A player I have covered extensively in the past, and one I regard as one of the top NJs QBs in the 2025 class, Nate Johnson Nate Johnson 6'0" | 200 lbs | QB Northern Highlands | 2025 State NJ is the main reason Northern Highlands is a contender in 2024.

Nate has nearly every attribute needed to be a lethal signal caller. Starting off, Nate has deep ball strength and accuracy that can be devastating to any secondary he faces off against. With the poise he has in the pocket, Nate can survey the field and dissect the secondary with deadly precision. The zip he can put behind the ball gets it to where it needs to be very quickly, making sure not to give a defender the chance to jump in front of it. Nate picked defenses apart in 2024, tossing the ball for over 2000 yards and 25 touchdowns.

Not only is Nate an excellent passer, but he is a run threat as well. Nate is a durable QB, having the ability to not only stand tall in the pocket for 4 quarters, but also to withstand hard nosed running for the full duration of the game. Nate can make quick decisions in the pocket and tuck it to run when he sees fit. When he takes off with it, you can be sure he’ll be on his way to positive yardage. The top rusher from a year ago, Nate picked up 748 yards on the ground and found the end zone 11 times. I am excited to see what offers come Nate’s way once the season begins.

I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again, Nate Johnson Nate Johnson 6'0" | 200 lbs | QB Northern Highlands | 2025 State NJ is one of my favorite QBs in the NJ 2025 class. It is hard to argue with it with how much success he’s had early in his career. Leading his team to back-to-back 9 win seasons, and an appearance in the sectional finals last fall, Nate has proved time and time again that he is a quarterback to reckon with.

What I found most impressive with Nate’s performances last season was how much he spread the ball around amongst different receivers. No one receiver on the roster put up monster numbers, but instead, Nate shared the love and found success through multiple options. This made it extremely difficult for defenses to narrow in on one player, as they had to be concerned with every receiver and runner on the field. Speaking of runners, Nate was the lead ball carrier for Northern Highlands in 2023, and I don’t expect that to change next season. Rushing for 748 yards and finding the end zone 11 times, Nate dominated on designed runs and unplanned exits from the pocket.

With elite arm strength, Nate can place the ball anywhere on the field. He can make the off-platform, off rhythm throws look easy, because they are easy for him. Throwing for over 2000 yards and 25 touchdowns last season, there is reason to believe Nate will do it again next fall.