Best of the rest: Six senior quarterbacks to watch
(Cover Photo: Anthony Souffle/Minneapolis StarTribune) Eden Prairie’s Cole Kramer and Minnetonka’s Aaron Syverson are the consensus top-two quarterbacks in the Class of 2019. Kramer is entering his third-season under center for the Eagles and has committed to the University of…
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Continue Reading(Cover Photo: Anthony Souffle/Minneapolis StarTribune)
Eden Prairie’s Cole Kramer and Minnetonka’s Aaron Syverson are the consensus top-two quarterbacks in the Class of 2019. Kramer is entering his third-season under center for the Eagles and has committed to the University of Minnesota, while Syverson holds multiple Division-I scholarship offers.
But who’s next in-line in the senior class? That’s what NFN’s Adam Rossow tried to find out as he looked at a half-dozen prospects who could be No. 3.
David Roddy – Breck (NFN No. 13 in 2019)
The first thing to notice about Roddy is his pocket presence. He repeatedly senses the pocket collapsing on film and makes something happen under pressure – stuff only a handful of high school quarterbacks can do in the state.
Roddy’s arm strength also shows up when you watch him. He makes downfield throws look easy, but that sometimes works against him as his mechanics breakdown because he can rely on the big arm.
The Breck star recently told NFN’s Brian Jerzak that if he chooses to play football over basketball in college, he will commit to a program recruiting him as a quarterback.
Champlin Park’s Otto is expected to return to lead the Rebels this fall. (Photo from Hudl.com)Bennett Otto – Champlin Park (No. 19 in 2019)
Otto is returning from a back injury that kept him out the entire 2017 season. He was also injured some of 2016, so staying healthy this fall will be as important as ever if he elects to pursue a football career in college.
His sophomore year film illustrates why he’s one of the top quarterbacks in the senior class when healthy. Otto has a very smooth throwing motion and solid mechanics. His feet are also very quick, which helps him extends plays both in and out of the pocket.
Most of his film is from the pistol formation, but that could change with Nick Keenan taking over the Rebels program. How it affects Otto’s recruiting interest remains to be seen.
Danny Callahan – Cretin-Derham Hall (No. 50 in 2019)
Callahan is arguably the quarterback with the most potential in this entire group. His film shows the 6-foot-2 quarterback making nearly every throw required at the next level, while the Raiders system also puts him in various formations with which he appears to be very comfortable.
He’s also got former NFL quarterback Brooks Bollinger as his head coach, which has greatly influenced his development. Callahan is very technically sound with drops, footwork, balance and leg drive on most all of his throws.
If there’s a knock, it’s probably with his accuracy, but even that improved toward the end of the year. He did benefit from clean pockets produced by a solid offensive line as well, but he’ll be a name to watch for one of Class AAAAAA’s top teams.
Nick Prentice – Orono (No. 89 in 2019)
Prentice shows up as a playmaker in his film – both with his legs and his arm.
He does a nice job keeping his eyes down field when scrambling, but also benefitted from having Jarvis Omersa as a target much of the past two seasons when plays broke down.
His accuracy has steadily improved during his career with the Spartans, but still was just a shade above 50 percent in 2017. It should be even better as Prentice enters his third year at quarterback but his arm strength will have to improve as well to play the position at a level higher than Division III.
Brandon Adelman – New London-Spicer (No. 102 in 2019)
Adelman is currently the top-ranked small school quarterback (Class AAA or below) in 2019.
He’s excellent at leading receivers and putting the football in places where they can make plays and earn yards after the catch. His film shows him especially accurate against man coverage downfield.
He illustrates the ability to throw accurately on the move too, but an elongated delivery and short follow-thru lowers the velocity on the ball. That’s something that could improve as Adelman enters his senior season.
Jenson Beachy – Perham (No. 126 in 2019)
Beachy was named All-Midwest District and Quarterback of the Year in both of his years as the Yellowjackets starter.
He completed more than 66 percent of his passes as a junior. That accuracy pops out on film, as does the touch with which Beachy delivers the ball into tight spaces. Like many small-town quarterbacks, a lot of his passes come after the play fake, which gives him easier reads on many of his throws.
He’s also good athlete which shows up on the gridiron, but his overall size (6-foot-1, 180 pounds) could put him closer to Division-III than Division-II when it’s all said and done.
Jacob Vetter – Hawley (No. 292 in 2019)
Vetter was one of the last players added in our most recent Class of 2019 rankings update, but his stock has improved in the past two months.
He’s been picking up Division-II interest lately and already holds scholarship offers from MSU-Mankato and Northern State.
What shows up immediately on film is his ability to throw on the move. Whether it’s designed a sprint out, a roll out, or just plain scrambling, Vetter finds receivers.
He’s especially effective on play-action passes, but he only threw the ball 107 times last season. Where he eventually ends up as a prospect will probably depend on how the 6-foot-5 quarterback fares at summer camps and into next season with the Nuggets.