Deep Dive: Durham/Orange County QBs

Now that I'm finally back in North Carolina, we can go a bit deeper with our coverage. I'm going to drop top player lists by position for some of the counties around me in the Raleigh-Durham area, much like <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2025/03/deep-dive-top-mecklenburg-county-quarterbacks/">Matt Morrow has done in Charlotte</a>. In these articles, we will share why these players are ranked and their best attributes as potential college-level football players in their respective futures.   Monday, I looked at <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2025/04/deep-dive-wake-county-qbs/">Wake County</a>, and Tuesday I combined Johnston and Harnett County. Now, I'm deep diving into Durham County.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Top 5 Durham/Orange County QBs</h2>    Broadway has been on our radar for a while and college teams have responded to his excellent sophomore season by stepping in with a few early offers. An improvisor, Broadway is at his best when things break down. He's a plus athlete, but still prefers to pass first when breaking contain. That's led to some monster numbers, as he averaged almost 14 yards an attempt last year. Not only is he the top quarterback in our Durham County rankings, he's one of the top quarterbacks in the state.     After transferring in from Hillside, Melton surprised a lot of people last season with just how efficiently he ran Jordan's offense. Plenty of folks though they'd be as run-heavy as anyone, but Melton gave the offense a legitimate passing threat, throwing for 22 touchdowns and just three interceptions. With the exception of three of the state's heaviest hitters, Jordan ran through its competition last season en route to a 10-3 season, largely thanks to the dual0-threat abilities of Melton.     Zimmerman played in the season opener, but didn't secure the starting job until mid-October, when he started Chapel Hill on its best run of the season. The overall volume wasn't there, as he played just five games and attempted just 62 passes last season. However, the flashes were there, as his velocity is evident on film. He also scored threw for seven touchdowns and just one pick, something we like to see.     A boom-or-bust passer, Stevenson struggled to maintain consistent accuracy last year, but when he hit, he hit big. As the season progressed, Stevenson settled in as a passer and begam to find his rhythm. He's an electric runner who can make highlight plays when things break down. The key will be consistent reps for Stevenson. The potential is through the roof, if he can continue to develop.     Another dual-threat guy, Belcher wasn't asked to do too much as a sophomore, averaging about 12 attempts per game, but when things went well for Belcher, Riverside-Durham benefitted. In his final two games of the season, Belcher threw for 329 yards on 70% completion percentage. He didn't run a lot, but when he did, he was effective, eating up yards in a hurry.    Want to make sure you're on our radar or raise your stock? Sign up for our <a href="https://events.prepredzone.com/e/1488/register/combine-series-north-carolina">2025 Spring Combine</a> at Clayton High School on May 4. Use offer code ‘HelmsCombine25' to get $10 off your registration. Prep Redzone and college scouts will be in attendance to evaluate prospects as they go through combine drills, position work, and 1-on-1s.

Now that I'm finally back in North Carolina, we can go a bit deeper with our coverage. I'm going to drop top player lists by position for some of the counties around me in the Raleigh-Durham area, much like Matt Morrow has done in Charlotte. In these articles, we will share why these players are ranked and their best attributes as potential college-level football players in their respective futures.