Countless debates go into each Rivals rankings update and one particular topic we are spotlighting in today's Rival Views is which 2020 quarterback should be ranked higher, Drew Pyne or Bryce Young.
2020 RANKINGS: New five-stars | Mind of Mike | Video highlights of top 10 | Next five-stars | Three players on cusp of top 10
ADAM FRIEDMAN: DREW PYNE
Very few quarterbacks are as technically sound as Drew Pyne at this stage of his development. Just starting his junior season, Pyne has the mechanics, footwork, and accuracy to compete with nearly any quarterback in the country, regardless of class.
The knock on Pyne, like Young, has been his size. The height and weight of both quarterbacks should be a bit concerning, but Pyne is pushing 6-foot-1 and Young is barely 6-feet tall. When it comes to throwing mechanics and the finer points of playing quarterback, Pyne is much more advanced than Young.
Pyne is more athletic than most people give him credit for and he is very good at manipulating the pocket to avoid pass rushers. The Notre Dame strength and conditioning staff should be able to pack plenty of muscle onto his svelte frame, so standing up to the pounding of the college game isn’t something to worry about. On the other hand, Young, a dual-threat quarterback that uses his feet to make plays down the field, doesn’t have much more room to fill out his frame and he could be a bit more susceptible to injury down the line.
You can say Young is used to playing against better competition and is closer to being ready for the game speed at the next level, and that is a valid point, but defenses are much better too. Pyne isn’t playing elite competition and he doesn’t have elite teammates like Young but he won’t face a steeper learning curve than Young because of the solid fundamentals of his game.
Young might have the better high school career but Pyne is already better suited for the college game so he should be higher in the Rivals100 right now.
ADAM GORNEY: BRYCE YOUNG
Anybody who watched Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei destroy Las Vegas Bishop Gorman over the weekend would find it hard to believe many quarterbacks in the 2020 class are better than Bryce Young, who mixes leadership with dynamic athleticism and terrific passing accuracy.
Young threw four touchdown passes of all kinds - a short throw across the middle, couple dump-offs to Sean Dollars where he had to time up taller defensive linemen putting their hands up - and when he didn’t throw TD passes, he had nice, sharp bullets across the middle to Bru McCoy and others.
What was really impressive from Young on Friday night against a talented Gorman defense was his ability to sit and scan in the pocket and when the pressure came, Young has special athletic ability to escape defenders, keep his eyes down the field and then either deliver a strike or use his feet to make something happen.
Young’s touchdown run was something out of a SportsCenter Top 10 list and I suspect he will be just as dominant through his junior season.
Pyne is a quality quarterback who had a solid performance at the Rivals100 Five-Star Challenge presented by adidas this summer but Young is more dynamic and special and that’s why he should be higher in the rankings.
