Top 20 quarterbacks in Ohio high school football

Meet some of the best quarterbacks in Ohio high school football for the 2024 season

Aug 4, 2022; Findlay, OH, USA; Findlay quarterback Ryan Montgomery looks to throw the ball during practice at Findlay High School on August 4, 2022. Ryan's brother Luke is an offensive linemen committed to Ohio State. Ceb Osufb Montgomery Kwr 08 / Kyle Robertson/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

High school football season is upon us once again.

Over the next few weeks, we’ll be taking a position-by-position look at some of the top players in Ohio high school football.

We will begin by looking at the state's top quarterbacks.

There are plenty of standout football players in Ohio, and these lists are not intended to be comprehensive. Tag us on X or Instagram at @SBLiveOH to discuss the other quarterbacks worthy of fans’ attention in 2024. You can also submit player nominations to ryan@scorebooklive.com.

(Note: These lists were compiled prior to the first week of the season)

Nathan Bernhard, Ashland, junior 

One of the state’s top recruits in the 2026 class, the 6-foot-5, 227-pound Bernhard holds a list of nine offers that includes Michigan State and Penn State. Last fall, Bernhard completed 63 percent of his passes and combined to pass and run for nearly 2,000 yards. 

Justice Burnam, Anderson, senior 

A second-team all-state honoree in Division II last fall as the Raptors went 13-2 and reached a state semifinal, Burnam stands 6-foot-1, 215 pounds. Last season, Burnam completed 343 of 484 passes for 4,186 yards with 41 touchdowns and nine interceptions. He also rushed for seven scores. 

Scotty Fox, Mentor, senior 

Fox is a 6-foot-2, 210 pounder committed to West Virginia. Last fall, Fox earned second-team all-state honors in Division I when the Cardinals went 7-4 as he completed 162 of 276 passes for 2,275 yards with 22 touchdowns and 12 interceptions and rushed for 11 scores. 

Nolan Good, Avon, senior 

A three-star prospect who was first-team all-state in Division II last fall, Good has committed to Kent State. A year ago, the 6-foot-2, 205-pounder passed for 2,100 yards with 21 touchdowns and rushed for 518 yards and 10 touchdowns as the Eagles went 14-1 and reached a state semifinal. 

Jaystin Gwinn, Westerville Central, senior 

An honorable mention all-state honoree in Division I last season, the 6-foot-1, 175-pound Gwinn is a three-star recruit who holds offers from Kentucky and four other schools. Last season, Gwinn threw for 1,869 yards and 17 touchdowns and rushed for 1,287 yards and 13 scores. 

Mason Heintschel, Oregon Clay, senior 

After throwing for more than 3,000 yards and 33 touchdowns last fall to earn honorable mention all-state recognition in Division I, this 6-foot-2, 200-pound three-star recruit committed to Pittsburgh. 

Grant Kinnee, Anthony Wayne, senior 

While leading the Generals to a 10-3 finish that included reaching a Division II regional semifinal, Kinnee earned first-team all-state honors. Kinnee, who is 6-foot-4, 185 pounds, is a Colgate commit who threw for 1,603 yards and 23 touchdowns and rushed for 1,227 yards and nine scores.  

Zebulin Kinsey, Toronto, senior 

Kinsey is a 6-foot-3, 215-pounder who has committed to Cincinnati. Considered a three-star prospect, Kinsey threw for 482 yards and six touchdowns and rushed for 112 yards and one score over the first three games last fall before enduring a season-ending injury.  

Jamison Kitna, Lakota East, senior 

The son of former NFL player Jon Kitna, Jamison Kitna is a 6-foot-2, 225-pounder and three-star prospect who was honorable mention all-state in Division I last season. Kitna holds a list of 22 offers that also includes Houston, Indiana, Liberty and UAB. 

Justin Knouff, Marion Local, senior 

With Knouff behind center, the Flyers won their third consecutive state championship when they beat Dalton 38-0 in the Division VII title game. A first-team all-state honoree, the 6-foot-1, 175-pounder threw for 26 touchdowns and for more than 2,000 yards.

Tyrell Lewis, Huber Heights Wayne, senior 

Lewis, who stands 6-foot-1, 200 pounds, is a three-star prospect who has committed to Arkansas State. A starter since his freshman season, Lewis earned honorable mention all-state honors in Division I last season when he completed 157 of 292 passes for 2,129 yards and 21 touchdowns and rushed for eight scores. 

Max Lyall, Dresden Tri-Valley, senior 

A first-team all-state honoree each of the last two seasons in Division III, Lyall is a 6-foot-3, 205-pounder who holds five scholarship offers. Last season, Lyall threw for 2,315 yards with 30 touchdowns as the Scotties went 9-3. 

Ryan Montgomery, Findlay, senior 

Listed at 6-foot-3, 215 pounds and considered a four-star recruit, Montgomery is committed to Georgia. Montgomery, who was first-team all-state in Division I last season, has thrown for 7,584 yards and 89 touchdowns while rushing for 15 scores during his prep career. 

Donovan Moorhead, Hawken, junior 

The 6-foot-4, 215-pound Moorhead, who is the son of University of Akron coach Joe Moorhead, holds eight Division I offers including from Marshall and three from the Mid-American Conference. Last season, he passed for 1,820 yards and 25 touchdowns. 

Walter Moses, Perry, senior 

A Toledo commit and three-star prospect, the 6-foot-4, 185-pound Moses was first-team all-state in Division IV last season when he threw for 2,212 yards and 26 touchdowns while completing 135 of 187 passes.   

Matt Ponatoski, Archbishop Moeller, junior 

This 6-foot-2, 190-pounder has a list of offers that includes Cincinnati, Purdue and Vanderbilt. Last season, Ponatoski was third-team all-state in Division I when he threw for 29 touchdowns and a program-record 2,965 yards as the Crusaders went 10-5 and reached a state semifinal. 

Jahmeir Spain, Cincinnati Mt. Healthy, senior 

Spain, who stands 6-foot-3, 180 pounds, is a three-star recruit who has a list of eight scholarship offers. Last season, Spain was second-team all-state in Division III as he threw for 2,749 yards and 28 touchdowns while leading the Owls to an 8-3 finish.   

Tavien St. Clair, Bellefontaine, senior 

An Ohio State commit and five-star recruit, St. Clair was first-team all-state in Division III as the Chieftains went 11-3. Last fall, the 6-foot-4, 225-pounder completed 233 of 330 passes for 3,983 yards with 37 touchdowns and six interceptions and rushed for four scores. 

Daniel Vollmer, St. Xavier, junior 

The 6-foot-2, 210-pound Vollmer has a list of nine offers that includes Cincinnati, Duke and Indiana. Vollmer, who is being recruited as an athlete as well as at quarterback, showed his talent by rushing for 281 yards and three touchdowns on 29 carries during a 32-31 regular-season loss to Cincinnati Elder last season. 

Brennen Ward, Gahanna Lincoln, senior 

Ward, who stands 6-foot-3, 200 pounds, is a Kentucky commit who helped the Lions go a combined 25-3 over the last two seasons. An honorable mention all-state honoree last fall, Ward is coming off a season in which he threw for 2,370 yards and 21 touchdowns and rushed for six scores.

Stay tuned to SBLive Ohio all season long for all of your high school football coverage. You can check out the Ohio high school football scoreboards throughout the season.