Vote: Who Is The Top Returning South Florida High School Quarterback for 2025?

We nominate 10 student-athletes who are coming off career years during the 2024 season.

Miami Southridge quarterback is back behind center in 2025 after leading his team in a deep playoff run last fall. / GREG LOVETT/PALM BEACH POST / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

With the start of the 2025 Florida high school football season getting closer, it is time to preview the top returning quarterbacks for the South Florida area. The quarterback is the most important position on the field, and each of these nominees has the tools and skillset to lead their teams to the postseason in 2025. This should be an exciting season in the Sunshine State as the nominees will look to lead their teams to tremendous seasons.

As always, we ask you, the fans, to vote on who you think is the top returning high school quarterback in the South Florida area for the 2025 season.

Voting ends on Sunday, August 10th at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time

Here are the nominees:

James Perrone, Miami Southridge (Junior)

The 6-foot-2 junior quarterback put out astounding numbers last season as a sophomore, throwing for 2,966 passing yards, 30 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions for the Spartans leading them to a 12-3 record and reaching the Class 6A State Semifinals before having their season come to an end against West Boca Raton. His best individual performance came in the regional finals against West Broward where he completed 17-of-25 passes for 400 yards and threw five touchdown passes.

Neimann Lawrence, Miami Northwestern (Sophomore)

The 6-foot-2 sophomore quarterback comes to Miami Northwestern from Ransom Everglades where he threw for 2,777 passing yards, 31 touchdowns, and eight interceptions. His best individual performance was back on September 20 where he threw for 268 yards and five touchdowns in a 37-6 win over Pine Crest.

Jayden Torres, Cardinal Gibbons (Senior)

The 6-foot-2 senior quarterback completed 72.2% of his passes throwing for 2,735 passing yards, 23 touchdowns, and seven interceptions last season. His best individual performance came on September 13 against West Broward where he threw for 438 yards and four touchdowns.

Jayden Miller, University School (Fort Lauderdale) (Junior)

The 6-foot junior quarterback completed 67.3% of his passes, throwing for 2,726 passing yards, 20 touchdowns, and six interceptions for the Sharks last season. Miller also had 57 carries for 202 yards and had three touchdowns on the ground last season. His best individual performance came in the regional quarterfinals where he completed 21-of-26 passes for 543 yards and five touchdown passes.

Leon Strawder, Miami Northwestern (Senior)

The 6-foot-1 senior quarterback is coming off a stellar junior season for the Bulls, where he threw for 2,677 passing yards, 41 touchdowns, and eight interceptions. He led the Bulls to a 12-2 record last season and won the Class 3A state championship which was the program's first state title since 2019.

Dia Bell, American Heritage Plantation (Senior)

The future Texas Longhorn is coming off a stellar junior season for the Patriots, throwing for 2,597 passing yards, 29 touchdowns, and six interceptions. He also led the Patriots to the Class 4A Championship where they defeated Orlando Jones, 41-31.

Zachary Katz, True North Classical Academy (Junior)

The 6-foot-2 junior quarterback completed 71.3% of his passes as a sophomore last season, throwing for 2,412 passing yards, 23 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. His best individual performance came on October 4 in a thrilling 55-49 win over University Christian, where he threw for 356 yards, four touchdowns, and an interception. Katz has received offers from Applachian State, Arkansas, Boston College, South Florida, Toledo, and several others.

Kayne Garbutt, Somerset Academy (Sophomore)

Garbutt had a solid freshman year for Somerset Academy, where he threw for 1,980 passing yards, 20 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. His best individual performance came on November 1 against St. John Neumann, where he threw for 344 yards and three touchdown passes.

Eumarion Beal, Western (Davie) (Sophomore)

In limited playing time last season for the Wildcats, Beal threw for just 278 yards where he was playing behind Sebastian Circo who is now playing collegiate football at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas (UNLV).

Jack Spaeder, Monarch (Junior)

The 6-foot-2 junior quarterback completed 62.1% of his passes last season as a sophomore, throwing for 1,813 passing yards, 14 touchdowns, and five interceptions for the Knights. His best individual performance came on September 20 in a win over Fort Lauderdale, where he threw for 440 yards and four touchdown passes.

Editor’s note: Our corresponding poll is intended to be fun, and we do not set limits on how many times a fan can vote during the competition. This poll is specifically for fans to vote on the players that have been nominated and in no way discredits any other player that may not be mentioned in our poll.

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