The coming recruiting class is shaping up to be one of the best for the SEC’s quarterback ranks in some time. The SEC already has commitments from three of the top-six pro-style quarterbacks and four of the top-nine dual-threat passers, with all of those players graded as four-stars or better.

That group makes up perhaps the most talented recruiting class in recent memory for the SEC, one that includes several players already being viewed as saviors for their future offenses. Jacob Eason and Shea Patterson are set to battle for SEC quarterback supremacy for Georgia and Ole Miss, respectively, Auburn commit Woody Barrett is out here comparing himself to Cam Newton and South Carolina commit Brandon McIlwain could be the last major signing of Steve Spurrier’s career.

The 2015 class certainly rivals 2016 in terms of talent headed to the SEC. That class included two five-star players (Alabama’s Blake Barnett and Texas A&M’s Kyler Murray) and another seven four-star passers. It’s obviously too early to compare those classes to previous loaded quarterback groups, since one hasn’t even started its first season and the other hasn’t signed yet.

Recruiting rankings, though, don’t always equate to success. There are just as many or more elite quarterback recruits who don’t pan out as those who do, and many players end up finding success at another school.

We looked back through the last decade of recruiting classes, back to 2006, and the talent influx in 2015 and 2016 at quarterback is more or less unprecedented. Time will tell how many of those talented high school passers will see their skills translate at the college level.

Which classes from the last compared to ’15 and ’16 in terms of talent, and which churned out the most top-level college talent?

Most talent (recruiting)

2009
Five-stars (2): Russell Shepard, LSU; Aaron Murray, Georgia
Four-stars (6): AJ McCarron, Alabama; Zach Mettenberg, Georgia (transferred to JUCO then LSU); Tyler Russell, Mississippi State; Ryan Mossakowski, Kentucky; Tyrik Rollison, Auburn; Raymond Cotton, Ole Miss

2013
Five-stars: None
Four-stars (11): Kenny Hill, Texas A&M; Cord Sandberg, Mississippi State; Cooper Bateman, Alabama; Brice Ramsey, Georgia; Hayden Rettig, LSU; Joshua Dobbs, Tennessee; Jeremy Johnson, Auburn; Kohl Stewart, Texas A&M; Anthony Jennings, LSU; Ryan Buchanan, Ole Miss; Austin Allen, Arkansas

Most talent (on-field)

2006

Tim Tebow, Florida
Career: 2007 Heisman Trophy, two national championships (2006, 2008); 9,285 yards passing, 88 TD, 16 INT; 2,947 yards rushing, 57 TD

Matthew Stafford, Georgia
Career: 7,731 yards passing, 51 TD, 33 INT

Greg McElroy, Alabama (three-star)
Career: One national championship (2009); 5,691 yards passing, 39 TD, 10 INT

2009

AJ McCarron, Alabama
Career: Two national championships (2011-12); 9,019 yards passing, 77 TD, 15 INT

Zach Mettenberger, LSU
Career: 5,783 yards passing, 35 TD, 15 INT

Aaron Murray, Georgia
Career: 13,166 yards passing (SEC record), 121 TD, 41 INT

Tyler Russell, Mississippi State
Career: 5,441 yards passing, 42 TD, 23 INT