Twitter Film Study Pt. 9: Seven Underclassmen QBs On The Rise
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In this edition of ‘Twitter Film Study’ we’re taking a close look at seven underclassmen quarterbacks who all look ready to make waves next season. We have two major transfers on this list and another player who has his sights…
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Continue ReadingIn this edition of ‘Twitter Film Study’ we’re taking a close look at seven underclassmen quarterbacks who all look ready to make waves next season. We have two major transfers on this list and another player who has his sights set on his first high school season. As the anticipation builds to see these budding stars get back onto the field, one thing is clear: Arizona’s football future is in good hands.
When throwing on Cam Allen Cam Allen 5’11” | 170 lbs | QB Chaparral | 2027 State AZ ‘s tape it’s easy to see why he was named BJ Media’s Freshman of the Year. He has really nice pure arm strength that allows him to just flick his wrist while fading back and still be able to get the ball to his receiver on the sideline. Allen throws the ball with impressive anticipation, espescially for a freshman. He doesn’t need to see the receiver open by multiple steps before delivering the ball. In fact, he has no problem throwing his receivers open. Leading them into open space and away from where defenders can make a play on the ball. Although he didn’t light up the rushing leaderboard, he shows an incredible ability to use his legs to improvise and make something happen for his team. Allen does have a tendency to let his front shoulder fly open slightly early at times, but he has no problem adjusting and still delivering a very cathcable ball. Perhaps his best trait is his ability to keep the ball out of harm’s way. Someone finishing their first high school season with 28 touchdowns to just three interceptions at the varsity level isn’t something you see every year; but Allen did just that. He’s plays the quarterback position like a seasoned veteran, yet he’s only a freshman. As he continues to gain experience, Allen is a player who will quickly be climbing up the rankings.
Highlights
Camar Lee Camar Lee 6’0″ | 180 lbs | QB Mountain Pointe | 2026 State AZ is such a natural athlete in the backfield. When he decides to tuck the ball and take off, his long strides have him pulling away from defenders. Not the shiftiest player, he’s got plenty of toughness to pair with just enough twitch to effectively make players miss. He also boasts a really impressive arm. Although it can be a bit of a loose cannon at times, he has the power to get the ball to any part of the field. If he can focus on his footwork within the pocket, he’ll see his game take a massive jump and be able to better protect the ball to keep drives alive. There are times where he’s in a well-protected pocket and will still rush an off-balance or flat footed throw that doesn’t always go exactly where he had planned. The flip side of that is the fact that his throws are rushed because he sees the routes developing and recognizes the opening. He’s shown the ability to work through his progressions and using his legs if nothing’s open. When he does have to leave the pocket, Lee’s form throwing on the run is immaculate and he looks natural doing it. Perhaps the most impressive part of the film alltogther was his accuracy on the run. You can tell he has great feel for his release point and gets plenty of torque behind each throw. Lee shows a level of toughness that would be impressive from any position, but even moreso from a quarterback. In situations where most quarterbacks would be sprawled on the grass looking for yellow laundry, he seems to be trying his best not to even go to the ground when he takes a big hit. With his natural ability and his football IQ, Lee is extremely close to putting it all together – and that should be scary for opposing defenses.
Highlights
Jose Cardona Jr.
Jose Cardona Jr.
Not just the quarterback, but also a defensive back and the team’s placekicker, (going 16-for-16 on PATs and 3-for-4 on FGs with a long of 43 yards) it would be an understatement to say Jose Cardona Jr. is a versatile weapon. When Maricopa’s offense takes the field the fans there tend to get quite a show from Cardona, who averaged over 200 total yards a game in his sophomore season. He has an uncanny ability to feel the rush without taking his eyes off his receivers downfield. Flowing very nicely throughout the pocket, he plays with great rhythm. Cardona’s not at all afraid to give his receivers a chance on the outside. When he gears up for one of those deep shots, his mechanics are on point – using his base, generating power with his hips, keeping his shoulders in line, and releasing the ball above his head to get it over the bigger players in the trenches. Even with his great rhythm inside the pocket, his legs are a real weapon when he breaks out of it. Cardona changes direction in an instant and immediately gets going upfield to get as many yards as he can, not afraid to lower his shoulder if he needs to. He’s another quarterback in this group that looks really comfortable throwing on the run; and his offense seemed to notice that and play to those strengths, frequently sending the linemen to roll out with him and buy him more time. Maricopa has themselves an all-around athlete at quarterback who also happens to be a great leader for their team.
Jonah Lubno Jonah Lubno 6’2″ | 185 lbs | QB Hamilton | 2027 AZ has a cannon for an arm coming out of Hamilton. Listed at 6’2” as just a freshman, he makes the deep ball look effortless. Lubno is clearly on the same page with his receivers who often break open just before getting the ball. The timing he has with seemingly his whole receiving corps is impressive. With a little bit of an elongated delivery, the first worry is it usually throws off a quarterback’s timing, but not Lubno. He’s incredibly confident in his arm, and it shows in the way he plays. He’s not at all afraid to try and fit it through a keyhole or have his receiver walk the tightrope along the sideline. Once he takes off as a runner, he has nice straight-line speed to pull away from defenders if he sees an opening. Both his rhythm inside the pocket and his ability to make defenders miss would take a massive jump if he was able to quicken up his feet a bit. There are times when his lower half seems to be a tick behind his upper half, particularly in his shorter throws. If he’s able to keep his feet firing slightly faster, it will not only help with his overall flow, but his ability to get out of trouble when the pocket breaks down as well. As it is, he has all the physical tools and seems to have a good understanding of how to attack a defense. Lubno is a player coaches will want to keep an eye on as he gets more experience against higher-level competition.
Highlights
Damir Ilicic Damir Ilicic 6’2″ | 180 lbs | QB Valley Vista | 2026 State AZ only started in two games this past season, but he was immediately able to show just how smart of a football player he is. He’s a quarterback who has the power to throw it over your entire defense, but won’t hesitate to take the short throw if that’s what’s best for the current drive. His arm strength was something I personally witnessed in action at the Throw It Deep Arizona camp, where, despite ongoing rain, he managed a 60-yard throw, snagging the victory in the deep-ball contest. Mechanically, Ilicic has really strong footwork and quick feet in the pocket. At times, it can seem like his internal clock goes off and he feels as though he has to do something with the ball, leading to some rushed throws. When he’s comfortable and protected in the pocket he becomes a force to be reckoned with, hitting receivers in stride and needing the smallest of windows to zip the ball into them. With the work he’s been putting in through the offseason, Ilicic seems ready to take a big jump heading into his junior season.
Kael Snyder Kael Snyder 6’3″ | 185 lbs | QB Perry | 2027 AZ has great length and puts it to good use. With an extremely fluid arm motion, he has a smooth delivery and the ball comes out with decent zip. As a runner, he again uses that length with really long strides giving him nice speed. Noth the shiftiest player, he’s slippery with the ball in his hands and can be really tough to bring down. Another reason he’s so tough to bring down is his strength, he can push through tackles if he needs to and has a mean stiff arm that tends to come out along the sidelines. Snyder shows really nice touch and impressive accuracy throwing over the middle of the field, which is crucial in today’s game. He does a great job of using his eyes to move defenders and open up throwing lanes. Though he doesn’t have too many opportunities to showcase his ability to go through progressions on a play, Snyder’s shown that he knows how to attack the defense. It’s more a testament to his skill players and his first read getting open so often, that there isn’t a need to go to his second. As he gets more opportunities to showcase his skillset on a higher level, there’s no doubt Snyder is going to be a player getting a lot of buzz this coming season.
Dayne Silver
Dayne Silver
Dayne Silver has the size of a college quarterback, and he hasn’t even entered high school yet. Even still, he’s already shown the ability to stand tough in the pocket and deliver accurate throws while being brought to the ground. With that much length, arm strength isn’t an issue; he can sling it all across the field. He has a tendency to drop his arm slightly when he’s gearing up for the deep ball which can occasionally cause his throw to not have the tightest spiral. If he can keep that release point up, and keep his elbow under the football, he’ll see a more crisp ball as it leaves his hand. On the ground, Silver can do some serious damage. At his size, he’s like a one-man wrecking crew and defenders don’t seem to want to get in his way. As he gets ready to enter his freshman season, there’s no doubt that Silver’s going to make waves at the high school level.