Matt Ryan, Indianapolis Colts (Boston College)
Mitch Trubisky, Pittsburgh Steelers (North Carolina)
Deshaun Watson*, Cleveland Browns (Clemson)
Russell Wilson, Denver Broncos (North Carolina State)
Jameis Winston, New Orleans Saints (Florida State)
*-facing suspension of six games or longer (under appeal)
While all eight former ACC quarterbacks (representing seven different ACC schools) have been NFL starters in previous seasons, four are getting fresh starts with new teams this year.
Ryan, now 37 years old, was the full-time starter for all 14 of his seasons with the Atlanta Falcons before being traded to the Colts during the offseason.
Trubisky, who will turn 28 on Saturday, started all four of his seasons with the Chicago Bears from 2017-20 before serving as Josh Allen’s backup in Buffalo last year. After signing with Pittsburgh as a free agent in March, Trubisky saw the Steelers select Pittsburgh QB Kenny Pickett in the first round of the NFL draft in April. Pickett led Pitt to the ACC championship last season and was named the ACC Player of the Year.
Wilson, 33, started all 174 games (including the playoffs) he played in during his 10 seasons in Seattle. He was traded to the Broncos in March.
Watson, who will turn 27 in September, was the full-time starter during his first four seasons with the Houston Texans before sitting out the entire 2021 season while dealing with more than 20 lawsuits related to sexual misconduct allegations. Traded to the Browns in March, Watson recently received a six-game suspension for violating the league’s personal conduct policy, although the NFL has appealed that decision and is seeking more severe penalties.
Even with Watson’s status in question, the ACC’s starting QB number is expected to remain at eight, because his top backup in Cleveland is former NC State star Jacoby Brissett.
Featured image via Associated Press/Rex Arbogast
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