One to Know: 2024 Texas Gunslinger Mabrey Mettauer

Widely known as one of the hotbeds for high school football talent, Texas has developed a long-standing reputation of developing elite talent at the quarterback position. Data shows that around 25 percent of the quarterbacks in the NFL all made their way from the state of Texas, such as; Kyler Murray, Patrick Mahomes, and recently retired Drew Brees.

As I was scrolling through Twitter the other day, I came across a quarterback who has the potential to be one of the next great ones to come out of Texas. The young athlete displayed a nice, smooth stroke as the ball popped off his hands and was placed in a perfect spot for the wide receiver to make the catch and never break stride. 

Mabrey Mettauer, a current freshman at The Woodlands High School, is definitely a name to learn and know. Mettauer right now stands at 6'5" and weighs in at 215-pounds. You know what they say. "Everything is bigger in Texas."

I had the honor of catching up with Mettauer to talk about his journey up to this point, as his recruitment is sure to catch fire and blow up. Mettauer is a stand-out athlete and an even better young man.

Like many high school football players, the playing days started early for Mettaurer, but it wasn't until his first year of high school that it was realized the quarterback position was for him.

"I started playing tackle football in the second grade. I figured out I may have the chance to be a legit QB after my first varsity play as a freshman. I was put in the last quarter of the game," Mettauer said. "My first throw ever on varsity was a 54-yard ball in the air for a TD. My next pass, I rolled out of the pocket and threw a 51-yard post route across my body off of my back foot. I then ran a 10 yard TD."

"In my first playoff game, I played for approximately 1.5 quarters and ran for 200 yards," he sadded. "After that experience, I realized I was capable of doing it all on and off the field."

Most athletes really get drawn in by watching a player or player(s) at the higher levels that propel them to the point that they want to travel that same road to glory. 

The current freshman is no different. When asked if any players caught his eyes as a young man, Mettauer said, "Tom Brady drew me to the game and made me want to play QB. He is different in the way he works and trains."

The rising sophomore also plays basketball, where dunking seems to be no problem. With his frame, it is easy to see where success on the hardwood would come from. Mettauer has gained some of that size since being in high school but has always been a big body. "I was 6-foot-3 and 200-pounds coming out of junior high", says the Lone Star prospect.

Most elite high school athletes take the initiative of working outside of team practices and training to advance their game. Mettauer has the pleasure of having a well-known trainer for his fieldwork and a strength trainer.

"Sean Salisbury is my personal QB trainer," Mettauer said. "He has given me confidence in my ability. We work on the field with ball placement and do board work studying coverages."

 I have grown up working in the weight room with Cisco Martinez," he added. "He always told me I was different, just like my brother, McKade Mettauer, who is a starting guard at Cal Berkeley. Cisco has always challenged me in the weight room to get ready for the next level."

While many around Mettauer have seen the obvious ability on the field, his physical appearance has caught the attention of many in the social media realm. 

There are many similarities from a physical appearance and skill set to a guy that most feel will be the number 1 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, in Trevor Lawrence. The resemblance is for sure. As someone who covered Trevor a few times during his illustrious high school career, the skill set and quarterback make up of Mettauer is eerily similar as well. Mettauer does not seem to mind the comparisons either.

"I don't mind the 'Trevor comments' who else better to be compared to? Big compliment," he said. "It is a huge honor for people to see the same traits in mechanics as Trevor and myself. It is a privilege to be compared to the best college athlete in the country."

As tall of a glass of expectations as that may bring, simply being a high school quarterback in Texas will bring its own lofty expectations. Mettauer is not backing down from being the next big deal from Texas.

"I only work hard and pray to be the Big Dawg QB in Texas. I will never take that for granted and will always keep working! I will live up to the hype!"

With it being only a matter of time before the recruitment really blows up, it has already started for the Texas native. Schools are showing interest and one school already extended an offer to the current freshman.

"The overall recruitment has been better than I ever dreamed," Mettauer said. "I have goals written on my bathroom mirror that I look at to keep me focused. One by one, they are starting to come true! I have been taught to be a goal setter, and I hope to implement that into my team this year. I'm so proud to receive my first offer from Georgia Tech. Other colleges showing interest are Mississippi State, Utah, Miami, Cal, Arizona, Arizona, Penn State, Texas A&M, and Florida State."

As one school has offered and many others are starting to take notice, the feedback has a common message amongst all schools. "The feedback from college coaches is that they like my size and athleticism and the way I move the pocket," he said. 

Many student-athletes at some point develop a dream school or a few 'dream offers' but not Mettauer. "I don't necessarily have a dream school," he said. "I want to go where ever I have the best relationship with the coaching staff and where they value my skill set. I want to go somewhere where I can make a difference!"

Mettauer got his feet wet as a freshman on what varsity football in Texas is like, but it wasn't all varsity from the beginning. "I started JV as a freshman and was moved to varsity at the start of district play. After my first opportunity in the game, I ended up playing at least half the game behind a senior starter."

Any playing time for a freshman is vital, especially at quarterback. The speed of the game increases with each level. Adjusting to the speed difference at each level is one of the most common adversities for athletes.

"The experience I gained as a freshman on varsity was, as I believe, the start to a great career moving forward," Mettauer said. "I am working overtime this off-season and am excited to take our team to the next level with the experience I've gained."

With three more high school seasons ahead, it is never too early to have a good idea of what you're looking for in a potential college choice. For the fast-rising sophomore, it is no different.

"When looking at colleges, my expectations are a school with amazing academics and sports programs," he stated. 

Mettauer has a bit of time to evaluate schools as much as they evaluate him. I do not think it will be too long before the wave of offers hit for the big-armed freshman from Texas.

Feautured image via Mabrey Mettauer twitter.