2023 Rankings: Quarterback Breakdown

We’re at the halfway point of the season and that means it’s time to re-evaluate and update our rankings for each class and break them down by position. For the 2023 Quarterback class, we have a solid and diverse group in our top 40. The class has a couple of highly touted QB's at the top who are starting to gain some serious D1 attention and is rounded out by a few up and comers who are only getting better as the season progresses. Our prospect rankings are available to our subscribers only! Now is a great time to subscribe! Not only will you get all of our prospect content, you’ll get new content every day until the end of the 2020 season. And we can help you save! Enter Knight25 in the coupon code area for 25% your first billing cycle! <a href="https://prepredzone.com/oklahoma/rankings/2023-rankings/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE TOP 40 PROSPECTS IN THE 2023 CLASS. </a> [player_tooltip player_id="38780" first="Steele" last="Wasel"] - Choctaw If these rankings were strictly on current production or who I’d rather have start a game for me right now then there would be a pretty solid argument to rank [player_tooltip player_id="51037" first="Austin" last="Havens"] ahead of Steele. However, all of our rankings are based on projection to the next level and Steele has the potential to be a big-time prospect. As I watched Wasel’s film from this season I kept searching for those big-time throws that make you rewind the tape a few times and didn’t see a whole lot of those until I realized a lot of his throws aren’t routine and that he is just making them look easy. Steele has prototypical size at 6’3" and has no limitations in terms of the throws he can make on the field. Choctaw also uses his athleticism to their advantage on some designed runs, and on rollouts where Steel is excellent at making a wide variety of throws using different arm angles depending on pressure and the positioning of his WRs. Even after losing his top WR [player_tooltip player_id="38496" first="Chase" last="Jackson"] to injury in week one, Wasel has looked sharp and has had no issues getting his other playmakers including [player_tooltip player_id="51854" first="RJ" last="Jackson"] the ball in space. While he is not a finished product by any means, Wasel certainly has the athletic profile and play style of a Division 1 starting quarterback. [player_tooltip player_id="51037" first="Austin" last="Havens"] - Owasso Coming into the season we were unsure who the starting QB was going to be for Owasso between Seth Hammer and [player_tooltip player_id="51037" first="Austin" last="Havens"]. The Rams played both in their first couple of games but decided to stick with Havens after game two and he has taken 6A-I by storm since then. Havens has the arm strength to make any throw on the field and he pairs that with excellent anticipation on deep and outbreaking routes, and he has outstanding command in the pocket, he rarely flees at first sight of pressure. As I said earlier in the season on one of our underclassmen spotlight pieces, though he is still young and it’s only week 6 of his first season with the Rams, Havens could end up as one of the most decorated and accomplished QBs in Owasso history and possibly Oklahoma state history if he can keep up this kind of play for the next three seasons. As of right now, Havens and Wasel are in a tier of their own for 2023 QBs, but the gap between Wasel and Havens is a lot closer than some may think. Havens is off to a red hot start and checks all the boxes for what college coaches want in a QB. Good luck to the rest of 6A-I for the next 3 years, you’re going to need it going up against Havens and this young and spectacular Rams offense. [player_tooltip player_id="51055" first="Carson" last="Laverty"] - Putnam City North As we stated in an underclassmen spotlight piece earlier in the year, Laverty was a player who we wanted to see make the jump to varsity as a sophomore and showcase some of the abilities he displayed at the freshman and JV level and he certainly has. So far this season, Laverty has taken command of this offense and has been super poised and polished for a Sophomore QB in his first year starting, but that should come as no surprise when you remember that his dad, Ryan Laverty, is a longtime Oklahoma high school football coach and current PC North head coach who is widely known for having well-disciplined and intelligent teams, especially on the defensive side. Carson has really impressed us early on this year from a poise and efficiency standpoint, and with two more years to grow physically and mentally, PC North could be making a few title runs in the near future. [player_tooltip player_id="38790" first="Kirk" last="Francis"] - Metro Christian [player_tooltip player_id="38790" first="Kirk" last="Francis"] is another player that we were confident about coming into the year but wanted to see some production at the varsity level before we billed him as a top 40 player. Needless to say after watching his first few games as a starter, I can confidently say I am fully aboard the [player_tooltip player_id="38790" first="Kirk" last="Francis"] hype train. Kirk has made the jump from JV and Freshman football to Varisty without any issues and is in fact excelling for Metro Christian. Having to replace Asher Link is a tall order for a Sophomore but Francis has done an excellent job with his pocket presence, ability to extend the play with his legs to throw, and with his pure arm talent. Francis plays like a true gunslinger with his ability to extend plays and make off-balance throws, but without the head-scratching mistakes you typically see from a young, athletic QB with a big arm. Francis and Laverty are very close for us right now in these rankings, so it will be interesting to see if either of them pull away from the other in the weeks or seasons to come. [player_tooltip player_id="38821" first="Mason" last="Willingham"] - Skiatook Next in our top 40 QBs is [player_tooltip player_id="38821" first="Mason" last="Willingham"] from Skiatook. As odd as it is to say, Willingham already has a lot of big-game experience as he started a good amount of games last season as a freshman and played at a high level. While Mason may not be as flashy or have the ceiling as some of the quarterbacks listed above him, he is still a high quality starting quarterback and has a high floor. He is an excellent passer in the short and intermediate game and throws with great timing and rhythm when presented with a clean pocket. Additionally, Mason is more than just a one club QB as he has displayed the ability to layer his passes in between defenders without losing velocity on multiple occasions. Though he is definitely more efficient passing from the pocket, Willingham is a great athlete under center. He displays his effectiveness as a runner often on designed draws and read options and shows off his toughness on a weekly occasion by not being afraid to stick his head down and push for extra yards. Mason may not reach the heights of a Wasel or Havens, but he is a fierce and tough competitor who will be an instant difference-maker wherever he goes. [player_tooltip player_id="38818" first="Carson" last="Trimble"] - Grove [player_tooltip player_id="38818" first="Carson" last="Trimble"] was a fun player to watch when evaluating due to his true grip it and rip it playstyle. Trimble is not afraid to let it fly regardless of the team he’s playing or the amount of traffic he’s throwing into, which has its positives and negatives. When he can get all his cleats in the ground and form a solid base before he throws, Trimble has shown some impressive arm strength. However, Carson has also been an excellent passer on rollouts and broken plays where he has to extend with his legs. Additionally, Carson has some good speed for a QB and is used often in the run game. With more time to develop his decision making and accuracy on intermediate throws, Trimble could definitely move up this list in the near future.