2026 Virginia Rankings Update: Quarterback Overview

<p>Rankings updated which you can find <a href="https://prepredzone.com/virginia/rankings/2026-rankings/">here</a>!</p>   <h1 class="wp-block-heading">Top Quarterback Spot</h1>    <p class="text-gray-700">A new number one, a name that is likely to surprise some. West Springfield's [player_tooltip player_id='1297629' first='Brian' last='Walrath'] was one the last passers on my list to evaluate, his tape ended up having his name leap over all 65 QBs evaluated. I will preface, not by much. The grade between O'Shea, Abernethy, and Walrath is razor thin, with a decision between the three being subjective to what I like to see on tape. Recruiting is going to have to match the high praise awarded via ranking in order for Walrath to retain this spot headed into August and September. </p>   <p>In terms of tape, not many below wowed me more than Walrath. Self-listed at 6'4, 180 pounds. 1,500+ passing yards, 14 scores to five interceptions thrown on the year. Not numbers that are going to blow anyone away, what's should blow potential suitors away are some of the tight windows Walrath has the confidence to press. Desirable pre-throw mechs and measurables. Is a baseball participant as well. Majority of splash plays come with Walrath operating in 10 personnel sets, yet 11 and even some 12 personnel sets seen run on tape. Love his base and delivery point, ball comes out high behind the ear hole. Base is a bit wide yet this might be a remnant from baseball/pitching work. Phenomenal depth perception, this ranking is complete projection of what I think is to come, based on tape and measurables evaluated beforehand. Names ranked beneath Walrath have outpaced him in terms of recruiting and production, we'll see if this is still the case come October and November.</p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/brianwalrathjr/status/1729494319491326014 </div></figure>    <h1 class="wp-block-heading">Standout Traits of Rest of Top Ten</h1>    <p class="text-gray-700">Among recruiting circles and media members I engage with, Manchester's [player_tooltip player_id='402776' first='Landen' last='Abernethy'] is the consensus pick when discussing Virginia's top 2026 passer. Recruiting backs up this notion, which is why I still like Abernethy as a Top 100 prospect. Offers received from UNC Charlotte and Appalachian State. A G5 grade awarded to a quarterback who has already received stamps of approval via G5 programs.</p>   <p>6'1, 180 pounds, measurables will have to check out in order to be a take at places like App State and Charlotte. Completed 63% of his passes last Fall, racked up 1,900+ yards from scrimmage on the way to scoring 23 total TDs to seven interceptions. Arguably the passer on this list with the highest floor, where we like Walrath with the higher ceiling. The likelihood that Abernethy puts out tape that drops him outside of the top 75 moving forward is very low. An effortless flick that gets the ball out 35+ yards in stride of his target. Can be counted to lead nines, posts, and seams without much of a hitch. Controlled and calm in the pocket, I'd go as far as to call Abernethy the most "college-ready" passer among 2026 classmates. Mechanics are replicable between reps on tape, base is consistent, same goes for accuracy targeting wideouts downfield. Can create with his legs, this is going to be a mustif his measurables stand true. More of a creator of passing lanes and windows, rather than a chain-mover, speaking of his ability to create via mobility. Odds are Abernethy will place high on our ranks moving forward regardless of outside competition.</p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/LandenAbernethy/status/1730967481055940659 </div></figure>    <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='853820' first='Calum' last='O'Shea'] </strong>- A prospect who flirted with the top QB spot. 6'2, 195, a track participant too, boasts a 4.01 GPA that is likely to open up doors for O'Shea moving forward. Fantastic lifter and sprinter, this young man is the athlete of the group. Led Battlefield to a District title (12-1 record), accounted for 40 total touchdowns on the way to doing so. 66% completion percentage, nearly eclipsing 2,000 total yards accounted for as well. Visually, O'Shea looks the part, O'Shea's accolades and production help solidify any case made in favor of the top 100 prospect. A passer who will vie for positioning atop the rankings likely for years to come. A name I'll be sharing with FCS coaches I'm close with, hopefully some will take a shot on a high-ceiling dual-threat passer. I wouldn't put S or TE out of the spectrum of possibility either, that's how fantastic an athlete O'Shea is.</p>   <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1297748' first='Tyrone' last='Jackson'] </strong>- Four passers graded out as high as number one on my board post-film study, with Lake Braddock Secondary's [player_tooltip player_id='1297748' first='Tyrone' last='Jackson'] being the fourth. 6'3, 220, didn't get to put together a full season's worth of reps on tape last Fall, still projected to perform at a high level. Frame is ideal, already filling out better than most on this list. Has had a busy off-season, visiting the likes of Morgan State, Old Dominion, and Maryland, to name a few. It's safe to say the FBS suitors recruiting Lake Braddock are well aware of Jackson's future potential. Lefty passer with outstanding arm talent, there's a ton of room for development in terms of pocket play, feet/base work, and pre-throw mechs, yet Jackosn gets the job done purely based on talent alone. If you want to get a gist of the type of athlete we have under a microscope, take a look at his rep at the 0:26 second-mark. Jackson can work mesh zone-reads with his back in shotgun sets, can pull the football, and score with his legs from legitimately anywhere out. Majority of his splash throws come on the move, both play side and backside. Love the utilization of his impromptu skills, want to see more in-rhythm passes from the pocket to certify a P4 grade.</p>   <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='853823' first='Dominic' last='Plush'] -</strong> 6'2, 200lbs. 3.97 GPA. Unsure about his weight, I see 180-185 waved around on socials. Brief time at Broad Run HS, now playing well enough to crack the top ten positionally, stationed at John Champe. Boasts a five-minute tape fully encapsulating reps on the way to being named 1st-Team 4C All-Region. O'Shea and Jackson out-rank Plush solely because of athletic profile/potential. Talking tape and production, Plush is likely in the conversation for the one spot among Virginia passers. 2,300 passing yards coupled with 22 touchdowns scored. Love the timing, pacing, and decisiveness displayed operating out of a spread/10 personnel system. Wouldn't be surprised to find out Plush is the best in-game reader/scanner based on how quickly he can get rid of the football after scanning an opposing half-field. A ton of body torque necessary to push the ball downfield, can witness Plush pushing his throwing shoulder through/over-extension. Nines, slants, wheels, seam-benders, can witness Plush connect on an extensive route tree via Hudl. A lot to like, would call him a sleeper for the one spot down the line.</p>    <p class="text-gray-700">My colleague [player_tooltip player_id='1680749' first='Carl' last='Frederick'] mentioned Miska's big arm and desirable size in a recent post regarding the South County passer. I second all things said. Carries an impressive 4.324 GPA. Is the first VA 2026 passer ranked outside the top five. This true, yet trust me when I say the margin between Miska and the top is razor-thin. As much an early-offer candidate as anyone listed above. Has seemingly beefed up this offseason. I am not around the sophomore passer, yet I've witnessed his weight jump from 185 to 200 in a matter of months. What's a bigger question I want answered? Miska is a legitimate threat to score from 50+ with his feet each snap. How will the extra weight help or hurt Miska in terms of impromptu and planned rushing opportunities? He'll likely be able to sustain hits better, both on the go as well as in the pocket. High ceiling passer. </p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/henry_miska/status/1728877901951430874 </div></figure>    <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1297853' first='William' last='Lambert']</strong> - I've spoken to a few FCS schools who are already paying close attention to all things [player_tooltip player_id='1297853' first='William' last='Lambert']. 6'3, 185 pounds, stationed at Fluvanna County HS. 4.03 GPA. Accolades came to Lambert's doorstep following an impressive Fall campaign, one that led Lambert to the endzone a total of 15 times. 1,600+ passing yards to his name, Lambert is on the cusp of being regarded as a Top150 prospect among 2026 classmates. I'm usually a bit harsh on QBs I evaluate, yet Lambert is in the discussion, along with seven other QBs, for junior interest/offers. Love the second rep on tape. FC has Lambert working under center, in an I-formation set, tasking Lambert with getting the snap, reading his X receiver, letting the ball loose after his drop, and delivering a catchable ball 35+ yards downfield, he does just that. Can function in a variety of formation/sets, will go a long way when it's time for OC suitors to deliberate on his potential. Reads the middle of the field well, anticipates crossing routes and in-routes well, especially with a clean pocket. High-arcing passer, puts a ton of air under his balls, usually serves him well, I worry about tight window throws and if Lambert has the juice to test such openings.</p>   <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='853096' first='D'Andre' last='Artis-Boone'] </strong>- Received a Division One offer out of UNC Charlotte back in April. The only passer currently offered outside of second-ranked [player_tooltip player_id='402776' first='Landen' last='Abernethy']. Would rank as a top 100 athlete easily, this rank reflects his prowess solely as a passer, still a relatively high grade. Boasts a 20-minute tape on Hudl. I recommend condensing said tape, yet the quality reps are certainly plentiful. Tough to give Artis-Boone a true evaluation. A ton of early tape has DAB launching rockets downfield for his targets to make a play on, often resulting in scores. Accuracy and arm strength is solid, would call him a capable passer at this level. An unreal improviser, can make the switch from passer to playmaker in a flash. Accelerates past defenders like a back, yet carries a DB/WR build. A lock to produce in read-option sets in the backfield. Can out-run pursuit angles. Couple this young man's athletic toolbox with an arm willing to test DBs 40+ yards downfield, you've got one hell of a weapon to deploy behind center. I've never met the young man, yet from his play-style I can almost guarantee he exudes confidence on the field. Fun tape to watch.</p>   <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1282106' first='George' last='Hall III']</strong> - Sleeper here. 6'2, 185lbs. First handful of reps on tape showcase Hall III's ability to read an outside target open and deliver a catchable ball 30+ yards downfield. Accomplishes this without an egregious hitch. Improvements can be made to add torque, all things waist down can be further fine-tuned. Love the pocket temperament, calm, feet aren't firing unnecessarily, can absorb hits at his size. Surprises when things don't go as planned. Like reps later on tape than ones shown off at its start. Reps later in tape show anticipation and decisiveness. Hitches, slants, fades, out routes, all these hit on time and in rhythm, often proving more than splash plays downfield. A serious prospect with top-five potential. </p>    <p class="text-gray-700">I'm admittedly out of the West Springfield loop. I will admit, I am unaware of previous games started, I evaluated what I had in terms of tangible tape. [player_tooltip player_id='1297867' first='Anthony' last='Bello'] doesn't have the lengthy collection of reps aligned on Hudl like many ranked above and below do. Yet, there are many things to like regarding Bello's minute-and-a-half highlight. 6'4, 210lbs, a good blend of serious reads being made, mixed together with impressive impromptu plays where Bello must rely on athleticism. Walrath's passing thread is substantially better, where Bello could provide an edge from an athletic profile perspective. Might we see Bello transition to ATH? Might I be dead wrong on all things West Springfield? These questions will be answered in time, with rankings reflecting news as they are relayed. I will say this, had Bello put forth this type of production for four/five minutes, I would consider this rank justified. Unsure currently because of limited tape. </p>    <h1 class="wp-block-heading">Five Names To Watch This Upcoming Season</h1>   <p class="text-gray-700"></p>    <p class="text-gray-700">Underrated, yet still an FCS grade provided to Western Albemarle passer [player_tooltip player_id='1297928' first='Gray' last='Heilman']. 6'3, 200lbs. Baseball participant, both pitcher and utility. Carries an impressive 4.2 GPA. Bit of a drawn-out release that takes time to fire. Accurate between the hashes when locating there. Has the hip torque to push the ball downfield. Desirable frame. Outs, sticks, slants, and hitches look to be his bread and butter. There's potential to be unlocked here. Heilman is tasked with catching the snap and firing the football away from the key-defender. There isn't too much splash or wow to his tape, which isn't a deal-breaker in my opinion. Worth noting Heilman could see play at safety next Fall. </p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/gray_heilman7/status/1726278400912896432 </div></figure>    <p></p>    <p class="text-gray-700">6'3, 190lbs. Recently visited Duquesne and Shenandoah Universities, threw the football at each. Westfield's [player_tooltip player_id='1297938' first='Ryan' last='Carlson'] is involved in a ton of play-action sets, love that he's in a system that values pacing and footwork, should bode well for his future at the next level. Emphasis on catching DBs napping, throw in Carlson's rocket for an arm and deploying Carlson and company in play-action sets almost makes too much sense. Can push the ball 40-50 yards, opposing secondaries are going to have to honor this arm while simultaneously keeping up with the run that Westfield likes to boot out of occasionally. In retrospect, I think Carlson could move up on our ranks 2-3 spots.</p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/ryancarlson22/status/1737529279401832813 </div></figure>    <p></p>    <p class="text-gray-700">6'3, 185lbs. 3.9 GPA. Not the most active on Twitter. Recently attended Maryland's prospect camp, camp held just this past weekend. Build/physique looks promising. Can tell from tape that [player_tooltip player_id='1297948' first='Jack' last='Lungren'] has an idea of where he wants to go with the football pre-snap, like that there's some sort of cerebral approach to each snap. Great in goal-line red-zone situation, accurate when converting, could get the ball out quicker here. Looks comfortable attacking a secondary through spread looks. Excited to see Lungren put things together as he continues to develop at Bishop Ireton. A quicker, snappier, looser Lungren would bolster his stock on our site. Plenty of potential to be had here, plenty of room for growth. </p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/jack_lungren/status/1775376896571683094 </div></figure>    <p></p>    <p class="text-gray-700">Posted a sophomore tape just 20 days ago, good thing too, he lands inside the top 20 at his position. Love Tyrell Grant's footwork from start to finish. Balanced, a base that doesn't widen too much. Experience working a hitch out of shotgun sets, some experience working a three-step. Love the climb into the pocket when said pocket is clean, love the resetting of base when deemed necessary. Solid physique, hopefully he's a real 6'1, 180 pounds. A track sprinter, reports a 11.01 100M time. Grant's footwork has him prepared to throw the football the second he deems a man open, thus leading to one of the better catch-to-release times among passers I've evaluated on this list. </p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/tyrellgrantjr/status/1721172032220492272 </div></figure>    <p></p>    <p class="text-gray-700">Would likely see a bump in rank had he played more than six games. Still a relatively high grade considering that fact. 6'2, 185lbs, 4.0 GPA. Is a three-sport athlete. 12 total touchdowns to his name, averaging two a game from his QB position. Eclipsed the 1,200 scrimmage yard mark. A ten-game season could have Colonial Forge's [player_tooltip player_id='853812' first='Brock' last='Brimhall'] hitting the 2k mark. Was previously ranked inside the top ten before more passers were found. Still holds that type of ceiling, just want to see more production all-around. Expect Brimhall to leap back into the top 15 after his junior season at CFHS.</p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/Brock_Brimhall/status/1743297474691735664 </div></figure>    <p></p>

Rankings updated which you can find here!