Elite 11 Rankings - Nation's Top QBs Compete, Film-Only Rankings

Brooks Austin | Jun 19, 2024

Oct 20, 2023; Carrollton, GA, USA; Carrollton Trojans quarterback Julian Lewis (10) reacts to a pass against the Westlake Lions during the first half at Grisham Stadium. The 15-year-old Carrollton High student has already committed to playing for the University of Southern California Trojans and has been considered one of the top high school quarterback prospects. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports / John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

The quarterback position is the sport's most pivotal position. It's the leader of the offense, and at the sport's highest levels oftentimes the leader of the organization. You can imagine with the sport of football being as big as it is, and the quarterback being as influential on the team's success as it is, the evaluation process of quarterbacks is paramount.

Thus brings the Elite 11. The nation's top-ranked prospects compete to earn their way into a select group of signal callers on an annual basis. Not that this event needs validation, but all five First Round selections in the 2024 NFL Draft were either campers or counselors at the Elite 11. It's directly connected to NFL lineage.

This year, twenty of the nation's top signal callers are competing for the Elite 11 crown, and per the Elite 11, the final selections will be made based on 50% of the junior tapes available, and 50% of the camp evaluation. This makes the film evaluation portion just as important as what's going on here in LA. So, I've ranked them based solely on film here for your viewing.

UPDATE: DAY ONE RANKINGS

Elite 11 Rankings Day One

1. Tavien St. Claire - Every ball was tight, every ball had life, and every ball seemed to be in the perfect spot. It was an extremely clean day for St. Claire who's added a lot to his frame.
2. Keelon Russell - Apart from the play-action deep-balls where things seemed to float on him at times, Keelon Russell had a flawless day. From the jump, he showed a clean and repetitive stroke.
3. KJ Lacey - Just polished and efficient with limited misses and Lacey showed perhaps the quicked delivery on a consistent basis.
4. Hasan Longstreet - It should be noted that Longstreet is dealing with an obvious and apparent lower right leg injury. It should also be noted that no one has more zip on the football than Longstreet. He's got special juice in person.
5. Matt Zollers - Zollers has perhaps the strongest and most violent arm at this event. However, for every "wow" throw or moment he had today, it felt like he would have the spiral disappear on the next one. Balls tend to get loose when overthrowing occurs.
6. Deuce Knight - Knight has perhaps the longest arms of any quarterback here, yet his body control to keep things compact is astonishing. The nose of the ball on that lefty stroke does tend to get receivers problems at times though. It's unique.
7. Julian Lewis - Lewis' ball seems to jump a bit more and more every time I see him. The polish has been there from Day 1 and that really shows in these types of events, his footwork is clean.
8. Jaron Keawe Sagapolutele - Hawaii throws a really heavy football. This thing arrives violent and with purpose at all times. He had a tremendous day, ball placement was elite.
9. Ryan Montgomery - Montgomery flashes the most consistently clean mechanics of the bunch. What he may lack in "wow" moments, he makes up for in the lack of misses present in a setting like that. He was locked in.
10. Bryce Baker - It wasn't Baker's best day by his standards. He was a dark horse to win this event, I expect him to bounce back as the week continues.
11. Tramell Jones - What a day for Jones. He entered the event as one of the lower-ranked players but threw a really great ball throughout the workout.
12. Akili Smith Jr, had the workout continued another two hours, Smith Jr. might have been the only one standing. He started a bit rough, disconnected between his lower and upper body but he eventually got things paired and started to put on a show.
13. Luke Nickel - Consistently really really good wins a lot of football games when on time. That's Luke Nickel. Monday's throwing circus isn't his forte, pro day where ball placement is paramount should feature his skillsets more.
14. Malik Washington - This feels low for the day that the Maryland prospect had. It's just a really good bunch, Washington is going to make some team really really happy.
15. Alex Maske - On a field with seemingly a dozen extremely powerful arms, Maske displayed accuracy in the underneath to intermediate, but the ball sputtered off platform at times.
16. Ty Hawkins - Hawkins has a bit of a baseball catcher's release that allows for efficient movements and balls underneath but as routes extend, the ball loosens.
17. Kevin Sperry - The Oklahoma commit flashed some great ball placement and touch in the redzone area.
18. Kamario Taylor - The ball consistently fluttered on Taylor tonight, but there are obviously signs of ceiling and upside on the Mississippi native, when things are timed up and smooth, he's on par with the bunch.
19. TJ Lateef - Lateef performed really well with a clean platform and standard delivery settings.
20. Robert McDaniel - A late addition, McDaniel showed flashes on Tuesday night.

Elite 11 Rankings: Film Score - All metrics out of 5.0

• Frame - 5.0 is Cam Newton
• Arm Strength - 5.0 is Josh Allen
• Arm Talent - 5.0 is Pat Mahomes
• Accuracy - 5.0 is Drew Brees
• Finesse - 5.0 is Russell Wilson
• Atheltecism - 5.0 is Lamar Jackson
• Ceiling - Counts Twice

No. 1 George MacIntyre UT Commit (Will Not Compete) (SCORE: 4.72)
Suffered an injury in the lead-up to the event.
Player Comp: Nico Iamaleava

• Frame: 4.85 - He's 6'6, but will need to fill out as college years approach.
• Arm Strength: 4.85 - Clips of him floating left and throwing a ball 63-yards in game are enough.
• Arm Talent: 4.85.- Rarely do you see a QB this long with this much fluidity in the motion. It's smooth.
• Accuracy: 4.65 - There's limited misses on the tape and the ball placement is top-notch.
• Finesse: 4.65 - His ability to layer football is evident. He's got the touch require to throw over and under defenders.
• Athleticism: 4.62 - A basketball player in his offseasons, the elusiveness on display is shocking considering the size.
• Ceiling: 4.85 Counts Twice

No. 2 Matt Zollers - Missouri Commit (SCORE: 4.68)
Player Comp: Matthew Stafford

• Frame: 4.65- He's recently measured in at 6'3.5, 205. He's got some filling out to do though.
• Arm Strength: 4.80 - He will absolutely stand on it when needed to. VIOLENT gas on this one.
• Arm Talent: 4.75.- He's a wow-thrower for sure. Can make all of the angle bring life.
• Accuracy: 4.50- I would imagine someone with this much violence will have drastic misses at times.
• Finesse: 4..85 - Despite all of the missiles on tape, Zollers pairs touch in the pocket on tape as well.
• Athleticism: 4.62 - The score of a good enough athlete to create, but not enough to feature in the run game.
• Ceiling: 4.65 Counts Twice.

No. 3 Akili Smith Jr. Oregon Commit (SCORE: 4.67)
Player Comp: Justin Herbert

• Frame: 4.85- 6'6, 210 with an NFL QB pedigree of a father. Can't get much better.
• Arm Strength: 4.75 - First two throws on the tape are Sunday ready. 40 yard skinny post on a line, the come back to it later in the game and he throws it with touch.
• Arm Talent: 4.75.- He's got every iron in the bag. It's all the above.
• Accuracy: 4..50 - The ball on tape seems extremely catchable and the appropriate pace.
• Finesse: 4..65 - Rarely do you see someone with this much power play with such grace.
• Athleticism: 4..45 - I mean... it's enough for a 6'6 dude and his playmaking ability is shocking at his size.
• Ceiling: 4.75 Counts Twice.

No. 4 Bryce Baker UNC Commit (SCORE: 4.675)
Player Comp: Michael Penix Jr.

• Frame: 4.55 - He's 6'2.5, 205 pounds, 10 3/4" hands with broad shoulders and thick lowers.
• Arm Strength: 4.65 - He cuts the football with a smooth motion that is repetitive.
• Arm Talent: 4.75.- I think he's as clean of a rotational thrower as the class provides. No matter where the play takes him, he's going to get back to an extremely lifeful position with his release.
• Accuracy: 4..75 - That repetitive alignment at release point will provide accurate results.
• Finesse: 4..55 - The tape is filled with more line drives than sand wedges at this point, but he can layer the ball.
• Athleticism: 4..85 - 4.6s in the forty coming out of high school is plenty fast and explosive metrics back up an athletic tape.
• Ceiling: 4.65 - Counts Twice

No. 5 Julian Lewis USC Commit (SCORE: 4.60) TBD
Player Comp: 6'1 Joe Burrow

• Frame: 4.35 - At 6'1, 200 pounds he's not huge, but he's big enough.
• Arm Strength: 4.65 - Years of perfecting mechanics have provided the ball with as much life as the frame can possibly produce.
• Arm Talent: 4.85.- The ball jumps off the hands with the flick neccesary to make elite level throws at every angle. Also, he's never in a bad position mechanically.
• Accuracy: 4..95 - His ability to put the ball where he wants is unmatched in this class. He's the most repetitively accurate thrower of the ball in 2025.
• Finesse: 4..65 - He's borderline overtrained every throw. He's going to be able to layer the ball in college.
• Athleticism: 4..25 - He will never wow you with his legs, but he's got plenty to win and extend.
• Ceiling: 4.55 - Counts Twice

No. 6 Deuce Knight Notre Dame Commit (SCORE: 4.56)
Player Comp: NA

• Frame: 4.70 - At 6'4.5, 206 Knight has plenty of room to add weight but doesn't need too much more.
• Arm Strength: 4.25 - He doesn't have the nation's biggest arm, but he has enough to make all the throws.
• Arm Talent: 4.45 - I love the quick and fluid lefty motion. The efficiency allows for variety.
• Accuracy: 4.75 - I think he's the best intermediate thrower in the class.
• Finesse: 4.90 - The touch on display in the redzone outside the numbers is phenomenal.
• Athleticism: 4.60 - He runs away on tape, but is a very upright ball carrier.
• Ceiling - 4.45 Counts Twice

No. 7 Ryan Montgomery UGA Commit (SCORE: 4.53)
Player Comp: Carson Beck When He Was Still "Just Some Four Star" Not Carson the Heisman front runner.

• Frame: 4.70 - At 6'4, 225, he's college big as is.
• Arm Strength: 4.75 - He can be a bit of a leaner, but he's got plenty of velocity with he's gassing up.
• Arm Talent: 4.20 - He seems to be at his best when things are controlled and calm, though there's enough arm talent to create in crowded windows.
• Accuracy: 4.75 - Such consistent mechanics base allow for consistent results. He's a ball placement winner.
• Finesse: 4.35 - There's some touch on the tape, but he's still a fastball over changeup pitcher.
• Athleticism: 4.15 - A bit of a basketball background and can create, but I'd rather him deliver strikes being strong and tall in the pocket than escaping it.
• Ceiling: 4.50 Counts Twice

No. 8 KaMario Taylor Miss State Commit (Score: 4.49)
Player Comp: Imagine if Cam Newton throwing motion and frame were given Dak Prescott's athletecism.

• Frame: 4.70 - He's 6'4, 205 and he plays massive on tape.
• Arm Strength: 4.25 - He's not going to out throw these guys this week with a normal platform, but if you ask me who's going to throw the post for a touchdown with two bodies draped on him, it's Taylor.
• Arm Talent: 4.25 - Cam Newton's throwing mechanics never provided for off-platform genius, nor will this.
• Athleticism: 4.65 - He has good linear speed, but the change of direction takes a bit.
• Finesse: 4.38 - Being as powerful as he is, he tends to use the horsepower a bit too often.
• Accuracy: 4.40 - He's consistent in his delivery though needs plenty of refinement.
• Ceiling: 4.65 Counts Twice

No. 9 Malik Washington - Uncommitted. (SCORE: 4.468)
Player Comp: Dak Prescott

• Frame: 4.65 - He's a college-thick 6'4, 210. Ready to roll.
• Arm Strength: 4.25 - He tends to be a little squatty in his throwing motion, I think inhibits his top-end arm strength.
• Arm Talent: 4.35 - He makes some special plays on the run, and has the core stability to still deliver velocity in awkward circumstances.
• Accuracy: 4.25 - Ball can tend to die on him late impacting overall ball placement.
• Finesse: 4.50 - He showed a real ability to layer football into tighter coverage windows.
• Athleticism: 4.65 - He's going to get collegiate carries, or at least should.
• Ceiling: 4.55 - Counts Twice

No. 10 Alex Maske - Iowa State (SCORE 4.472)
Player Comp: Hometown Hero Ball

• Frame: 4.50 - He's the baseline model QB as is. 6'3, 205.
• Arm Strength: 4.25 - He doesn't have the world's biggest arm, but he's extremely competitive with ball placement.
• Arm Talent: 4.68 - This guy has more wow throws on the tape than perhaps anyone. Small Town Iowa will have legends of "That one Alex Maske throw."
• Accuracy: 4.50 - Mechanics are clean and without any glaring issues, Though the 60% completion is cause for question.
• Finesse: 4.50 - He selective with his pacing and rarely does he make the wrong choice.
• Athleticism: 4.25 - He's your everyday modern quarterback. Not a freak athlete, but will be able to make front line defenders miss in tight spaces.
• Ceiling: 4.55 - Counts Twice

Rankings 11-20

• No. 11 - Tavien St. Claire, Ohio State Commit (4.45)
• No. 12 - KJ Lacey, Texas Commit (4.44)
• No. 13 - Luke Nickel, Miami Commit (4.437)
• No. 14 - Keelon Russell, Alabama Commit (4.40)
• No. 15 Ty Hawkins, TCU commit (4.36)
• No. 16 Jaron Keawe Sagapolutele, Uncommitted (4.35)
• No. 17 TJ Lateef, Nebraska (4.316)
• No. 18 Kevin Sperry, Oklahoma commit (4.312)
• No. 19 Tramell Jones, FSU commit (4.28)
• No. 20 Hasan Longstreet, Texas A&M Commit (4.25)

Other Georgia News:

• Kirby Smart Will Reach This Historic Milestone During the 2024 College Football Season
• Brock Bowers Continuing to Make Strides in Camp With Raiders
• Georgia Football Utilizing Something This Offseason More Than it Ever Has

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