Lake County: QBs To Keep an Eye on Heading Into Next Season

<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Lake County had a solid crop of quarterbacks this past spring with prospects like [player_tooltip player_id="20215" first="Athan" last="Kaliakmanis"], [player_tooltip player_id="20227" first="Blake" last="Ellingson"], and Nick Bulgarelli leading the way. Now that they’re gone and on their way to play ball at the next level, our focus shifts to the next crop of quarterbacks who have a ton of upside and can potentially have their breakout seasons this year.</span> So without further ado, let’s take a look at my top six quarterbacks in Lake County. <hr /> <h5><em><strong>Jacob Donohue | Grayslake N.</strong></em></h5> Donohue’s week 1 debut wasn’t anything short of spectacular as he hit the ground running and carved up Round Lakes’ defense for 7 touchdowns through the air. The sophomore would finish his spring season throwing for 1,484 yards and 20 touchdowns in his first year as a varsity starter. He plays the game well beyond his years and shows a tremendous amount of poise while in the pocket. Displays good accuracy and timing and knows how to put the right amount of touch on his passes. He has some scrambling ability, but he much rather pick you apart from the pocket from what I've seen. <h5><em><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="162354" first="Brock" last="Paluch"] | Mundelein</strong></em></h5> At 6’4’’ 200lbs, Paluch has all the physical tools to play the position at a high level. He’s a sneaky good athlete who’s more than capable of breaking the pocket and doing some damage with his legs. Possesses a rocket for an arm and is most effective on designed rollouts. <h5><em><strong>Dominic Pavell | Carmel</strong></em></h5> Pavell displays good accuracy on short and intermediate routes and is also pretty efficient in throwing the ball on rollouts. Possesses solid quarterback mechanics that are only going to improve over the next few years. Pavell is definitely a prospect to keep an eye on this season and one who I expect to have a breakout year. <h5><em><strong>Aidan Lucero | Warren</strong></em></h5> After splitting time with senior Phillip Hird this spring, Lucero should be in line to take over as the primary QB1 for the Warren Blue Devils this upcoming season. He’s a phenomenal athlete with a live arm that can make all the throws and in my opinion, he could very well be the most talented quarterback in Lake County and one of the more slept on quarterbacks in his class. He does a good job of making quick decisions and can let it rip with the flick of a wrist. A dual-threat who’s great at improvising and at 6’2" 210lbs, he can be a load to bring down when he decides to break the pocket. Currently holds offers from Grand Valley State, Minnesota State, and Northern Iowa. <h5><em><strong>Daryl Overstreet Jr. | Grayslake Central</strong></em></h5> Overstreet Jr. is what I consider a pro-style quarterback who can be deadly accurate when he has time to set his feet. Displays good pocket presence and can fit the ball in tight windows and throws a pretty good ball on the run. He threw for a little under 1,000 yards and 13 touchdowns this spring. Look for those numbers to increase exponentially as Overstreet Jr. heads into his senior campaign. <h5><em><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="155029" first="Austin" last="Layette"]</strong></em></h5> In our recent rankings update, Layette was ranked at the #20 spot for quarterbacks in Illinois’ c/o ’22. He’s an above-average touch-passer who displays good accuracy on short throws and can put some zip on his passes when needed. Doesn’t do a lot of running from his position but is more than capable of extending plays with feet to find the open man.