5-star QBs, state by state
Indiana is known for basketball, not five-star quarterbacks.
Yet, after digging through the numbers, the Hoosier State has had its fair share of top-notch quarterbacks during the Rivals.com era, too.
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Indiana has produced more five-star quarterbacks than Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana and Missouri. The state is tied with Florida, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Washington with three each. Not to say that Indiana is the next burgeoning quarterback power, but the list is pretty impressive at the top.
California (9) and Texas (6) expectedly lead the way.
The first five-star QB from Indiana was Indianapolis Ben Davis' James Banks in 2002, followed by Columbus East's Gunner Kiel in 2012 and then Brownsburg's Hunter Johnson this recruiting cycle. Banks went to Tennessee and that's also where Johnson committed last week. Kiel started at Notre Dame and is finishing his career at Cincinnati. Rated No. 1 at pro-style QB in the 2012 class, Kiel threw for 3,254 yards and 31 touchdowns last season.
"It is very odd," Rivals.com National Recruiting Director Mike Farrell said. "You don't think of Indiana as anything but a basketball state. It is one of those numbers anomalies that's extremely interesting, but I don't think Indiana is going to become the next great talent-producing state for quarterbacks."
Kyle Allen
Players: Kyle Allen, Scottsdale (Ariz.) Desert Mountain (2014)
Overview: The five-star picked Texas A&M over UCLA, Oklahoma State, Ohio State and Notre Dame in June before his senior season. In high school, Allen threw for about 8,000 yards with 86 touchdowns and he was rated as the top pro-style QB in the 2014 class. Allen replaced Kenny Hill as the starter midway through his freshman season and earned the job over Kyler Murray heading into his sophomore campaign.
Farrell's take: "He emerged at the Rivals100 Five-Star Challenge in Chicago as a special guy and a guy that went from asking if he's an overrated four-star to a definite five-star in a span of six months."
Arkansas
Players: Mitch Mustain, Springdale, Ark. (2005)
Overview: Mustain put up incredible numbers playing for coach Gus Malzahn, (who followed Mustain to Arkansas and is now Auburn's coach) as he threw for nearly 6,000 yards with 67 touchdowns and he also rushed for 21 scores in his junior and senior seasons. In 2006, Mustain started the first eight games, but was replaced by Casey Dick and decided to transfer to USC. With the Trojans, he sat behind Mark Sanchez and Matt Barkley. Mustain went undrafted and bounced around the CFL and Arena Football League for some time.
Farrell's take: "He screwed up his career. He committed to Arkansas, de-committed, re-committed, a lot of circus around there. He was a freshman starter in the SEC and went and complained they were giving Darren McFadden and Felix Jones the ball too much. You call that shooting yourself in the foot. He was a great talent, but too much of a circus surrounding that kid."
California
Mark Sanchez
Players: Jimmy Clausen, Westlake Village (Calif.) Oaks Christian (2007); Josh Rosen, Bellflower (Calif.) St. John Bosco (2015); Matt Barkley, Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei (2009); Mark Sanchez, Mission Viejo, Calif. (2006); Kyle Wright, Danville (Calif.) Monte Vista (2003); Dayne Crist, Sherman Oaks (Calif.) Notre Dame (2008); Trent Edwards, Los Gatos, Calif. (2002); Malik Henry, Long Beach (Calif.) Poly (2016); Ben Olson, Thousand Oaks, Calif. (2005)
Overview: Clausen, Rosen, Barkley, Sanchez and Wright were all the top-rated pro-style quarterbacks in their respective class and all were top seven overall prospects as well. Clausen is a backup for the Chicago Bears and Barkley and Sanchez play for the Philadelphia Eagles. Rosen, the highest-rated QB at No. 2 in California in the Rivals era behind Clausen (the No. 1 player in 2007), was recently named the starter at UCLA.
Farrell's take: "There are flops and there are hits. California is the state for quarterbacks. That's never going to change. There are so many great quarterback coaches out there. You have NFL guys and guys who never went anywhere. Still has not had that one guy in the Rivals era that was a five-star who truly panned out to be the superstar we thought he was going to be. Rosen is going to be that guy."
Florida
Tim Tebow
Players: Tim Tebow, Ponte Vedra Beach (Fla.) Nease (2006); Xavier Lee, Daytona Beach (Fla.) Seabreeze (2004); Shea Patterson, Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy (2016)
Overview: Tebow won two national championships and was the first sophomore to ever win the Heisman Trophy during an illustrious career at Florida. Mainly because of an awkward throwing motion, his NFL success has been limited, but he could make the Philadelphia Eagles roster this season. Patterson is the new top-rated overall prospect for 2016. A transfer from Shreveport, La., the five-star committed to Ole Miss in February.
Farrell's take: "You have two athletes and a transplant. Tebow was one of the best high school athletes you're ever going to see. Lee was one of the fastest quarterbacks ever. Tebow panned out and Lee was a complete bust. Patterson will finish his career in Florida, but he's a Louisiana guy to me."
Georgia
Cam Newton
Players: Deshaun Watson, Gainesville, Ga. (2014); Cameron Newton, Atlanta (Ga.) Westlake (2007)
Overview: Newton's college career started off rocky but finished on a major high note. After transferring from Florida to Blinn College and then to Auburn, the five-star won the Heisman Trophy and a national championship with the Tigers. Rated as the second-best dual-threat QB in the 2007 class behind Tyrod Taylor, Newton was picked first in the 2011 draft by the Carolina Panthers and is a two-time Pro Bowl selection. Watson, the top-rated dual-threat QB in the 2014 class, had a promising start to his freshman season before injuries slowed him. He played with a torn ACL against rival South Carolina and Clemson won, 35-17.
Farrell's take: "This is probably the best one-two punch out of all the states. Newton was an absolute home run for Auburn. He went Florida-to-JUCO-to-Auburn, but he was the No. 1 pick and a Heisman Trophy winner. Watson is on his way to a Heisman candidacy and it wouldn't shock me at all to see Clemson get to the title game or win a national championship with that kid."
Louisiana
Players: Ryan Perrilloux, Reserve (La.) East St. John (2005)
Overview: Perrilloux was the top-rated dual-threat QB in the 2005 class and combined for 67 touchdowns (37 rushing) in his senior season. Altogether, the five-star had 155 touchdowns during his high school career. His time at LSU was marred with off-the-field issues and all kinds of problems that kept him on the sidelines. During his short playing stints, Perrilloux performed well, but off-the-field problems dragged him down. He transferred to Jacksonville State and then bounced around pro ball for a while.
Farrell's take: "Bust. You want to talk about circuses, Ryan Perrilloux was a circus. He was committed to Texas until the very end and everybody knew he was flipping to LSU. He waited so late to do it. He had all the talent in the world and just never focused on being a great football player."
Missouri
Players: Blaine Gabbert, Ballwin (Mo.) Parkway West (2008)
Overview: The top-rated pro-style quarterback in the 2008 class, Gabbert never put up gaudy high school stats mainly because of an injured foot his senior year. A one-time Nebraska pledge, Gabbert ended up at Missouri and had a tremendous career. Gabbert threw for about 6,800 yards with 40 touchdowns in his final two years and then entered the draft early. He was the No. 10 pick by the Jacksonville Jaguars, but has had an up-and-down NFL career. He's now with the San Francisco 49ers.
Farrell's take: "He's an absolute home run. He was a first-round draft pick, top 10 pick and he had a tremendous career. Big kid, strong arm and if you're going to have one quarterback in your state over the last 10 years who is a five-star that's a pretty good one to have."
Pennsylvania
Terrelle Pryor
Players: Terrelle Pryor, Jeannette, Pa. (2008); Anthony Morelli, Pittsburgh (Pa.) Penn Hills (2004); Chad Henne, West Lawn (Pa.) Wilson (2004)
Overview: A phenomenal athlete, Pryor rushed for 36 touchdowns in his senior year of high school, (29 in his junior season) and threw for 1,889 yards with 23 scores as a senior before his time at Ohio State. With the Buckeyes, the No. 1 player in the 2008 class was a Rose Bowl champion and MVP and a two-time Big Ten champ before an untimely end to his college career marked by scandal. After bouncing around the NFL for a few years, Pryor is with Cleveland working at receiver. Morelli and Henne were second and third, respectively, at quarterback in the 2004 class. Henne continues to enjoy a long NFL career while Morelli put up nice numbers at Penn State but didn't live up to expectations.
Farrell's take: "Henne and Morelli were the same year, so it was a really interesting battle to see which one would be ranked ahead of the other. Morelli busted out and Henne is in the NFL, so that played itself out. With Pryor, everybody said if he didn't make it as a quarterback, he would make it as a tight end. He's with Cleveland trying to make it as a receiver and he could be that Ronald Curry-type who is such a great athlete who reinvents himself and is a success in the NFL."
Texas
Vince Young
Players: Matthew Stafford, Dallas (Texas) Highland Park (2006); Russell Shepard, Houston (Texas) Cypress Ridge (2009); Vincent Young, Houston (Texas) Madison (2002); Rhett Bomar, Grand Prairie, Texas (2004); Ryan Mallett, Texarkana, Texas (2007); Garrett Gilbert, Austin (Texas) Lake Travis (2009)
Overview: Stafford, the sixth-best prospect in the 2006 class, had a tremendous career at Georgia and continues to enjoy success with the Detroit Lions, who drafted him first overall. Young was the No. 1 player in the 2002 class and led the Longhorns to the national championship in 2005. He was the NFL offensive rookie of the year, but his career never catapulted to elite status. Mallett, fourth overall in 2007, signed with Michigan and transferred to Arkansas. He's now the Houston Texas backup. Like many expected, Shepard has moved to receiver and that's where he plays for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Farrell's take: "Clearly No. 2 to California, and when you're talking to NFL and college starters, probably No. 1. Vince Young and Stafford were home runs, Mallett is still in the league and then you have massive busts in Gilbert and Bomar. We knew Shepard wasn't going to be a quarterback at the next level. He should've been a five-star athlete in retrospect."
Virginia
Players: Tyrod Taylor, Hampton, Va. (2007); Christian Hackenberg, Fork Union (Va.) FUMA (2013); Marcus Vick, Newport News (Va.) Warwick (2002)
Overview: Taylor had an average career at Virginia Tech until his senior season when he threw for 2,743 yards 24 touchdowns and was named the regular season ACC Player of the Year. He will start the Bills season-opener this year. Hackenberg struggled mightily last season, throwing 12 TDs and 15 interceptions, but mainly because of a below-average offensive line. With a strong junior year, Hackenberg could be a top pick in the NFL Draft. Vick, the eighth-best prospect in the 2002 class, had numerous off-the-field issues and is out of football.
Farrell's take: "Vick should be a starter in the NFL right now, but he had a lot of problems off the field and couldn't keep it together. If Hackenberg has a great year, he could be the No. 1 pick in the draft. A lot of people gave us flack for Taylor. He had a decent career at Virginia Tech and he's starting to emerge. That five-star ranking didn't really pan out in college or the draft, but he could be an NFL starter, so not bad."
Washington
Jacob Eason
Players: Max Browne, Sammamish (Wa.) Skyline (2013); Matthew Tuiasosopo, Woodinville, Wash. (2004); Jacob Eason, Lake Stevens, Wash. (2015)
Overview: Reports from USC fall camp are that Browne has performed well and it's shaping up that he could take over once Cody Kessler is done after this season. But since others in his class are being discussed as top draft picks (Hackenberg, Cal's Jared Goff), Browne has not lived up to expectations yet. Tuiasosopo committed to Washington in its 2004 class, but was also a top baseball prospect. He has spent the majority of his 10-year baseball career in the minor leagues. The jury is still out on Eason, because he's just entering his senior season of high school, but last year the Georgia commit threw for 2,829 yards with 32 touchdowns and three picks.
Farrell's take: "Browne hasn't panned out yet like we expected him to. Tuiasosopo was one of those baseball/football guys who decided to pursue a career in the major leagues. He was a great athlete, though. Eason is still to be determined but he has tremendous skills."
Adam Gorney
National Recruiting Analyst