Elite 11 Scouting Notebook: 2024 QBs Steal the Show
The quarterback position has been heavily invested in for quite some time now in the world of football, mostly on the professional level with contracts like Patrick Mahomes making upwards of $50m in his latest contract extension or Deshaun Watson signing a $230m guaranteed contract.
Though the buck hasn't stopped on Sundays, not with the world of Name, Image, and Likeness. No. The college quarterbacks of today are now worth millions. Which means the college quarterbacks of tomorrow — like the dozens of Power 5 signal-callers in attendance in Carrollton, Georgia at the Elite 11 Regional — well they are worth some attention.
It's rare we start these things with the young guys, but the underclassmen at this event were beyond spectacular. So, alas.
2024s
Jadyn Davis
This is the second year in a row seeing Jadyn Davis throw at the Elite 11, once as a rising sophomore, and now as a rising junior, and they just don't make them much more gifted in terms of throwing the football. It doesn't take long to notice it. The ball jumps out of his hands from all angles, platforms, positions, etc. This is a young man whose first-ever offer was from the University of Georgia in June of 2019 from then offensive coordinator James Coley. A lot has changed since then, Davis's ability to spin it has not.
Air Noland
Suddenness. That's the word I kept repeating watching Noland this weekend. It's not something you'll often hear referring to left-handed quarterbacks. The throwing motion can tend to become a bit long at times, but not for Noland, not anymore at least. There's also a clear found confidence Noland has arrived at in his game, exploring the realms of what he's capable of with regards to certain types of throws and he often executes them flawlessly.
This newfound confidence has not been stumbled upon, there's been a complete rebuilding of things it seems with Noland's delivery, particularly in his lower half. His ability to find ground force instantly is what has drawn my eye as of late.
2025s
Antwann Hill Jr.
Like Noland, Hill is a prospect that has drawn the attention of college programs for quite some time. Hill received his first offer from the University of Georgia before entering his 8th-grade year. Now, heading into his second season as the starter at Houston County, Hill is steadily growing into that 6'5 frame. He's always been able to throw the ball from Houston County to Atlanta, it's the touch throws, off-script, playing with an unstable base that's given Hill trouble at these types of events over the years and those are the exact areas I left most impressed with Sunday. There's been progression as he's become much more athletic at the position.
2023s
Christopher Vizzina
I've seen Vizzina twice now in a matter of a couple of weeks. The Briarwood Christian signal-caller carries a solid frame and professional approach to his work. He possesses this extremely efficient and repetitive motion that rarely, if ever, varies even at an event like the Elite 11 that forces you to move constantly. That extremely consistent stroak produces even more consistent results. In a 2023 class loaded with superstar ceilings, Vizzina's floor as a prospect is extremely enticing. There's virtually no risk.
Dylan Rizk
Not only a pick of ours here at Dawgs Daily for a top performer spot, Rizk was the first mentioned when I asked QB coach Sean McEvoy after the event who his pick of the proverbial litter was, the South Florida prospect received a quick mention. He's fresh off a state title in 2021, and even at an event just throwing footballs around, there's a level of physicality about his game. Just horsepower galore.
RJ Johnson
Georgia fans might not know the name RJ Johnson, but fans of high school football in Georgia certainly do by now. All he's managed to do is throw for nearly 7,000 yards and 60 TDs in two and a half seasons of play at Westlake High School. A recruitment that has seen interest from Georgia Southern, Eastern Carolina, and several other mid-majors, should escalate towards serious Power 5 interest by the end of the summer circuit. Especially if he keeps stacking consistent performances like he has this spring when he heads to camps at schools this summer.
