612 QBs Final Summer Session: Top Performers Pt. 2

Continuing my coverage of the final summer session of the 612QBs practices, I have eight more athletes who stood out to me. They're spread across different points in their careers, but each showed flashes of brilliance I can't wait to highlight.    There were a bunch of QBs representing St. Thomas Academy, and Siemon was one of the most impressive. He was one of the bigger kids there and hit a number of deep balls throughout the evening that caught my attention. His best balls came on seam routes, but he also hit a pair of red zone wheels that were perfectly timed. From the outside looking in, there doesn't appear to be a solidified QB1 with their previous one graduating last spring. With what I saw on Sunday, Siemon could contend for that spot.     The winner of the "look the part" award, Kovall has by far the most impressive and college-ready frame out of all the prep athletes at the practice. He moves well for his size and has an eye-catching arm talent with legit potential. Kovall excelled at hitting intermediate and deep routes throughout the night. Posts and fades looked to be his bread and butter. He was injured most of his junior year, but he looks to be gearing up for something special during his senior campaign. He's currently vastly underrecruited, and whoever lands him is getting a steal.     A rising 2028 prospect who could continue to make waves during his sophomore campaign, Macken looked far more experienced than someone who had a single year of football at the high school level. He's particularly adept with short, quick routes, as he hit several slants with well-placed balls throughout the evening. He's bigger than most sophomores, and when I compared his showing at the practice with his freshman tape, he's improved by leaps and bounds. I don't know if he'll see a lot of varsity time as a sophomore, but Macken is a name to watch over the next few seasons.     Klinge is a true 6'3" 200 lbs, and physically looked closer to some of the college QBs than his high school junior counterparts. He's the presumed QB1 for St. Paul Como Park Cougars come this fall, and given how he looked on Sunday, there's a lot to be excited about. The kid can sling the rock. Intermediate routes are where Klinge made his money, but he also showed he could loft deep balls. Klinge has some potential and should be watched closely over his junior and senior seasons.     Another legit QB prospect out of America's Dairyland, Smith, gave a good account of himself during the night practice. He'll be entering his second season as a varsity starter this fall, and that shows in the way he carries himself. On the field, Smith was dropping dimes to wideouts across all three levels. He puts both a fine touch and zip on his deep balls, but his play all around was very impressive. I'd love to see more of Smith at camps and combines in the future.     One of a handful of 2029 QBs who looked way ahead of their curve, Tesfai seems ready for a breakout freshman season at the prep level. Not only was he in the upper echelon of underclassmen in terms of arm talent and the throws he was able to make, but he was also an extremely personable kid. Out of all the 28s/29s, Tesfai was among those who were able to push the ball the furthest downfield. He's able to throw a tight spiral and get the ball out quickly on short routes.     Weitzel is likely competing for the vacant QB1 role for the Stillwater Ponies in a couple of weeks, and after last Sunday, I can see why. The kid is confident, friendly, and has shown the ability to compete with his high-level peers. He excels at hitting receivers as they break out of their routes, and his release is both smooth and natural. His ball placement on short routes was stellar, and he threw some of the best slant routes out of his group. I also noticed his footwork was quicker than other 2028s. Even if Wietzel doesn't snag that starting role this fall, he's a prospect to know going forward.     I did NOT think Kremer was a sophomore when I laid eyes on him, and that is because this kid is every bit of 6'3". He can loft balls deep with ease, but I think his best performances were during the red zone drills. There were a bunch of well-timed wheel routes that Kremer threw, as well as some quick slants and curls. If he can stay in the lab and continue to improve, Kremer could transform into a solid varsity QB.

Continuing my coverage of the final summer session of the 612QBs practices, I have eight more athletes who stood out to me. They're spread across different points in their careers, but each showed flashes of brilliance I can't wait to highlight.