I had no idea I was watching a future Big Ten quarterback when I attended my first game out in New Jersey. I could have picked several prospects out of the Hun School, yet this kid’s poise in the pocket, his command of the huddle, and the anticipation he displayed left a lasting impression, one I won’t forget. Good on the NJ guys ranking this young man as the top QB prospect.

New to New Jersey football, I had an inkling of how special the group at the Hun School is, as well as the special run they are currently on. I purposely didn’t scout most of the team so I can go into this game without any bias. Although Cheshire Academy hung around for the first half, the highly-recruited prospects at the Hun eventually showed their teeth in this one.

Hard to begin anywhere else other than the Iowa commit behind center. Marco Lainez Marco Lainez 6'3" | 225 lbs | QB Hun School | 2023 State NJ is ranked as the top quarterback prospect in his class by our NJ prospects, I understand why. Awesome to see a quarterback operate in play-action sets, especially the way Lainez does. There’s clear attention to detail in all things pre-snap and pre-throw. His footwork and pocket presence is seasoned, the young man shows an understanding of when to step into a pocket, when to bail, the nuances of the pocket game are shown in his play. I am unfamiliar with his total game, yet based on this outing, I’d label Lainez as a dual-threat. His ability to pick up yards on the run, improvise and flash play-making ability in the open field is evident. I’m not positive this will translate to Big Ten football, yet he possesses the capabilities at this level. His downfield vision, depth perception is a plus. He effortless scans for his first read, again I’d use the word seasoned. Nothing looks new to him. He flashes the cannon arm that Iowa loves to deploy. What impresses me most is his knack for the easy throw. This kid can be special, yet he does the easy things well. He can eat up a defense in the short/intermediate game thanks to his quick release and developed understanding of zone defenses. Lainez would stack up well with the best in PA. He’s an all-around weapon that the coaching staff can trust.