Napier split time at quarterback as a sophomore, and now he’ll take the reins as a junior. He’s poised and usually makes good decisions, whether as a runner or passer. I expect to see his passing numbers jump as a junior, and don’t be surprised if we see him take off and run a bit more as well.

Cailen has grown physically to 6’3 and 205 pounds, and his sophomore campaign showed a lot of promise for giving the Mallard Creek offense a strong vertical element in the passing game. The Mavericks will have a good bit of speed at the receiver position this upcoming season, and with Cailen having the starting job to himself, presumably, he should be a lot more comfortable operating the offense overall. He has a strong arm and showed some ability to make some plays with his legs as well last season.

Cailen Napier Cailen Napier 6'2" | 170 lbs | QB Mallard Creek | 2028 State NC , 6’2″, 180-pound sophomore quarterback, has the frame and athletic profile that suggests his best football is still ahead of him. He threw for nearly 1,000 yards and 8 touchdowns while adding 240 rushing yards and 2 more scores on the ground, showing flashes of dual-threat ability. Napier has room to continue filling out physically, which should only enhance both his arm strength and durability in the run game. With his size, mobility, and developing command of the offense, he’s a young quarterback trending upward with the potential to become even more dynamic in the years to come.

Napier has college size and a great arm, and there’s plenty to love early on in his development. He runs a ton of RPOs for Mallard Creek’s offense, and he almost always makes the right decision and delivers on time. The raw passing numbers don’t wow you as he split time at the position and played arguably the hardest schedule in the state. He doesn’t run often, but he was highly effective at six yards a carry. He’ll enter the 2025 season as the starter, so I’m interested to see how he continues to develop this offseason.

Cailen didn’t start this game, however when he entered, the Mallard Creek offense got moving and showed some life. I like Cailen’s arm strength a lot, he has shown the ability to stretch the defense well on the deep ball. Cailen isn’t a dual-threat player just yet, but he can move and avoid pressure, and execute on designed roll-outs and play action types of plays in the offense. As he grows, he’s going to be a really good player and I’m excited to see it happen.

Napier spent most of the 2024 season on Junior Varsity and played well there, displaying excellent touch and accuracy on his throws. He has a great arm, and we’d like to see him use that more, as he’s flashed the ability to fire balls into tight windows, but often prefers to layer throws against zone. He’s young and has plenty of time to hone his craft. For now, he’s certainly one to monitor.