2026 Stock-Risers: Quarterbacks

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We recently dropped our&nbsp;<a href="https://prepredzone.com/north-carolina/rankings/2026-rankings/">final 2026 rankings update</a>, so it's time to break down some of the players who moved in the rankings. Overall, we had 72 stock-risers, guys who moved up at least five spots in the rankings. After going&nbsp;<a href="https://prepredzone.com/2025/12/behind-the-scenes-of-the-final-2026-rankings/">behind the scenes</a>&nbsp;of this final update, we're looking at every quarterback who moved up at least seven spots in our final 2026 rankings.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><a href="https://prepredzone.com/2025/12/2026-stock-risers-skill-positions/">Skill-Position Stock-Risers</a></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">2026 Quarterback Stock-Risers</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1937885"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-69543d595b20c"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Harvey hit our radar late in the last cycle, and we ranked him before I had the chance to really dive into his film. But after doing some more research, we realized how underranked we had the 8-man star. As one coach put it, he's among the best non-11-man quarterbacks in the country, able to deliver over the middle with precision and velocity.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1626301"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-69543d595b27a"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Nothing really changed on film for Richardson over the last half of the season. Rather, our appreciation for the type of player Richardson has always been simply grew. He has a skill set that is becoming more popular in the modern game as a guy who loves to take the ball out of spread formations and deliver quickly and accurately, where his receivers can maximize their yards after the catch. He completed over 65% of his passes over the last month of the season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1337049"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-69543d595b2cb"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Jones has the size, arm talent, and accuracy to be a solid college starter, and he finished the year as the state's top passer in both yardage and touchdowns. Kinston's coaching staff trusted him to make every throw in the playbook, and he consistently delivered, finishing as a 67% passer. He's critically underrecruited.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1278670"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-69543d595b317"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">There's some projection needed here, as Norris comes from a run-heavy high school offense, but the 6'3", 170-pounder has a rocket for an arm and flashed the ability to hit throws to every level of the field. He's gotten some late traction on the recruiting trail and we think he's a guy who could learn quickly at the college level.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1228977"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-69543d595b368"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">We've seen Cato numerous times in camp settings, and over the last year, he's refined his throwing mechanics, making him a true Division 1 college prospect. He has great size and a strong arm, and his accuracy has steadily improved over the last three seasons.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Other 2026 QB Stock-Risers</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1671861' first='Grant' last='Lawless']</strong>, East Lincoln</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='690769' first='Gannon' last='Jones']</strong>, Cardinal Gibbons</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='870217' first='Tanner' last='Payne']</strong>, West Carteret</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1099168' first='Lan' last='Farmer']</strong>, Shelby</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1243204' first='Aiden' last='Smalls']</strong>, Clayton</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='771299' first='Kaleb' last='Williams']</strong>, Rolesville</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>There's plenty to come as we put a bow on the 2026 class. <em>Want to share Prep Redzone with a friend? Promo code Helms30 will get them 30% off their first billing cycle for any subscription</em></em>.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->