Top 5 Class of 2023 Quarterbacks in Orange County
Nationwide, the class of 2023 is loaded with top quarterbacks. The Elite 11 had a very good field and it stacked up well against previous years of the event. Orange County has its deepest class of quarterbacks in recent years.…
Access all of Prep Redzone
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingNationwide, the class of 2023 is loaded with top quarterbacks.
The Elite 11 had a very good field and it stacked up well against previous years of the event.
Orange County has its deepest class of quarterbacks in recent years.
Here are the top five quarterbacks in Orange County’s 2023 class.
5. Trey Kukuk Trey Kukuk 6'0" | 190 lbs | QB Capistrano Valley | 2023 State CA , Capistrano Valley
Trey had the best numbers of any junior quarterback last season, throwing for 3,327 yards with 33 touchdowns and 11 rushing touchdowns. He is a mobile guy so a lot of defenses use a spy while defending him which takes someone out of the secondary and he takes advantage. His arm strength stands out when you see the zip he puts on the intermediate routes. He is accurate to all three levels of the field and can throw over the middle without sending his receivers to the emergency room. I’ve seen him play real games in person multiple times and I saw him at multiple events this offseason where he was among elite quarterbacks and blended right in. Capo is moving up to the South Coast League this year and will rely on Kukuk heavily to keep the team competitive. No offers yet for Kukuk but he took an unofficial to UNLV and has been on the camp circuit.
4. Jaxon Potter Jaxon Potter 6'4" | 180 lbs | QB Santa Margarita Catholic | 2023 State CA , Santa Margarita
Potter is every bit of 6-foot-4 and is very mechanically sound. I saw him at the Mission Viejo passing tournament recently and the touch he had on his deep balls was impressive. He has a very good arm and can get the ball up the field while throwing off-platform. His release isn’t the fastest but he gets the ball out on time and can evade pressure. He sometimes takes unnecessary risks with the ball but it pays off sometimes so I understand why. He went from always being overmatched at JSerra to having time and quality receivers at Santa Margarita so I get why he wanted to take some risks. He has a young quarterback pushing him in sophomore transfer from Colorado, Bekkem Kritza Bekkem Kritza 6'4" | 180 lbs | QB Santa Margarita Catholic | 2025 CA . Potter has offers from Alabama Birmingham and Portland State.
3. David Rasor David Rasor 6'1" | 195 lbs | QB Corona Del Mar | 2023 State CA , Corona del Mar
Every time I see Rasor play it seems like a part of his game has improved. He was always one of the more accurate high school quarterbacks I have seen, but this year he looks bigger and has greatly improved his arm strength. He makes the top performers list at every camp or showcase he has attended this offseason, particularly the Redlands camp. He has the arm to get it to any receiver on any part of the field very quickly. His coaching staff raves about him and they have coached elite quarterbacks like the Garbers brothers. He is poised for a huge senior year and is committed to UC Davis.
2. Kadin Semonza Kadin Semonza 6'0" | 190 lbs | QB Mission Viejo | 2023 State CA , Mission Viejo
Semonza has been on the scene for awhile now and the knock on him was always his size but I never agreed with that. He is such a good athlete and one of the best pure throwers of the football in the class. I’ve seen him play real games in person multiple times and beat teams with his arms and legs. I watched him at the Mission Viejo passing tournament recently and his confidence and leadership jumped out at me and you can see his teammates fully trust him. He has plus accuracy, has zip on his throws and is an elite pocket passer. He is committed to Ball State and could make an immediate impact there when he gets on campus.
1. Malachi Nelson Malachi Nelson 6'3" | 195 lbs | QB Los Alamitos | 2023 State CA , Los Alamitos
He has been the top quarterback in the class in the nation since his freshman year and he has improved steadily since then. He is the most fluid moving quarterback I’ve seen at the high school level. He can throw with accuracy and speed from multiple arm angles and on the run. He can take off and run, but when under pressure you see his eyes surveying the field and looking to get rid of the ball. He could add some muscle but mostly for durability reasons because the arm strength is there. He was committed to Oklahoma but switched to USC when Lincoln Riley became the head coach of the Trojans. 247Sports projects him to be a potential first round NFL draft pick in a few years.