3 Senior NJ Quarterbacks Without College Commitments in Top 50

At the time of this writing (8/27), the sports world as a whole has experienced another seismic change, with major professional games being cancelled at the demand of players using their platform for social change. It’s put the need for leadership at the forefront of sports everywhere, with many states still waiting on their leaders to make final decisions on athletics in the fall. For the teams that will see the field, it’s hard to overstate the need for a commanding presence at quarterback in 2020. Here in New Jersey, where plans remain in place for kickoff in October, a quick look at the 2021 rankings shows three QBs that will enter their final season without a college commitment all inside the top fifty. The seniors that show up on the practice field and hallways of socially-distanced schools may not translate to the film, but the talent of these passers does. Here are scouting reports on the trio. <strong>2021 QB [player_tooltip player_id="27896" first="Andrew" last="Butler"], DePaul Catholic</strong> Butler is a tall passer that commands the pocket with his ability to throw from any platform accurately. Consistently putting the ball where his receivers can make a play after the catch, Butler makes his reads from high to low quickly and delivers with exceptional timing. Some added length to Butler’s throwing motion doesn’t negatively impact him, as Butler keeps his eyes down field throughout the play to make something out of nothing if needed. This is a player that wants to win from the pocket, throwing with his eyes tied to his feet to complete timing patterns and back shoulder balls comfortably. That’s not to say Butler can’t extend a play on the move, taking defenses by surprise when beating them over the top while throwing without his feet set. Butler threw 28 touchdowns to just six interceptions as a junior, completing 65% of his passes for 2,890 yards. The DePaul Catholic product is currently ranked 38th in the 2021 class, but is the second quarterback behind only Virginia Tech commit [player_tooltip player_id="27881" first="Tahj" last="Bullock"]. <strong>2021 QB [player_tooltip player_id="27900" first="Ah-Shaun" last="Davis"], Willingboro</strong> Just four spots behind [player_tooltip player_id="27896" first="Andrew" last="Butler"] in the overall 2021 rankings, Davis is a dual-threat QB for WIllingboro. Entering his senior season, Davis has offers from Bowling Green, Delaware State, Lafayette, UMASS, and NC Central. Davis has a cannon for an arm, throwing the ball with incredible zip and precision. This is a see-it-open passer, relying on arm strength more than anticipation to deliver the ball on time. An athletic runner in the open field, Davis is more than willing to hang in the pocket and beat teams through the air. His compact release flashes a natural arm talent that regularly keeps the ball out of harms way and in prime position for his receivers to create big plays. In 12 wins last season, Davis put the Willingboro offense over 50 points in five games. Even in a season opening loss to Cedar Creek, the team’s lowest point output on the year, Davis accounted for all three scores through the air. He finished the season throwing 38 touchdowns while rushing for another four. There’s no shortage of talent around Davis for 2020 either, as fellow seniors [player_tooltip player_id="27911" first="Da’Jour" last="Dixon"] and [player_tooltip player_id="27880" first="Demie" last="Sumo"] will look to make the most of this season together. Dixon is an offensive lineman ranked 53rd in his class, while Sumo is the fifth ranked running back with a commitment to North Carolina State. Dixon protects Davis from the left guard position, a people-mover on the interior offensive line for Willingboro. When he sits down on a rusher they stand no chance, keeping them at an arm's distance with textbook hand placement inside. <strong>2021 QB [player_tooltip player_id="27907" first="Charles" last="DePrima"], Ramapo</strong> Just inside the top fifty is [player_tooltip player_id="27907" first="Charles" last="DePrima"], the last QB on this list at 49th overall and fourth among 2021 passers. DePrima sees the whole field as a passer, reading it quickly to drop dimes well down the field. Many of his deep passes couldn’t have been handed to the receiver better from the sideline. The most fluid passer of the three prospects on this list, the ball leaves DePrima’s hands from a balanced base with great touch. As decisive a runner as he is a thrower, DePrima is a nightmare for opposing defenses thanks to his willingness to tuck and run. Hardly looking to just move the sticks when he crosses the line of scrimmage, DePrima is a serious threat on the ground, outrunning safeties with ease to become a scoring threat from anywhere. Weighing offers from strong academic schools like Dartmouth, Bryant, Sacred Heart, and Lafayette, DePrima enters 2020 after an undefeated 2019 run that saw him pass for 2,070 yards and 15 touchdowns. DePrima ran for another 14 touchdowns, going over 100 yards in high-scoring wins over Wayne Hills, West Side, and Parsippany Hills.