The Film Room: TN2027 Quarterbacks

<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The off-season is upon us, so back to the film room we go! This will be the first of many editions this coming year with us diving deep into our scouting and looking through the 2027 recruiting class. Here we thoroughly break down five quarterbacks from our rising senior class that we feel have a college future, including some guys talked about here destined for the big stage. </h2>     <a href="https://prepredzone.com/tennessee/rankings/2027-watch-list/">#TN2027 Prospect Database</a>   ‘27 (QB) [player_tooltip player_id='378901' first='Andre' last='Adams'] - Antioch   Strengths: First and foremost, Adams is a cool, calm competitor behind center that doesn't get flustered nor uneasy about the big moment. When you find that demeanor within a quarterback, you could have something special. The Bears rising senior displays clean mechanics with good arm action. He has the passing tools you look for in a college or potential NFL starting signal caller. Adams is an accurate, confident passer. When he puts the ball in the air, Adams is confident about where it will end up. He displays good pocket awareness, eluding the rush while keeping his eyes down field. Adams is able to do that due to his athleticism. This guy could be one of the better dual threat guys in the state but Adams prefers to throw the ball first. The Bears signal caller is not the most vocal guy but he is a strong leader that puts in the work on a consistent basis. High character young man that you won't have to worry about.    Needed Development: Hitting the weight room and packing on more size is the immediate thing for Adams that needs to change and be developed further. He has done better at getting bigger but is still far off from where he needs to be to become an every down starter on the Power Four level. The other thing that stands out about Adams that could be improved is his zip on the ball. The Bears quarterback does have solid arm strength but it could be stronger. If he can gain more power, you will see more zip on his passes.    College Potential: Adams is a bonafide Power Four, D1 guy. That's how his game projects right now going into his senior year. That could easily change once he gets to the next level however, as seen by how the portal works. Just recently, Adams cut down his list to a top five schools of Auburn, Cincinnati, Mississippi St., N.C. State and Virginia Tech. He could gain bigger interest with strong development throughout the off-season that is then seen during the Fall football year. Overall, this is a good prospect that brings consistent, steady play to the field with strong traits and a game that can grow further over time.    <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/10/Photo-Oct-02-2025-4-12-12-PM-1-crop-1197x786-1759440184-crop-800x525-1759440750.jpg?w=799" alt="" class="wp-image-1925315" style="aspect-ratio:1.5219305971463801;width:306px;height:auto" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Photo: Antioch quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='378901' first='Andre' last='Adams']. Taken by Austyn Day, Allday media</figcaption></figure>   - - - - -    ‘27 (QB) [player_tooltip player_id='905003' first='Brayden' last='Santibanez'] - Collierville   Strengths: Some of the best long term potential from our TN2027 quarterback positions resides right here with Santibanez. This Memphis area signal caller brings a nice combination of athleticism, arm talent and size to the playing field that translates well to the college game. The biggest trait about Santibanez that I like the most is his arm power. The ball explodes out of his hand, telling me he has the arm strength and zip to make any pass needed on the gridiron. Santibanez displays the arm power to hit the windows or throw it deep. He also does a good job of handling the pocket and eluding pressure to either make the pass or tuck it and run. The Dragons rising senior is one of the more athletic guys we have in the TN2027 quarterback class. If playing behind center didn't work out, Santibanez could develop at other positions. I think quarterback is definitely his future however. Plenty of development is needed with Santibanez but this guy might turn out down the road to be the best quarterback prospect we have in our 2027 recruiting class.    Needed Development: Between his sophomore to junior year, you can see vast improvement but Santibanez is still coming into his own with plenty of development left to go. Seeing the kind of arm talent the Dragons quarterback possesses, learning coverages and how to throw into windows is something Santibanez needs to work on. His athleticism can bail him out but on the college stage, you won't be able to do that all the time, meaning finding open receivers in windows is important. Santibanez is still learning how to play the quarterback position as well. Last Fall was the first time as a full time starter. More game experience is needed for Santibanez to see his potential flourish even further.    College Potential: The potential and upside for Santibanez speaks towards him becoming a Power Four, D1 quarterback down the road. Where he begins his college career will depend on how he develops over these off-season months. His senior year will be important too but knowing how quarterback recruiting works, college coaches look to add early quarterback commitments, so these early off-season months are critical for Santibanez. Regardless of how things play out, as long as the Dragons passer continues on his progression, playing P4 or D1 football is very possible for Santibanez.    - - - - -    ‘27 (QB) [player_tooltip player_id='693877' first='Cameron' last='Kruse'] - Page   Strengths: Coming to Tennessee as a junior prospect, Kruse made a strong impression during his debut season and showed winning abilities as he led his Patriots team to their first ever football state championship. Being a winner is a definite trait you want to have in your quarterback and Kruse may have that kind of magic. He is a calm, cool customer in the pocket that keeps his eyes down field while displaying good footwork. The Patriots quarterback shows a nice feel for the rush and doing well at eluding it and either finding an open receiver or running it himself. Kruse does show solid arm strength with occasional flashes of zip. He also displays the ability to read coverage and windows. It shows his maturity with playing the position, which could help him see the field early in his college career. This Mid-TN product may also be one of the best dual threat guys in the state and possibly the best. Kruse is an athletic dude that can seriously run. He shows good open field speed and separation. His combination of arm talent and athleticism should be quite appealing to collegiate coaching staffs.    Needed Development: The first thing to mention and it really has nothing to do with development is his height. Kruse stands about 6 '1, maybe 6' 2 in cleats and that is honestly not a negative about him but some staffs might chase after guys much bigger, which puts him down the list for some people. The Patriots could use more power for his right arm. I do like the arm strength and mechanics but to play on the biggest stage of college ball, adding more zip is certainly needed. Like every other quarterback, learning how to read coverages will push his game further down the road.    College Potential: Kruse is a somewhat tricky guy to pinpoint for the next level right now. I can see where he gets a shot on the Power Four level one day but beginning his college career on the D1 stage seems more possible. I think the biggest thing with his recruitment will be the college fit. Kruse could be a perfect option for a team that runs a spread, RPO offense that allows him to showcase his arm and running abilities. I do like the game play and upside here with Kruse and his eventual impact on the college stage. Seeing how he develops this off-season will go a long way towards how his recruitment plays out.    <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/01/ckruse.jpg?w=400" alt="" class="wp-image-2103452" style="width:287px;height:auto" /></figure>   - - - - -    ‘27 (QB) [player_tooltip player_id='1150069' first='Matthew' last='Horner'] - Independence   Strengths: When it comes to physical traits, Horner sits at the top of the list in this class. The Eagles rising senior stands 6'6 200 plus pounds along with being a natural athlete that allows him to be a dangerous threat running and throwing the ball. Being as tall as he is, Horner can see the entire field, which is a major plus when reading defensive coverage. Arm strength is another big plus is the positive column for Horner. He already sported a talented right arm but showed improved power throughout his junior year that speaks further towards his passing potential in college. Horner can get the ball down field quickly, whether that's through the air or on the ground. The Eagles quarterback runs very well for his size while presenting a big target that opposing defenders could have a hard time bringing down. Looking through his position, Horner might be one of the top dual threat prospects we have from the TN2027 class.    Needed Development: Having the potential Horner does, if he wants to reach his ceiling, he must continue learning how to read defensive coverages and fitting the ball into tight windows. Several times this past season, he would struggle against zone coverage, which is something he will see a lot on the next level. Checking off into his 2nd or 3rd option quicker is also something that needs further improvement. Watching more film will certainly help as well as working on window passing during the off-season. I also think Horner can get stronger. He is a big boy with a nice frame, so you can see where the Eagles signal caller could pack on more size.    College Potential: The ceiling is actually pretty high for Horner. Having the physical size, arm talent and athleticism gives Horner an advantage when being recruited. He just has to show continued development throughout the off-season and camp well for college coaches to see his potential. I could see this Mid-Tennessee product reaching the Power Four level one day but he may need to prove his worth on the FCS or possibly D1 stage before getting there. A lot will be dictated this Spring and into the Fall season on where Horner may sign but I'm very interested to follow along and see how he progresses.    <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/08/matthorner.jpg?w=762" alt="" class="wp-image-1841388" style="aspect-ratio:0.7441475892718723;width:223px;height:auto" /></figure>   - - - - -    ‘27 (QB) [player_tooltip player_id='1590252' first='Austin' last='Jones'] - Red Bank   Strengths: Athleticism is the immediate thing that pops off the page when scouting this Chattanooga area quarterback. Jones is a natural athlete and two sport star that started to realize his potential during his junior season and now has placed himself as possibly one of the top dual threat guys coming out of the TN2027 class. The Lions rising senior had a strong junior campaign where he improved his passing while gaining a better feel for his position and game. Jones displays a powerful right arm that can push the ball down field. He also shows solid zip that can certainly get faster over time. The mechanics are solid but probably need some tweaking to push his game further. His arm has potential but where Jones can be dangerous is with his legs. The Lions signal caller is tough to deal with when he gets into the open field due to his athleticism and speed. Jones is a playmaker with the ball in his hands that can develop into a game changer with continued development.    Needed Development: The athleticism and ability to run the ball are there but throwing it is what Jones must continue to work to become a next level guy. Now it's not like the Lions quarterback is far off but to push his game further, understanding how to read coverages and fitting the ball into windows is something Jones must improve upon to become the kind talent I think he can be. He could use a quicker trigger as well. The ball comes out of his hand well but speeding up his arm action will get it out quicker. Like it was mentioned above, tweaking his mechanics would help the cause and may improve his overall passing. Much like many quarterbacks, learning how to check off from his first option is something Jones can learn more over these off-season months.    College Potential: The dual threat abilities that Jones brings to the field speaks towards possibly playing on the biggest stage possible one day, which to me is the Group of Five, D1 level. Do I think he can make it to the Power Four? I do but it may take several years of development for Jones to get there. I do like  the overall talent and upside with the Lions senior quarterback and the potential for him to be a game changer for whoever he plays with in college. Watching how he develops over the off-season will be fun to watch as Jones could become a breakout guy for the 2026 season that might position himself as a Mr. Football candidate and PRZTN player of the year honoree for the Class 4A level.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/01/ausjones.jpg?w=400" alt="" class="wp-image-2103453" style="width:252px;height:auto" /></figure>