Stars Shine at Loaded Elite 11 Dallas Regional
SOUTHLAKE, Texas -- 75-plus quarterback prospects from all over the country, from south Florida to Wyoming, descended upon the Dallas area for the Elite 11 quarterback regional. Just as was the case in Houston, the headliners made the most noise and took home the biggest honors.
Among those in attendance, all eyes were on Quinn Ewers, from the moment gates opened, and he lived up to the hype by just about all indications on his home practice field at Southlake Carroll. For those who hadn't seen him spin it live, the first few throws answered any curiosity about his health and arm strength simultaneously. By event's end, he was the first passer called up to receive an invite to the Elite 11 Finals following four hours of head-turning throws, to the surprise of no one.
Not only does Ewers, who is committed to Ohio State, release the football with as much or more juice than anyone in attendance -- but he showed some touch and multiple arm angles on the afternoon as well. The footwork was also strong on his 6'3" frame.
"It was pretty easy, it didn't feel a whole lot different out here since I'm on this field pretty much every day," Ewers said with a smile. "Just had a good time over here, spinning the ball a little bit."
Ewers mentioned some friends he was able to commit alongside, including Cade Klubnik. The Clemson commitment, who helped Austin (Texas) Westlake edge Southlake Carroll in the state title game, worked alongside the future Buckeye for the duration. It offered the variance between the two, as Ewers' power was countered with Klubnik's accuracy and touch.
The 6'2", 182-pounder displayed a tight spiral with a squeaky-clean throwing motion despite playing through some discomfort as the day wore on. The rising-senior said it was the first time he threw more than 30 passes since the state playoffs in 2020. The time off recovering from an AC joint injury paid off with him joining Ewers and Nick Evers among those presented with the chance to compete at the Elite 11 Finals. The trio represent almost half of the eight total invites to the prestigious competition to date.
A Florida Gator commitment, Evers flashed throughout the afternoon with consistent velocity and an effortlessness in hitting short to intermediate targets in stride. He and Ewers likely jockeyed back and forth between power throws, though the future SEC passer was more accurate during the simulated pro day throws as well as on the move.
"The whole mindset going into this camp was just be me, ball out and have fun," Evers told SI All-American. "I enjoyed it. At the end of the day, I got what I wanted. It's honestly a blessing. I've been watching the show ever since I was young and to be a part of it is super, super cool.
"I'm so excited!"
SIAA Ranks The Passers
The camp, as echoed by the Elite 11 staff, was the deepest regional of the tour to date, so SIAA put together a composite of the top 10 passers based on our on-site staff's impression.
1. Quinn Ewers
2. Nick Evers
3. Landry Lyddy - Throughout the differing elements, the uncommitted rising-senior was the biggest surprise of the event when it comes to performance versus recruiting reputation. The Shreveport (La.) Calvary Baptist star has a few FBS offers coming off of a staggering junior season, throwing 43 passing touchdowns against three interceptions. The consistent accuracy and drive regardless of situation reminded us of the day Drew Dickey had in Houston before earning and accepting an offer to Vanderbilt about a week later.
4. Cade Klubnik
5. Garret Rangel - An Oklahoma State commitment out of Frisco (Texas) Lone Star, there isn't a lot of spice to what he does from a physical standpoint but there wasn't a more catchable pass-thrower on the field Sunday. Accurate to all three levels, timing, anticipation and touch paired with a tight spiral into the wind and out for Rangel. As he adds strength and potential explosiveness to his lower half, he will be able to manipulate the pocket at a higher clip, but the floor here is high anyway.
6. Owen McCown - The lefty, NFL legacy, threw with some of the most juice among the competitors to pair nicely with one of its cleanest throwing motions. Even in the drills designed for right-handed passers weren't much of a struggle for the Colorado commitment. The ball could sail at times as we often see with power throwers, but there is strong athleticism and a long frame to work with.
7. Brayten Silbor - The FBS has yet to enter the mix for the Scottsdale (Ariz.) Chaparral standout, but a timing-based offense may be able to use him upon closer inspection. Accuracy, touch and overall consistency were on display despite the long workout.
8. Josh Hoover - Winner of the pro day mini-challenge, scored by the Elite 11 staff, it was reflective of the overall day Hoover had Sunday. A lower-body dominant prospect, the Rockwall (Texas) standout was strong off-platform and outside of the pocket. SMU, Memphis, Indiana and others are in the mix.
9. Brandon Tennison - After a 50-touchdown junior season in helping Gilmer (Texas) to a state title game appearance, Tennison picked up where he left off Sunday with a strong display. A bit of a slow start was all but forgotten once he got into rhythm, especially down the field in the middle portion of the event. UTSA and Army are on the offer list.
10. Gage Roy - The Dallas (Texas) Jesuit prospect showed a smooth stroke and relative consistency while working with the 'A' group throughout the day. Ivy League programs, along with New Mexico, Nevada and others are in the mix.
Underclassmen
Rickie Collins - 2023 - Collins is a mobile quarterback with good arm whip and velocity for a 2023 prospect. His pass drops were consistent and provided solid depth in the pocket. Accuracy was also a plus as he displayed a consistent over-the-top motion. Collins made throws on the move and from basic three-step and five-step drops. Once Collins fills out his long and lean frame, he should also increase his velocity. As for touch passes, Collins is also capable of dropping in the football over the linebacker level and in front of the safeties.
Zae Teasett - 2023 - A muscular southpaw with the ability to move in and out of the pocket, Teasett showed power, accuracy and the ability to hit targets near and far. He was smooth with his drops, handled play-action well, and consistently powered the football through his legs as much as he did his arm. Bottom line, Teasett is already a good quarterback with plenty of room to improve his game further before heading to the college level.
Jacobe Robinson - The younger brother of former TCU quarterback and current Missouri Tiger Shawn Robinson made a name for himself in Dallas. Consistent across a myriad of throws, Robinson tied Plantation (Fla.) American Heritage’s Blake Murphy in the underclassmen Pro Day competition. Utilizing his frame, Robinson drives the football downfield with ease, showing off the best deep ball of the underclassmen present on Sunday.
Noteworthy
* Virginia Tech commitment Alex Orji was the most physically impressive prospect in attendance and he backed it up with the highest testing mark throughout all classes, a 98.79, at 6'2" 226 pounds. It included strong times in the 40-yard dash relative to his size and not to mention a 37.7-inch vertical leap. Orji has a strong arm and left the event sporting the ACC program's colors, reaffirming his stance as a quarterback first despite the build and athleticism to play multiple positions.
* Former NFL quarterback Josh McCown was on hand taking in the event along with the progress of his son, Luke.
* Among the pass catchers helping make the event go, a pair really stood out Sunday in the class of 2022. Gilmer High's Jay Rockwell is a filled-out 6'3", 190 pounds, back in action after an injury cut his 2020 season short. He mentioned Nebraska and UTSA among those still involved. Xavier Brown, from Mesquite (Texas) Horn, is a longer and more wiry prospect considering programs like Kansas and Buffalo, among others.
* A pair of class of 2024 Texan prospects, Gavin Beard and Hauss Hejny, tied for the top pro day among Elite 11 Academy prospects competing Sunday. Each scored a 19 during the script and could be names to know for notable programs Aledo and All Saints Episcopal, respectively.
John Garcia, Brian Smith, Matt Galatzan and Ryan Chapman contributed to this feature.
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