Friedman's East Spotlight: The best QBs I've seen in 2023
National recruiting analyst Adam Friedman scouted more than a dozen high-profile high school games in person this season. With the playoffs underway in the East Region, now is a good time to take a look at some of the players who shined in those games. We start with the quarterbacks.
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Davis may have had an up-and-down season as a whole, but in a season-opening win he was very sharp, throwing for nearly 500 yards and five touchdowns. The Michigan commit did a good job finding open receivers when under duress, but he also showed he can throw with timing and accuracy in a clean pocket. Arm strength and accuracy continue to be the hallmarks of his game.
Davis has put up monster numbers this season, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see that continue once he hits the field at the next level.
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O’Neill was a bit of a late bloomer in the 2024 recruiting cycle but he is awfully impressive. After seeing him earlier this season, it’s clear O’Neill has the potential and skill set to be an impact player at the next level.
The Texas A&M commit has a huge frame, big arm and can throw with timing and accuracy in and out of the pocket. It will be interesting to watch O'Neill's development as he continues to get more experience against high-level defenses.
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Brown doesn’t blow anybody away with his arm strength but he is a winner and comes up big in big situations. The Stanford commit does a good job keeping the offense on schedule and finding the right receiver at the right time when he has a clean pocket.
It's clear he has a high football IQ and does a good job processing information quickly once the ball is snapped, but he has a hard time adjusting when things don't go according to plan. Raising his game when he gets to the next level will be a necessity, but he has the tools to do so.
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Van Buren is a talented prospect we’ve scouted many times over the last few years, but this season was a difficult one for the Oregon commit. Van Buren is on the smaller side but has shown in the past he is able to throw the ball accurately and on time while on the run or in a clean pocket, which he hasn't had very often this season.
Without many consistent playmakers around him, Van Buren often tried to do too much himself this season, making questionable decisions with the ball and that snowballed on him at times. In the past he's been able to effectively distribute the ball to his receivers and create big plays, but that hasn't carried over to this season.
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Brandon is a well-known quarterback prospect who has performed well this season. In the season opener, Brandon made some very impressive throws and showed how productive he can be. He can throw with timing, did a nice job hitting his receivers in stride and has the arm strength to make throws all over the field.
Brandon has a lot of potential and he'll be a quarterback to keep a close eye on over the next few years.