Buckeye State Blitz 18U: QBs That Balled on Championship Sunday

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Championship Sunday for the 18U division was filled with impressive talent and clutch performers. In this article, we'll be breaking down the quarterbacks that elevated their play when it mattered most! </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1198097"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-69cac676d6f63"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Really strong showing for the Canadian gunslinger on Sunday. I was really impressed with his calm demeanor, never panicking in crunch time and making some big-time throws. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>His arm strength is top notch, and he was able to zip the ball in on some crossing routes that would be ill advised for a lot of QBs, but his arm strength, velocity and accuracy allowed him to fit the ball into tight windows with great precision. Really impressive performance out of George and his team on Sunday against some of the top talent in the Midwest. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1629354"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-69cac676d7013"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Jaxon is a rising QB from a lesser-known school, but don't be fooled, this dude is for real. First off, he has grown quite a bit since I last evaluated, and he now passes the eye test, and his arm and overall football IQ is extremely impressive. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>He was reading and reacting with great pace. He got through his reads, understood what the best decision was and put the ball on the money. The first game I got to see from him, he hit 2 impressive deep balls to jump out to an early lead, and his squad never looked back. He brings a great presence of calm and leadership that is so important on the big stage. Great performance out of him, and I will absolutely keep an eye on him moving forward. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1260437"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-69cac676d70db"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Another really impressive performance out of the 2 Legacy QBs. Starting with Dom, he really elevated his game throughout the day, and playing his best ball when it mattered most. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I loved what I saw out of his processing and timing. He saw things develop in real time and was putting the ball on the money. Even on a couple of drops from his receivers, he made the right read and put the ball in a great spot. I have noted his clear football IQ in the past, and it was once again on display, all the way to the semifinals, even on a shorthanded squad. He still delivered the performance I hoped I would see out of him. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1157439"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-69cac676d7164"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Duke is a vet at this point, and he did exactly what vets do-elevate their game when their team needs it. Once again, Duke had no problem doing exactly that. Field managers and referees were constantly asking “who is that?” after seeing him make some high level throws. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>One of the things I noted is how well he does putting the ball where it needs to be. Whether it's putting the ball right on the receiver up the seam, or getting the ball to the back shoulder in the end zone, to putting it low or high depending on where the defender is related to the receiver, Duke was just on it. His arm strength and mechanics looked as clean as ever, and he helped spark a deep run for his team on Sunday. Banta is QB1 for a reason, and days like yesterday just solidify that sentiment. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["379089"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-69cac676d71e8"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">I was not familiar with Tyce at all heading into this event, but it took no time at all to see why Whiteman is ranked so highly in the state of Ohio. Especially on Sunday, he was incredibly impressive, even in a losing effort in the championship game. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Tyce is not afraid to take shots deep and push the ball vertically. Though he was good in the short and intermediate game, he was a standout performer on the balls 20+ yards downfield. He has great touch on the ball and knows where to place it. The ball leaves his hand nicely with a tight, catchable spiral. It took an absolutely buzzsaw of a team to stop Tyce and his squad, but his performance was undoubtedly one of the best all around performances of the weekend. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->