A senior last season, Brett McGovern had one of the better performances from a Waterloo West quarterback in recent memory. Cole Dean Cole Dean 5'10" | 170 lbs | QB/DB Waterloo West | 2028 IA is up next for the WaHawks. Dean, like the others, isn’t exactly a lock to be Wests’ starter in the fall, but watching his JV tape, he looks a lot like McGovern, which could absolutely help his chances.

He’s not the smoothest athlete in the world, but Dean makes smart decisions in the read-option game, knowing when to pull the ball and take it himself. When he does take it, Dean’s long, bounding strides give him a chance to pull off a breakaway run from the defense. As a passer, he thrives on the move and can deliver strikes through the air when he finds an open receiver.

Dean is an interesting prep athlete that I have a hunch we’ll be hearing more from during the next few years. He’s already participated in football, wrestling, swimming and baseball before completing his second year of high school. The gridiron is a place where he’s flashed a considerable ceiling. He backed up a senior starter at quarterback on the Waterloo West varsity last season, completing one of two throws for 41 yards. Dean has positioned himself to take over as QB1 this coming fall. Video highlights on his Hudl page are limited but provide insight into what makes him successful. Dean is a dual-threat signal caller that runs the read-option well, making good decisions based on what he sees. If he pulls the ball down and runs, he’s fast enough to get the edge on the defense and deliver chunk plays. He also can accomplish that when throwing thanks to a strong arm. Dean does well getting through progressions and looks comfortable releasing the ball on the move. He has the appearance of an excellent breakout candidate for 2026.