Heisman Hopefuls Young, Stroud, Williams Work at Elite 11 Finals
Sports Illustrated's John Garcia Jr. selects one question posed to him through social media (@JohnGarcia_Jr and @SIAllAmerican) each week to delve into the college football recruiting topics fans want to know most about.
It has been all about the quarterback in the college football recruiting class of 2023, led of course by Arch Manning, and another week of social media interactions reflects that coming off of the Elite 11 Finals in Los Angeles.
But that event is rarely just about the prep passers in attendance. This year was a stark reminder of the top-tier college talent that often comes back to work the event as a part-time coach, counselor and of course set-the-example passer when key camp events get going.
We may look back at the 2022 group as one of the best to stop by the competition, as a whole. Not only did it feature reigning Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young of Alabama, but 2023 betting favorite C.J. Stroud (Ohio State), emerging NFL prospect Devin Leary (NC State) and even local college QBs Caleb Williams (USC) and Dorian Thompson-Robinson (UCLA) stopped by to spin it.
Each day served as another level of head-turning tosses in different settings, with Stroud getting in work over all three days of the event. Leary threw on two days while Young, Thompson-Robinson and Williams threw on one each.
Stroud spun it on all three days with great success, especially on the final day during that accuracy gauntlet (video above), where everyone from noted quarterback coach George Whitfield to the high school QBs and certainly the onlooking media and fans, audibly gasped at the accuracy he showed. Sure, the targets were stationary, but each spin was made to be more difficult than the last, though none of it was an issue for the Buckeye.
The southern California native has an ease to his game, with a smooth release and a huge arm to go along with it. Stepping into a throw, the mechanics and launch point are borderline teaching tape material, with intermediate accuracy and easy third-level power often on display. Expecting anything less than a standout 2022 campaign at OSU would be relatively naïve for the third-year player, who also looked as physically filled-out as we have seen him in college.
Depending on where one would look, Young is the counter to Stroud on everything from 2022 Heisman odds to early projections of the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. Ironically, they were back on the Elite 11 field together for the first time since Stroud outdueled Young for the 2019 MVP award at the event when it took place at the Dallas Cowboys headquarters and practice facility in Frisco, Texas.
The Crimson Tide QB also looked like he has added good weight to his frame, and the ball jumps out of his hand at the same rate the college football world saw in 2021. Young's polish inside the pocket and out is apparent nearly every time he drops back, with that classic and extremely quick release and trigger on display thereafter. Young was especially effective while moving to his left side, where he was not off target once during the pro day script.
There was a jovial tone to Young's workout, even as all of the available cameras, phones and other recording devices zeroed in on his every spin. The third-level accuracy he showed was impressive, as was his timing and sharp movement skills when asked to execute a pass while off-platform and/or on the move in general. It's that smooth movement skill that got Young out of countless jams as a first-year starter during his Heisman run, also of course part of the reason Alabama was picked as the early No. 1-ranked program yet again.
Williams wasn't technically a traditional counselor, but there was buzz when he showcased his powerful right arm during the first day of the event. Always vibrant and competitive, the former Oklahoma star seemed to have worked the most on the event's opening evening. He threw at every drill, getting more and more into the flow as time wore on. Williams may have been the top counselor among those who threw during the rail shot competition to wrap up the day, pushing the ball outside the numbers with a quick release and plenty of velocity.
Quincy Avery, another noted quarterback trainer who often works the Elite 11 circuit, challenged Williams while moving to his left. A fun back-and-forth between the two was met with competitive smiles, and of course eventual execution of said drill. It seems like the spotlight only makes Williams that much more settled and at home, often impressing with his arm soon after.
Leary is picking up more and more buzz as the season draws near, and for good reason. He actually charted as the most consistent for SI during the pro day, using the same grading scale the high school passers were evaluated on later in the evening. Even technically out-throwing any of the other counselors is impressive on its own, but even more so considering the face of the 2022 Wolfpack kicked off the pro day script as the entire camp's initial example.
N.C. State, mainly because of Leary and other returning stars under Dave Doeren, has even been considered an emerging favorite to win the ACC. The hype feels warranted after seeing Leary in person, on point with his accuracy to all levels with a compact and decisive release point to boot. He was the most comfortable of the noted college passers working to his right while outside of the pocket, too.
It wasn't just about ball, though. Perhaps the coolest part of seeing these future NFL prospects again up close was their true desire to give back. Of course watching their progression from their high school days as Elite 11 passers dominated the conversation, but their differing personalities in an intense setting told its own version of the story.
SI's MVP of the event, Dante Moore, singled out both Stroud and Leary for their example and coachable points throughout the camp. Young was hounded for advice by quarterbacks, pass catchers and just about everyone else on hand for the event, and obliged without hesitation along the way. Many young passers joked with Williams before competing with him in a hit-the-crossbar-from-the-50 throw-off, in which the USC Trojan won with a pair of dings off the field goal post (Moore was the only high-schooler to hit the post) including one from well beyond 50 yards.
Thompson-Robinson was also on hand for the 2021 finals, where he showcased a live arm during the pro day script. This year he was more focused on teaching the next wave of talent in addition to fielding plenty of questions about his program's move to the Big Ten. DTR, as he's known, admitted to SI he feels like the elder statesman of the camp, adding an emphasis point heading into the final year of his collegiate career.
Have a recruiting question? Connect with @SIAllAmerican and/or @JohnGarcia_Jr to submit yours and it could be featured on the next mailbag.
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