2029 QB Newcomers: Winter

We recently released our <a href="https://prepredzone.com/north-carolina/rankings/2029-north-carolina-high-school-football-rankings/">updated 2029 rankings</a>, and now it's time to break down the class. We'll intersperse pieces breaking down the newcomers and stock-risers with big-picture pieces analyzing the freshman class as a whole. Here, we're looking at six new quarterbacks in the 2029 rankings.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Newly-Ranked 2029 Quarterbacks</h2>    Havelock got off to an unusually rocky start in 2025, especially offensively, but Montanye moved up from JV early in the year and flashed elite potential. There was a predictable learning curve, and he never really found consistency with his feet, even though he has that rushing skill in his arsenal. While the rushing production wasn't there, he made huge strides as a passer and looks poised to lead the Rams in 2026.     It was a heavy season for Wake Forest, which makes the midseason turnaround so much more impressive. Perry's leadership and talent—even as a freshman—had a lot to do with that. He took over as the primary starter in October and finished the year with nine total touchdowns in five games, throwing just two interceptions in that same span.     Morales was the primary backup for a strong senior signal-caller in 2025, and he's the favorite to take over as a sophomore. The early signs look promising, too, as he completed 65% of his attempts and delivered with timing and accuracy. It's a small sample size, but the touch, decision-making, and confidence suggest there's plenty to come from the freshman.     There are two things about being a freshman quarterback on one of the best teams in the state. Druzbik won't be a starter until he's a junior, as he backs up one of the best quarterbacks in the 2027 class. But he's also seen action in a handful of games, and the in-game returns are promising. We've seen his arm and accuracy in camp settings, and it's been great to see those have translated to the field in his Friday night reps.     Cox had a great season as a freshman starter at North Pitt, helping the Panthers to a third-round playoff appearance while putting up almost 2,000 total yards. Cox is built like a running back, and if you look up after the snap, you might be tempted to think he took a handoff. But as a quarterback, he showed some nice touch, and we think he could ultimately stick at that position.     Though the varsity numbers didn't show it as a freshman, Francis is a true dual-threat quarterback with some rushing upside. As a younger guy, Francis has put in the work and practiced standing in the pocket and delivering. That allowed him to show good accuracy in limited reps, and we expect to see the rushing totals to tick up as a sophomore, and he's already shown his speed as a track athlete.    There's plenty to come from Matt Morrow, Joshua Graham, and me on the 2029 rankings before we release our updated 2029 rankings next week. Stay locked in with Prep Redzone for more insights, evaluations, and rankings updates. Want to share Prep Redzone with a friend? Promo code Helms30 will get them 30% off their first billing cycle for any subscription.

We recently released our updated 2029 rankings, and now it's time to break down the class. We'll intersperse pieces breaking down the newcomers and stock-risers with big-picture pieces analyzing the freshman class as a whole. Here, we're looking at six new quarterbacks in the 2029 rankings.