Are Pat White & Geno Smith Ranked Too Low in ESPNs Top QBs of the 2000s?

Since the turn of the century, West Virginia has been home to two of the most exciting quarterbacks in all of college football - Pat White and Geno Smith.

Each quarterback brought something special to the game but had completely different skillsets. At one point in their respective careers, each were in the conversation for the Heisman Trophy. White actually finished 6th in the Heisman voting in 2007 and 7th in 2008. Smith was the clear frontrunner for the award in 2012 halfway through the season but with the team falling apart in Big 12 play, he dropped well out of the mix.

Bill Connelly of ESPN recently ranked college football's top 75 quarterbacks of the 2000s and I've got to say, both Mountaineer quarterbacks didn't get the respect they deserve.

Geno Smith ranked 70th on the list and sits behind guys like David Greene (Georgia), Brad Smith (Missouri), Max Duggan (TCU), Kenny Pickett (Pitt), Kyle Trask (Florida), and several others that make no sense. Geno should have been ranked about 20-25 spots higher than he was.

Connelly:

"A perfect template for Dana Holgorsen's air-it-out attack in the early 2010s, Smith led WVU to an Orange Bowl title in 2011 and briefly into the top 10 in 2012, producing seven 400-yard games along the way."

As for White, he checks in at No. 27 and sits behind Carson Palmer (USC), C.J. Stroud (Ohio State), Jameis Winston (Florida State), Kellen Moore (Boise State), Robert Griffin III (Baylor), and others. I'm sure winning/playing for national championships and being a top Heisman finalist holds some weight but Pat White behind RG3? Behind Stroud, a guy with multiple NFL receivers and never won a Heisman or national title? Kellen Moore, who played in a terrible conference? Come on, now.

Connelly:

Few tandems have left more of a mark than Pat White and Steve Slaton did. From 2005-07, the duo combined for 7,429 rushing yards, 89 rushing TDs, a 33-5 record and two BCS bowl wins. Only injuries could slow White in Rich Rodriguez's system.

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