An invitation to the Elite 11 Finals is the pinnacle for high school quarterbacks. The 20 signal-callers comprising the 2024 roster will compete and train for three days in Los Angeles in mid-June, but who are the top players to watch?
Ranking 2024 Elite 11 Finalists
20) Tramell Jones Jr.
- High School: Jacksonville Mandarin (Fla.)
- Star rating: Three
- Commitment: Florida State
- Height: 6’0″
- Weight: 196 pounds
Tramell Jones Jr. committed to Florida State last April and hasn’t wavered since. He isn’t the biggest or most athletic QB, but he has enough juice to extend plays from the pocket or take off downfield when the situation calls for it.
A varsity starter since his freshman year, Jones has the decision-making and clean mechanics you’d expect from an experienced player. And although he lacks some arm strength, he makes up for it with touch.
19) Bryce Baker
- High School: Kernersville East Forsyth (NC)
- Star rating: Three
- Commitment: North Carolina
- Height: 6’2 1/2″
- Weight: 185 pounds
Bryce Baker’s footwork can be erratic at times, but he has the arm talent and athleticism to make up for it. He routinely leads WRs, and his 66.6% completion rate as a junior would be much higher if you eliminated drops.
While he wasn’t asked to run the ball much, he can be a threat on the move. The offense incorporated a ton of screens and go routes on the outside, so seeing Baker work the middle of the field at the Elite 11 Finals will be key.
18) Jaron Keawe Sagapolutele
- High School: Ewa Beach James Campbell (Hawaii)
- Star rating: Three
- Commitment: N/A
- Height: 6’3″
- Weight: 205 pounds
The next great Hawaiin left-handed QB? Jaron Keawae Sagapolutele appears to have a stronger arm than Tua Tagovailoa but is far from refined mechanically. Although he has the size and arm teams drool over, he needs time to work on the nuances of his game.
17) Alex Manske
- High School: Algona (Iowa)
- Star rating: Three
- Commitment: Iowa State
- Height: 6’3″
- Weight: 205 pounds
A true athlete, Alex Manske suits up for his high school’s football, basketball, baseball, and track teams. He isn’t an elite rushing threat, but his size allows him to stay upright through tackles. Yet, where Mankse really shines is as a passer. His snappy release allows him to get the ball out quickly vs. pressure, and he generates velocity with ease.
16) TJ Lateef
- High School: Orange Lutheran (Calif.)
- Star rating: Four
- Commitment: Nebraska
- Height: 6’1 1/2″
- Weight: 185 pounds
When TJ Lateef loads up for downfield throws, he overextends his base, zapping at his ability to transfer his weight through the throw. Yet, he has enough upper-body torque to connect on deep attempts, which is promising. Lateef also has the wiggle to be a dual threat, though he typically uses his elusiveness to escape the pocket and hit pass catchers on the move.
15) Kevin Sperry
- High School: Denton Guyer (Texas)
- Star rating: Three
- Commitment: Oklahoma
- Height: 6’1″
- Weight: 200 pounds
After a rough sophomore season at Prosper Rock Hill as a first-year starter, Kevin Sperry transferred to Oklahoma City Carl Albert where he led the team to a 14-0 record and an Oklahoma 5A championship. He completed nearly 68.6% of his passes for 2,564 yards, 31 TDs, and just four INTs, adding another 563 yards and 11 scores on the ground.
MORE: Top 10 2024 Recruiting Class Rankings
His base isn’t always clean, but when he’s on, he can throw lasers all over the field. A fiery competitor with enough wiggle as a runner, Sperry is a good fit for Oklahoma’s offense.
14) Luke Nickel
- High School: Alpharetta Milton (Ga.)
- Star rating: Four
- Commitment: Miami
- Height: 6’2″
- Weight: 205 pounds
En route to a 13-2 record and a state title, Luke Nickel threw for 3,914 yards, 39 TDs, and only five INTs, showcasing his prolific ability as a passer. He bleeds football, as his father played TE at Stanford, and his brother, also a TE, joined Michigan State in the 2022 cycle.
Nickel reads the whole field — something you won’t see with many high school QBs — and already does a decent job using his eyes to manipulate defenders.
13) Ty Hawkins
- High School: San Antonio Johnson (Texas)
- Star rating: Four
- Commitment: TCU
- Height: 6’1″
- Weight: 200 pounds
A true dual threat, Ty Hawkins diced defenses to the tune of 967 yards and 15 touchdowns last season. His passing numbers (66.4% completion rate, 2,235 yards, 25 TDs, and 11 INTs) aren’t all that impressive, and his indecisiveness is identifiable even on his highlights.
However, he has the tools to deliver quick strikes in a spread offense and use his legs to torture opponents on RPOs.
12) Malik Washington
- High School: Severn Archbishop Spalding (Md.)
- Star rating: Four
- Commitment: N/A
- Height: 6’4″
- Weight: 200 pounds
One of the top uncommitted QBs in the class, Malik Washington is an athletic pocket passer fresh off back-to-back conference titles. He can change arm angles when needed and has the strength to deliver strikes over the middle and downfield without strain. On top of simply looking the part at 6’4″ and 200 pounds, Washington owns an eye-popping basketball highlight reel.
11) Kamario Taylor
- High School: Macon Noxubee County (Miss.)
- Star rating: Four
- Commitment: Mississippi State
- Height: 6’4″
- Weight: 205 pounds
Kamario Taylor has improved his footwork and release over the years, and it showed in his numbers from last season: 3,634 yards, 48 TDs, and five INTs. He even rushed for another 794 yards and 15 scores. He is still prone to out-athleting opponents rather than dissecting defenses from the pocket, but having the physical ability to do so is still impressive.
10) Deuce Knight
- High School: Lucedale George County (Miss.)
- Star rating: Four
- Commitment: Notre Dame
- Height: 6’4 1/2″
- Weight: 206 pounds
In just 10 games last season, Deuce Knight generated 2,047 yards and 17 TDs through the air and 494 and 11 on the ground. He is a blur on the move, with long strides blowing past defenders.
However, Knight is pure potential as a passer, as ball placement and consistency are not his strong suit. The foundation is there to mold into a dominant weapon under center, but he isn’t close to his ceiling yet.
9) Ryan Montgomery
- High School: Findlay (Ohio)
- Star rating: Four
- Commitment: Georgia
- Height: 6’3″
- Weight: 215 pounds
Yes, Ryan Montgomery isn’t playing the best of the best in Ohio, but consistently hitting out routes from the opposite hash is no easy task, even against air. He clearly has an SEC-level arm, and his experience in a wide-open spread offense will translate to the college game.
8) KJ Lacey
- High School: Saraland (Ala.)
- Star rating: Four
- Commitment: Texas
- Height: 6’0″
- Weight: 175 pounds
If you squint, KJ Lacey flashes shades of Bryce Young on his tape, especially since he wears No. 9. He doesn’t have an elite arm but is accurate at the first two levels of the field and stands tall in the pocket. Staying light on his feet, Lacey can dance away from pressure, giving his WRs time to get open downfield.
7) Akili Smith Jr.
- High School: San Diego Lincoln (Calif.)
- Star rating: Four
- Commitment: Oregon
- Height: 6’5″
- Weight: 200 pounds
Expectations will always be high when you are the son of a former No. 3 overall NFL Draft pick, especially when you play the same position. But Akili Smith Jr. is a stellar prospect in his own right. He has the speed to outrun blitzers off the edge or up the middle and the arm strength to dot up the field.
MORE: Top 10 Players in the 2025 College Football Recruiting Class
Smith has already shown an understanding of throw velocity, launching missiles when needed but also lofting passes over defenders. He can do a better job of reading the full field and identifying defenses, but he checks all the physical boxes.
6) Keelon Russell
- High School: Duncanville (Texas)
- Star rating: Five
- Commitment: SMU
- Height: 6’3″
- Weight: 175 pounds
Keelon Russell is a pass-first QB with buttery smooth athleticism who glides on the field. Duncanville has won two consecutive state championships and has gone 29-1 under Russell’s guidance. In 2023, he completed 72.1% of his passes for 3,483 yards, 38 TDs, and a minuscule three picks.
With pocket mobility, good decision-making, and free-flowing arm talent, he is the new DangeRuss.
5) Matt Zollers
- High School: Royersford Spring-Ford (Pa.)
- Star rating: Four
- Commitment: Missouri
- Height: 6’3 1/2″
- Weight: 205 pounds
Matt Zollers is a surprisingly nimble passer for his size and can unleash 50+ yard throws with accuracy downfield. His rocket launcher arm fires tight spirals on nearly every attempt, and his highlight reel is littered with off-platform throws that many QBs could only dream of attempting. But what stands out most is his ability to place balls where he wants them, even on the move.
4) Husan Longstreet
- High School: Corona Centennial (Calif.)
- Star rating: Five
- Commitment: Texas A&M
- Height: 6’1 1/2″
- Weight: 195 pounds
There’s a lot to like about Husan Longstreet’s game. He catapults deep shots into WRs’ bread baskets and has a snappy release. Changing arm angles to fit throws into various windows comes naturally to him, as does rolling out to his left or right and keeping his eyes downfield.
3) George MacIntyre
- High School: Brentwood Academy (Tenn.)
- Star rating: Five
- Commitment: Tennessee
- Height: 6’5 1/2″
- Weight: 190 pounds
On Hudl film, it’s commonplace to see a ton of downfield throws to wide-open receivers. But George MacIntyre’s tape is riddled with spin-move-into-jump-pass or throw-WR-open-in-tight-coverage-downfield plays. He has the frame NFL teams covet and the moxy that wins over locker rooms.
2) Julian Lewis
- High School: Carrollton (Ga.)
- Star rating: Five
- Commitment: USC
- Height: 6’1″
- Weight: 185 pounds
Julian Lewis was named MaxPreps National Sophomore of the Year last season before reclassifying from the 2026 class to 2025. He threw 48 TDs to just two INTs across 13 games. His feet and shoulders move in unison. He isn’t fazed by pressure. He owns a compact release that easily generates velocity. There are few holes in his game, hence his five-star rating.
1) Tavien St. Clair
- High School: Bellefontaine (Ohio)
- Star rating: Five
- Commitment: Ohio State
- Height: 6’4″
- Weight: 225 pounds
By breaking a school record for passing yards (3,983) while completing over 70% of his passes last season, Tavien St. Clair showed why Ohio State sought his services.
KEEP READING: 2024 Top 100 College Football Players
His combination of size, athleticism, and arm talent is unparalleled in this class. And although some passers ranked below him may be more precise in their ball placement (primarily Lewis and Lacey), St. Clair’s overall impact potential is off the charts.
College Football Network has you covered with the latest news and analysis, rankings, transfer portal information, top 10 returning players, the 2024 college football season schedule, and much more!