Top quarterbacks in Oregon high school football

Tualatin's Nolan Keeney and West Linn's Baird Gilroy headline a talented pack of QBs

Second-team all-state quarterback Baird Gilroy of West Linn is back to lead the Lions offense in 2024. / Photo by Leon Neuschwander

You recently read our list of 200 players we can’t wait to see in action during the 2024 Oregon high school football season. 

But that list hardly scratched the surface of players to watch throughout the state. As the season prepares for kickoff, we’re taking a deeper, position-by-position look at Oregon's top players. 

In this list, we focus on the quarterbacks. Who are the top quarterbacks in Oregon high school football? After you read our list, let us know of any players you think should be added. 

OREGON’S TOP 200 PLAYERS OVERALL

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Adam Millington, Ridgeview, senior

Millington, an all-Intermountain Conference honorable mention selection last year, threw for 1,180 yards and nine touchdowns with 10 interceptions for the Ravens as a junior. 

Alex Adams, Valley Catholic, junior

Adams missed 3½ games because of injuries but threw for 960 yards and seven touchdowns in his second season as the Valiants’ starter. “He has taken huge strides this offseason and really improved his arm strength and accuracy,” Valley Catholic coach Michael Snyder said. “I’ve never had a quarterback who understands the playbook more than he has.”

Aris Vasseur, McNary, junior

Vasseur took over the starting job midway through last season after Gage Smedema went down with an injury and showed glimpses of what Celtics coach Connor Astley thinks he can become, throwing four touchdown passes with just one interception. “We are excited to watch him lead the team with a full season under him,” Astley said.

Avirey Durdahl, Nelson, senior

Durdahl has started all but his first four games of his freshman season for the Hawks, and last year, he made the 6A all-state honorable mention list after finishing among the state leaders in passing yards (1,863 on 128-of-217 passing) and touchdowns (16, with just four interceptions). 

Axel Prechel, Corvallis, senior

Prechel will learn a new system under first-year coach Dwight Roberson after a solid junior season in which he threw for 1,452 yards, 10 touchdowns and eight interceptions and received all-Mid-Willamette Conference honorable mention.

Baird Gilroy, West Linn, senior

Gilroy had some of the biggest shoes in the state to fill last season, taking over for 2022 SBLive Oregon offensive player of the year Sam Leavitt. Gilroy won a preseason competition with Nick Sakys for the starting job, then had one of the best seasons of any 6A quarterback, earning second-team all-state honors after throwing for 3,098 yards and 29 touchdowns with just seven interceptions, completing 182 of 278 pass attempts (65.5%).

Ben Higginson, Crater, senior 

Higginson took over as the starter midway through his sophomore season after an injury to then-senior Shane Wood, but it wasn’t until midway through last season that he came of age, helping the Comets rebound from an 0-4 start to make the 5A playoffs. He earned all-Midwestern League honorable mention with 1,622 yards of total offense and 16 touchdowns. “He’s taken some really great strides,” Crater coach Seth Womack said. “He now has a real good grasp of our system, and it shows in his play.”

Ben Schneider Jr., Oregon City, senior 

In a league full of quarterbacking talent, Schneider broke through last fall and made the all-Three Rivers League second team, completing 58% of his passes for 1,373 yards and 14 touchdowns with nine interceptions.

Braden Baker, Grant, senior

Baker took over the starting job midway through last season after Cameron Reed went down with an injury. Baker threw for 453 yards and six touchdowns with four interceptions, and with Reed having graduated, Baker is the unquestioned QB1 this year. “He has spent the offseason preparing to lead the Generals into the ’24 season,” Grant coach Alex Melson said.

Brave Johnson, Jefferson, senior 

Johnson was a first-team all-PIL selection last season in helping the Democrats reach the Columbia Cup tournament.

Brison Edwards, Lebanon, junior 

Edwards joined Prechel as an all-Mid-Willamette Conference honorable mention pick last year, throwing for 1,353 yards and 15 touchdowns with 10 interceptions for the Warriors. 

Cade Mitchell, Mountainside, junior

Mitchell split quarterback duties with Alex Ingalls last season, showing flashes of why he’s considered one of the state’s rising talents in the class of 2026. He went 24 of 41 for 450 yards during the regular season. In the spring, he won the Metro League district title in the javelin and placed fifth at the 6A track and field state meet.

Caelen Riley, Roosevelt, junior

Riley wasn’t asked to do a lot as a first-year starter for the Roughriders, but the all-PIL honorable mention selection did throw for 485 yards and nine touchdowns with just two interceptions to help lead them to the 6A championship bracket. “He has grown into one of our strongest leaders and hardest workers,” Roosevelt coach Ryan McCants said. “One of the stronger arms I've been around and can get it done with his legs.”

Caleb Russell, Philomath, senior

Russell last season was off to a fast start for the Warriors before suffering an injury midseason that cost him several games, but he still made the all-Oregon West Conference honorable mention list, throwing for 1,606 yards and 19 touchdowns with just six interceptions.

Chase Dominguez, McKay, junior

Dominguez moves up from the JV team to replace graduated all-leaguer Kyrin Fuimaono after a sophomore season during which Dominguez threw for 2,200 yards and 20 touchdowns.

Colson Primus, Pendleton, senior 

As a junior, Primus entered the starting lineup at midseason after an injury to Jace Otteson and led the Buckaroos to the 4A state playoffs, completing almost 66% of his passes (48 of 73) for 528 yards and seven touchdowns. He made the all-Greater Oregon League second team.

Deryk Farmer, Cascade Christian, junior

Farmer received limited action backing up 3A offensive player of the year Ashton Moody last season, completing 2 of 3 passes for 111 yards and a touchdown. He appears to have won a summer competition with classmate Caleb Scaglione to take over behind center, with Challengers coach Jon Gettman saying, “Deryk has nudged ahead and will do a good job of leading our offense.”

Diego Rodriguez, Ontario, senior

Rodriguez was on his way to an all-state-caliber junior campaign when a broken hand cut short his season as the Tigers entered Greater Oregon League play. He led Ontario to a 4-0 start, completing 71% of his passes (54 of 76) for 963 yards, 10 touchdowns and two interceptions before his injury. “He’s had this spot locked up for three seasons now, and in our opinion is the best quarterback around,” Ontario coach Greg Simmons said. “We’re looking forward to a tremendous senior season for him.”

Drew Weiler, Lakeridge, junior

Weller is a strong-armed, 6-foot-4, 225-pound prospect who spent last season honing his craft on the JV squad behind all-Three Rivers League quarterback Gabriel Motschenbacher.

Dukatti Witherspoon, Sprague, senior

Witherspoon took over behind center for the Olympians last season and made the all-South Central Football Conference honorable mention list, throwing for 1,637 yards and 16 touchdowns with eight interceptions. He completed 67% of his pass attempts. Second-year coach AJ Robinson called Witherspoon a natural pocket passer who showed improved athleticism in the offseason after playing basketball in the winter. “He should have a huge season,” Robinson said.

Dylan Brower, Clackamas, junior

Brower showed steady improvement over the course of his first season as a starter, finishing with 1,627 yards and 10 touchdowns with eight interceptions and completing 62.3% of his passes (162 of 260). He led the Cavaliers to the 6A Columbia Cup semifinals. “He has made some big steps over the offseason,” Clackamas coach James Holan said. “Every day is a competition, and Dylan embraces that.”

Easton Berry, Weston-McEwen/Griswold, senior

Berry last season made the 2A all-state list for the second time at quarterback, receiving second-team honors after throwing for 1,885 yards and 25 touchdowns — completing nearly 60% of his passes (93 of 156) — and rushing for 388 yards and seven scores. 

Emerson Traub, Wilsonville, senior

Traub made the all-Tri-Valley Conference second team last season, throwing for 1,135 yards and four touchdowns for The Dalles, before moving during the offseason to Wilsonville, where he’ll battle another senior, Mark Wiepert — an all-state receiver last year — for the starting job. “Emerson gives us options at the position,” Wildcats coach Adam Guenther said. “Mark has a better grasp of the offense right now, but Emerson is learning it quickly.”

Enoch Niblett, Marshfield, junior 

Niblett won the starting job last August and shined in the Pirates’ first five games, throwing for 1,012 yards and 13 touchdowns, before an injury sidelined him, allowing Ashton Thornton to guide the team to the 4A playoffs. The two will battle again for the starting job this season.

Gavin Sandoval, Crook County, senior

Sandoval was an all-Greater Oregon League selection after throwing for 1,209 yards and seven touchdowns as a sophomore, but a devastating knee injury over the summer cost him his junior season. He returned to win a 4A wrestling state title in February and was expected to regain the starting job from junior Hayden Smith, who threw for 402 yards and six touchdowns in Sandoval’s absence.

Hudson Hughes, Stayton, senior

Hughes was an all-Oregon West Conference honorable mention selection as a junior, when he threw for 1,389 yards and 10 touchdowns with eight interceptions for the Eagles.

Jackson Bell, Sherwood, senior

Bell attempted just six passes last season while he bided his time behind all-state signal-caller Kasen Covert, but he’s already received several offers from Division III schools around the region. “Jackson has put in a tremendous amount of work and appears to be in a great spot to take over the keys to the team,” Bowmen coach Mark Gribble said.

Jaxson Rekow, Liberty, junior

Rekow played JV last season while dual-threat signal-caller Reid Linkmeyer was an all-Pacific Conference honorable mention pick who ran for 637 yards and nine touchdowns. Linkmeyer is back, but first-year coach Dustin McGee said Rekow — who has been in the Falcons system since middle school — “has earned the chance to take the reins and lead our offense.” 

JD Self, Gladstone, senior

Self transferred from Centennial in Northeast Portland to Gladstone, where the all-Mt. Hood Conference honorable mention selection (471 passing yards, four touchdowns) hopes to lead the Gladiators to the 4A playoffs.

Jojo Harrower, Ashland, senior

Harrower has started for the Grizzlies since his freshman year, and last season, he led them to the playoffs by throwing for 1,813 yards and 20 touchdowns — making the all-Big Sky Conference honorable mention list — before missing their final two games because of an injury.

Joseph Janney, Henley, junior

Janney’s late-season performance sparked the Hornets’ run to their first state championship since 1982. He ran for 180 yards and four touchdowns and threw for another score in their 42-28 victory over Marist Catholic in the 4A final, capping a season in which he rushed for 812 yards and 14 touchdowns, threw for 1,323 yards and 14 scores, and received all-state honorable mention. 

Kane Sullivan, McMinnville, senior 

Sullivan last season threw for 1,077 yards and nine touchdowns and rushed for a team-high 635 yards — his 12 rushing touchdowns tied for the Pacific Conference lead. He garnered second-team all-conference recognition. 

Kellen Oliver, Canby, senior 

Oliver last year made the 5A all-state honorable mention list as a punter, but his value for the Cougars lies more when he lines up under center, where he was a second-team all-Northwest Oregon Conference selection as a junior, throwing for 876 yards and 11 touchdowns while completing 58.9% of his passes.

Liam Davis, Lake Oswego, senior 

Davis had an up-and-down first two seasons with the Lakers but is poised for a big senior year after throwing for 1,137 yards and nine touchdowns with eight interceptions and rushing for seven touchdowns last year. 

Kaden Martirano, West Albany, senior

Martirano transferred 25 miles down Interstate 5 during the offseason after starting to turn promise into production last year at West Salem, throwing for 1,525 yards and 13 touchdowns (eight interceptions) to lead the Titans to the 6A championship bracket. 

Kohlvin Wyse, Echo, junior

Wyse took over as the starter in Week 3 last year, sharing signal-calling duties with Dom Curiel and throwing 19 touchdown passes — including two in the Cougars’ 1A six-man championship game victory against Joseph. He received all-state honorable mention.

Mason King, Molalla, senior 

King was a do-everything standout for Molalla last season, intercepting four passes and earning first-team all-Tri-Valley Conference honors in the secondary and making the second team on offense as a dual-threat signal-caller (1,323 yards of total offense, 11 rushing touchdowns).

Max Nowlin, Scappoose, senior

Two years ago, Nowlin was in a battle for the starting job. Now, he’s the undisputed leader of Scappoose’s high-flying passing attack, throwing for 2,937 yards and 26 touchdowns with 11 interceptions last year to lead the team to the 4A state semifinals. He received all-state honorable mention.

Micah Blankenship, Siuslaw, junior

Blankenship was a second-team all-Mountain Valley Conference pick as a sophomore, when he led a young Vikings team to the 3A playoffs, amassing 1,123 yards of total offense and accounting for 21 touchdowns.

Nick Hudson, Marist Catholic, senior

There was little doubt Hudson would be voted to the 4A all-state first team last season, when he threw for 3,766 yards — eighth on the state’s all-time single-season list — and a school-record-tying 47 touchdowns with 15 interceptions to lead the Spartans to a runner-up state finish.

Noah Blair, Thurston, senior

With 5A offensive player of the year Kallen Gutridge off to Oregon State, Blair is ready to stake his claim as the classification’s top quarterback. He earned second-team all-state honors behind Gutridge after a junior season in which he threw for 3,062 yards on 74% passing (222 of 300) and 39 touchdowns with just three interceptions, and he rushed for 161 yards and four scores.

Nolan Keeney, Tualatin, senior

Keeney’s junior season came in two parts. It started with him blossoming in the Timberwolves’ fast-paced offense after transferring over the summer from Westview before a separated shoulder suffered in Week 4 cost him the rest of the regular season. He returned for the playoffs and led Tualatin to the 6A final before reaggravating the injury in the second quarter of a 49-21 loss to Central Catholic. The BYU commit and On3’s No. 1 recruit in the state finished the season 92 of 133 for 1,834 yards, 22 touchdowns and five interceptions and rushed for 384 yards and four scores. 

Paul Skoro, Las Salle Prep, senior

Last year’s Tri-Valley Conference offensive player of the year and a 4A all-state honorable mention pick led the Falcons to their first league title since 2012, completing nearly 60% of his passes for 776 yards and six touchdowns and rushing for 551 yards and seven scores.

Parker Sellner, Newberg, junior

Sellner guided the Tigers to the Columbia Cup quarterfinals last season, his first as a starter, and received all-Pacific Conference honorable mention.

Payton Chhay, Reynolds, senior

Chhay took over the starting job midway through his freshman season and hasn’t relinquished it, throwing for 733 yards and six touchdowns last year and rushing for three scores. “He has been nothing but an incredible leader for us,” Raiders coach Bo Jones said. “He has effectively become another coach on the field with his understanding of what we are trying to accomplish.”

Sawyer Teeney, Silverton, senior

Teeney has a similar game to another Foxes standout signal-caller — former 5A offensive player of the year Jordan McCarty, who like Teeney was a dual-threat behind center. After throwing for 1,999 yards, running for 640 and accounting for 29 total touchdowns as a junior in earning 5A all-state honorable mention, Teeney will hope to match McCarty by leading Silverton to a state title as a senior.

Spencer Reid, Wells, senior

The second-team all-PIL signal-caller’s job for the Guardians is mostly about sleight of hand, making defenses guess who has the ball while catching them off guard with the occasional pass (six touchdowns, zero interceptions last year for the league champions).

Tommy Morris, Caldera, senior 

The Wolfpack reached the 5A playoffs in their second season led by Morris, who threw for 1,273 yards and 13 touchdowns, completing 56.3% of his passes with just eight interceptions. He received all-Intermountain Conference honorable mention.

Traeger Healy, North Medford, junior 

Healy was one of the top quarterbacks in 6A last year, finishing second in the South Central Football Conference with 1,796 passing yards and 17 touchdown passes (70.9% completions) and earning second-team all-SCFC.

Tre’Marion Crawford, McDaniel, junior 

The first-team all-PIL selection was a dual threat behind center for the Mountain Lions last year, amassing 1,113 yards of total offense.

Trey Cleeland, Jesuit, senior

The Crusaders turned to Cleeland early last season to take over behind center, and the UC Davis commit ran with the opportunity, going 94 of 190 for 1,427 yards, 15 touchdowns and seven interceptions and rushing for 298 yards and four scores. He made the all-Metro League third team.

Tyler Knapp, Enterprise, senior

Knapp last season was a second-team all-league selection in leading the Outlaws to the 1A eight-man quarterfinals, throwing for 2,055 yards and 24 touchdowns and rushing for 507 yards and five scores. He was one of five Oregon players named an Academic All-American by High School Football America and has an offer from Willamette University. 

Zayden Anderson, Seaside, senior

Anderson doesn’t put up big numbers in the Seagulls’ power-running scheme (633 yards, six touchdowns), but his deft handling of the offense earned him all-Cowapa League honorable mention last year as he guided Seaside to the 4A semifinals.

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