Elite 11 Nashville Displays National Appeal, Results in Three Finals Invites
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Despite high temperatures and higher expectations given the talent on hand, the Elite 11 national camp tour stop in Nashville delivered as one of the most impressive to date in 2022.
There were big names, young stars and emerging quarterbacks in between and by the end of the event Elite 11 Director Brian Stumpf admitted it was the best collection of talent a regional has featured ahead of the Elite 11 Finals next month. Three more names – Avery Johnson, Brock Glenn and Nico Iamaleava – were added to the Finals roster following the four-hour throwing session but Stumpf and most onlookers agree more participants from this regional may get the good news down the line.
Sports Illustrated was on hand, cameras rolling, as droves of future Power Five prospects competed and impressed. 10 commanded attention, in particular.
Malachi Singleton, Class of 2023, Committed to Arkansas
From the outset, the Georgia native was in complete control from a consistency standpoint. The footwork he displayed was the smoothest of the entire field to the point he was used as the example of how to run through drills correctly in the ‘Trevor Lawrence’ group, a.k.a. the one with the strongest collection of senior talent. The future Razorback was also plenty accurate to all three levels, especially in the intermediate passing game, where his work in the pocket and even on the move kept him in the spotlight despite the tough conditions. Singleton, a seemingly perfect fit in the Arkansas scheme with his strong build and plus athleticism, throws from a solid base and knows how to dial it back relative to the ask on a given throw. He was also a top-three athletic tester on the afternoon and tied for the best accuracy among rising senior passers on the Pro Day station to wrap up the event.
CJ Carr, Class of 2024
If underclassmen could snag invitations to the Elite 11 Finals Carr would have almost certainly punched his ticket on Sunday. The Michigan native is strong in stature with a developed lower-half, making for easy velocity on the football while stationary or on the move. The grandson of longtime Michigan coach Lloyd Carr, CJ worked with as much poise and presence as any passer on hand. He stands tall in the pocket and can push the football to all three levels without much strain. The throwing motion is pure to the point there is an ease around his on-field game and overall demeanor. Carr, who has added recent offers from Alabama, LSU and Arizona, capped his day by registering the highest mark of any quarterback this year in the Pro Day station, snagging a score of 2023. Baylor commitment Austin Novosad hit a 22 earlier this year at the Elite 11 Dallas.
Avery Johnson, Class of 2023
Johnson is from Kansas and is fresh off of a gaudy 2021 on the field, throwing for 2,500 yards and rushing for 1,000 more in scoring 42 total touchdowns. That, combined with strong testing marks created considerable anticipation for those of us seeing him in person for the first time. He did not disappoint on any front. Standing a legitimate 6’3” as well, Johnson ran a 4.54 laser-timed 40-yard dash en route to the second-best overall testing mark of the day before spinning the football well throughout the workout. Of course he was solid on the move but he was even better in the pocket. Johnson, who recently added an offer from Oregon, wants to be known as a conventional passer who happens to be athletic and that was the case Sunday as his plus arm and quick delivery was enough to earn him an invitation to the Elite 11 Finals in late June. The snap release can be utilized at multiple arm angles, with a classic three-quarter delivery on a condensed motion supplemented by the ability to drop it while on the run.
Brock Glenn, Class of 2023
An emerging prospect hearing from more programs seemingly by the day, it was easy to see why on Sunday. Glenn provided consistency throughout the workout, from his quicker-than-most release to showing the ability to vary the velocity relative to the depth of the route. Also showing strong athleticism while on the move, verified by a top-10 testing mark before the throwing began, Glenn was sharp in his delivery more times than not. A near 90-degree arm angle paired well with steady timing for the Memphis native ahead of his invitation to the Finals. The announcement came as little surprise at the end of the event. Auburn, Mississippi State, TCU, Virginia and Texas A&M, which could soon become a scholarship offer for Glenn, are among the programs that have his attention most as he looks to set official visits. The TCU trip, set for this coming weekend, is the only one set to date.
Marcel Reed, Class of 2023, Committed to Ole Miss
Another Tennessean working within state lines, the recent commitment to Lane Kiffin’s program was very strong out of the gates Sunday as the passers were getting settled. Tall and lean with plenty of room to add mass at the next level, Reed worked multiple release points successfully during the workout. While stationary it comes at relatively high, while on the move he can whip it underneath or work the intermediate levels with a bit of a hitch in the delivery. Still, Reed showed consistent footwork and a smooth style in spinning it, even working well to his left while throwing on the move – something many passers struggled with. In the pocket, Reed has plenty of pop on the football, varying the delivery even more towards an over-the-top method for more juice.
Kenny Minchey, Class of 2023, Committed to Pittsburgh
Picking the Pitt Panthers at the end of April, the first in-person impression our staff got on him was a positive one. With a compact build and easy throwing motion, Minchey impressed in just about every setting he was placed in on Sunday. He works with a release between classic and high with good arm strength and a quick overall motion. Pushing the football to the second and third level was little to no issue and even outside the pocket, Minchey looked balance on just about every toss and delivered the ball without much wasted motion. There is an ease to his game, but it didn’t slow the rate of accurate spins along the way.
Madden Iamaleava, Class of 2025
The younger brother of the quarterback who commanded the most attention before, during or after the event, there should be plenty of intrigue around Iamaleava. He is in the 6’3”, 200-pound range as a rising high school sophomore but he could have worked in the top group all afternoon, along with Carr, relative to the throws he put together. The family admits he is further along at his age than his nationally-known big brother Nico, and Sunday began to make us believers in the thought. He was strong through his delivery, pushed it down the field with pop and worked throws outside the pocket with relative ease. Many names have emerged in the 2025 class at the position, but it’s time to get Madden Iamaleava right into that elite mix. Pitt and San Diego State are new to the growing offer list.
Madden Iamaleava made a mark Sunday in Nashville
Matt Ray
Nico Iamaleava, Class of 2023, Committed to Tennessee
The final invite to the finals, from the day itself, came to Iamaleava. The most eyeballs were on him at every point of the event and when he was on it was easy to see why. More consistency will be needed to build his overall game and prepare him for the next level, but there is no denying the arm talent and overall ability when it comes to the future Volunteer. Battling the heat and even stepping away for a short period of time due to lightheadedness, Iamaleava showed some grit in battling back and finishing his day well with a good accuracy station and a dime on the rail shots the top group tossed to wrap up the competition. Being tall, in the 6’6” range with a high release point caused several balls to sail on Iamaleava, but he cleaned it up in the middle portions of the camp enough to get the call to compete in Los Angeles.
Chris Parson, Class of 2023, Committed to Florida State
Some competitors thought Parson had one of the better days within the top group and we saw him get better as the long day wore on. The footwork was among the best of the top group and the accuracy remained for the bulk of the day, capped with a Pro Day score among the highest of any who spun it on Sunday. Parson is compactly built and doesn’t have the biggest arm, but he works his body to generate more power while showing good timing and ball placement relative to intermediate route concepts. Florida State took him early in the class of 2023 and it looks like a sharp evaluation from Mike Norvell and company.
KJ Jackson, Class of 2024
A big lefty from the Montgomery area, his build and smooth delivery drew eyeballs and his execution backed up early hype around his name. Jackson has plenty of zip on the football while stationary and he was among the best working to the left while outside the pocket, throwing on a low plane to close out his day. Already armed with offers from Penn State, Ole Miss, Kentucky, Louisville and others, more are surely going to join the list as he becomes an upperclassman. Few rising-juniors worked the arm angles with success like he did on the afternoon.
Five More to Know
- Raheim Jeter, a 2023 West Virginia commitment, has an impressive overall build and a deliberate game. He showed plus arm strength, especially on the deep ball, as well as athleticism all day long.
- 2024 passer Judd Anderson, from Georgia, was arguably the biggest passer at the event, flashing consistency anyway. He worked the pocket well and looked accurate more times than not. Cleaning up his mechanics, which include a ball tap at the top of drops, will enhance his game as he takes more reps.
- Walker White, another rising-junior in the 2024 class, has an impressive build and showed steady accuracy all afternoon long. Arm strength and a classic motion will only increase the attention around the Arkansas native as an upperclassman.
- An Alabamian who could continue to command recruiting attention is Caleb McCreary, a lefty who has started since his freshman year at Montgomery Catholic. The 2024 passer is plenty athletic but features a smooth stroke in the pocket. There weren’t many situations where he looked uncomfortable delivering the ball despite not having the biggest arm in the field.
- Aiden McCown, a rising-senior and son of former NFL QB Josh McCown, just picked up his first offer (UTSA) and it may not be his last. After varsity snaps and production at wide receiver at Rusk High in Texas, he will shift to quarterback full time as a senior. He spun a great ball when his feet were set and looked capable on the move.
