Recap State Playoffs: North Texas Class of 2022 Quarterbacks

Well, the Texas High School football season has come to an end, but I wanted to highlight a few senior quarterbacks I had the pleasure to scout during the postseason. I've watched high school football in several states during my tenure in the military and played high school football on the east coast. Texas high school football is second to none, especially during the postseason. I enjoy the atmosphere, traditions, and support of small or large cities for their respective teams. The multi-million dollar stadiums look like FCS stadiums, and fans will fill the stands cheering on their teams no matter the distance they may have to travel. So, today we're going to take a look at a few senior quarterbacks that stood out to me during the postseason. <strong>Kevin Henry Jennings</strong> - South Oak Cliff - 6'1" 180lbs Recently South Oak Cliff made history by being the first team from Dallas Independent School District to win a state championship since 1958. One of these historic team leaders was senior quarterback Kevin Henry Jennings, who recently committed to SMU. Jennings is a poised leader with a cannon, speed, agility, and the vision to complement. During the postseason, the moment was never too big for him, and he displayed that during the five rounds of playoffs and state championship game. Jennings threw for 958 yards, nine touchdowns, rushed for 163 yards, and had four rushing touchdowns. His victory versus 10-time state champions Aledo ignited a sense of change in the 5A Division II state championship trajectory. Many thought Aledo would win versus Soth Oak Cliff, but Jennings and company had other plans throwing for 170 yards, two touchdowns, and rushing for 42 yards in a close victory. The victory over Aledo empowered Jennings to have his best postseason game versus Lovejoy. He threw for 250 yards, one touchdown, rushed for 29 yards, and had two touchdowns on the ground. This kid is exceptional, and I look forward to him developing more at SMU as he continues his football career. <iframe src="//www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/11536500/61adac6ddfd8d903e026b598" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="60721" first="Josh" last="Hoover"]</strong> - Rockwall Heath - 6’2" 205lbs One of the top quarterbacks in Texas was the Landry Award winner [player_tooltip player_id= "60721" first= "Josh" last= "Hoover"], awarded to the best athlete in North Texas who exemplifies Coach Tom Landry's characteristics on and off the field. Hoover recently de-committed from the University of Indiana and committed to TCU. Hoover is the total quarterback package; he is tall, has a powerful arm, excellent decision making, can extend plays, and leads an offense. Hoover threw for 825 passing yards and ten touchdowns this postseason in three games. His best game was in the first round versus Naaman Forest, where he threw for 346 yards and four touchdowns. Then, versus Temple, Hoover found himself in a shootout in a close game but remained calm and delivered every time his team needed him. He went 22/30 with 284 yards and four touchdowns. Look for Hoover to impact TCU once he gets on campus and learns their offense. <iframe src="//www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/11295501/61a5687519af500a78bf24e5" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="251909" first="Matthew" last="Allen"]</strong> - Desoto - 5’10" 200lbs One of Texas's most dynamic wide receivers is Desotos class of 2023 [player_tooltip player_id= "60859" first= "Johntay" last= "Cook II"], but we sometimes overlook who gets the ball in their hands. Allen has grown into his role as the Eagles star quarterback. He is a dual-threat quarterback who was very practical this year during the postseason. Allen's ability to extend plays was vital for the Eagles, which led to him throwing for 800 yards, ten touchdowns, and 85 yards rushing. His most notable game was against a talented Rockwall, led by Mississippi State commit Brayden Locke this postseason. Allen threw for 224 yards, two touchdowns, and rushed for 49 yards. He is a confident athlete with an excellent arm, speed, and agility to evade would-be tacklers. His recruitment is slow right now, but once the recruitment chaos of the transfer portal and coaching changes settle, look for him to pick up more offers. <iframe src="//www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/14552608/6199d30aa676c80e9c58af66" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="60759" first="Solomon" last="James"]</strong> - Duncanville- 6’0" 180lbs Duncanville has become a powerhouse and has developed athletes annually for several years. This year their senior quarterback James was no exception to the rich tradition of athletes coming from Duncanville. He is a dual-threat quarterback with a great sense of football, has a solid arm, is fluid with the ball, and reads the field well. His leadership and development on the field showed during the postseason and led the Panthers to a state championship rematch versus North Shore. Though they came up short in a close game, James held his own in one of his biggest challenges this year besides Mater Dei. His best performance came against Southlake Carroll in the state semi-final game, where he was 12/12 on completions, threw for 164 yards, three touchdowns, and a 43-yard touchdown on the ground. After his stellar performance, James began to receive more recognition for his talents and started to pick up more college offers. If he goes to the right program that can develop him, he will be a notable athlete to look out for soon. <iframe src="//www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/13064456/61a823cc8cd3dd0568ed72a4" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> &nbsp;