Best Players Available: 2024 QBs Part 2
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I wanted to pay some homage to those who got slept on and weren’t ranked before the season but had a phenomenal senior year. I collected over 20 of the top uncommitted QBs from the class of 2024, broke down…
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Continue ReadingI wanted to pay some homage to those who got slept on and weren’t ranked before the season but had a phenomenal senior year. I collected over 20 of the top uncommitted QBs from the class of 2024, broke down their film, and provided their stats from the previous season. We have 1,000-yard passers, elite athletes, and unoffered dogs. Enjoy!
Noah Morris Noah Morris 5'8" | 165 lbs | QB Park Rapids | 2024 MN 5’8″ 160 lbs Park Rapids 3.94 GPA
Season Stats: 10 GP, 2098 Total Yards, 29 T0T
A two-way starter for Park Rapids, Morris is yet to snag his first offer but is more than deserving of it. He’s a dual-threat QB who can score as easily with his legs as with his arm. He has quick footwork and a fast release. Morris is patient when in the pocket and works calmly through his reads. When pressure comes he has no issues extending the play until he can find an open man downfield. As a ball carrier, Morris is elusive. He can slide in and out of tackles and is tough to bring down.
Ayden Helder Ayden Helder 6'2" | 195 lbs | QB Stewartville | 2024 State MN 6’2″ 205 lbs Stewartville 3.75 GPA
Offers: UW-Eau Claire, Macalester
Season Stats: 12 GP, 135/189, 71.4% Completion Percentage, 2352 Total Yards, 40 TOT, 1 Int, 143.9 Passer Rating
I am a 100% believer that Helder has an FBS upside. Anyone with a 40/1 TD-Int ratio deserves a serious look from college coaches, and simply put, Helder is special. Good frame, a sound GPA, and outstanding high school tape. In the pocket, he’s cool, calm, and collected. He can rocket balls into tight windows as well as anyone in the state. His vision of the field is immaculate, he rarely makes the wrong read and knows exactly when he needs to scramble. His ball placement is top-notch and I would be ecstatic if the Gophers slid him an offer.
Nick Walter Nick Walter 5'11" | 185 lbs | QB Annnadale | 2024 State MN 5’11” 185 lbs Annandale 3.98 GPA
Offers: Gustavus, St. Olaf
Season Stats: N/A (Not recorded online)
The fact that Walter only has a pair of MIAC offers astounds me. He’s got a cannon and does an excellent job of threading the ball into tight windows. His speed for a QB is crazy and consistency in leading his receivers is fantastic. He can heave passes downfield off-balance and shows proficiency at throwing on the run. When he’s in the pocket and sees a defender bearing down on him, Walter dances around, scans downfield for a receiver, and then delivers a strike for a giant gain.
Brayden Windschitl Brayden Windschitl 6'2" | 175 lbs | QB Chanhassen | 2024 MN 6’2″ 175 lbs Chanhassen
Season Stats: 12 GP, 106/178, 59.6% Completion Percentage, 2161 Total Yards, 25 TOT, 6 Ints, 115.6 Passer Rating
The QB for one of the best teams in the state, Windschitl has been electric during his senior campaign. What Windschitl is, is a playmaker. Whether it be standing and striking in the pocket, or commanding a read-option play, Windschitl sees success everywhere. He rips deep balls across the field and does an excellent job of always placing the ball just out of the defender’s reach. He’ll throw it on a rope and torch you, or he’ll dice you up with short quick passes. Either way, he’s going to find a way to win.
Rees Grimsrud 6’2″ 180 lbs Rochester Mayo
Season Stats: 10 GP, 173/277, 62.5% Completion Percentage, 2170 Passing Yards, 19 TDs, 6 Ints, 100.6 Passer Rating
A talented gunslinger with a big arm, Grimsrud is among the best QBs in the state without an offer. With a fantastic pocket presence, he can confidently deliver balls across the field even with giant defensive linemen bearing down on him. He’s a lofting deadeye. He can lob the ball perfectly over defender’s heads right into his receiver’s breadbasket. With stunning vision and an elite completion percentage, it shocks me that he hasn’t found a few offers yet.
Jacob Ginskey 6’1″ 190 lbs Owatonna 4.06 GPA
Season Stats: 11 GP, 158/263, 60.1% Completion Percentage, 2547 Passing Yards, 25 TOT, 4 Ints, 112.8 Passer Rating
One of the breakout players of the year, Ginskey balled out during his senior year for the Huskies. A pocket-passer with consistently great ball placement, Ginskey’s senior tape and stats speak for themselves. He can stretch the field pretty easily with his arm and shows off fantastic pocket presence when he bounces around when there’s pressure. He rarely takes sacks and his ability to repeatedly hit tight windows in traffic is uncanny. How Ginskey doesn’t have an offer is beyond me
Eli Hoelz 6′ 170 lbs Brainerd 3.98 GPA
Season Stats: 10 GP, 89/148, 60.1% Completion Percentage, 2145 Total Yards, 27 TOT, 4 Ints, 116.4 Passer Rating
The true definition of an athlete, Hoelz can play pretty much anywhere on the field. He switched to QB this year out of necessity but has shown that he has the talent to line up as a wideout as well. I had the pleasure of getting to watch him cook my alma mater with both his arm and his legs. Brainerd’s offense was able to stretch the field with numerous creative route combinations, and combined with Hoelz’s big arm and vision, he was able to torch a majority of defenses his season.
Jacob Mattick 6’3″ 180 lbs Coon Rapids
Season Stats: 7 GP, 77/129, 59.7% Completion Percentage, 1106 Passing Yards, 17 TOT, 2 Ints, 119.8 Passer Rating
A breakout player last season, Mattick had no issues showcasing his abilities during his senior campaign. I’ve been high on Mattick as a prospect for a while. He’s got an absolute cannon for an arm and loves to make defenses miserable deep. He loves 50/50 balls and back-shoulder fades, but has shown the ability to cook defenses with shorter throws too. His ball placement is often stellar and he rarely turns the ball over. He’s a sleeper prospect with a high collegiate upside.
Clay Erickson 6′ 180 lbs Pequot Lakes 3.83 GPA
Season Stats: 8 GP, 59/97, 59.8% Completion Percentage, 925 Yards, 13 TOT, 4 Ints, 114.0 Passer Rating
A key part of the reason that Pequot Lakes had an 8-2 record with a section finals appearance, was Erickson’s play. Despite all of this, Erickson remains drastically overlooked when it comes to recruiting. Against some of the top teams in the state, Erickson showed off his talented arm, but better mechanics and ball placement. He’s capable of making plays with his legs, but if you get him in a pass-heavy offense, I think you’ll start to see how talented he is. He’s got a funky release and has a knack for making plays.
Deshaun Pongsak 6’2″ 200 lbs Brooklyn Center
Offers: St. Olaf, Hamline, Augsburg
Season Stats: 8 GP, 64/148, 43.2% Completion Percentage, 915 Yards, 12 TOT, 4 Ints, 70.6 Passer Rating
A solid athlete who boasts 3 MIAC offers, Pongsak boasts a well-put-together frame, as well as a lightning-quick release. He’s shown the ability to zip balls into tight windows, as well as float them deep over defender’s heads. He’s not the fastest ball carrier, but he consistently makes the right decision on whether to pitch or keep it. He can also run a defender over when needed. His vision as a ball carrier is pretty good, but his unique release allows him to throw the ball around defenders to find the open man.
Colby Milbrandt 6′ 190 lbs Ogilvie
Season Stats: 9 GP, 53/95, 55.8% Completion Percentage, 1376 Total Yards, 33 TOT, 8 Ints, 94.6 Passer Rating
A multi-year starter and a 9Man standout, Milbrandt is someone I slept on early on, but no longer. For a few weeks, he led the state in rushing touchdowns, which should clue you into his dual-threat abilities. If he played for a 4A program, Milbrandt would be lighting up recruiting boards. He has one of the biggest arms in his class and is often one of the quickest players on the field, especially when he’s got the ball in his hands. If you want to be amazed and find an absolute diamond in the rough, Milbrandt is your guy.
Cole Gerrell Cole Gerrell 5'11" | 175 lbs | QB Forest Lake | 2024 MN 6’1″ 175 lbs Forest Lake 4.1 GPA
Offers: Bethel
Season Stats: 8 GP, 46/84, 54.8% Completion Percentage, 796 Total Yards, 9 TOT, 4 Ints, 87.5 Passer Rating
While his season was cut short due to injury, I believe that getting Gerrell would be a steal for most programs. He was a standout when I saw him at the 612QBs offensive showcase, but I didn’t get to see how quick he was there. He can rocket deep balls when on the run and makes difficult cross-body throws look easy. One thing about his film that I noticed and really liked is his ability to successfully roll out to both sides. Gerrell has a good arm, and he can drop dimes deep, college coaches get on him!
Elliott Viland Elliott Viland 5'10" | 160 lbs | ATH Bethlehem Academy | 2024 State MN 5’9″ 175 lbs Bethlehem Academy 3.6 GPA
Offers: Mankato State
Season Stats: 9 GP, 130/218, 59.6% Completion Percentage, 1959 Yards, 29 TOT, 4 Ints, 121.2 Passer Rating
A dynamic two-way player for the Bethlehem Academy Cardinals, Viland is an athlete with a high ceiling on both sides of the ball. As a QB, I see shades of more athletic college Jake Fromm. He’s legitimately athletic enough to play any skill position and gives phenomenal effort wherever he’s put. His athleticism is really on display when the pocket collapses, Viland does an excellent job of weaving and ducking defenders before scrambling for big gains. While his upside as a DB is tremendous, don’t sleep on his ability to sling the rock.