In something that will come as no surprise to SEC fans, blue-chip quarterbacks love the SEC. Whether the prospect is a dual-threat quarterback or a pro-style passer, if he’s rated 4- or 5-star, he’s probably going to the SEC out of high school.

Over the past five recruiting classes, there have been 126 blue-chip quarterbacks according to the 247Sports Composite. Recruiting agencies rated more pro-style passers (76) as blue-chippers than dual-threat quarterbacks (50). Among the Power 5 conferences and Notre Dame, only the Big 12 and the Fighting Irish have signed more blue-chip dual-threat quarterbacks over elite pro-style prospects. Big 12 teams signed eight dual-threat quarterbacks and four pro-style quarterbacks, while Notre Dame signed three dual-threats to one pro-style passer.

In the other Power 5 conferences (and a pair of Group of 5 teams), the pro-style passer is still the preferred blue-chip quarterback. While the ACC (12), Big Ten (15) and Pac-12 (15) have all cracked double digits in signing top pro-style passers, no conference does it quite like the SEC, which has signed over 35 percent (27) of all 4- and 5-star pro-style passers in the last five recruiting classes.

That’s not to say the SEC turns away elite dual-threat prospects. In fact, the SEC is also the leader in signing 4- and 5-star dual-threat prospects, with 15 from the last five recruiting classes. The only other conference which averages multiple blue-chip dual-threat signees in each class is the ACC (10), which is followed by the Big 12 (8), Big Ten (8), Pac-12 (6) and Notre Dame (3).

Here’s how blue-chip high school quarterback signings break down over the last five classes (2013-17):

  • SEC: 42 (27 pro-style, 15 dual-threat)
  • Big Ten: 23 (15 pro, 8 dual)
  • ACC: 22 (12 pro, 10 dual)
  • Pac-12: 21 (15 pro, 6 dual)
  • Big 12: 12 (4 pro, 8 dual)
  • Notre Dame: 4 (1 pro, 3 dual)
  • Group of 5 (2 pro)

Whether these numbers hold over the next five years is a different story, and not as predictable as one might expect. While it’s a notably small sample size, the 2017 class suggests that the numbers could be changing:

  • SEC: 7 (3 pro, 4 dual)
  • Big Ten: 5 (4 pro, 1 dual)
  • ACC: 5 (3 pro, 2 dual)
  • Pac-12: 3 (2 pro, 1 dual)
  • Big 12: 3 (1 pro, 2 dual)
  • Notre Dame: (1 dual)

It could make for a convenient narrative to say that after this year’s national championship game between Clemson and Alabama, which featured dual-threat quarterbacks Deshaun Watson (No. 1, 2014) and Jalen Hurts (No. 3, 2016), that coaches in the Southeast (and thus the SEC) are seeing dual-threat prospects as the future and trending away from pro-style prospects. That narrative doesn’t work, however, for a couple reasons.

Recruiting is becoming more and more about longer relationships. Top targets are often identified as freshmen and sophomores. Mississippi State signee Keyaton Thompson, a 4-star dual-threat quarterback, had already enrolled in classes on Dec. 16. Dan Mullen didn’t scramble to land a dual-threat quarterback because he was impressed watching Watson and Hurts.

Alabama, the SEC’s trendsetter, hasn’t given up on the pro-style passer just yet. Tua Tagovailoa was the headliner of this year’s SEC quarterback class, but the Crimson Tide still signed 4-star pro-style prospect Mac Jones. When one considers that Bama is asking a top 100 recruit (4-star DE Jarez Parks) to wait to enroll until January 2018 due to limited scholarships, it’s clear that the Tide values Jones. Just one year ago, the SEC signed the top two pro-style passers in Shea Patterson (Ole Miss) and Jacob Eason (UGA).

For now, it’s safe to say that pro-style passers have a home in the SEC, but don’t be surprised if Big Ten coaches start telling recruits that the SEC is going the way of the dual-threat quarterbacks.  Jim Harbaugh, James Franklin and company still believe in the pro-style passer, as evidenced by the 2017 class, and they’re not afraid to go toe-to-toe with the big dogs of the SEC.