Small-town Sleepers: 5 QBs Worthy of Attention
Even at the small school level, football in Georgia is super competitive. While these players might not get the recruiting attention that many of the bigger schools kids get, they work hard in their own right and should be recognized…
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Continue ReadingEven at the small school level, football in Georgia is super competitive. While these players might not get the recruiting attention that many of the bigger schools kids get, they work hard in their own right and should be recognized for it. Here are 5 QBs at the small school level that caught my eye on tape.
Brayden Gay
Brayden Gay
Brayden Gay is a highly productive rising senior from the Macon area with some impressive gamesmanship. Gay plays with outstanding timing, which unlocks several throws to all areas of the field when you factor in his adequate arm strength. He is not afraid to throw the ball over the middle of the field, quickly snapping his eyes to the area and following with his feet and the rest of his throwing motion. He possesses good pocket awareness, vacating the pocket by climbing and spilling out instead of bailing out the back door. When throwing on the run, he does a good job of settling his feet down and firing off a clean platform. Gay might not be an elite athlete, but he is experienced and commands the game well. He would be a valued addition for some smaller schools.
Kade Smith
Kade Smith
Kade Smith led Trion to a dominate 11-1 season as a junior, and did so with both his arm and his legs. He sports a stout 5’10 frame, almost looking more like a RB than he does a QB. He runs with a low center of gravity in the open field, allowing him to drop his shoulder and tack on a few extra yards at the end of his runs. He sells the option game well and allows his blockers to get out ahead of him on draw plays. He is speedy enough to break down defenders and weave, but his run game is predicated on his patience and vision. As a passer, he makes several tight window, RPO throws, quickly pulling the ball from the belly of the RB and rocketing it into the hands of his WR. He is also a baseball player, so the ability to “turn two” by flicking his wrist translates. Smith is a gritty, experienced QB with some wins under his belt. He would benefit from playing in an offense that gives him the ability to take some of the pressure off of his arm with his legs.
Lawson Sullivan Lawson Sullivan 6'0" | 175 lbs | QB Fannin County | 2025 GA
Lawson Sullivan Lawson Sullivan 6'0" | 175 lbs | QB Fannin County | 2025 GA
Lawson Sullivan Lawson Sullivan 6’0″ | 175 lbs | QB Fannin County | 2025 GA is a linear-built QB prospect with impressive playmaking ability as a runner. He comes in at a lanky 6’0 172, flashing some long strides and the ability to pick up some momentum as he trucks down the field. He isn’t just limited to his linear speed, however. He fires his feet and steps on the toes of defenders when he changes direction, allowing him to jump across the face of defenders and create instant separation. His speed and rushing ability jumps off the tape, but he does have some upside as a passer too. He can attack the middle of the field, accurately delivering the football into tight areas and leading his receivers away from chaos. Sullivan is extremely underrated and should generate some recruiting buzz, even if someone wants him to play a different position.
Kam’Ryn Everett
Kam’Ryn Everett
Kam’Ryn Everett is yet another talented athlete playing the QB position, and he too can set the tone in the passing and running game. As a passer, he has a whipping style delivery, aggressively cutting through the ball and firing it with a tight trajectory. This allows him to tight rope the ball into tight windows and quickly hit receivers coming back to the QB in the chest. He absolutely can be a dangerous scrambler, but he does a good job of being patient in the pocket and plays with calm feet. He gets drawn up opportunities to carry the ball in the designed QB run and option game. From those reps, his explosiveness and acceleration are on full display, quickly getting up to his top speed and building away from defenses. Everett is a talented, multi-sport athlete with his best football ahead of him. He would be an intriguing addition for some smaller schools looking to bank on his upside.
Blaise Thomas
Blaise Thomas
Thomas garnered plenty of experience and wins under his belt as an underclassman. Now, headed into his junior season, he should be getting more and more ready to take that next step. He is a stout, shorter QB prospect at 5’11 170. He isn’t super speedy, but he can be a chain mover with his legs and does a good job of selling the fake on option plays. At the end of runs, he isn’t afraid to drop his shoulder and tack on a few extra. As a passer, he had a clunkier delivery but was still able to pop the ball off his hand. As I watched more of his tape, his delivery and release steadily looked more crisp. He is not hesitant at all to take the deep shot, stepping into his throws and launching downfield with good trajectory. When out on the run, the entire field is unlocked as he is not afraid to throw back across the field, even if to a fault. As he develops and gains more experience, the INT numbers should drop and his command for the offense should only get better. There is plenty developmental upside here.