Top 20 quarterbacks in high school football

Expect these 20 QBs to make headlines throughout the 2024 high school football season

Belleville (Michigan) quarterback Bryce Underwood is the No. 1-ranked Class of 2025 prospect in the nation. / Mariusz Nowak

The 2024 high school football season ramps up this weekend with several intriguing matchups featuring some of the best quarterbacks in the country. On Friday night (August 30), Bryce Underwood showed off his dual-threat capabilities by scoring on a 55-yard run to give Belleville (Michigan) a 35-28 win in their season opener.

Underwood, widely considered the top overall prospect in the class of 2025, is one of 20 dynamic quarterbacks featured in the SBLive/SI rankings of the top high school quarterbacks in the country.

TOP FOOTBALL PLAYERS:  Defensive backs | Quarterbacks | Wide receivers | Tight ends | Running backs | Linemen

TOP 20 HIGH SCHOOL QUARTERBACKS

Rich Belin, sr., Cardinal Hayes (New York)

Quarterback Rich Belin from Cardinal Hayes fires a pass against Archbishop Stepinac on Nov. 11, 2023. / Mark Vergari/The Journal News / USA TODAY NETWORK

Cardinal Hayes made history a season ago with Belin behind center, becoming the first New York City team to win the Catholic High School Football League state title. The Syracuse commit passed for 3,112 yards and 30 touchdowns while running for 1,351 yards and 19 scores. He earned New York Gatorade Player of the Year honors. 

Faizon Brandon, jr., Grimsley (North Carolina)

Brandon, rated the top national Class of 2026 prospect by 247Sports, threw for 3,026 yards and 36 touchdowns with just three interceptions as a sophomore. He also ran for 528 yards and nine more TDs. In early August, Brandon committed to Tennessee. 

Helaman Casuga, jr., Corner Canyon (Utah)

Playing his first two seasons at Timpview, Casuga piled up 6,475 passing yards and 60 touchdowns. The strong-armed prospect is now at Corner Canyon to replace the departed Isaac Wilson, who threw for 4,595 yards and 49 TDs a season ago. 

Cameron Dyer, sr., La Cueva (New Mexico) 

Dyer is a standout basketball player and 22-foot triple jumper for La Cueva, but the standout athlete is at his best on the football field. He was named New Mexico Gatorade Player of the Year as a junior after throwing for 2,897 yards and 29 touchdowns while running for 1,492 yards and 26 scores. The Arizona State commit carried La Cueva to the Class 6A state title. 

Noah Grubbs, jr., Lake Mary (Florida) 

A starter since his freshman season, Grubbs committed to Notre Dame in June. He was a dominant passer as a sophomore, throwing for 3,677 yards and 49 touchdowns.

Madden Iamaleava, sr., Warren (California) 

Warren quarterback Madden Iamaleava is under pressure from St. Bonaventure's Jacob Moraga on Nov. 25, 2023. / JOE LUMAYA/SPECIAL TO THE STAR / USA TODAY NETWORK

In his first season as a starter, Iamaleava shined last fall with 3,626 passing yards, 43 touchdowns and just four interceptions. The UCLA commit also ran for three scores on the ground. 

KJ Lacey, sr., Saraland (Alabama)

Saraland's KJ Lacey passes against Mountain Brook during the AHSAA Class 6A State Football Championship Game in 2022. / Mickey Welsh / Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK

Lacey threw for 3,448 yards and 42 touchdowns a season ago as Saraland made it all the way to the Class 6A state title game. The talented thrower is committed to Texas. 

Julian Lewis, sr., Carrollton (Georgia)

USC commit Julian Lewis throws a pass for Carrollton (Georgia) vs. Mill Creek during the 2022 high school football season. / Colin Hubbard, SBLive

The reigning Georgia Gatorade Player of the Year, Lewis is a five-star prospect who threw for 7,212 yards and 96 touchdowns in his first two years as a starter at Carrollton. The USC commit was picked off just twice a season ago while recording 3,094 passing yards and 48 touchdowns. 

Ryder Lyons, jr., Folsom (California)

Ryder Lyons throws a pass against St. Bonaventure in the CIF State Division 1-A championship game at Saddleback College. / Photo: Joe Bergman

Lyons accounted for 61 total touchdowns (38 passing, 23 rushing) as a sophomore. The five-star quarterback passed for 3,578 yards and led Folsom to a 13-2 record, including three game-winning fourth-quarter drives. 

George MacIntyre, sr., Brentwood Academy (Tennessee) 

Brentwood Academy quarterback George MacIntyre announces his commitment to the University of Tennessee in January 2024. / Mark Zaleski / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK

MacIntyre is also a Division I prospect in basketball, but he will play quarterback in college for Tennessee. The pocket passer threw for 3,229 yards and 25 touchdowns a season ago. 

Kolton Matson, sr., Lake Stevens (Washington)

Lake Stevens quarterback Kolton Matson was SBLive WA's state offensive MVP and Gatorade state player of the year in 2023. / Photo by Vince Miller

Matson led Lake Stevens to the Class 4A state title as a junior, throwing for 3,388 yards and 49 touchdowns while rushing for six more scores. He is the reigning Washington Gatorade Player of the Year. 

Kini McMillan, sr., Mililani (Hawaii) 

McMillan earned Hawaii Gatorade Player of the Year honors as a junior after throwing for 3,521 yards and 42 touchdowns, carrying Mililani to the Open Division title game. The Washington commit also ran for 575 yards and 11 scores. McMillan looks more like a running back at 5-foot-11 and 200 pounds, but his arm talent is off the charts. 

Luke Nickel, sr., Milton (Georgia) 

Milton quarterback Luke Nickel is 23-6 in two years as the Eagles' starting quarterback and led his school to the Georgia Class 7A football state championship last fall. / Colin Hubbard

Nickel led Milton to the Class 7A state title a season ago, throwing for 3,914 yards and 39 touchdowns compared with just five interceptions. A four-star prospect, Nickel committed to Miami in June. 

Keelon Russell, sr., Duncanville (Texas)

Keelon Russell throws a pass during a win over South Oak Cliff to open the 2023 Texas high school football season. / Photo by Michael Horbovetz, SBLive

Duncanville captured a second straight Class 6A Division I title last season, and Russell was a big reason why. The dual-threat quarterback threw for 3,483 yards and 38 touchdowns while running for six more scores. The five-star senior flipped his commitment from SMU to Alabama in June. 

Stone Saunders, sr., Bishop McDevitt (Pennsylvania) 

Stone Saunders of Bishop McDevitt takes a snap and surveys the field in a win over Aliquippa in the PIAA Class 4A state championship game. / Paul Burdick, SBLive Sports

The 2022 Pennsylvania Gatorade Player of the Year, Saunders entered his senior season with 10,142 career passing yards and 156 touchdowns to just 15 interceptions. The Kentucky commit threw for 3,522 yards and 56 TDs a season ago. 

Brady Smigiel, jr., Newbury Park (California)

Newbury Park High quarterback Brady Smigiel is committed to play college football at Florida State. / Juan Carlo/THE STAR / USA TODAY NETWORK

A five-star Florida State commit, Smigiel followed up a strong freshman season by throwing for 4,222 yards and 52 touchdowns as a sophomore. He is a traditional pocket passer with a big-time arm. 

Carter Smith, sr., Bishop Verot (Florida)

Carter Smith, the starting quarterback for the Bishop Verot High School, passes during a practice July 30, 2024. / Andrew West/The News-Press/Part of the USA Today Network / USA TODAY NETWORK

Smith was voted Florida Gatorade Player of the Year as a junior after throwing for 2,223 yards and 29 touchdowns to just four interceptions. He also ran for 715 yards and 19 scores. A starter since his freshman season, Smith will play college football for Michigan. 

Tavien St. Clair, sr., Bellefontaine (Ohio)

Ohio State commit Tavien St. Clair visits the Buckeyes' home game against Michigan State on Nov. 11, 2023. / Lori Schmidt / Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

St. Clair began starting games as a freshman and has blossomed into one of the best quarterback prospects nationally. The five-star Ohio State commit threw for 3,983 yards and 37 touchdowns — both school records — as a junior while running for four TDs. 

Bryce Underwood, sr., Belleville (Michigan)

The No. 1 overall Class of 2025 prospect in the 247Sports composite rankings, Underwood was the Michigan Gatorade Player of the Year last season after throwing for 3,329 yards and 44 touchdowns with three interceptions. He enters his senior season with a 40-2 record as a starter. Underwood is committed to LSU. 

Grayson Wilson, sr., Conway (Arkansas)

Conway quarterback Grayson Wilson transferred this season from Central Arkansas Christian. / Photo by Tommy Land

Wilson spent his first three seasons at Central Arkansas Christian, throwing for 3,413 yards and 41 touchdowns with two interceptions as a junior while adding 15 TDs on the ground. He also led CAC to its first state basketball title, including the game-winning basket in the Class 3A semifinals. Now at Conway, the Arkansas commit is looking to add a state title in football. 

—

-- Bob Lundeberg | @sblivesports