There are any number of college programs that can lay a claim to the title of Quarterback U. NC State’s case is as strong as anybody.

At one point during the 2019 season, the Wolfpack had 4 former quarterbacks starting in the NFL, with a 5th serving as a backup and a 6th starring as a wide receiver. They already have 1, Roman Gabriel, in the College Football Hall of Fame and 2 more – recently retired Philip Rivers and current star Russell Wilson – on the fast track to Canton, Ohio.

It’s a line of succession that will continue with current star Devin Leary.

Coming off a 2021 season in which he broke Rivers’ school record by throwing 35 touchdown passes, the redshirt junior is poised for another big year as he looks to live up to the high expectations that come with being the ACC Preseason Player of the Year.

Although his story still is being written, Leary already has earned a place among the top 10 quarterbacks to wear an NC State uniform.

Where does he rank? Here’s a look:

10. Erik Kramer (1985-86)

Erik Kramer played only 2 seasons with the Wolfpack after transferring from a junior college, but he made his mark by throwing for 4,602 yards and 30 touchdowns. He led the ACC in completions, passing attempts and passing yards during junior season and was named the league’s player of the year as a senior. He also earned MVP honors in the 1986 Peach Bowl, even though he was on the losing team. As impressive as his statistics were, his most significant contribution to NC State can’t be quantified by numbers. After going 3-8 during his first season, Kramer led the Wolfpack to an 8-3-1 record that helped new coach Dick Sheridan establish a foothold and begin one of the most successful stretches in school history.

9. Jacoby Brissett (2014-15)

Like Kramer, Jacoby Brissett played only 2 seasons for the Wolfpack after playing his first 2 seasons at Florida. And like Kramer, he was the leader of a team that helped a new coach lay the foundation for a winning tradition. Brissett threw for more than 2,600 yards and 20 touchdowns during each of his 2 seasons in Raleigh. He was 1 of only 16 quarterbacks nationally to surpass the 5,000-yard, 50-touchdown threshold during 2014-15 and led the Wolfpack to a pair of bowls before being drafted in the 3rd round by the New England Patriots.

8. Dave Buckey (1972-75)

Dave Buckey came along at just the right time, taking over the starting job in the 1st year of freshman eligibility and teaming with his twin brother Don to help achieve the best 4-year winning percentage (71.8%) in school history. Dave Buckey’s completion percentage of .648 during his junior season was a program record that stood for 30 years. He finished his career with 4,286 yards and a Peach Bowl MVP award. The Wolfpack went to 4 bowls, won an ACC championship, beat Penn State twice and earned a top-10 national ranking during Dave Buckey’s career.

7. Devin Leary (2019-present)

Devin Leary eventually will finish higher on this list. How high depends as much on the success he helps his team achieve as the individual numbers he puts onto the stat sheet and awards he might win. His legacy will be greatly enhanced if he’s the quarterback who finally leads the Wolfpack to an ACC championship after a 4-decade drought. Going strictly by the numbers, his resume already is among the best in school history. His 5,542 career passing yards already rank 7th on the school’s all-time list and his 51 touchdowns and .599 completion percentage are the Wolfpack’s 6th and 5th best all-time, respectively. Only 2 other quarterbacks in NC State history – Rivers and Ryan Finley – have thrown for more yards per game than Leary’s average of 230.9 and with only 12 interceptions in 751 passes over his first 3 seasons, his interception avoidance rate is the best ever for a Wolfpack passer.

6. Mike Glennon (2009-12)

Mike Glennon never was fully embraced or his accomplishments truly appreciated because of his perceived role as the villain who forced then-coach Tom O’Brien to push Russell Wilson out the door. It wasn’t Glennon’s fault, of course, but that didn’t make the task of replacing his popular predecessor – who after a fling with professional baseball, decided to finish his college career at Wisconsin. Despite the pressure, Glennon performed admirably. He led the Wolfpack to bowls in each of his 2 seasons as a starter while posting the 2nd-highest, single-season passing yardage total in school history with his 4,031 yards in 2012. The 3rd-round pick of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers ranks 3rd in school history with 63 touchdowns and 5th with 7,411 yards while completing 60.4% of his passes.

5. Ryan Finley (2016-2018)

Ryan Finley came to Raleigh, N.C., from Boise State along with offensive coordinator Eliah Drinkwitz and together they put together a successful 3-year run that included back-to-back 9-win seasons in 2017-18. His .641 winning percentage as a starter (25-14) is the 2nd-best ever at NC State. Finley finished his college career as the most accurate Wolfpack passer ever, with a completion percentage of .642. His 10,501 passing yards rank 2nd only to Rivers and his 60 touchdowns rank 4th all-time. The eventual 4th-round draft choice of the Cincinnati Bengals saved his best for last, putting together a senior season that ended with him becoming only the 3rd NC State quarterback since the 1970s to be named to the All-ACC 1st team.

4. Jamie Barnette (1996-99)

Talk about getting thrown right into the fire. Jamie Barnette’s 1st start came against Alabama. Although the Wolfpack lost the game, he handled the situation well, completing 14 of 25 passes for 260 yards. During Barnette’s Senior Day game at Carter-Finley Stadium he threw for 324 yards and 2 touchdowns to beat Maryland. The 2 scoring passes increased his career total to 59, which was an ACC record at the time. He finished with 9,461 yards, a total that still ranks 3rd on NC State’s all-time list.

3. Roman Gabriel (1959-61)

Don’t let Roman Gabriel’s raw numbers deceive you. They’re incredibly benign compared to everyone else on this list – 2,951 yards and 19 touchdowns passing and 15 touchdowns rushing. Just remember that he played during an era when the smash-mouth, run-oriented style of play differed greatly from today’s fast-paced, pass-happy game. At 6-foot-4 and 225 pounds, Gabriel redefined the quarterback position because of his size and his physical, relentless approach to the game. He was the 1st quarterback in ACC history to throw for more than 1,000 yards in a season, led the nation in completion percentage in 1959 at 60.4%, and held 22 school or conference records at the time of his graduation. After becoming a 2-time ACC Player of the Year, he went on to become the No. 1 overall draft pick in the old American Football League and the No. 2 pick in the NFL. In 2003, Gabriel was named as a member to the ACC”s 50th Anniversary team. He also has been inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1989 and was selected to the inaugural class of the Wolfpack’s athletic hall of fame.

2. Russell Wilson (2008-10)

The folks in Wisconsin can claim him as their own all they like, but the fact remains Russell Wilson is best remembered for his 3 seasons with the Wolfpack. An electric performer equally adept at making plays with both his arm and legs, he was at his best when forced to improvise. That never was more evident than on an amazing scrambling touchdown pass against rival North Carolina known affectionately among NC State fans as Wilson’s “2-yard Hail Mary.” Wilson finished his career with a 3-0 record against the Tar Heels. He was the 2008 ACC Freshman of the Year and first-team all-conference quarterback. Wilson’s school career totals of 8,545 yards and 76 touchdowns passing, and 1,087 yards and 17 touchdowns rushing, rank him high on the school all-time lists. But he could have ranked even higher had he not left after his junior season in a controversial departure precipitated by his indecision over a potential career in pro baseball. He remains among the most beloved players in school history and his stature has only grown as he has piled up Pro Football Hall of Fame numbers as Super Bowl-winning NFL star.

1. Philip Rivers (2000-03)

Philip Rivers became the Wolfpack’s QB1 from the moment he stepped onto campus and he never let go of the job, setting an NCAA record by starting 51 consecutive games. Along the way, he set every meaningful record in school and ACC history – including game, season and career marks for passing yards, touchdowns and total offense. His 13,484 passing yards were the 2nd-most in NCAA history at the time and still are the 4th-most ever. He was the 2000 ACC Rookie of the Year, the 2003 ACC Player of the Year and the 2004 ACC Male Athlete of the Year while also winning bowl MVP awards in each of his 4 college seasons. Of all his accomplishments, which include induction into NC State Athletic Hall of Fame and a long, successful NFL career with the San Diego /Los Angeles Chargers and Indianapolis Colts, his most cherished came during his junior year of 2002 when he led the Wolfpack to an 11-3 record, the only time the Wolfpack has earned double-digit victories during a season.