They are the cornerstones of their programs’ recruiting classes and their backs hold the hopes of fan bases looking to bring home championship hardware.

The importance of their transitions to campus is explained easily by the fact that four of the top five pro-style quarterbacks in the SEC for 2016 are already on campus and should get plenty of attention in spring practice (ratings based on 247Sports.com composite rankings).

No. 1 Shea Patterson, Ole Miss (Bradenton, Fla.)

The Skinny: The country’s top pro-style quarterback for the 2016 class, and No. 3 player overall, Patterson took home the Pete Dawkins MVP Trophy in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl after he led the West to a 37-9 victory. Patterson was also named MVP of the Elite 11 QB competition and led IMG Academy to its first undefeated season in school history when he threw for 1,533 yards and 18 TDs.

Before IMG, the Shreveport, La. native led Calvary Baptist to back-to-back Louisiana Division III state titles as a sophomore and junior.

Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze said on National Signing Day, about a month after Patterson enrolled, that the recruiting vision begins at quarterback.

“If you’re going to put together a championship team, you start at quarterback,” Freeze said, according to the Jackson Clarion-Ledger. “We feel like we have the best one in the nation in Shea Patterson. I love everything about that kid — love the way that he’s helped be a leader in this class before he even got here.”

No. 2 Jacob Eason, Georgia (Lake Stevens, Wash.)

The Skinny: The 6-foot-5, 220 pound quarterback was the lynchpin of the 2016 for the Bulldogs when he re-committed after the coaching change from Mark Richt to Kirby Smart.

“Keeping Jacob (Eason) a part of this class was critical — showed momentum, showed confidence in our program and the University of Georgia,” Smart said on National Signing Day.

His high school team lost in the state semifinals, but he threw for 3,585 yards, 43 touchdowns and six interceptions as a senior.

Eason is Georgia’s first five-star signee at quarterback since Aaron Murray (2009), and the highest rated quarterback since Matthew Stafford (2006).

No. 5 Feleipe Franks, Florida (Crawfordville, Fla.)

The Skinny: The one-time LSU commit threw for 2,766 yards as a high school senior with 35 touchdowns — and four rushing touchdowns. The 6-foot-6, 225-pound Franks was the first player invited to the Elite 11 QB competition.

Franks also played in this year’s U.S. Army All-American Bowl, though he went 1-for-7 with two interceptions.

No. 20 Nick Starkel, Texas A&M (Argyle, Texas)

The Skinny: The future face of the Aggies’ quarterback position after two high-profile transfers, the 6-foot-3, 185-pound Starkel originally committed to Oklahoma State. He threw for 3,091 yards and 29 touchdowns as a senior.

Aggies coach Kevin Sumlin said Starkel is a tall, rangy guy who “needs to put on a little weight and strength,” according to dallasnews.com.

A three-star recruit, Starkel drew late interest from UCLA after decommitting from Oklahoma State.

No. 22 Deuce Wallace, Vanderbilt (Sevierville, Tenn.)

The Skinny: The 6-foot-2, 200-pound Wallace originally committed to Northwestern, then flipped to Vanderbilt after he got a commitment from the coaches that they wouldn’t recruit any other QBs in the 2016 class, he told the Tennessean.

Wallace grew up in Sevierville, but moved to Reserve, La., before he returned to Tennessee. He threw for more than 7,300 yards for two schools his first three seasons in high school.

On National Signing Day, coach Derek Mason said Wallace is nimble and has a great football IQ.

“Moves his feet extremely well in the pocket,” Mason said at his press conference. “He can buy time as a quarterback and he’s accurate.”