High School Quarterback Rankings
by Flynn Hill
Director of High School scouting Flynn Hill breaks down the best quarterbacks in the country, and gives his thoughts on who is the best of the best.
Top 25:
1. Matt Barkley, 6’3, 225, Mater Dei (CA)- SOUTHERN CAL
2. Russell Sheppard, 6’2, 185, Cypress Ridge (TX)- LOUISIANA STATE
3. Garrett Gilbert, 6’3, 185, Lake Travis (TX)- TEXAS
4. Aaron Murray, 6’1, 200, Plant (FL)- GEORGIA
5. Tom Savage, 6’3, 220, Cardinal O’Hara (PA)- RUTGERS
6. Shavodrick Beaver, 6’3, 179, Rider (TX)- MICHIGAN
7. Tajh Boyd, 6’1, 210, Phoebus (VA)- WEST VIRGINIA
8. Allan Bridgford, 6’3, 215, Mission Viejo (CA)- CALIFORNIA
9. Zach Mettenberger, 6’5, 230, Oconee County (GA)- GEORGIA
10. Cody Green, 6’4, 220, Dayton (TX)- NEBRASKA
11. Josh Nunes, 6’3, 205, Upland (CA)- TENNESSEE
12. Bryn Renner, 6’3, 190, West Springfield (VA)- NORTH CAROLINA
13. Kevin Newsome, 6’3, 215, Western Branch (VA)- MICHIGAN
14. Richard Breuhart, 6’2, 205, Los Osos (CA)- UCLA
15. A.J. McCarron, 6’4, 190, St. Paul’s (AL)- ALABAMA
16. Tate Forcier, 6’0, 185, Scripps Ranch (CA)
17. Ryan Mossakowski, 6’4, 200, Centennial (TX)- KENTUCKY
18. Casey Pachall, 6’4, 190, Brownwood (TX)- TCU
19. Tyrik Rollison, 6’2, 185, Sulphur Springs (TX)
20. Jordan Luallen, 6’3, 195, Center Grove (IN)- GEORGIA TECH
21. Jon Budmayr, 6’1, 195, Marian Central Catholic (IL)- WISCONSIN
22. Nathan Scheelhaase, 6’3, 185, Rockhurst (MO)- ILLINOIS
23. Drew Allen, 6’5, 200, Alamo Heights (TX)- OKLAHOMA
24. Jordan Webb, 6’1, 200, Union (MO)- KANSAS
25. Morgan Newton, 6’4, 205, Carmel (IN)
The best of the best:
Strongest Arm
1. Zach Mettenberger, 6’5, 220, Oconee County (GA)- Even though his footwork needs tons of work, he still shows the ability to effortlessly throw the ball fifty yards down field with just the flick of his wrist. He is an extremely similar prospect to the class of 2007’s Ryan Mallett, as both are very tall and can just sling it.
2. Tom Savage, 6’4, 220, Cardinal O’Hara (PA)- He’s one of the most physically ready quarterback prospects to come along over the past few years. His muscular build allows him to make throws that few quarterbacks can. You can count the number of quarterbacks who can throw it thirty or forty yards while being dragged down on one hand.
3. Matt Barkley, 6’3, 230, Mater Dei (CA)- Get used to seeing Barkley’s name on these lists. The most impressive thing about his arm is when Barkley throws off of play action. He doesn’t even need to take a huge step into his throw because of the pass rush, and he can still hit the deep out route or go vertical hitting a deep post or go.
4. Aaron Murray, 6’1, 200, Plant (FL)- He’s a compact prospect who plays in the spread and can really air it out. He set the Florida state record for touchdowns in a season with 51 through the air. He relies on improvising on the run and buys his time, allowing his receivers to run deep and hurl it down the field.
5. Josh Nunes, 6’3, 210, Upland (CA)- Nunes is the best vertical passer in this class. Play after play on his highlight film, Nunes just heaves it forty or fifty yards downfield without much of a problem. He shows he can roll to his right or left and throw it across his body with relative ease.
Most Accurate
1. Garrett Gilbert, 6’4, 205, Lake Travis (TX)- Gilbert is the most accurate for a few reasons. Sure other quarterbacks will have a better completion percentage than Gilbert, who completed an outstanding 64.7% of his passes. Every receiver he hits is in stride whether it be the quick slant or a deep go down the sideline. On top of that, Gilbert recently underwent elbow surgery, meaning that he can only get better throwing the ball around.
2. Allen Bridgford, 6’4, 210, Mission Viejo (CA)- He’s the prototypical pro style quarterback, as he has great size and a very good arm. His completion percentage was a respectable 61.5%, but again, he hits his receivers in stride. He’s fundamentally sound and will be an excellent D1 quarterback.
3. Tate Forcier, 6’1, 185, Scripps Ranch (CA)- Forcier really excels when he lets it fly in the vertical passing game. While he loses a good deal of his accuracy when he rolls out of the pocket, Forcier still completed more than three fourths of his passes. He shows the ability to fit the ball into very small windows, especially down the field
4. Richard Breuhaut, 6’2, 205, Los Osos (CA)- Breuhaut has an over the top delivery, which really reduces any problems with accuracy. Not only did Breuhaut complete almost 65% of his throws as a junior, but he was the most accurate at the Elite 11 quarterback camp. He beat the likes of Aaron Murray, Allen Bridgford, and Garrett Gilbert (still recovering and shouldn’t have participated) over the four day competition.
5. Bryn Renner, 6’3, 190, West Springfield (VA)- Renner is another kid who really got his chance to shine at the Elite 11 quarterback camp. He finished just behind Breuhaut and Bridgford when it came to the accuracy contest. He too doesn’t make his receivers wait on his deep throws, and really shows above average accuracy while on the run.
Best Scrambler
1. Russell Shepard, 6’2, 185, Cypress Ridge (TX)- He’s the most dynamic athlete at the quarterback position since Vince Young came along in 2002. While he is a developing passer, there aren’t many who are more dangerous with their feet. Make no mistake about it, Shepard is one of the few in this class who are a threat to score from anywhere on the field.
2. Cody Green, 6’4, 220, Dayton (TX)- Green is deceptively fast, as he has long strides similar to that of Vince Young. He has the frame to put on weight that will allow him to shed tacklers as Vince did when he was at Texas. If he can make a full recovery from tearing his ankle ligaments as a junior, Green is certainly a prospect who will rise in the rankings.
3. Kevin Newsome, 6’3, 215, Western Branch (VA)- He’s a strong runner who has good straight line speed. There aren’t many quarterbacks who have the physical tools to play linebacker at the next level, but it’s just a testament to the strength he possesses when he takes off and runs. If he pans out as a passer, the sky is the limit for yet another quarterback from the Chesapeake Bay area.
4. Nathan Scheelhaase, 6’3, 185, Rockhurst (MO)- His running style is very similar to his future home’s current quarterback, Juice Williams. The future Illini star has very good speed and can break tackles very well. He ran for more than eight yards per carry last year and 14 touchdowns, while leading his team to a state title.
5. Tate Forcier- Already on the most accurate list, Forcier is a tremendous runner. There aren’t many who have the ability to run around after the pocket breaks down and make plays happen. He will need to add a ton of weight because he just isn’t near strong enough to take the beating he will at the next level, but his outstanding quickness is just too much to deny him a place on this list.
The “It” Factor
1. Matt Barkley- If there was ever any doubt that Barkley was special, it was erased when Barkley led Mater Dei to a victory over Vontaze Burfict and Centennial High School. He has the ability to make throws that some college quarterbacks can’t and you can just see the wheels moving in his head at a different speed than most other quarterback recruits. He has that Tom Brady-esque ability to stand tall in the pocket until the last possible second and deliver a perfect strike. If nothing more, Barkley sells play action as well as anyone in the past few classes.
2. Aaron Murray- You don’t account for 63 total touchdowns without having that it factor. He’s committed to Georgia, and he probably will put up prolific numbers while there, but if he went to a spread offense like Missouri, he would shatter all sorts of passing records. He just has that gunslinger delivery that dares defenses to try and pick him off. His height may hinder his overall ceiling, but he can play with the best of ‘em, as he showed at the Elite 11 quarterback camp.
3. Russell Shepard- If the game were on the line there aren’t many others I’d choose over Shepard. The same way Michael Vick carried Virginia Tech to the 2000 Sugar Bowl, Shepard is simply a breathtaking athlete who can change a game in the blink of an eye. He may only be a sub 50% passer right now, but all he has to do is rely on his athletic ability to get the job done at this level. Shepard is the most likely to contribute early, not only because of Louisiana State’s quarterback situation, but because he changes teams’ gameplans solely because of his outstanding running ability.
4. Tom Savage- He’s the toughest quarterback in the country by a wide margin. If it weren’t for his coach who told him to shut it down for the season, Savage would have played the whole season with a broken foot. Instead, he played just two games on a foot that he thought was bruised. Make no mistake about it, Savage has the intestinal fortitude to be ready to play college football. On top of that, he is physically a thick kid who has the beating to get up after every big hit he takes.
5. Garrett Gilbert- He’s as mechanically sound as anyone in the class and shows touch that very few possess. Gilbert did his best Eli Manning impression in the Texas Class 4A playoffs, throwing for 1,923 yards, 23 touchdowns, and just 2 interceptions over six games, including 360 yards and 3 touchdowns in the state title game over Highland Park. He dominated the state’s 7 on 7 tournament and is still healing. He’s a proven winner and his pores ooze with moxie.