Class 5A Top QBs to Watch in 2026

We move up today to Class 5A MN, which holds a loaded group of returning QBs, giving variety between underrated athletes who have put up big numbers through last season along with other highly ranked prospects that are still looking to hit their ceiling. We take a look today at the top QBs from Class 5A MN to watch in 2025!    The reigning 5A champions will look to repeat, and with their starting QB [player_tooltip player_id='1633390' first='Nolan' last='Roach'] returning under Center for his senior season, there is a good chance that they may do just that. Roach finished with 1049 passing yards, 13 TDs, and 4 INTs while rushing for 728 yards (5.9 YPC) and 11 rushing TDs. A talented athlete who moves well around the pocket and slings a very good deep ball with nice placement, Roach has proven to beat his opponents both with his arm and his legs. It was that versatility that helped the Panthers upset Chanhassen in the state championship, as Roach ran for 162 yards and 2 TDs in the win. Roach should continue to light up the conference in 2026 as he looks to boost his stock heading into next offseason.     One of the teams that Spring Lake Park beat en route to their run to the 5A championship was St. Thomas Academy, with [player_tooltip player_id='1061080' first='Tristan' last='Karl'] leading the way for one of the most dangerous offenses in the conference. Karl finished with 922 passing yards, 15 TDs, and 4 INTs while rushing for 514 yards (6.3 YPC) and 4 TDs. Karl's athleticism is quite impressive to note, with a 4.64 40 yard time and a whopping 38" vertical jump. and that athleticism showed as he was quite dangerous in the open field. Karl excels in the RPO-game, proving dangerous pump-faking the ball before sprinting for a big gain, and he shows some nice arc and placement on his deep throws. Karl's stock should surge greatly as he enters his senior season, and there could be a good chance that he faces Spring Lake Park again in the postseason for a rematch if he wants to push for a state title to wrap up his high school career.     Taking over as the full-time starter for the Cougars last season, [player_tooltip player_id='1581375' first='Kellen' last='Willaert'] immediately impressed under Center as he led the team to a 6-3 record. Willaert completed over 62% of his passes for 1441 yards, 11 TDs, and 8 INTs. I remember covering Willaert at the 612Q's Offensive Skills Showcase event in March and I was impressed with his footwork and strong spiral, and especially early on during the 2025 season, Willaert got off to a very hot start, showing solid touch and a quick release on his throws. Willaert will look to find more consistency with his decisions entering his junior season, but he's clearly cemented his place as a trusted signal caller for the Cougars' offense.     Taking over the starting QB job at Waconia after his older brother Kaden graduated, [player_tooltip player_id='1704256' first='Karsen' last='Herman'] quickly found strong footing leading the Wildcats' offense. Herman threw for 1304 yards, 15 TDs, and 3 INTs while adding 177 rushing yards and 2 rushing TDs. I was really impressed with several of Herman's throws under duress, nailing the placement on passes where he faced a lot of pressure and finding his receivers down the field in stride. Herman isn't afraid to sling the ball down the field and he also showcases a sneaky level of speed as a scrambler, including on an 85 yard TD run against Northfield where he fooled the defense on a keeper and outran the secondary to the endzone. Herman adds a lot of dimension to Waconia's offense and he should continue to excel as he enters his senior season.     An all-purpose talent for Robbinsdale Cooper playing at CB and Kicker, [player_tooltip player_id='1096597' first='Beckham' last='Vanvoorst'] also is the starting QB for the Hawks' offense and he's been proving to be quite a promising gunslinger. Vanvoorst threw for 1235 yards, 11 TDs, and 8 INTs while adding 5 rushing TDs. His athleticism is something to behold, with an impressive 365 lb max squat and a 405 lb max deadlift, Vanvoorst's strength and toughness stands out among this QB group. Vanvoorst's strength is prevalent watching him throw the ball, with effortless touch and great placement, Vanvoorst is a fearless passer who isn't afraid to take advantage of open seams and deep windows that are difficult to hit. The potential is promising, and if Vanvoorst can fine tune his mechanics as he enters his senior season, he should solidify his stance as a priority recruiting target next offseason.     [player_tooltip player_id='1633385' first='Carson' last='Deibele']'s leadership under Center has helped Monticello greatly over the last few years, guiding the team to back-to-back seasons with 8+ wins for the first time since 2015-16. Deibele threw for 715 yards, 9 TDs, and 2 INTs while adding 104 rushing yards and a rushing TD. Deibele made fewer mistakes compared to his sophomore season, with his INT total dropping vastly, helping give balance to a loaded backfield which pummeled their opponents for most of last season. Deibele does well throwing on the run, showing great accuracy throwing toward the boundary while also flashing his ability to stretch the field with impressive deep throws. Deibele's leadership has been notable for the Magic over the last few seasons, and his high school career could culminate with a potential run for the 5A title next season.     Another QB who flashed playing for a run-heavy team, Owen Vandermeer did not have to throw the ball a whole lot, but he flashed big-play potential every team he did. Vandermeer threw for 692 yards, 8 TDs, and 5 INTs while rushing for 376 yards (5.2 YPC) and a rushing TD. Primarily a drop-back passer playing out of a double Wing-T offense, Vandermeer shows impressive deep range with his throws while also proving to be a shifty runner with great open-field vision and sneaky agility in space. Vandermeer could improve on his release, as many of his throws required a bit of a longer windup that could be disrupted by quicker pass-rushers, but Vandermeer fits the style of play that Bemidji is running, and it will be interesting seeing how the Lumberjacks' offense will perform in 2026 with Vandermeer leading the way.     I had the privilege of working with Ozzy over this last season while interning at Mankato West, and I can say from first-hand experience that [player_tooltip player_id='1217899' first='Osborne' last='Lorenz'] is the real deal at QB. Lorenz added dimension to the Scarlets' offense with his mobility and showed improvement with his deep ball as time went on. His presence on the field was missed as he missed most of the regular season with an ankle injury, and I believe that Lorenz should regain the promising form that he showed early on during the 2025 season. When healthy, Lorenz is one of the best QBs in the conference and he will look to put up a show in his senior campaign for the Scarlets.

We move up today to Class 5A MN, which holds a loaded group of returning QBs, giving variety between underrated athletes who have put up big numbers through last season along with other highly ranked prospects that are still looking to hit their ceiling. We take a look today at the top QBs from Class 5A MN to watch in 2025!