Columbus QB Challenge: Five ready for the next level
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- More than 80 quarterbacks braved the elements to compete in the Rivals Quarterback Challenge Presented by Under Armour this past Sunday. Here are five who showed they are ready to make the jump to the college level.
MORE: Rivals Camp Series coverage | Rivals Recap: Columbus QB Challenge
Recruiting Wrap: Clifford is committed to Penn State.
Performance: Over two days we were able to see that Clifford has taken the steps expected in his development and is on pace to be an outstanding addition to Penn State’s 2017 class. Clifford won this event last year, and though he did not repeat, this was still an outstanding showing. Now having filled out his 6-foot-2 frame, Clifford throws with increased velocity while continuing to be consistently accurate and having crisp, clean arm mechanics.
Recruiting Wrap: Morgan is committed to Western Michigan.
Performance: Morgan took home the Mobile Marksman award and finished No. 3 in the finals. The three-star turned down a couple of Power Five offers to commit to Western Michigan last month, and the Broncos have themselves a very polished passer. What initially caught our attention with Morgan was his arm strength, but as the day evolved we came to appreciate the simple beauty of his throwing motion and how advanced he was in the finer points of the position.
Recruiting Wrap: Boston College, Maryland, Rutgers and Temple have already offered Sitkowski.
Performance: Sitkowski is the only class of 2018 prospect on this list. And, this is a list that should not feature a lot of underclassmen. Sitkowski is unique, though, because at 6-foot-5 and 205 pounds he has a wealth of tools at his disposal. The rising junior took home the Rocket Arm award for showing the greatest velocity among the 80-plus prospects in attendance, but he is more than just a big arm. Sitkowski also features a quick delivery and the ball comes off his hand beautifully.
Recruiting Wrap: Washington awaits his first offer. MAC programs Central Michigan, Bowling Green, Toledo, Buffalo and Kent State have shown the most interest.
Performance: Why Washington remains offer-less this late in his junior year is becoming a greater mystery. At 6-foot-3 and 230 pounds he certainly does not lack elite size for the position, and his performances at the Rivals Camp Series and Quarterback Challenge this weekend show he has the skill set to play quarterback on the FBS level. After being one of the Top 15 offensive performers at Saturday’s camp, Washington came out of Sunday’s competition with the Mr. Mechanics award for being the most technically sound passer in attendance.
Recruiting Wrap: Holy Cross has extended an offer to Degenhardt.
Performance: Degenhardt finished fifth in the Quarterback Challenge finals and won the Touchdown Touch award for having the best deep ball. Another tall passer at 6-foot-6 and 185 pounds, Degenhardt benefits from that size and length, but also does not sacrifice athleticism as is sometimes the case with taller passers. He showed good athleticism, technique and accuracy on the roll outs, and obviously was very effective with his deep ball on a day where that was an especially tough throw.