Chandler QB Will Mencl Elevated to Five-Star status in Class of 2027

Will Mencl is now the No. 4 player in the country and No. 1 quarterback.

Chandler quarterback Will Mencl celebrates on the way to the end zone during the Wolves' first-round Open Division playoff game against Brophy. / Photo: Corey Cross

Chandler High School quarterback Will Mencl has been elevated to a five-star recruit in the class of 2027, according to the latest Rivals300 rankings unveiled Monday. His overall ranking in the class also improved to No. 4 in the nation. He is the No. 1 quarterback.

Mencl, a 6-foot-4, 205-pound junior, led Chandler to the Open Division State Championship last season. The Wolves ultimately fell to district-rival Basha, but it signaled the start of a revival of sorts of the Chandler program under new head coach Ty Wisdom. 

“Proud of Will for being elevated to a five-star and ranked the No. 4 player in the nation for 2027,” Wisdom said. “Grateful for the recognition, but he knows the work doesn’t change. Humble, hungry and focused on continuing to grow everyday.” 

🚨NEW🚨 QB Will Mencl ranks No. 4 and five-stars in the updated 2027 Rivals300.https://t.co/zzTHyvQDCH pic.twitter.com/37csoaMoCf

— Rivals (@Rivals) February 23, 2026

Numbers Don’t Lie

Mencl took over as the starting quarterback at Chandler as a sophomore under former head coach Rick Garretson. It was the first time since Jacob Conover (2015-18) a sophomore or younger started for the Wolves at the varsity level.

But injuries derailed his sophomore campaign. He returned bigger, faster and stronger as a junior. The system installed by Wisdom catered to Mencl’s talent. The skill players around him also helped him shine. 

He threw for 3,815 yards last season and 33 touchdowns. He also rushed for 741 yards and 17 more scores. Mencl threw just five interceptions. 

With Mencl healthy, Chandler quickly entered contender status once again in Arizona. They kicked off the season with a win over defending 6A champion Centennial, then lost by one point to San Diego power Cathedral Catholic. 

The Wolves rattled off seven straight wins before losing a shootout to rival Hamilton, 55-41, in the final game of the regular season. But just two weeks later, the Wolves met the Huskies again in the Open Division semifinals, where they won 30-17. 

National Attention Began to Grow

Mencl was a three-star quarterback throughout his junior campaign. But his performance on the field caught the attention of major Division I and Power Four college programs across the country. 

He received an offer from Bill Belichik and the North Carolina Tar Heels before the start of the 2025 season. Syracuse and Missouri offered in October, followed by Oregon in November. 

Since the end of the season, he’s picked up nine more offers, including from Auburn, Florida State, Penn State and Miami. 

Mencl was the only junior quarterback invited to compete at the Navy All-American Bowl. On national TV, Mencl showed his arm talent while playing for the East team. 

Mencl Headlines Star-Studded 2027 Arizona Class

Mencl only scratches the surface of the amount of talent displayed in Arizona’s class of 2027 recruits. 

Desert Edge quarterback Blake Roskopf is a four-star recruit who has picked up several offers as of late. At 6-foot-5, 225 pounds, he has similar measurables to Mencl and is a natural leader. 

Jake Hildebrand, a 6-foot-5, 285-pound tackle for Basha, has been one of the top recruits since he began anchoring the Bears’ offensive line as a freshman. For three years he has been a lead blocker for Basha running back Noah Roberts, a four-star. 

Peoria wideout Dontay Tyson, Chandler athlete Jai Jones, Basha offensive lineman DaJohn Yarborough, Desert Edge wideout Zerek Sidney (Washington commit) and his teammate, cornerback Mikyal Davis (Oklahoma commit), and Basha wideout Jaden Baldwin round out the top 10 for the class of 2027 in Arizona. 

Mencl and Roskopf follow in the footsteps of other former Arizona high school quarterbacks that have been atop the recruiting boards for major colleges. 

Former Queen Creek quarterback Tait Reynolds was a three-star who is now playing football and baseball at Clemson. Former Basha quarterback Demond Williams Jr., was a four-star when he signed to play with Washington. He’s now one of the highest paid quarterbacks in the NIL-era of college football. 

The last five-star rated quarterback to come out of Arizona was Ty Thompson in 2021. The former Mesquite quarterback signed with Oregon but is now at Tulane and has switched positions to tight end.