Watchlist: 2021 QB’s
Hunter Simmons Hunter Simmons 6'4" | 215 lbs | QB Marion | 2021 IL , 6’4, 215, Mt. Vernon Simmons came across my radar right after our initial rankings were released, and in all honesty, he should be in our…
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Continue ReadingHunter Simmons Hunter Simmons 6'4" | 215 lbs | QB Marion | 2021 IL , 6’4, 215, Mt. Vernon
Simmons came across my radar right after our initial rankings were released, and in all honesty, he should be in our Top 20. He has tremendous athletic ability that he often uses to evade rushers. He routinely tosses the ball 50 yards through the air and drops it right into the breadbasket for his targets.
Eli Downen, 6’4, 215, Carterville
Downen’s physical frame is impressive, and he most certainly will past the eye test. On film, he’s calm and composed in the pocket and has overall good touch on his deep ball. He loves throwing on the run and isn’t afraid to lower his shoulder to pick up a first down.
Conor McCormick, 6’1, 200, Williamsville
McCormick led Williamsville to a 3A State Title as a junior and was exceptional down the stretch. He pairs a natural throwing motion, with a quick-release to distribute the ball to his wideouts. Defenders better watch out, this kid is a hard-nosed runner and will barrel through tacklers.
Joe Ayala, 5’10, 180, Palatine
Ayala may be a bit on the smaller side at 5’10, but he more than makes up for it with his timing and accuracy. He does a nice job transitioning his weight on his deep ball, to ensure none of his passes are underthrown. His escapability and wiggle make really him tough to bring down in the pocket.
Tyler Gibson, 6’2, 210, Princeton
This is a pro-style quarterback who knows how to reap the benefits of the play-action passing game. Gibson does a great of squaring his shoulders to his target when throwing on the run. He’ll climb the pocket when his tackles are beat and can improvise when need be.
JT Thomas, 6’, 190, Loyola
Thomas has great footwork in the pocket to go along with a swift release. On film he shows a high football IQ and consistently works through his progression. I was very impressed by his touch on his intermediate throws.
Darius Beckum, 6’2, 185, Peoria
Beckum does a fantastic job of moving safeties with his eyes and making them believe he is going there with the football. He’s a dual-threat quarterback through and through and can burn you for six with his legs. He’s tough as nails too and will sit in the pocket and take a lick if it means hitting his receiver.
Tyler Hartman, 6’2, 215, La-Salle Peru
Hartman has a good build and can take punishment in the quarterback run game. He moves well for a bigger guy and runs angry with the ball in his hands. He does a good selling play action and getting safeties to bite on the run. I think he can play in any type of offense.
Vincenzo Meschi, 6’2, 190, Bolingbrook
Meschi, to me, is a really interesting prospect. He started only a few games at Batavia last fall, but when he did, he was lights out. He’s got really good footwork and impressive timing with his wideouts. On film, he did an outstanding job of telegraphing blitzes and getting the ball out of his hand quickly.
Isaiah Thompson, 6’1, 185, Sacred Heart-Griffin
This is a lefty who can buzz the ball into tight windows. He gashed teams in the run game in 2019. He’s got impressive athleticism to get out of tricky situations and easily identifies cutback lanes. He understands his reads on RPO’s and will get the ball out even with a defender in his face.