A young man I originally discovered on Cumberland Valley High School’s Hudl during the offseason. He self reports a 3.4 GPA and has added an inch since we last updated his profile, now standing at 6’4, 205 pounds. That is a fantastic frame for a developing quarterback, especially one who is still only a junior. He is currently on our watch list.

I wanted to reevaluate his entire portfolio of work across Hudl and Twitter to determine whether he deserves to be represented in our rankings alongside some of Pennsylvania’s better 2028 quarterbacks. He posted a highlight reel featuring his first four games in late September, giving me approximately five and a half minutes of production to evaluate. Based on what I have seen so far, I think there is a very strong likelihood he will eventually be elevated off our watch list.

He is also coming off a late September performance in which he threw for more than 215 yards and two touchdowns, adding a rushing touchdown for good measure. His first rep has him operating comfortably in a spread offense with a five wide receiver look. It is an excellent opening rep that immediately showcases his toughness, composure and ability to deliver an accurate football under pressure.

He completes a pass while a defender is literally dragging him down around his knees. He doesn’t panic, doesn’t shy away from the incoming contact and keeps his eyes downfield throughout the play. I love seeing a young quarterback demonstrate that kind of willingness to stand in the pocket, navigate pressure and deliver the football despite defenders closing in around him. He understands that sometimes taking contact is part of executing the offense and generating positive yardage. His second rep features him hitting a whip route in rhythm. Some might consider this a relatively easy throw, but I don’t see it that way, especially when forming an early evaluation of a quarterback. I want to see timing, rhythm and the ability to execute the offense as designed. He catches the snap, makes his read and delivers an accurate football without unnecessary hesitation. Those are important traits that don’t always show up in the more spectacular highlight plays.

His third rep has him operating from a bunch formation out of the shotgun. He rolls to his right and delivers what I think should be one of the featured plays on his entire tape.

While moving outside the pocket and working toward the numbers, he launches a pass approximately 40 yards through the air and connects with his target. That is a difficult throw for a young quarterback, especially considering the movement required before releasing the football.

His fourth rep returns to more of a traditional spread look. He steps into the pocket, absorbs physical contact and manages to stay upright before escaping to his right. Rather than forcing something downfield, he identifies a crossing route in front of him and delivers a smooth, catchable football that eventually results in a touchdown.

Another excellent example of his ability to maintain composure, extend a play and make the appropriate throw without overcomplicating the situation. I will acknowledge that this appears to be junior varsity competition, but I am not particularly concerned about that at this stage of his evaluation. I understand the quarterback situation at Cumberland Valley, and I am more interested in evaluating the individual traits he is demonstrating. He is catching the snap cleanly, stepping into the pocket and remaining there when the play requires it. When pressure forces him outside, he shows the ability to escape, reset and continue looking downfield. There is natural arm talent here, but what I appreciate most is that he doesn’t rely exclusively on that arm talent to make plays. He is also willing to execute timing routes, deliver the football in rhythm and take what the defense gives him.

That means more to me than simply watching a quarterback launch deep passes throughout an entire highlight reel. His fifth rep provides another example of his arm strength and toughness. He takes a hit while delivering a pass roughly 40 yards downfield, putting enough touch on the football to give his receiver an opportunity to make a relatively comfortable catch. Another good read, another example of his willingness to absorb contact and another encouraging sign regarding his overall development. Of course, I would love to see him earning varsity reps sooner rather than later. That would give me a better opportunity to evaluate how these traits translate against more experienced competition. However, I understand the circumstances surrounding Cumberland Valley’s quarterback room and don’t want to hold that against him unnecessarily.

I will likely be ranking this young man moving forward. His size, comfort in the pocket, natural arm talent, toughness and ability to execute an offense in rhythm give me plenty of reasons to believe he belongs among Pennsylvania’s ranked 2028 quarterbacks. There is still more I want to see, particularly against varsity competition, but his first four games have made a strong impression.

Ben Matolyak Ben Matolyak 6'3" | 205 lbs | QB Cumberland Valley | 2028 PA enters the 2026 season as one of Cumberland Valley’s most promising young quarterbacks with outstanding size and arm talent. At 6-foot-4, he possesses the prototypical frame to command the offense while seeing the field effectively from the pocket. His ability to extend plays and make accurate throws gives the Eagles another dynamic weapon under center. As he continues to gain varsity experience, Matolyak has the potential to become one of the Mid-Penn’s top quarterbacks. Expect him to play an increasingly important role in Cumberland Valley’s offensive success this season.

Ben Matolyak Ben Matolyak 6'3" | 205 lbs | QB Cumberland Valley | 2028 PA has limited film from last year. He played on Junior Varsity or Freshman last year. He shows good skills as a wide receiver as he runs solid routes and catches the ball well. Matolyak should be able to contribute this season on special teams and maybe spot duty at wide receiver.