Rivals Camp Series Los Angeles: Quarterback spotlight
DOWNEY, Calif. – The first stop of the Rivals Camp Series was Sunday in Southern California and the quarterback group was arguably the strongest position at a camp loaded from top to bottom. Here's a recap of a number of the many quarterbacks that made a name for themselves on the day.
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Despite never playing a snap of high school football Mielke was one of the best quarterbacks in attendance. With the frame and arm talent to become one of the top recruits in the nation by the time his recruitment is finished, the class of 2027 standout is gifted beyond his years. From his throwing mechanics to accuracy and footwork, there is so much about Mielke's game that stands out. The way the ball comes off of his hand is as good as I've seen from a quarterback at this early stage of their career.
Georgia and Arizona State are among programs that have already offered.
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The five-star exceeded the lofty expectations we had for him going into the camp with a nearly flawless performance on the day. With perfect mechanics, and the ability to make every level of throw on the field with pinpoint accuracy, it is hard to find a weakness in his game.
Everything Sayin does looks incredibly natural, and with both his ceiling and floor being incredibly high, he has every tool to be a great signal caller at Alabama and beyond.
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We knew Iamaleava was a talent going into the camp, but his level of development from last summer to the camp is truly remarkable and exceeded expectations in every way. Following in the footsteps of his older brother, five-star Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava, is not an easy task. Not only does it appear that Iamaleava won't let that pressure get to him, he seems to thrive on the lofty expectations many have placed upon him.
He is physically gifted with a cannon for an arm and his ball placement on deep balls was one of the many parts of his game that stood out. There is little question that Iamaleava is a budding star on the football field and his recruitment will likely continue to blow up.
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Leinhart may only be a freshman in high school but already possesses the physical traits of a big-time upperclassman quarterback recruit. The 6-foot-4 Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei rising star has great size, a big arm and showed flashes of greatness throughout the day.
Adding to the intrigue of Leinhart is the fact that he's the son of former USC Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Matt Leinart. That is a lot to live up to, but doesn't seem to faze the young quarterback and he has a chance to be the next big thing at powerhouse Mater Dei.
Utah, Arizona, Colorado and Pitt are among programs to already offer Leinart.
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This is likely just the beginning for Taylor as he is already skilled beyond his years and still has plenty of growth in front of him. Taylor carries himself like a camp circuit vet and was nearly perfect with his ball placement throughout the day.
He seems like one of those kids who was born to play the position, and while he is just scratching the surface of what he will eventually become as a player, Taylor is already incredibly talented.
Colorado, Kentucky, Ole Miss, Texas A&M, Vanderbilt and others have already offered.
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Like Leinart, Smith Jr. has some big shoes to fill as he is the son of former Oregon great and No. 3 overall NFL draft pick Akili Smith. Smith Jr's combination of frame, athleticism and arm talent make him the complete package and he showed a jaw-dropping level of upside when he was at his best on the day.
Should he continue to develop at this rate and maximize the potential we saw during the camp, he has a chance to be one of the most coveted quarterbacks in the 2025 class.
Oregon, Michigan, Miami and Cal are among the programs that have already offered the talented NFL legacy.
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We first saw glimpses of Kritza's upside when he arrived to last year's Rivals Camp Series event in Los Angeles as a relatively unknown prospect. That was just the beginning of his recruiting journey and one year later Kritza has become a highly coveted recruit.
At 6-foot-5 and 195 pounds the California product has prototypical size at the position and is a towering presence on the field. He combines his incredible frame with a big-time arm capable of fitting the ball into the tightest of windows.
A recent trip to Miami that resulted in an offer could be a game changer in Kritza's recruitment. Texas A&M, Colorado and Kansas are among the programs to already offer.
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Longstreet's physical development over the past year is something to behold and he is about as muscled up as you will find a young quarterback recruit. His ability to throw with velocity and accuracy in the pocket is impressive, but he may be even better on the move as he remains mechanically sound and does a great job of altering his release point to adjust accordingly.
Miami was the latest program to offer joining the likes of UCLA, Oregon, Arizona, Arizona State, Ole Miss and others.
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The Etiwanda (Calif.) standout passes the eyeball test, and while his frame grabbed our attention when he stepped on the field, it was his physical gifts and upside that kept eyes on him throughout the day. Davis has every tool to be a big-time recruit and although raw at this stage of his career, his upside is obvious. In a camp loaded with quarterbacks, Davis made his presence felt in a major way throughout the day.
Davis has early Power Five offers from Washington State and Minnesota, but we wouldn't be surprised to see him blow up in the coming months.
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Tollefson burst onto the recruiting scene as a freshman when he received his first Power Five offer from Arizona. His star has continued to rise en route to becoming one of the nation's most sought after quarterbacks in the 2025 class.
The California native left little doubt as to why he has become a top target for many of the nation's elite programs via a camp performance where his arm strength and accuracy were on full display. Tollefson can really spin it and throws a beautiful tight spiral nearly every time the ball comes off his hand.
Florida State, Arizona State and Michigan State are among the many schools heavily pursuing the young signal caller.
