Preseason top quarterbacks in Class 5A for 2020 season

Colorado’s top classification for high school football had some of the best quarterbacks in the entire state competing during the 2019 season. The record book saw some big changes with former Fairview quarterback Aidan Atkinson breaking the all-time passing yards mark in the state, and many other quarterbacks put up phenomenal stats that put them on the radar of many college coaches. A good portion of those top quarterbacks in the classification return this fall, giving fans and scouts plenty to watch for. With the hopeful start to the preseason just a little more than a month away, here are the quarterbacks we’ll be keeping an eye on in Class 5A heading into the 2020 season. <span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="22547" first="Julian" last="Hammond III"], 2021, 6’2, QB, Cherry Creek</strong></span> Many have seen emerge as a leader and great athlete on the basketball court so far in his career. So, it should not come as a surprise when he stepped in as the starting quarterback for powerhouse Cherry Creek and led the team to the state title last season. His athleticism allowed him to extend plays in the pocket or run for some important carries all season long. With his arm, he can put some zip on the ball to get to his receivers quickly, and he shows a decisiveness to make the read and get the ball out to that receiver. Those instincts saw him finish with 2,354 passing yards, 28 passing touchdowns and a 14-0 record. Whether he chooses to play basketball or football in college, options should be aplenty for Hammond to pick from. <strong><span style="font-size: 18pt;">[player_tooltip player_id="22652" first="Giles" last="Pooler"], 2021, 6’4, 210, QB, Rocky Mountain</span></strong> With Atkinson out the door at Fairview, Pooler may be considered by many to be the top quarterback in the Front Range League heading into the preseason. While he doesn’t throw it as much as his air-rad counterpart, Pooler was just as effective. He threw for 1,719 yards and 10 touchdowns while completing 58 percent of his pass attempts. There were some games where Rocky Mountain wanted to run the football more and did not need him to throw as much, but he also had six games with at least 20 pass attempts when his number was called on. The tall lefty shows great touch on his long ball and a nice sense of finding the open man, but he can also fire a rocket into a tight window to his receiver when necessary. The variety of throws he can hit will be key for the offense to put points on the board and for the team to again be in the hunt for the Front Range League title. <strong><span style="font-size: 18pt;">[player_tooltip player_id="22553" first="Leslie" last="Richardson III"], 2021, 6’3, 210, QB, Smoky Hill</span></strong> Richardson is uncommitted entering the fall but has shown through social media that he has received some interested from schools at the FBS and FCS level already. After playing six games as a sophomore and putting up solid numbers, he went off in 2019, throwing for 2,858 yards, the most by a returning quarterback in the entire state. His accuracy was a big improvement last year as he completed 65 percent of his passing attempts. You can tell he has good chemistry with his receivers by the number of throws on film where he puts the ball in the air before they turn their head to find the ball, and most of the time the throw is in the right spot for them to make the catch. He can also use his arm strength to throw off his back foot when facing pressure. In terms of prospects, Richardson will be an exciting one from the quarterback position to watch. <strong><span style="font-size: 18pt;">[player_tooltip player_id="22519" first="Jake" last="Rubley"], 2021, 6’3, 195, QB, Highlands Ranch</span></strong> If you want to see the deep ball thrown on time for big yardage, just plug in the highlight reel for Rubley. The 6-foot-3 quarterback has a solid arm that can launch it down the field and pairs it with good accuracy and touch. His ability to stretch defenses with his big arm makes Highlands Ranch a dangerous offense to prepare for. A shotgun quarterback, he also has the athleticism to move in the pocket to extend the play or even run the ball for yardage. Rubley played like an MVP for his team and led them to a playoff win in the first round of the Class 5A state playoffs. As a two-year starter for the Eagles, he has thrown for 3,892 yards and 39 touchdowns, and he will be one of the top quarterbacks in the talented Douglas County League. <strong><span style="font-size: 18pt;">[player_tooltip player_id="22720" first="Dylan" last="Wigglesworth"], 2022, 5’11, 180, QB/LB, Denver East</span></strong> Wigglesworth became a starter for the first time with Denver East last season, but his play made it seem more like he was a true veteran with the program. In his first season under center, Wigglesworth completed 59 percent of his pass attempts and threw for 1,862 yards and 15 touchdowns. You can see a quarterback who isn’t afraid to give one of his receivers a shot in coverage to make a play, and many times he was rewarded with a completion on a beautifully thrown pass. He can also roll out of the pocket and throw on the run or tuck the ball and run in space. Optimism is high for Denver East in the 5A Metro 10 after going 6-3 in the league, and while who follow the league will pay more attention to Richardson mentioned before, don’t sleep on Wigglesworth to take another step forward and keep Denver East in contention for the league title and a postseason bid.