Top 25 quarterbacks in Illinois high school football in 2024

From Louisville commit Jacob Bell to Mount Carmel's Jack Elliott, here are the top signal-callers in Illinois

Mount Carmel QB Jack Elliott surveys the Downers Grove North defense in an Illinois high school football game in 2023. / Photo by Tim Vizer, SBLive

Who is the top quarterback in Illinois high school football in 2024?

The season is well underway and SBLive scoured the state for the top signal-callers across all IHSA classifications and corners of the Prairie State.

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Here is a look at the 25 best arms in 2024:

TOP 25 QUARTERBACKS IN ILLINOIS HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL

Names are listed in alphabetical order.

Jacob Bell, sr., Naperville North 

Through two games, Bell has thrown for seven TDs and 643 yards and is well on pace to shatter the numbers he posted in 2023. In his first year starting for the Huskies, he accounted for 1,160 yards passing and eight touchdowns. He’s committed to Ball State, picking the MAC school from 11 offers. 

Erick Castillo Erick Castillo, jr., Momence

He’s entering his third year getting snaps and his second starting for the Athletics. In two wins for the No. 3-ranked team in Class 2A, he’s thrown for 496 yards and six TDs. Castillo has also scored twice on the ground after having 5 TDs in 11 games last year. In 2023, he also threw for 2,038 yards and 22 touchdowns.

Tony Chahino, sr., Geneva Community 

He’s played only four quarters due to blowout victories, but the Vikings’ quarterback is completing 70% of his passes (17 for 24) while throwing for 441 yards and nine TDs. Chahino posted career-bests in yards (278) and TDs (5) in a 41-7 win over Lemont in Week 2. 

Kellen Creviston, sr., Jacksonville Routt Catholic/Lutheran 

A Class 1A all-stater, he’s started parts of four seasons. He’s coming off a 2023 where he threw for 2,415 yards and 26 touchdowns while adding 7 more scores rushing the ball. He’s connected for seven TDs in the first two weeks of the season and has 548 yards. 

Nathan Downey, sr.,West Chicago Wheaton Academy 

After getting limited passing chances last year, Downey has completed 36 of 54 passes for 483 yards and six TDs in two games this year for the Warriors. In a Week 2 win, he tossed a career-best four TDs in a 28-17 win over St. Charles East. 

Lucas Dyer, sr., Mahomet-Seymour

Two games into 2024, the senior is eyeing a chance to hit 1,000 yards passing before the first month of the season is over. He has 869 yards and completed 65% of his passes for the Bulldogs. Last year, had 23 touchdowns and 2,077 yards passing.

Jayden Ellington, so., Althoff Catholic 

The quarterback for a team ranked No. 1 in Class 1A, he hasn’t had to pass much this year but he has done well when he has. He’s thrown six touchdowns and completed 10 of 18 passes. Of his four completions in week 1, three were touchdowns. Ellington, who had an offer from Miami (Ohio) threw for 1,584 yards and 17 touchdowns and ran for 591 yards and seven touchdowns as a freshman. 

Jack Elliott, sr., Chicago Mount Carmel

He guided the Caravan to a Class 7A title last year and broke a school record by throwing for 3,148 yards. The Vanderbilt pledge threw for 34 scores and ran for 7 more last season. Mount Carmel is averaging 35 points per game early in 2024. 

Ryan Fitzgerald, sr., Wilmette Loyola Academy 

He guided the Ramblers to a second straight championship last year and was the conference offensive player of the year after throwing for 2,690 yards and 20 scores and running for 14 touchdowns and 634 yards. He’s completing 71% of his passes in 2024 and has thrown for 222 yards and a pair of scores. The son of former Northwestern football coach Pat Fitzgerald, Ryan committed to Iowa in May. 

Colton Gumino, sr., Arlington Heights Hersey

The UCLA pledge was an all-conference pick the past two years and is closing in on 5,000 yards passing in three years as a starter for the Huskies. In two games in 2024, he’s tossed six touchdowns and 556 yards, while averaging 11 yards a carry as well. 

Owen Lansu, jr., Downers Grove North 

The 6-foot-2 quarterback hasn’t gotten a lot of playing time for the Trojans so far this year in a pair of shutout wins. However, he’s 23 for 32 passing and has tossed for 4 touchdowns and 313 yards. The 3-star recruit committed to Minnesota in July. 

Bradyn Little, sr., Quincy 

A two-time all-state pick, he’s thrown for 9 TDs and 701 yards in two games so far — completing 69% of his passes. He’s also ran for 55 yards, which is only two less than he managed in 12 games last fall. Little led the Blue Devils to an 11-1 record last season, the first state quarterfinal appearance in program history and the first undefeated regular season since 1935.

Kendrick Lyons, sr., East St. Louis

The Granite City transfer has come in and made an immediate impact on the Flyers. He has completed 34 of 39 of his attempts for 410 yards with 6 touchdowns and no interceptions. The Flyers beat 2-time defending state champion Wilmette Loyal Academy and then posted a win over Newton, Georgia in Week 2. 

Logan Malachuk, sr., La Grange Park Nazareth Academy 

He’s guided the Roadrunners to back-to-back Class 5A titles and is starting his fourth season at the helm. He has tossed 10 touchdowns in two games this season, including a career-high six in first half against Kenwood Academy in Week 2. 

Randall ‘RJ’ McDonald, sr., Homewood-Flossmoor 

In his first year starting, the 6-foot-3 senior has helped the Vikings get off a 2-0 start, scoring a combined 91 points. In those games, McDonald has 519 yards passing and 9 touchdowns. 

Johnny O’Brien, jr., Palatine Fremd 

A whirlwind summer for the left-handed throwing quarterback saw him go to a Northwestern camp, get an offer from the Wildcats and then he committed to them in June. He threw for 1,879 yards and accounted for 17 TDs last year. In his first game this year, he was 23 for 30 passing for 372 yards and 4 TDs.

Nick Peipert, sr., Barrington

A Class 8A all-state honorable mention pick last year, the 6-foot-2 quarterback threw for 2,905 yards and a school-record 35 touchdowns. The St. Thomas pledge was a perfect 10-for-10 for 4 TDs in Week 1 this year and has thrown for 375 yards through two games. 

Ethan Plumb, sr., St. Charles North 

Plumb, a Class 7A all-state honorable mention pick last year, opened this year by guiding his team on a 99-yard drive in less than 2 minutes, sealing a win against Palatine. He had four touchdowns in that game and a two-point conversion in a 28-27 win. He holds offers from Iowa State and Tennessee-Martin.

Quinn Schambow, sr., Libertyville 

He’s a two-sport star who played in the USA Baseball All-American in August and has committed to play baseball at Oklahoma State. On the gridiron, he’s an all-state pick who threw for 2,505 yards with 31 TDs last year. This fall, he’s thrown for 666 yards and 12 touchdowns — 7 in Week 2 against Oak Lawn Richards.  

Trae Taylor, so., Mundelein Carmel Catholic

He threw for 180 yards and 4 TDs in his first start for the Corsairs and is already generating a lot of buzz. He’s visited Purdue and Michigan in the last two weeks and holds more than 20 offers. The Chicago Sun-Times calls him the most highly recruited in-state QB since J.J. McCarthy, the Vikings’ first-round picks his year. 

Zion Taylor, sr., Cahokia

Through two games in 2024, he’s on pace to pass his 2023 numbers by the end of the first month of this season. He’s completed 41 of 55 — 74.5% — for 649 yards and 6 touchdowns in two wins against Missouri foes: Lutheran St. Charles and Jackson. Taylor threw for 1,084 yards and 8 TDs in nine games last year.

Marcus Thaxton, sr., Chicago Morgan Park 

A three-year starter and fourth-year on varsity, the 6-foot signal caller holds 3 Division I offers heading into the 2024 season. He’s tossed three touchdowns and has racked up 309 yards in two games. He threw for 2,044 yards and 26 scores last fall for the Mustangs. 

Angelo Vitale, so., Norridge Ridgewood 

In his first year starting, he’s thrown for 341 yards and 7 TDs, leading the Rebels to a 2-0 start. In his varsity debut, he completed 13 of 16 passes for 274 yards and 4 scores. Also, we can’t have a list without a name that screams Chicago. 

Alek Weiland, sr. Normal University

The senior has accounted for eight touchdowns between passing and rushing in the first two weeks of the season. He’s thrown for 583 yards, including a career-high 313 yards against Bloomington.

Jonas Williams, jr., Frankfort Lincoln-Way East 

Ranked No. 7 QB in the country by On3, Williams picked Oregon over many offers in August. He racked up nearly 6,000 yards passing and 60 touchdowns in his first two years of high school at Bolingbrook. In his debut, he threw for 327 yards and 4 TDs in a win against Maine East. 

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-- Cody Thorn | @sblivetx