Class of 2025 Quarterback Room Nothing Short of Absurd

The quarterbacks in the Class of 2025 are collectively putting themselves into the conversation for the best this state has ever seen.    At the very least, this group is challenging the 2014 class led by Jacob Park, Mason Rudolph and Shuler Bentley or the 2002 class that included at least six NCAA Division-I signees. And the current crop of rising seniors doesn't look like it's slowing down any time soon.   Want to know how loaded this 24-player quarterback room is?    Our 22nd ranked quarterback - Woodmont's [player_tooltip player_id='421471' first='Jordan' last='Sink'] (No. 156 overall) - threw for 1,873 yards and 16 touchdowns last season in 11 games and has already picked up an offer from Jacksonville State.    Our 11th best - Lewisville's [player_tooltip player_id='809751' first='Ian' last='Grissom'] (No. 79 overall) - passed for 2,615 yards and 35 touchdowns while throwing only four interceptions in 170 pass attempts.    Our sixth best - Bamberg-Ehrhardt's [player_tooltip player_id='464885' first='Chanston' last='Crosby'] (No. 47 overall) - threw for 3,358 yards, led his team to the Class A Lower State final and is verbally committed to Georgia State.    You can see where we're going with this.    The signal callers of the junior class lit up score boards galore last fall, and early indications are that their phones have been, are and will continue to be lit up by recruiters. Now's a good chance to mention that our rankings often differ from those of other services. We tend to value high school production a little more than some of our competitors and college potential a little less.   Yet, sometimes, those two things aren't exactly creating a sliver in the Venn diagram.   Talent can lead to production can lead to recruiting hype can lead to actual recruiting, after all.   And in South Carolina, 2025 is checking all those boxes when it comes to the quarterbacks.   One of the interesting dynamics of this class is that none of the quarterbacks can be considered statues. Almost all of them move pretty well when it comes time to leave the pocket. Yet, few fit into the old-school mold of the “dual threat” label.   The ones who do fit that billing each do it in their own special way.   Look at [player_tooltip player_id='1158040' first='Colten' last='Bagwell'] (Wren). At 5-foot-8 and hovering around the 170-pound mark, he was one of a small number of quarterbacks to throw and rush for at least 1,000 yards this season. He finished his junior year with 1,534 passing yards and 14 touchdowns and 1,166 yards and another 14 touchdowns. The Hurricanes scored 53 offensive touchdowns as a team, so clearly his value to Wren football is sky high.   Barnwell's [player_tooltip player_id='272720' first='Cameron' last='Austin'] is right there, too. After throwing for 1,765 yards, rushing for another 911 and putting up 32 total touchdowns, the Warhorse coaching staff has already said it's going all in with Austin next season.     The two gold standards of this class when it comes to the guys who can do serious damage with their legs both reside in the Midlands.   Irmo's [player_tooltip player_id='272713' first='AJ' last='Brand'] rushed for 1,113 yards and 17 touchdowns this year to go along with his 2,932 passing yards and 45 passing touchdowns. That ability to move and do so on queue or in the rare times the pocket collapsed are ultimately what turned him into a quarterback getting some lower Division-I offers into one attracting Power 5 interest.   Just down the road at Richland Northeast, another coach's son has been prolific, too. [player_tooltip player_id='272698' first='Will' last='Wilson'] rushed for 1,527 yards and 25 scores while throwing for another 2,337 yards and 22 touchdowns. His arm will always be priority No. 1. But after he rushed for 401 yards on 16 carries against Bluffton to open the playoffs, he only made himself more difficult to game plan against.     The downright absurdity of this quarterback room goes back to the arm talent it collectively possesses. How about this figure?    Ten players among them threw for at least 2,500 yards this past season.   [player_tooltip player_id='346199' first='Landon' last='Sharpe'] White Knoll - 2,521 yards, 29 touchdowns   [player_tooltip player_id='809751' first='Ian' last='Grissom'] Lewisville - 2,615 yards, 35 touchdowns   [player_tooltip player_id='463121' first='Austyn' last='Grady'] Northwood Academy - 2,767 yards, 24 touchdowns    [player_tooltip player_id='241044' first='Finley' last='Polk'] Northwestern - 2,902 yards, 38 touchdowns   [player_tooltip player_id='1013068' first='Tucker' last='Hendrix'] Christ Church - 2,803 yards, 43 touchdowns    [player_tooltip player_id='272713' first='AJ' last='Brand'] Irmo - 2,932 yards, 45 touchdowns   [player_tooltip player_id='272715' first='Brady' last='Albro'] Chapin - 2,992 yards, 24 touchdowns   [player_tooltip player_id='367350' first='Jaden' last='Cummings'] Summerville - 2,998 yards, 32 touchdowns   [player_tooltip player_id='464885' first='Chanston' last='Crosby'] Bamberg-Ehrhardt - 3,358 yards, 25 touchdowns   [player_tooltip player_id='346189' first='Cutter' last='Woods'] Westside (pictured) - 3,915 yards, 42 touchdowns     This class isn't done yet. There are already three more quarterbacks in our evaluation process for the next rankings cycle and a few more who could edge their way into it before their high school careers are said and done.    After all, production matters. And there's plenty of it to go around in backfields all across the state.

The quarterbacks in the Class of 2025 are collectively putting themselves into the conversation for the best this state has ever seen.