Prep Redzone IN/IL Showcase: QB Standouts

May 15th found me making my way to Crown Point, IN for the Prep Redzone IN/IL Showcase. It was my third showcase of the spring. I had seen a lot of talent coming in, so my expectations were high for the event. I wasn’t let down as 130+ student athletes came out to compete in on field testing, positional drills, and one on one battles. Each position was well represented, especially the QB group. That is the group I want to focus on today. I will be highlighting the QBs that were the best of the day. These kids are definitely names to know now and in the future as we had kids from the 2022 Class all the way down to the Class of 2025! Let’s get into the group’s best! <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="142050" first="Joey" last="Antonietti"], 2022- Lyons Township</strong> Joey first caught my eyes during the 40 yard dash where I was recording times. He posted one of the fastest times in the group that went through my lane as he posted 4.78 and 4.81 times. Impressive times for the position along with a solid 6’2" 188 lbs frame. Joey once again caught my eyes during the one on one sessions. He his over the top throwing motion utilizes all of his 6’2" frame, and he has the arm strength to get the ball to every point on the field quickly. The good testing numbers showed up in his quick footwork as well. <strong>Sean Cruz, 2022- Evanston Township</strong> Sean had a great day and earned MVP from our Director of Scouting [player_tooltip player_id="109485" first="Jacob" last="Lemming"]. It was a well deserved honor. The 6’1" 180 lbs QB posted the fastest 40 yard dash of the position group with a blazing 4.56 attempt. That was just the beginning to his performance. The dual threat QB doesn’t just let his athleticism show on the ground. Sean showed off his very smooth footwork and that easy movement went right into his quick release. Safe to say that Cruz was the most complete prospect as he also had the arm talent to quickly zip the ball all over the field with velocity and accuracy. He made some impressive tight window throws in the one on one battles. <strong>Will Vaske, 2023- Marmion Academy</strong> Will was an interesting prospect to watch perform throughout the day. He was the biggest kid at 6’ 166 lbs, but over and over he caught my eyes with how well he could sling the football. The potential is there as he continues to grow because even without a lot of size to get into his throws Will was still able to put some of the best velocity of the group on the ball. He has his sharp mechanics and quick twitch arm to thank for that ability. Definitely a QB to keep track of over the next year to see how he continues to develop. <strong>Colton Gumino, 2025- IMG Academy</strong> Colton was a fun QB to watch! The 8th grader proved he has a lot of potential and he has a solid foundation of talent and technique to build upon. Colton is advanced in his mechanics for his age. He already does a good job of keeping his feet attached to his eyes as he goes through his drop and then makes his throw. His throwing motion is compact, and quick. His accuracy was spot on as he made several impressive short to intermediate throws while I was watching him. I can’t wait to see how he develops over the next four years down at IMG Academy. <strong>Tommy Mooncotch, 2023- St. Francis</strong> Tommy stood out to me during the one on one battles portion of the Showcase. He has a slightly altered throwing motion as it is more side arm than over the top, but he was still able to make throws that caught my eye. The jumped out of his hands, especially on the short to intermediate throws. He was very light on his feet in the pocket as well as he quickly got through his drop. The 6’ 160 lbs QB was also able to break the 5 second mark for his 40 yard dash. Solid day from start to finish for Tommy. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="135749" first="Angel" last="Nelson"], 2022- Merrillville</strong> Angel was another QB that stepped up in the one on one battles. He doesn’t have the prototypical size as he checks in at 5’7" 160 lbs, but he has a compact frame and a solid arm. Nelson made throws to all three levels of the field on Saturday with accuracy and velocity. He does have a throwing motion that goes up and over to make sure it is coming out of his hand as high as possible, and the ball gets out of his hand quickly. It was a strong throwing session for the Merrillville product. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="155033" first="Caige" last="Williams"], 2022- Bradly- Bourbonnais</strong> Caige was one of the more impressively built QBs at the Showcase. He checked in at 6’1" 193 lbs, and he had an arm to match. He was able to attack every level of the field with accuracy. The velocity on his short to intermediate throws allowed him to hit tight windows, and his touch when he went deep allowed him to drop the ball in a bucket to his target. From what I heard from another scout, Caige is coming off an impressive spring season and should be poised to break out this fall. Keep an eye on him! <strong>Scott Ballentine, 2024- Andrean</strong> Scott is poised to be a popular recruit over the next few years. As a freshman, he is already just under 6’ tall and weighed in at 165 lbs. He also was able to run sub 5.0 in the 40 yard dash on both of his attempts. Scott has a live arm too. He proved that he can already stretch the field just as well as he can carve up defenses underneath. I looked into his on field play from this past season and it looks like he was able to get some varsity action as a freshman and played well. Potential breakout season coming up this fall. Really solid day for Scott on Saturday!