Throughout my years of covering WI recruiting it has become more and more apparent that colleges put quite a bit of value into athleticism at the QB position. That is great news for a kid like Hunter Klippel Hunter Klippel 6'1" | 170 lbs | QB Grafton | 2028 WI who is gearing up to potentially take his first snaps on varsity this fall. This past spring as a freshman Hunter was already posting elite athletic numbers including a 4.54 40, 35″ vertical, 4.11 shuttle, and a .97 flying 10. The kid can fly in the open field and make you miss with his ability to stop/start and cut on a dime. On top of it all Hunter is an accurate passer that can hit targets in stride at every level of the field too. He is a true dual threat with tape to back it up. I’m excited to see him on Friday nights, watch the tape, and see what type of numbers he can put up.

What a day from the freshman QB out of Grafton! Hunter started the day off with a combine that proved he was one of the best overall athletes in attendance. We are talking about numbers like a 4.54 40, 4.12 shuttle, 7.22 L-Drill, and an 8’11” broad jump. He also measured in at 6′ 159 lbs with a 6’3″ wingspan and 10″ hands. You couldn’t ask for a better showing in that half of the event.

Flipping over to the passing side of his day, Hunter did well with the footwork throughout drills and throws. The natural athlete can move with the best of them. As the arm strength continues to improve with the development of his frame we are going to see him make leaps as a QB because he was able to be accurate throughout the day.

Hunter is an athlete that I’m just starting to learn about. It is looking like we are going to have a great chance of learning a lot about him this fall, though. Hunter is the only other athlete to attempt a pass for Grafton outside of prolific starter Brady Hilgart Brady Hilgart 6'2" | 200 lbs | QB Grafton | 2025 State WI . With Hilgart headed for graduation and college football it looks like Hunter will be the next man up. Or at least is in a great position to win the battle when the season starts. I’m going to be keeping an eye out for Hunter this fall and the Grafton starting job.

Projection: Highly ranked in state

This past season, Klippel helped lead the Grafton Gladiators to an 8th Grade D2 title in the highly-competitive AAYFL in Wisconsin. Good size and mobility for the righty signal caller. On film was able to move the pocket to escape a rush and reset his feet to make a strong throw. Contrarily, also made several off-platform throws, where he trusted his arm to get the ball into a tight space.