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Ask Farrell: How good are 2021 pro-style QBs?

CLASS OF 2020 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | State | Position | Team

CLASS OF 2021 RANKINGS: Rivals100 | Position | Team

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Rivals Rankings Week:

Tuesday: 2021 Rivals100 revealed | Vandagriff No. 1 | Mind of Mike | Top QBs

Wednesday: 2021 Offensive position rankings

Thursday: 2021 Defensive position rankings revealed


In the initial 2021 rankings released this week, pro-style quarterbacks shot up high on the charts with an aggressive approach to that position early on.

It is such a hawkish view on the pro-style quarterbacks that if the top six retain their rankings through this cycle it would be the highest-rated group in Rivals history, dating back to 2002.

Currently, Bogart (Ga.) Prince Avenue Christian’s Brock Vandagriff is the lone five-star at pro-style quarterback, but there are five players ranked at the next selection down at 6.0.

Those players are Ohio State commit Kyle McCord, Michigan pledge J.J. McCarthy, Washington commit Sam Huard, Washington (D.C.) Gonzaga’s Caleb Williams and Harbor City (Calif.) Narbonne’s Jake Garcia.

That level of high ranking has never happened before at pro-style quarterback, even during the final rankings release, and there have been some impressive classes at that position.

The same cannot be said in the 2021 cycle for dual-threat quarterbacks, at least not yet, as there are no five-stars. Dallas (Texas) Parish Episcopal’s Preston Stone is the lone 6.0 and there are only two 5.9 prospects, which is a mid-level four-star prospect.

We ask Rivals.com national recruiting director Mike Farrell if he thinks the aggressiveness in ranking pro-style quarterbacks in the 2021 class was a little much, or if this group does have the chance to be the best in Rivals' history?


MORE: Class of 2021 Pro-Style QB rankings

FARRELL'S TAKE 

“I’m not sure this is a record-setting or record-tying group, and this is the first ranking so it’s crazy to get too far down the road. But I do like this group a lot. I think the top three especially — Vandagriff, McCord and McCarthy. I think each has a chance to either retain (Vandagriff) or add a fifth star by the end of the rankings cycle, as they all have excellent intangibles.

"This is a great year to land a quarterback, and Ohio State and Michigan are already in terrific shape with their guys. Oklahoma, Florida or Georgia is going to be very happy with Vandagriff, and many of the guys below the big three will also be valuable additions. Quarterback is one of the strengths of the 2021 class.”

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