5A Stacked With Battle-Tested Gunslinger QBs

There are gunslingers in every class but this fall it appears 5A is going to be more loaded than usual with experienced QBs who have already posted gaudy stat lines with a year or two to go.     And by "gaudy stat lines" in this context we mean the focus is exclusively on 5A quarterbacks who produced over 2,000+ yards in total offense.     There were six gunslingers who met this level of production in 5A last fall.     In the other five classes (6A thru 1A) there were only four full-time QB's returning who piled up over 2K in total yards: [player_tooltip player_id='1113129' first='Logan' last='Fulton'], Wamego; [player_tooltip player_id='1487563' first='Colton' last='Elmore'], Wellington; [player_tooltip player_id='2127985' first='Brixton' last='Schwinn'], Jefferson West; & [player_tooltip player_id='1694269' first='Kipton' last='Kruger'], Silver Lake.     In this report we are focusing on the six 5A quarterbacks who met the 2K+ criteria. These six guys in conglomerate have been more than prolific to date, combining for an eye-popping 15,040 total yards and 192 touchdowns running and passing last year.     So without further adieu, let's take a closer look at what these guys have been up to:     [player_tooltip player_id='1970828' first='John' last='Hornback'], 6'0, 185, QB, St James Academy, '27, at the top of the 5A mountain by a scant 19 yards is a multi-sport, dual-threat QB who accounted for 2,828 total yards and 30 TD's last fall and vaulted his name into discussions concerning the top QB's in the state. In addition to 2K+ in passing yards he also had 727 yards rushing as a dangerous option in the RPO or when extending plays with his feet. He can make all the throws but is particularly impressive throwing tight-window strikes on the move or from different launch angles. His quickness and burst, along with a 38" verticle and 10'2" broad jump checks all the speed and explosiveness measurables. With a strong off-season cross training in other sports and continuing football training, this guy is going to go scorched earth this fall.     [player_tooltip player_id='1579589' first='Griffin' last='Hall'], 5'10, 175, Salina Central, '27, when the dust had settled on the '25 season this gunslinger was only a couple of first downs away from the top total offense spot, but was rewarded by leading his team to the 5A State Title. He is a versatile baller who led the dual-threat players in this list with just under 1,000 yards rushing to go with a very impressive 29:2 TD-pass-to-interception ratio, completing 68% of his passes and had the highest passer rating at 129 (elite is 105 & above) in this group. He ended the season with 2,807 total yards (19 behind Hornback) and 38 TDs. He has been locked into the off-season grind, fine-tuning his game in 7v7, training with Sharp Performance and playing baseball. Look for this state champion playmaker to deliver another knockout season for the Mustangs.     [player_tooltip player_id='1643737' first='Reign' last='Illian'], 6'4, 205, QB, Maize South, '27, next up is a guy I featured recently on a QB-WR Connection shout-out and one who has had a busy off-season showcasing his game. With his prototype size and versatile arm, he can make all the throws, from the pocket, off platform, from different launch angles or on the move with great ball placement. He also has next-level components to his game that will be critical, including pocket command and strong cognitive/processing skills. Last fall he passed for 2,500+ yards, completing 65% and piled up 30 total TD's. His off-season is generating a lot of interest after hitting major camps across the country and he recently received his first division-one offer from South Alabama. This guy is going to bring some shock and awe through the air this fall.     [player_tooltip player_id='1700711' first='Dan' last='Sogard'], 6'2”, 185, QB, Blue Valley, '27, coming in at the number four spot is a guy who started the season red-hot, completing 20 of 22 passes for 301 yards and four TDs and then kept close to that elite pace all season. For the year he went 160 out of 242 for 2,051 total yards, completing 67%, and fired 22 TD passes to only 2 picks in nine games. With his low interception rate and high completion percentage he ended up with the second-highest passer rating in this group at 118 (Hall above 129). He has solid pocket mechanics and throwing motion, layering the ball into tight windows or dropping in the long touch pass in stride. With the nucleus of a high-octane passing attack returning, this playmaker will have the weapons to put an exclamation point on his next-level game this fall.     [player_tooltip player_id='2063081' first='Cale' last='Ketter'], 6'2, 180, QB, Topeka Seaman, '27, number five and the last senior-to-be QB is a guy who caught my eye mid-season last year as he continued to ramp up his gunslinger game all year. He finished strong, completing 136 of 231 passes for 2,013 yards, completing 60%, and fired 23 TD passes to only six interceptions and an impressive 110 passer rating. He showed his skills in a big way in a back-and-forth 47-40 loss to state runner-up Basehor-Linwood, when he was 25 of 44 for 390 yards and five TD's. He is adept at dismantling defenses with great ball placement from the pocket on quick perimeter passes or burning teams deep with the long touch pass. This off-season he has been fine-tuning his game playing 7v7 with Grindtime. Get your popcorn handy, as he is going to put on a show.     [player_tooltip player_id='2101915' first='Izrael' last='Telles'], 6'2, 180, QB, Salina South, '28, last and certainly not least is the only junior-to-be gunslinger who I covered recently and am pleased to see that he is starting to get some recognition. Last year he flew under the radar the first half of the season but by the end of the year was one of the top QB's in 5A as well as the state, completing 153 of 294 attempts, for 2,269 yards and rifled 24 TD's. After a slow start as a team, he helped rally the Cougars for a big second-half of the season, which included two upset victories in post-season play. With ideal size and a strong, versatile arm he can attack defenses at all three levels with impressive accuracy. He is currently busy with off-season training with his teammates, playing baseball and deciding on which camps to go to. This guy is bringing the fireworks this fall.     In conclusion, get out and see these talented players this fall - you won't be disappointed! Also, if you know of any players not getting any/enough coverage that they deserve, please feel free to DM me via X so we can take care of that!     And, most importantly...   Keep Grindin'

There are gunslingers in every class but this fall it appears 5A is going to be more loaded than usual with experienced QBs who have already posted gaudy stat lines with a year or two to go.