Eye in the Sky: Early Reads on the 2029 Watchlist QBs, Pt. 2

There's something really fun about watching the next class of QBs start to develop, because you get this mix of raw tools, growing confidence, and those little flashes that make you stop and think, "Yeah, that kid's got a shot to be really good someday." This group of quarterbacks added to the 2029 Watchlist has a little bit of everything — big arms, natural athletes, creators on the move, rhythm throwers, and guys who already carry themselves like established quarterbacks.   They're all still young, still figuring it out, still learning what plays they can and can't get away with, but the talent is obvious across the board. And that's what makes looking at a class like this exciting: you're not judging them on what they are right now as much as what these traits can turn into once the size, strength, and experience catch up.    Kai Sharpe-Castillo is one of those young QBs where you can tell pretty quick the ball just comes out clean — smooth, natural delivery, and the football spins tight like it's on a string, which matters because it usually means the release is repeatable. He's already got a big, effortless arm for his age, and it doesn't look like he has to sell out his mechanics to drive it; the lower half is decent and he's not out here throwing everything with just his upper body. What I like most is he's not a statue either — he's got enough wiggle to extend plays when things get messy, and he stays composed while doing it, which is half the battle at this level. Add in the fact he's already shown real toughness and buy-in early in his career, and it's easy to come away thinking there's a lot to build on here.      [player_tooltip player_id='2067440' first='Maddox' last='Boyd'] is the kind of athlete who's going to stress defenses the second the game speeds up for everyone else — he's springy for his build, he can move, and he's got enough arm strength already that the ball doesn't die on him when he decides to rip it. The big thing that stands out on his tape is he's not scared to attack the middle of the field, which is rare for young QBs because that's where mistakes get punished and most kids want to live outside the numbers. When he does break the pocket, I'd love to see his eyes snap back downfield just a beat quicker instead of getting too comfortable running around, but that's one of those things that come with experience, not a red flag. With a little refinement, the raw tools are absolutely the type that can turn into a nightmare matchup.      [player_tooltip player_id='1522409' first='Amil' last='Deon'] plays quarterback with a confidence that jumps off the screen — he's calm, he's aggressive in the right way, and he's clearly not afraid to test tight windows, which is usually the separator between a kid who can run an offense and a kid who just happens to be playing the position. He's super athletic and can move, but what's encouraging is he still looks to throw first, even though he could probably rack up cheap yards with his legs at this level. He's already flashing the ability to throw from multiple arm angles, too, which tells you he's not panicking when the pocket gets weird — he's just finding a way to get the ball out clean. That creation ability fits perfectly with the type of environment he's in, because Salpointe's always going to have athletes around him, and if he keeps pairing that playmaking with the same steady, fearless mindset, his ceiling gets real interesting, real fast.   <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Game 5. Easy win but good looks. 2TDs, a few completions. Sharing QB time. <a href="https://twitter.com/247Sports?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@247Sports</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/247recruiting?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@247recruiting</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/BlairAngulo?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BlairAngulo</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/GregBiggins?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GregBiggins</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/BrandonHuffman?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BrandonHuffman</a><a href="https://twitter.com/CSing57?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CSing57</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/ChadSimmons_?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ChadSimmons_</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/On3sports?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@On3sports</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/JUSTCHILLY?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JUSTCHILLY</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/GregBiggins?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GregBiggins</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/GametimeRC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GametimeRC</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/gridironarizona?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@gridironarizona</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/PeteKnow_?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PeteKnow_</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/BJMedia1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BJMedia1</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/PrepRedzoneAZ?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PrepRedzoneAZ</a> <a href="https://t.co/UmqibQirSR">pic.twitter.com/UmqibQirSR</a>— [player_tooltip player_id='1522409' first='Amil' last='Deon'] (@AmilDeon) <a href="https://twitter.com/AmilDeon/status/1974205642085969960?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 3, 2025</a></blockquote>     [player_tooltip player_id='2067447' first='Andre' last='Hood'] is ridiculously comfortable throwing on the move for a kid this age — and that's not one of those “he can roll right and toss a little flare” compliments, I'm talking about consistently delivering real throws while drifting, escaping, resetting, and still putting it where it needs to be. The ball jumps off his hand with that wrist-flick kind of ease, and it's paired with a legit first-step burst that helps him slip sacks and turn broken pockets into extended plays. That combo — quick escape plus true throw-on-the-run ability — is a problem, because it forces secondaries to cover longer and it forces pass rushers to be perfect. And at Perry, people around that program already talk about how their younger classes are stacking up, and he looks like the type of QB who can actually maximize that kind of talent around him instead of just riding it.      [player_tooltip player_id='1588244' first='Espen' last='Rushing'] is a beast as a runner — he's got enough speed to get behind a defense and stay behind it, and he's built with a strong base so he doesn't go down easy when contact shows up. That alone makes him tough to deal with, but the passing side isn't some afterthought either; he's got real zip, and when he decides to drive it, you can feel it. Mechanically, he's not the cleanest in the world right now, and you'll see it pop up on a handful of short-armed throws or balls that sail because the platform isn't perfect, but it also doesn't feel like it's limiting him the way it does with some young QBs — it's more of a thing he can look to polish in order to level up his game rather than a fatal flaw. The part that gets me excited is he's at Red Mountain, and that's a program with coaching that's shown it can develop the position, so if the fundamentals sharpen while the running threat stays as violent as it is, he's going to be a really hard guy to gameplan for.      [player_tooltip player_id='2067544' first='Carlos' last='Serrano']'s tape makes one thing crystal clear: he loves the deep ball, and he throws a whole lot of them — and to be fair, he throws a really nice one. You can see him start to load up and he's able to get it out there and outthrow the defense when the shot is on, which is a fun weapon at any level. The question, of course, is how that translates as the competition gets faster and the windows get tighter, because right now so much of his game is built around living off explosives instead of just stacking efficient plays. The good news is he's shown flashes of being willing to work the middle and hit out-breaking routes, and there's accuracy in there that makes you think he can expand his menu — he just needs more reps and more comfort taking the underneath stuff when defenses are begging him to be patient. If the game slows down for him and the decision-making catches up to the arm talent, he's got a chance to turn that “big-play QB” vibe into a more complete profile.      [player_tooltip player_id='1941178' first='Ryan' last='Trocki'] looks every bit like a long, high-upside QB — he's 6'3" with real room to add weight, and he uses that length to his advantage because the ball comes out with some whip and zip when he turns it loose. What really sells you, though, is the timing and anticipation; the out-breakers look like they're being thrown to a spot before the receiver even fully snaps his head around, and he'll layer tight-window throws over the middle with real confidence instead of waiting for guys to be wide open. That's advanced stuff for a young QB. The next step is pretty obvious: he has to hit the weight room hard, because once he adds strength to that frame, the velocity and durability will climb and his whole game can jump a level — the foundation is already there, now it's about building the body to match it.      [player_tooltip player_id='1581653' first='Manny' last='Walker'] looked really, really good in his first year of high school ball — just a well-rounded gamer type who can do a little bit of everything without needing the game to be perfect around him. He's got enough juice to win deep when it's there, but what stands out most is the intermediate stuff: he's comfortable living in that 10–20 yard range, he'll routinely challenge tight windows, and he shows real trust in his arm instead of playing scared. He can run enough to keep defenses honest too — not necessarily the “build your offense around it” type, but the kind that punishes bad angles and buys time when protection breaks down. With more experience, more strength, and more reps seeing unique coverages, there's a lot here that says his best football is still way out in front of him.   <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">clips vs moon valley <a href="https://t.co/ctACHoxyPt">pic.twitter.com/ctACHoxyPt</a>— [player_tooltip player_id='1581653' first='Manny' last='Walker'] (@manny_walker16) <a href="https://twitter.com/manny_walker16/status/1980401839171596398?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 20, 2025</a></blockquote>

There's something really fun about watching the next class of QBs start to develop, because you get this mix of raw tools, growing confidence, and those little flashes that make you stop and think, "Yeah, that kid's got a shot to be really good someday." This group of quarterbacks added to the 2029 Watchlist has a little bit of everything — big arms, natural athletes, creators on the move, rhythm throwers, and guys who already carry themselves like established quarterbacks.