Rivals QB Week: Five for the future
It seems like every year quarterback recruiting is sped up as prospects are not only identified and offered by schools earlier than ever, but they’re also making commitments and in most cases sticking with them. As of today, two of the three five-star quarterbacks in the Class of 2018 class, Emory Jones (Ohio State) and Matt Corral (USC), have already announced their commitment, and the nation’s No. 1 overall player and quarterback, Trevor Lawrence, doesn’t appear to be far behind. With that in mind, we take a look forward at some of the 2019 and 2020 quarterbacks already making a name for themselves on the national recruiting radar.
Bailey started gathering offers before his freshman high school season even started, catching the eyes of schools like Miami and North Carolina before a flood of offers poured in toward the end of the summer. Among the schools already on the list for the 6-foot-3 prospect are Alabama, Florida, LSU and Ole Miss. Bailey is already off to a great start to his freshman season as well and could be poised for plenty more offers to come his way soon.
Texas is known for producing talent at the quarterback position, and it’s no surprise that the 6-foot-5 Gunnell has already caught the eye of several college programs. Among his offer list is Florida State, Texas A&M, Oklahoma State and Houston, four programs that are known for identifying future stars at the quarterback position. Gunnell appears to be on the fast track to becoming a household name in the recruiting world.
The son of former NFL offensive coordinator Michael Johnson Sr., Johnson has already been on the recruiting radar for nearly two years. Because of the tutelage from his father, Johnson Jr. has fundamentals beyond his age, and coaches have raved about his overall knowledge of the game. Johnson saw plenty of time as a freshman in 2015 and that was enough for schools like Arizona, Cal, Florida State and Mississippi State to join his offer list.
The state of Alabama has produced some pretty good quarterbacks over the past few years, including former five-star and Heisman Trophy winner Jameis Winston. Many in the state believe Nix could be the next star at the position, and several SEC schools have already given him a long look. Winston’s alma mater, Florida State, has already offered, as have Kentucky and Cincinnati. With a solid sophomore season Nix should see his offer list continue to grow.
Much like Bailey, Pyne just started his high school career but already has some of the best coaches in the game clamoring to land his commitment. Pyne starred on the camp circuit over the summer and already has offers from Alabama, Florida State, Penn State and South Carolina. Players from Connecticut aren’t known to land offers this early in the process, but Pyne’s list shows just how special many coaches believe he can be.