SLMFCA Showcase: 2023 quarterbacks
The St. Louis Metro Football Coaches Association held its Spring Showcase on May 16 at De Smet High School in St. Louis. The showcase featured approximately 100 prospects from the 2023, 2024, 2025 and 2026 classes and included testing in…
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Continue ReadingThe St. Louis Metro Football Coaches Association held its Spring Showcase on May 16 at De Smet High School in St. Louis.
The showcase featured approximately 100 prospects from the 2023, 2024, 2025 and 2026 classes and included testing in the 40-yard dash (electronic) and pro-agility drill before moving on to positional and one-on-one drills.
Here is a quick look at some of the 2023 quarterbacks who stood out:
QB Jack Ahlbrand Jack Ahlbrand 6'2" | 190 lbs | QB Marquette | 2023 State MO , Marquette
One of the breakout performers in the St. Louis area last fall, as a junior, Ahlbrand measured in at 6-foot-1 and 197 pounds and had another strong performance on the day.
He recorded a pro-agility time of 4.22, one of the better marks among 2023 prospects on the day, and an electronic 40-yard dash time of 4.99 seconds.
Last fall, Ahlbrand completed 56.7 percent of his passes for 1,835 yards, with 24 touchdowns against six interceptions, and ran for 215 yards and nine scores. He will lead a talented Marquette group this fall and should have a strong senior season.
QB Chris Cotton Chris Cotton 5'11" | 190 lbs | QB De Smet | 2023 State MO , De Smet
Cotton is one of the top quarterbacks in Missouri in the Class of 2023 and has looked good on multiple occasions when we’ve seen him, including during his junior season and in two recent showcase performances.
Cotton is only 5-11 and looks more like a running back than a quarterback, but he’s a dual-threat quarterback with a strong arm and good athleticism. At this showcase, he ran the 40 in 4.76 seconds and recorded a pro-agility time of 4.34 seconds.
He is coming off a good junior season at De Smet, his first season there after transferring after Trinity closed, and looks poised to be even better this fall. Last season, Cotton completed 57 percent of his passes for 1,360 yards, with 17 touchdowns against six interceptions, and rushed for 858 yards and five scores. He averaged an impressive 11.8 yards per carry.
Drake Faust Drake Faust 6'0" | 165 lbs | QB Chaminade | 2023 State MO , Chaminade
Faust isn’t the biggest quarterback around at 5-11 and 165 pounds, but he’s more athletic than people probably realize and that showed at the Showcase. He recorded a pro-agility time of 4.45 seconds and a 40 time of 4.86 seconds.
Faust will be a player to watch this fall as he’s likely to take over the Red Devils offense and could have a breakout campaign. Last year, as a junior, he completed 49.5 percent of his passes for 883 yards and eight touchdowns, against three interceptions. He also ran for 45 yards and another score.
Byron McNair Byron McNair 5'10" | 170 lbs | QB Pattonville | 2023 MO , Pattonville
When we last saw McNair he was a sophomore quarterback on De Smet’s runner-up squad in 2020 that lost to Raymore-Peculiar. Now at Pattonville, he measured in at 5-9 1/2 and 170 pounds at the Showcase and recorded a good 40-yard dash time of 4.85 seconds.
As a sophomore backup, McNair completed 62.9 percent (22 of 35) of his passes for 273 yards as the Spartans went 6-1 in the COVID-shortened 2020 campaign.
Owen Merrell Owen Merrell 5'10" | 205 lbs | ATH Holt | 2023 State MO , Holt
Merrell impressed in spot duty at the tail end of Holt’s tremendous 2021 campaign that ended with the runner-up finish in Class 5 and will be a player to watch this fall as he’s expected to take over as the Indians’ go-to guy.
He measured in at 5-10 and 191 pounds at the Showcase and recorded a pro-agility time of 4.38 and a 40 time of 4.8 seconds, which was the second fastest among the 2023 quarterbacks there.
Merrell has good speed, quickness and athleticism and should have a good season this fall. He has enough athletic traits that he may end up as a defensive back at the next level if schools aren’t willing to give him a shot as a quarterback.
Jordan Minter Jordan Minter 6'0" | 155 lbs | QB Francis Howell North | 2023 MO , Howell North
Measuring in at 6-0 and 173 pounds, Minter ran a 4.99 40 and recorded a pro-agility time of 5 seconds. He’s coming off a junior season where he completed 49.2 percent of his passes for 364 yards, with four touchdowns and five interceptions, and ran for 170 yards and four touchdowns.
SLMFCA Showcase Coverage
Quarterbacks | Running Backs | Wide Receivers | Offensive/Defensive linemen