Dylan Raiola came off the board Monday night when the 2024 four-star quarterback committed to Ohio State over basically every other program in the country. It means all those other teams now have to figure out their QB situation as well.
But first things first.
The game of quarterback dominoes still goes through New Orleans (La.) Isidore Newman and five-star Arch Manning, who said Texas, Georgia and Alabama will get official visits and “that’s probably it right now.”
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Florida is trying to get Manning on a visit but it feels like a long shot that he ends up with the Gators. LSU, Ole Miss and others are battling to stay involved, too.
I’ve been told by a source that Manning’s decision could play a massive influence on one, if not at least two, top 2024 quarterbacks and where they would end up going as well. Basically, wherever Manning ends up, those 2024 QBs would look elsewhere – and possibly right to the schools Manning didn’t pick.
With Malachi Nelson off the board to USC and Nico Iamaleava committed to Tennessee there is still a lot to figure out.
Manning’s decision will be atop the list. But what fellow five-star Dante Moore from Detroit Martin Luther King decides will also be important because it’s not likely a lot of the top 2024 quarterbacks will follow him as well.
If Moore picks Notre Dame, landing a QB in the 2024 class might be a little more challenging for the Irish. Same goes for LSU. But it might be a trade-off those programs are willing to concede.
Alabama looks to be in excellent shape for four-star Eli Holstein from Zachary, La., but thinking that Manning is a lost cause for the Crimson Tide is probably well overdone. Coach Nick Saban made a big impression on Manning when he visited Newman and so getting back to Tuscaloosa will be important. As it stands now, though, Alabama is in better shape with Holstein.
Turning to 2024, this is where things get really interesting. The current No. 1 quarterback in the class is Charlotte (N.C.) Providence Day’s Jadyn Davis, who is looking at Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Clemson and many others. Manning’s decision could influence Davis for sure and if Manning goes to Athens, would Davis?
Then there is five-star Julian Sayin, who is also watching Manning’s decision closely, because Texas and Georgia are two of his favorites along with Notre Dame, Michigan and others. Manning picks Texas, that helps the Bulldogs in the Sayin sweepstakes possibly and vice versa.
Saline, Mich., four-star CJ Carr is also an interesting case. The grandson of former Michigan coach Lloyd Carr, the word is he’s not a stone-cold lock to the Wolverines and Notre Dame is at least giving the Wolverines a run for their money – if not more. And if Carr picks the Irish before Sayin or someone else could that could have major implications, too.
We cannot forget high four-star dual-threat QB DJ Lagway, either, who could have Texas A&M with the edge but is looking at LSU and many others. Moore in Baton Rouge could upset that apple cart possibly.
The long and short of it is this: Raiola is now off the board to Ohio State and it looks like that commitment is rock solid unless there is some major surprise in Columbus. In the 2023 class, Nelson and Iamaleava are committed.
But when it comes to the quarterback dominoes, a lot still rides on Manning’s choice – for quarterbacks in his class and the next one down the line.
