One week is not enough to tell us everything about a quarterback, but it is enough to start separating the dudes who can play from the dudes who were simply receiving preseason hype.
These are not fantasy football rankings, and I am not just sorting quarterbacks by passing yards. I am considering the opponent, physical ability, command of the offense, decision-making and what each quarterback gives his team beyond the stat sheet.
After Week 1, here are my Top 10 quarterbacks in the ACC.
1. Darian Mensah — Miami
This one is not particularly close right now.
Mensah completed 27-of-30 passes for 401 yards and five touchdowns against Stanford. He was so damn efficient that Miami took him out before the fourth quarter.
Yes, Stanford has problems defensively. But completing 90 percent of your passes while averaging more than 13 yards per attempt is ridiculous against anybody.
Mensah displayed accuracy, anticipation and complete command of Miami’s offense. He also has an explosive group of receivers around him, led by Malachi Toney, who caught 12 passes for 234 yards and three touchdowns.
If Miami can develop a dependable ground game, this is a national championship-caliber offense—and Mensah is already squarely in the Heisman conversation.
2. Kevin Jennings — SMU
Jennings went into Tallahassee, endured a bizarre power outage and threw for a career-high 430 yards and three touchdowns in SMU’s 27–24 victory over Florida State.
He also threw two interceptions, so it was not a spotless performance. But when SMU needed him to take control of the game, he did.
Jennings is dangerous because he can create outside the structure of the offense. He extends plays, threatens a defense with his legs and has the arm to attack every level of the field.
More importantly, he has played in big games and does not appear intimidated by the moment. He is a proven winner and currently sits right behind Mensah.
3. Lincoln Kienholz — Louisville
Kienholz made one hell of a first impression against Ole Miss.
Making his first career start after spending three seasons on Ohio State’s bench, Kienholz completed 18-of-29 passes for 307 yards and two touchdowns without throwing an interception. He also led Louisville with 69 rushing yards and scored another touchdown on the ground.
That is 376 yards of total offense and three touchdowns against a Top-10 opponent.
Louisville lost the game, but Kienholz brought the Cardinals back from a double-digit second-half deficit and tied the game with a touchdown run in the final two minutes. Ole Miss needed a field goal as time expired to escape.
The kid is athletic, has a live arm and looks like a perfect fit for Jeff Brohm’s offense. He made the biggest jump of any quarterback in the conference this week.
4. Mason Heintschel — Pitt
All Heintschel did in Pitt’s opener was complete 31-of-41 passes for 453 yards and seven touchdowns without throwing an interception.
Seven damn touchdown passes to seven different receivers.
That tells me he was not locking onto one great player and allowing that guy to carry the offense. He was reading the defense, distributing the football and taking whatever Miami of Ohio gave him.
The level of competition is the only reason Heintschel is not higher. Mensah and Jennings have more proven production, while Kienholz put together his performance against Ole Miss.
Still, 453 yards and seven touchdowns cannot be ignored. Heintschel is officially on my radar.
5. Beau Pribula — Virginia
Pribula only threw the football 11 times against NC State, but he completed nine of them for 155 yards and two touchdowns. He also ran 15 times for 110 yards.
That is 265 yards of total offense on only 26 plays.
Pribula is not going to put up the passing numbers of Mensah or Heintschel every week, but he does not have to. He gives Virginia another legitimate running threat and forces the defense to account for all 11 players.
The Cavaliers beat NC State 34–8, and Pribula controlled the game without forcing anything. That is exactly what you want from a veteran quarterback.
6. Gio Lopez — Wake Forest
Lopez quietly had one of the best quarterback performances in the conference.
He completed 21-of-32 passes for 350 yards and three touchdowns in Wake Forest’s victory over Akron. He also added 39 yards on the ground.
Lopez has always had the physical ability. He is athletic, can create when the pocket breaks down and has enough arm to generate explosive plays downfield.
The question has always been whether he can play consistently and protect the football. He did both in the opener. If that continues, he will climb this list quickly.
7. Steve Angeli — Syracuse
It was good to see Angeli back on the field after the Achilles injury that ended his 2025 season.
He completed 20-of-29 passes for 263 yards and three touchdowns as Syracuse beat the living hell out of New Hampshire, 66–3.
Angeli looked comfortable and confident, but we also have to keep the opponent in perspective. Syracuse overwhelmed an FCS team exactly as it should have.
The bigger test will be whether Angeli can remain healthy and produce the same kind of efficient football against ACC defenses. He has the experience and ability to move higher, but I need to see it against better competition.
8. Ethan Grunkemeyer — Virginia Tech
Grunkemeyer was nearly flawless in his Virginia Tech debut, completing 17-of-20 passes for 224 yards and two touchdowns.
Virginia Tech scored on each of its first six possessions and destroyed VMI, 73–3. Grunkemeyer looked poised, protected the football and operated James Franklin’s offense with confidence.
Again, it was VMI. We are not going to crown anybody for beating an FCS opponent by 70 points.
But the kid did exactly what he was supposed to do. He made good decisions, delivered the football accurately and did not give the opponent anything. Now we see how he responds when somebody hits him in the mouth.
9. Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele — California
Sagapolutele may have as much pure passing talent as any quarterback in the ACC, but his opening performance was uneven.
He threw for 271 yards and two touchdowns against UCLA, but he also threw two interceptions and spent too much of the night dealing with pressure. California eventually lost 45–24.
I am not giving up on him after one game. He passed for more than 3,400 yards as a freshman and has the size, arm strength and natural ability to become an elite quarterback.
But talent and production are not the same thing. He has to make better decisions and avoid the mistakes that put his defense back on the field.
10. Alberto Mendoza — Georgia Tech
Georgia Tech lost 14–13 to Colorado, but I thought Mendoza showed some encouraging things in his first start.
He completed 17-of-23 passes for 237 yards despite getting very little help from the ground game. Georgia Tech rushed for only 51 yards, which allowed Colorado to concentrate on pressuring Mendoza.
Even then, he nearly pulled the game out. Mendoza completed a 42-yard pass on the final drive to put Georgia Tech in position for a winning field goal, but the kick was blocked.
Mendoza is still learning how to run an offense as the full-time starter, but the physical talent is obvious. He has to become more consistent and turn some of those yards into touchdowns, but there is plenty to work with.
These rankings will change every week. Some quarterbacks benefited from weak competition, while others were thrown directly into the fire against quality opponents.
Right now, Darian Mensah owns the top spot. Kevin Jennings is the proven veteran directly behind him, and Lincoln Kienholz just announced that he intends to become a major part of the ACC quarterback conversation.
Now let’s see who can do it again.
