OPINION

By Matt Hayes

updated 8:05 p.m. ET March 19, 2008

Matt Hayes

He hasn't taken a snap in the college game and Terrelle Pryor already is saving a program.

He is the remedy for Ohio State's championship game meltdowns.

Forget about the big bust theory when it comes to high school quarterbacks.

More times than not, the elite each year become the stars of the future.

This month, we welcome Pryor, Blaine Gabbert (Missouri) and Dayne Crist (Notre Dame) to the club. If recent history holds form, the top three quarterbacks of the 2008 class will be playing for championships soon enough.

In the last four years, only one of rivals100.com's top three quarterbacks from each class (12 total) can be considered a bust: Xavier Lee of Florida State. And considering the state of the Seminoles' offense (see: poor coaching, poor development) over that span, Lee probably deserves an incomplete.

Since 2004, one quarterback won a Heisman Trophy and national championship (Tim Tebow), another was a four-year starter (Chad Henne) and another led his team to a league championship and a No. 2 ranking as a sophomore (Matt Stafford).

It's easy to declare hype over substance when rating high school quarterbacks. But it's hard to ignore track records of success — and therefore safer to project that Pryor, Gabbert and Crist are the next big names in the game.

A look at the elite quarterbacks from 2004-2007:

2004
1. Rhett Bomar, Oklahoma: The nation's No. 1 quarterback. Redshirted and then started for the Sooners in 2005 and won eight games. Off-field problems led to his departure before his sophomore season. Currently: plays for Sam Houston State.

2. Xavier Lee, Florida State: Never got comfortable in FSU's dysfunctional offense, and didn't help himself with poor work habits on and off the field. Currently: has applied for the NFL draft.

3. Chad Henne, Michigan: A four-year starter, led Michigan to two Rose Bowls and 36 victories. Currently: NFL draft.

2005
1. Mark Sanchez, USC: Sat behind Matt Leinart and John David Booty, and will compete for starting spot this fall as a junior. Played well last season when Booty was injured.

2. Ryan Perrilloux, LSU: Struggled early in his career, but LSU doesn't win the 2007 national title without him. His MVP performance in the SEC championship game — subbing for injured QB Matt Flynn — was critical to LSU's title run.

3. Jonathan Crompton, Tennessee: Redshirted and then backed up starter Erik Ainge for two seasons. The projected starter this fall, he played well in spots while Ainge battled various injuries.

2006
1. Matt Stafford, Georgia: Led Georgia to the SEC title last season, and will be one of the game's top three quarterbacks this fall. Many scouts project him as a potential first overall pick in the NFL draft.

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2. Mitch Mustain, Arkansas: Was 8-0 as a starter in his freshman season, before philosophical differences with the Hogs coach Houston Nutt led him to transfer to USC. Was a beast on the scout team last fall, and will compete with Sanchez for the starting job.

3. Tim Tebow, Florida: Has redefined the game and how quarterbacks are used. A key backup in Florida's national title season in 2006, he won the Heisman in 2007 with one of the best individual seasons in the sport's history.

2007
1. Jimmy Clausen, Notre Dame: Laugh all you want about his struggles in Year 1 — then watch how much progress he makes this fall. A star in the making; he has all the tools.

2. Ryan Mallet, Arkansas: Began last season at Michigan, and played well when Henne was injured (see: poised performance vs. Penn State despite the pressure). Transferred to Arkansas after realizing he didn't fit with Rodriguez's offense. Watch him develop under quarterback guru Bobby Petrino.

3. Tyrod Taylor, Virginia Tech: Stabilized the Hokies when starter Sean Glennon struggled early, and became a key component to the offense. How good is Taylor? Tech coach Frank Beamer did two unthinkable things last fall: started a true freshman at quarterback, and rotated two quarterbacks.

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