IA Class A QBs to Watch in 2026

Moving up this week to Class A Iowa, we take a look at another loaded batch of signal callers that have either found a prominent role among the top QBs in the conference along with a mix of promising leaders who flashed big-time potential that could lead to a potential breakout season in 2026 as one of the top dogs in the conference. We take a look at 8 QBs from Class A Iowa to watch out for in 2026!    Taking multiple steps forward following a promising sophomore campaign, [player_tooltip player_id='2048882' first='Eli' last='Harpenau'] was on point during his junior season, cementing his place as the best QB in Class A Iowa right now. Harpenau completed over 63% of his passes, finishing with 1987 passing yards and a conference-high 29 TDs to 10 INTs while rushing for 449 yards and 10 TDs. Harpenau's bulkier size and big arm separates himself among the talent in Class A as a much stronger athlete at the QB position. A fluid passer with great progressions and accuracy at all three levels of the defense, Harpenau has proven capable as an effective Pro-Style QB with capable mobility to extend the play while keeping his eyes down the field. Harpenau was largely responsible for guiding the Royals to the Class A Championship as a junior, and it will be interesting to see how he will top that as he goes into his senior season.     One of the QBs that Harpenau beat on his way to the Class A title was [player_tooltip player_id='1621129' first='Jackson' last='Verschoor'], who continued to flash with his impressive volume in passing production. Verschoor led the conference with 2178 passing yards to go with 13 TDs and 8 INTs while rushing for 342 yards and 12 TDs. Verschoor was able to create big plays at all three levels of the defense, flashing a strong deep ball with a tight spiral along with excellent accuracy, even on the run. It's impressive with how many yards he was able to generate over the air that it didn't translate to more points on passing TDs, but he proved excellent in short-yardage situations, proving to be a strong runner in goal-line situations while also flashing potential breakaway speed on QB keepers. Verschoor will look to once again lead the Wildcats as one of the top overall contenders to watch out for in Class A next season.     Belmond-Klemme is still looking to steer into the right direction, and they may just do that in 2026 with their promising big-bodied QB [player_tooltip player_id='2131370' first='Brody' last='Heifner'] returning under Center to lead the way. Heifner threw for 1856 yards, 20 TDs, and 9 INTs last season while leading the team with rushing for 382 yards and 6 TDs on the ground. Heifner helped the offense take multiple steps forward this season, with the team averaging nearly 29 PPG on offense. Heifner was in full command of his offense, flashing a big arm, strong pocket presence, and flexible athleticism that has easily made him the best football player on the Broncos' team overall. With Heifner and several other pieces of that Broncos' offense returning in 2026, they will look to obtain their first winning record since 2019.     While listed primarily as a DB prospect, [player_tooltip player_id='1199295' first='Keenan' last='Pals'], who solidified the starting QB job in 2025 after splitting reps last season took big steps forward under Center that may boost his value as a two-way starter. Pals threw for 1514 yards, 14 TDs, and 8 INTs while leading the offense with 554 rushing yards and 9 TDs. Pals flashes more athleticism that distinguishes himself among the other QBs on this list as a dual-threat, weaving his way through gaps and outside the pocket while showing good agility and dangerous breakaway speed as a runner. His passing mechanics shouldn't be ignored, with a strong release, accuracy on the run, and an impressive level of power on his deep throws, Pals showcased the potential to double as a promising QB prospect that with the right fit could find himself starting under Center at the next level one day.     Much of the talk for the Saints' offense was their dominant run game which finished with over 3800 total rushing yards in 2025, but [player_tooltip player_id='2048732' first='Porter' last='Schwiesow'] proved to be a more-than-capable signal caller for the offense. Schwiesow completed over 66% of his passes for 1091 yards, 16 TDs, and only 3 INTs while rushing for 125 yards and 2 TDs. There is certainly room for improvement, as Schwiesow struggled in the state championship when the offense was forced to abandon the run and lean more on the pass, but Schwiesow flashed as a natural drop-back passer who made solid progressions and an underrated arm that was able to drop passes into the bucket for his receivers. Schwiesow played very well as a sophomore, and as he improves his passing mechanics, St. Ansgar's offense may become that much more dangerous as they become more well-balanced.     Solidifying the starting job under Center for the Warriors in 2025, [player_tooltip player_id='1360027' first='Caleb' last='Hogan'] at times was erratic throwing the ball, but he created big splashes for his offense to mesh with their potent run-game. Hogan finished with 1080 passing yards, 15 TDs, and 5 INTs while adding 3 rushing TDs. Hogan wasn't afraid to sling it down the field, expanding from his shorter-range last season, and while his mentality had a hit-or-miss effect, but when it hit, he was able to stretch the field with throws that landed right into his receiver's hands in stride that left defense's behind. Hogan shows a quick release of the ball and a nice tight spiral on his passes, and he shows strong tenacity making some difficult throws under pressure and throwing as he's hit. With some work on his accuracy this offseason, Hogan could take a step forward as a more well-rounded QB in his senior year that combined with their impressive run-game may give them the edge to take the Class A title next season.     Stepping into the starting QB role as a sophomore, [player_tooltip player_id='2138592' first='Cael' last='Yrkoski'] helped set St. Albert in the right direction, guiding them to their first winning record since 2020. Yrkoski threw for 1155 yards, 14 TDs, and 3 INTs in 2025. Yrkoski shows impressive range as a passer, from hitting passes outside the perimeter with solid touch and placement, to dropping passes in the bucket on deep throws. Yrkoski shows good footwork maneuvering outside of the pocket, and while he isn't particularly a scrambling QB, he does a good job at extending the play and keeping his eyes down the field. Yrkoski will look to guide the Falcons to even bigger results after a promising sophomore season.     [player_tooltip player_id='1581281' first='Hunter' last='Kauffman'] rounds out this list as a stellar athlete who flashed as an erratic, but very dynamic playmaker for the Generals' offense. Kauffman threw for 1264 yards, 14 TDs, and 8 INTs while rushing for 1073 yards (6.5 YPC) and 12 TDs. There's no doubt about how dangerous Kauffman is outside of the pocket, and when he gets into the open field, it's difficult to catch up to him. As a passer, he was a bit more inconsistent, but he had his moments flashing impressive arm strength and depth on his throws while also hitting several difficult passes through tight windows. With improvement over this offseason to obtain a more well-balanced passing style, Kauffman could become that much more dangerous as one of the best overall players in the Class A conference.

Moving up this week to Class A Iowa, we take a look at another loaded batch of signal callers that have either found a prominent role among the top QBs in the conference along with a mix of promising leaders who flashed big-time potential that could lead to a potential breakout season in 2026 as one of the top dogs in the conference. We take a look at 8 QBs from Class A Iowa to watch out for in 2026!