Utah Utes QB commit Peter Costelli is a 2021 SI All-American nominee
Headlining Utah's 2021 recruiting class is quarterback Peter Costelli, one of the top-ranked passers in the country according SI All American's John Garcia. Out of Mission Viejo High School in Mission Viejo, Calif., Costelli is seen as a guy who could really rise up recruiting boards if the 2020 high school season is to take place.
Blessed with insane dual-threat capabilities, Costelli is actually most comfortable in the pocket as he often delivers the ball precisely and with a big arm as well, having no trouble throwing the deep ball — but he must get more consistent with his anticipation and throwing through tight windows.
Costelli really began to turn heads and assert himself as a top recruit during an Elite 11 Regional camp in Los Angeles in March.
According to multiple reports by SI All-American, Costelli wasn't the sharpest to begin the camp but as the week went on, he began to emerge as one of the best prospects there. As he began to settle in and get more comfortable, it allowed him to showcase his ability to throw the ball with fire and show his fluidity as an athlete.
His athleticism is off the charts, as he ran anchor for his school's 4x100-meter time, which was completed in 42.29 seconds, the second fastest time in the state. He also has a personal best of 10.82 in the 100-meter, but left more to be desired after his track and field season was canceled this past season due to COVID-19.
Costelli is rated mostly as a dual-threat quarterback primarily because of his speed, but according to John Garcia of SI All-American, Costelli could easily be a top-10 pocket passing quarterback as well and he sees Costelli as a quarterback who can run rather than a runner who can throw.
Here's a complete breakdown and expectation about Costelli for Garcia...
Prospect: Peter Costelli
Status: SI All-American Candidate
Vitals: 6-foot-3, 205 pounds
Position: Quarterback
School: Mission Viejo High School
Committed to: Utah
Projected Position: Quarterback
Frame: Tightly-wound body with good definition and composition. Athletic-looking torso with fairly-wide shoulders, thighs and hips.
Athleticism: Very good all-around athlete. Sprinter who runs the 100-meter dash and relays in track and field. Clocked at a 4.65 40-yard dash time. Has quick feet with good balance and excellent knee bend in his drops and setup. Keeps both hands on the ball at chest-level in the pocket. Stirring-type of release/delivery at times with good arm strength. A constant run-threat to defenses. Takes advantage of empty rush lanes and runs with excellent build-up speed in the open field.
Instincts: Good pocket awareness and feel for rush. Can maneuver well to manipulate the pocket. Capable of creating when things break down. At his best when on the run, and shows good accuracy to second level and outside the numbers. Very good run instincts. Reads blocks well and shows good awareness of second-level defenders. Decent elusiveness, yet relies on sheer speed as a runner.
Polish: Good pocket mechanics, notably with lower-half and appears to have been well-coached. Currently plays in a multiple offense with various passing concepts, and works from under center, shotgun and pistol. Decent mental processing with some ability to work through progressions across the field, though needs to speed up decision-making.
Bottom Line: Costelli is an athletic quarterback with good size and outstanding play speed. He has good feet in the pocket and is a nightmare for defenses as a runner. Although he must continue to smooth over his delivery and increase his mental processing quickness after the snap, he has the potential to become a starting-caliber college quarterback. Costelli fits best in an offense that moves the pocket and allows him to attack the edges on rolls and sprints, while also using him on designed runs and zone-read concepts.
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