Building the Perfect Player: WV's Ultimate '26 QB

<p><strong><em>The Combine Series Camp is returning to WV on May 3rd at the Highlands Sports Complex in Triadelphia, WV! Code PRZWVCombine25 will give you a discount when you registe</em>r <a href="https://events.prepredzone.com/e/1484/register/combine-series-west-virginia">HERE</a><em>!</em></strong></p>   <p>Every football fan has done it — imagined the perfect quarterback built from the best traits of different players. A cannon for an arm, pinpoint accuracy, the mobility to escape pressure, and the ability to take over a game when it matters most. West Virginia's 2026 class is loaded with talented quarterbacks, each bringing something unique to the table. So, what if we took the best of the best and stitched them together into a single, unstoppable signal-caller? Let's break it down.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>SIZE AND FRAME</strong></h2>    <p class="text-gray-700">Size is always one of the first traits that coaches at the next level look for in a recruit regardless of position but feels even more important for quarterbacks. Having the length to see the field over your large offensive line is a key factor for the position and being able to absorb hits with a strong frame during a long season is also essential. Nicholas County QB [player_tooltip player_id='1052799' first='Coleton' last='Hellems'] has both the length and frame that colleges will like and identify right away when evaluating his film and seeing him in person at 6'3 205. Hellems is a quality overall athlete to pair with his ideal size rushing for 200 yards and 7 scores as a junior and doubling as a talented baseball prospect as well. Taking a step forward in the passing game as a senior will be important for his potential future as a football prospect, but Hellems has the size and frame to be versatile as an athlete and continue developing in that area. </p>     <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>ARM STRENGTH</strong></h2>    <p class="text-gray-700">Everyone loves when a quarterback can flick his wrist and drive the ball 60+ yards down the field as arm strength has become the top trait in quarterbacks that opens eyes. 2026 Linsly QB [player_tooltip player_id='402801' first='Braden' last='Wade'] is the clear leader in his class in that regard as an effortless passer who can hit defenses over the top or show off his velocity between the hashes and working the sidelines. Wade threw for 2,200 yards and 17 touchdowns for the Cadets in 2024 against quite possibly the toughest schedule in the state. He's impressive to watch in person and can make wow throws from a variety of arm angles and platforms that have become popular for the position in recent years. Wade has a natural feel as a passer and is well-developed for the position as a prospect we could see FCS schools offering with a strong senior year. </p>     <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>ACCURACY</strong></h2>    <p class="text-gray-700">2026 Princeton QB [player_tooltip player_id='1011963' first='Chance' last='Barker'] has taken the state by storm since taking over as the Tigers' starter in 2023 as a sophomore. He's thrown for over 6,000 yards and 85 touchdowns to just 7 interceptions in two years completing just under 70% of his passes. With numbers like those, Barker is no question the most accurate quarterback in the state with balls rarely hitting the ground or finding defenders' hands. He's the most well-rounded quarterback in the 2026 class in our eyes with the accuracy to hit receivers in tried 30+ yards down the field, firing missiles over the middle of the field, and showing touch when lobbing balls over defenders. Barkers throws a very catchable ball and is mechanically sound which directly relates to his impressive accuracy numbers. </p>     <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>POCKET PRESENCE</strong></h2>    <p class="text-gray-700">When building the perfect quarterback, pocket presence is ever so important for the position as pass rushing has become a crucial part of defenses with teams throwing the ball more every year. Lincoln's [player_tooltip player_id='1234064' first='AJ' last='Bart'] shows excellent awareness in the pocket on his junior highlight tape and is tricky for defenses to contain. He's not who we would consider a true dual-threat quarterback, but Bart is a magician in the pocket. He can make wow plays avoiding arm tackles and escaping the pocket to make a play down the field. Bart is also very good at stepping up in the pocket while keeping his eyes downfield and not panicking when it collapses. His footwork aids in this regard as well while having the improvisation ability to drive opposing defensive coordinators crazy. </p>     <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>MOBILITY</strong></h2>    <p class="text-gray-700">Preston's [player_tooltip player_id='894935' first='Slaton' last='Manko'] had a great season for the Knights as a passer and a runner as one of the more mobile quarterbacks in the 2026 class. Manko threw for just under 1,800 yards and 18 touchdowns to pair with his nearly 700 yards and 9 touchdowns on the ground as a dual-threat athlete. He's a bit smaller in stature, but Manko is a tough gritty player with athleticism to really hurt defenses with his legs. Manko's mobility shows up in more areas than just as a runner as he shows the ability to escape the pocket and throw accurately on the run. A college can build an RPO-style offense around Manko as he's proven to be talented in his own right as a passer as well and is one of the more underrated players in the state in the 2026 class. </p>     <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>ATHLETICISM</strong></h2>    <p class="text-gray-700">The most well-rounded quarterback in the 2206 class athletically is Greenbrier East's [player_tooltip player_id='1052776' first='Brody' last='Hamric']. Hamric just wrapped up another very good basketball season for the Spartans and is also a highly-ranked prospect by our sister site Prep Hoops WV. At 6'3 170, Hamric has the length and athleticism to give him a high ceiling as a quarterback prospect where he's currently ranked #3 for his position in the 2026 class. He's still developing as a passer, but Hamric has the athletic tools to keep improving in that area. He's the type of athlete who could also potentially move to WR in college if he doesn't elect to play basketball and could excel at that position as well based on his raw athletic ability. </p>     <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>MECHANICS</strong></h2>    <p class="text-gray-700">Mechanically, 2026 Doddridge County quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='867726' first='Brysen' last='Dixon'] is at the top of the list in his class. He's someone who puts in a ton of work for his craft on his own time and works hard in the off-season at camps and with trainers like QB Vision to be mechanically sound. We've gotten to see Dixon in person at various camps including both of our camps held in West Virginia and is one of the most improved prospects in the 2026 class since first seeing him as a freshman JV player. Dixon has sound footwork in the pocket on his dropbacks under center and in shotgun with overall quality pocket presence as well. He also does a nice job squaring his shoulders when throwing on the run and putting his body in a position to throw accurately. Dixon's release is smooth, and he has a full extention trajectory which is crucial given his physical limitations. </p>

The Combine Series Camp is returning to WV on May 3rd at the Highlands Sports Complex in Triadelphia, WV! Code PRZWVCombine25 will give you a discount when you register HERE!