Ask Farrell: How did the top 2021 QBs look at the Five-Star Challenge?
ATLANTA -- The Rivals100 Five-Star Challenge presented by adidas was incredibly valuable for many reasons, one of them being that the top three 2021 pro-style quarterbacks were all in attendance and competing against each other.
MORE FIVE-STAR CHALLENGE: Ranking the quarterbacks
Bogart (Ga.) Prince Avenue Christian’s Brock Vandagriff is not only at the top of the quarterback rankings for his class but he’s No. 1 overall in the early 2021 rankings. He recently committed to Oklahoma and threw at the Five-Star Challenge.
Next on the list currently in the position rankings is Ohio State commit Kyle McCord from Philadelphia (Pa.) St. Joseph’s, who had a strong showing in Atlanta as well and is currently ranked ninth in the country.
Third on the list at quarterback is La Grange Park (Ill.) Nazareth Academy’s J.J. McCarthy, who probably struggled the most out of the three at the Five-Star Challenge but has been outstanding at other events. McCarthy is committed to Michigan.
No rankings are locked in of course and especially not this early as the 2021 prospects have not even started their junior seasons. There will be a lot of movement up, down and all around for everybody among this group.
FARRELL'S TAKE
We ask Rivals.com National Recruiting Director Mike Farrell what he thought of seeing all three 2021 quarterbacks at the Five-Star Challenge and what possibly changes he could foresee for them in the coming years.
“Vandagriff is going to be a huge quarterback with a big arm who could easily excel in a spread or pro-style offense. You can tell he’s a weight room warrior and he has a great frame to add size, so I expect his arm strength to increase and for him to be a tough quarterback to bring down. He’s new to 7-on-7 and struggled at first, but I like the way he adjusted.
"McCord is also going to be a very big and strong quarterback and he has an exceptional arm. He tried to do too much at times and fit the ball into tight spaces too often, but that will improve.
"McCarthy has his moments, but he’s very thin and doesn’t have a huge frame so I wonder how big and strong he will get. He’s good on film and has had better outings, but he’s the furthest from development right now and has the lowest ceiling of the three.
"It was great to see all three of them in one setting and all three will be highly ranked throughout the process.”