Reports In From Elite 11 Finals On Pitt Commit Kenny Minchey

The Pitt commit was a "pleasant surprise" during day one of the Elite 11 Finals.

PITTSBURGH -- The Pitt Panthers' quarterback of the future, four-star class of 2023 commit Kenny Minchey, is in Los Angles, California this week competing in the Elite 11 Finals, an annual summit of 20 of the nation's best high school quarterbacks in which they go through workouts and are evaluated by coaches and scouts. 

Reviews from the first couple days of workouts are in and, even among the immense talent that surrounded him, Minchey stood out. He was not considered the best passer there, but still made 247Sports' Greg Biggins' list of the top-11 players after both days one and two. He currently sits at seventh after winning the Pro Day event on Wednesday night, up from his ninth position earned after day one. 

"[Minchey] has some of the best mechanics in this group in terms of his drops, ball placement, release and follow through," Biggins wrote. "He has a very natural stroke without looking stiff or robotic. The ball comes out of his hand really well and it has been good to see him have such a strong week, you can see his confidence is very high right now." 

Biggins' praise for Minchey after day two is different than that from the conclusion of day one. Minchey clearly flew under the radar entering the week, but can't be ignored any longer.

"Minchey is a stout kid with a thick, well-proportioned build. He was a pleasant surprise on the day going about the workout in a workman-like fashion," Biggins wrote. "He showed some nice zip on the ball along with being able to change speeds when needed to. He has a compact delivery that enables him to get the ball out quickly and on time and was able to hit receivers in stride."

Minchey also earned high marks from SI.com's John Garcia. He slotted the Pitt pledge at seventh in his rankings as well, tied with two of the top five quarterbacks in the country according to 247Sports - five-star Malachi Nelson, a USC commit and four-star Jaden Rashada, a four-star Miami commit.

"The Pitt commitment does it without the flash and raw torque some of his peers possess in this field, but the Tennessee native has been efficient, accurate and on time all week long," Garcia wrote. "By the Elite 11 staff’s grading formula, Minchey actually finished the night with their highest grade—impressive considering he was among the first to compete. Minchey was near the top for SI as well, showcasing balance, strong footwork and a rhythm that others in the field could not contend with."

But Minchey still has a long way to go if he wants to win the event and take home Elite 11 MVP honors. The official standings, which weigh junior season film and camp evaluations equally, have Minchey outside the top 11. 

#Elite11 Finals Rankings prior to Pro Day Workout

*determined by Elite 11 coaching staff - 50% junior season film & performance/50% camp eval & physical traits pic.twitter.com/osgKi6wy0E

— Elite11 (@Elite11) June 29, 2022

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