In-Depth Breakdown of our Top 3 2024 QB’s
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I love diving deep into players. We have a great set of guys here who all bring something unique to the table. Here’s another edition of my deep-dives, this time looking at the top three Quarterbacks from the Class of…
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Continue ReadingI love diving deep into players. We have a great set of guys here who all bring something unique to the table. Here’s another edition of my deep-dives, this time looking at the top three Quarterbacks from the Class of 2024. These three all have a division 1 offer, with two of them having been offered by Michigan. Now, let’s get into the analysis.
CJ Carr CJ Carr 6'2" | 175 lbs | QB Saline | 2024 State MI
With offers from Michigan, Georgia, Notre Dame, Penn State, and others, CJ Carr CJ Carr 6'2" | 175 lbs | QB Saline | 2024 State MI is an elite QB prospect who has received much offseason media attention. Carr plays for the Saline Hornets, a historically elite program that hasn’t had a losing record in a decade. His talent is quite good, similar to a team such as Rockford. As we move through 2022, Carr receives praise from media members, and he seems to acquire weekly scholarship offers from elite schools.
Strengths
Work Ethic – Like many highly touted QB’s, Carr lives and breaths football. During the season and offseason, he puts in the work, with the media often picking up on his work. Since childhood, I would imagine his work ethic has been instilled in him because of his family ties with elite football.
Fundamentals – Carr is one of the most fundamentally sound QB’s in the nation. With every throw, whether in the pocket or play action, Carr’s fundamentals are incredibly crisp, making him able to make just about any throw. His footwork is lovely, and he has a quick trigger.
Pocket Instincts & Evasion – One skill that Carr holds that I haven’t seen in any other top Michigan QB is his elite ability to escape the pocket and throw on the run. He reminds me a bit of JJ McCarthy in this way, as he can seamlessly spin or cut his way out of a sack, run around for a moment, and deliver a strike on the run, sometimes off his back foot. In addition, It’s impressive how, when evading rushers, Carr always keeps his eyes downfield, ready to strike at any point.
General Accuracy – Carr has the ability and is confident enough to make any throw. I’m very impressed by his ability to go the extra mile and throw high/low, depending on the situation. Carr can sling it, and he’s shown time and time again that he can throw into incredibly tight windows.
Areas to Improve
Gambles his throws – At times, Carr may be a bit too confident in his abilities as he throws into lockdown coverage. Now, this doesn’t seem to hurt Carr’s game too much (28/4 Ratio) though this may hurt his game in college where the defense is worlds better. I’ll contradict myself once more by pointing out his elite throw ability that has been demonstrated during recent camps, where his receivers are covered very well. Regardless, I am slightly concerned about how much he gambles throws.
Play vs. Elite Competition – This can be said for many QB’s, but Carr has not had much opportunity to play some of the top teams in Michigan, except for Canton and Huron. Canton had upset Saline and Carr during round 1 of the 2021 playoffs, a game where Carr threw an interception on an underthrow and where Saline scored a season-low 20 points. Saline doesn’t seem to play anybody they aren’t familiar with during the 2022 regular season, so my eyes will be locked in on Carr during the postseason.
Isaiah Marshall Isaiah Marshall 6'0" | 210 lbs | QB Southfield A&T | 2024 State MI
Playing for Southfield A&T in the OAA Red, Isaiah Marshall Isaiah Marshall 6'0" | 210 lbs | QB Southfield A&T | 2024 State MI is a top-tier Division 1 recruit with offers from Michigan, Ole Miss, and others. He’s the definition of a dual-threat QB as his athleticism is the name of his game. He’s genuinely a much different QB than most in the state, but he’s just as elite as any of them.
Strengths
Athleticism – His elite athleticism headlines this prospect. Marshall makes so many amazing plays with his feet, whether avoiding a sack, throwing a strike on the run, or scrambling to show off his run ability. There are many High School dual-threat QB’s that convert to pro-style in college, but Isaiah Marshall Isaiah Marshall 6'0" | 210 lbs | QB Southfield A&T | 2024 State MI will not be one of those guys. He’s the most athletic Quarterback in Michigan, and his athleticism plays a massive role in his recruitment.
Off-Balance throws – Marshall’s athleticism is complimented by his accuracy while off-balanced. He’s terrific while off-balanced, being able to make every throw, even deep throws, while on the run off his back foot. I would go as far as to say that his throw on the run is on par with his throws with his feet set in the pocket. Truly an elite thrower on the run.
Awareness – Alongside Marshall’s athleticism, his awareness is elite. He knows game situations and treats the ball well for the most part. He doesn’t take sacks and always seems to wiggle his way out of any situation he finds himself in. Overall, Marshall’s awareness is excellent and a staple of his game.
Areas to Improve
Pocket Jitters – Marshall can have some pocket jitters, which I define as uneven, choppy feet like he always has scrambling on his mind. He sometimes takes off when he doesn’t have to, which is something to improve upon. These jitters also play a role in his fundamentals, which I will touch upon now.
Fundamentals – The most glaring weakness of Marshall’s game is his fundamentals, especially when it comes to his footwork. When he does throw from the pocket, his feet aren’t always set perfectly, and his drop isn’t the prettiest. This causes his whole body to be slightly off whenever he throws it from the pocket. I’m also not in love with his throwing mechanics, though I don’t think that’s as pressing of a fundamental issue as footwork.
Kalieb Osborne Kalieb Osborne 6'5" | 200 lbs | QB Waterford Mott | 2024 State MI
From Waterford Mott, Kalieb Osborne Kalieb Osborne 6'5" | 200 lbs | QB Waterford Mott | 2024 State MI has garnered well-deserved media attention in addition to an offer from Toledo. He’s a dual-threat QB that can be electrifying at times, and he’s improved over the years. Osborne marks the #3 ranked QB in the class, and there’s some significant space between him and #4. He’s a great talent who has been showing out during the offseason, and he has the chance to receive many more offers in the future.
Strengths
Athleticism – Osborne is a tremendous dual-threat QB who makes great plays with his feet. His field vision and ability as a runner stand out to me about his game. Although very tall and lengthy, Osborne has a great juke and can fight for extra yards in many ways.
Arm Talent – General arm talent is very high in Osborne. He’s a talented passer who can target his balls well and has a good throwing motion. His stats are excellent, and he’s been doing great during offseason camps. Athleteissm combined with arm talent is, in a nutshell, are, the reasons he’s garnered so much attention recently.
Areas to Improve
Consistency – I’m not sure what this could be, but Osborne is a bit inconsistent. He looks electric in some games, like against Walled Lake Western in the playoffs. Then there are other games like against South Lyon, where he makes silly mistakes that bring his confidence and rhythm down real quick. I would recommend Osborne adopt a stellar gameday routine to make sure he’s psychologically ready for anything that comes his way and establish habits to keep himself playing at a high level.
Strength – Standing at 6’4″ 180lbs, Osborne could put on some muscle. This isn’t the biggest deal now, mainly because he’s at the QB position on a balanced offense, but I would argue strength becomes more important the more you scramble and run with the ball.