Midwest Spotlight: Five QBs to watch
Quarterbacks commit earlier than ever these days. Only two of the 19 quarterbacks in the Rivals250 are left on the board for the 2024 recruiting class. Still, there are plenty of names to watch in both the current and future classes.
Here are some of the latest names to know and storylines to watch in this quarterback spotlight.
MORE IN THIS SERIES: East QBs to watch | Mid-South | West Coast | Southeast
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CLASS OF 2023 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State
CLASS OF 2024 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State
CLASS OF 2025 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State
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CJ Carr is widely accepted as the best signal-caller in the Midwest for the 2024 class. There is good reason for that. He threw for 2,697 yards and 26 touchdowns with five interceptions as a junior. His 69% completion rate shows how steady he is as a passer. The Notre Dame commit has a unique mixture of being a dynamic playmaker and being reliable.
There is only one question left about him in high school: Will he be able to push into five-star status with Dylan Raiola, Julian Sayin and Jadyn Davis?
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It was a tough break for a struggling Missouri recruiting class when Daniel Kaelin flipped from the Tigers to Nebraska last month.
It’s clear that Carr is No. 1 in the Midwest but there is a logjam to see who is second-best. Could Kaelin separate himself with a strong summer and senior season?
Up first, he will have his shot to compete alongside the other top signal-callers at the Elite 11 Finals. Then we’ll see if he builds on his junior campaign that included 3,361 yards and 39 total touchdowns. The opportunity is there for Nebraska’s 2024 quarterback commit.
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Is it possible that Michigan will land five-star quarterbacks in back-to-back recruiting cycles? Class of 2024 superstar Jadyn Davis is on his way to Ann Arbor and Bryce Underwood could follow in the 2025 class. Underwood, an in-state prospect for the Wolverines, will be asked about that quite a bit until he commits.
There will be competition no matter where he goes. Ohio State is heavily involved here and it will have Air Noland on the way this cycle. Who would have thought a couple years ago that the Michigan-Ohio State rivalry would bleed over into five-star quarterback battles?
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The Findlay, Ohio, native has traveled all over the country in the last few years getting to know different colleges. The 6-foot-3, 200-pounder got to see his brother Luke Montgomery go through the process that ultimately led him to Ohio State. Ryan Montgomery holds an offer from the Buckeyes himself.
He is jostling with a few other players to be Ryan Day’s preferred quarterback in 2025. Ryan's father tells me that his son will be narrowing things down soon and settling the process down.
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There isn’t a hotter quarterback in the Midwest right now than the Bellefontaine native. Tavien St. Clair was offered by Penn State, Ohio State and Michigan State among others in May. June was kicked off with offers from Alabama and LSU.
The battle for the best quarterback in Ohio between he and Montgomery will be fun to watch play out, especially since they are friends. St. Clair is in for a huge junior season after breaking five school records as a sophomore.