Jawon Pass Commits to Louisville: 4-Star QB to Reunite with Older Brother

In choosing a college, 4-star quarterback Jawon Pass said three things that were very important last month at the Elite 11 Semifinals in Los Angeles.

First, the Columbus, Georgia, athlete said he wasn't afraid of competition. Second, the school he chose would give him the best chance to "be the guy." Third, and perhaps most important, Pass gave a one-word answer to what he wanted in a winning program. "Family," he said.

On Thursday afternoon, the nation's No. 4-ranked dual-threat quarterback verbally committed to Louisville during a ceremony at Carver High School.

Pass chose the Cardinals over Alabama and Auburn—and he decided against the Crimson Tide despite making a campus visit the day before.

Pass, a 6'5", 220-pound athlete with 22 reported offers, became Louisville's 13th overall pledge of the 2016 class. He also became the Cardinals' second quarterback commit, joining 3-star Tennessee gunslinger Tylin Oden.

Additionally, Pass' commitment means he'll be reunited with his big brother, Khane Pass, a freshman safety at Louisville. According to their mother, Kershena Thomas, how close the brothers are helped to inform the decision.

"They're connected at the hip and the head," Thomas told the Courier-Journal's Steve Jones. "They are extremely close. I thought Jawon was going to need counseling when Khane left [for college]."

Pass told 247Sports' Ryan Bartow that the decision was a "no-brainer" because of his brother.

As Louisville's highest-ranked pledge, Pass won't be throwing passes to his brother, but he will have a pair of solid receivers to target in his class in 4-star Desmond Fitzpatrick and Chris Taylor-Yamanoha. Fitzpatrick is on the outskirts of being a top-300 player nationally. Taylor-Yamanoha is a player who can line up at receiver or play in the secondary if necessary.

Pass' pledge means he will go into Louisville looking to not only win starter's minutes against quarterbacks who are already there but also Oden, a 2016 commit who threw for 1,000 yards, rushed for nearly 1,000 yards and compiled 28 total touchdowns last season for Spring Hill High School in Columbia, Tennessee.

Competition, however, isn't a problem for Pass. His numbers show that he can play the game. Pass accounted for 2,601 total yards and 34 touchdowns last season, 23 of those coming via the pass.

"I'm not afraid. Anywhere I go, there will be competition," Pass told Bleacher Report. "I want to be the guy wherever I go."

Credit: 247Sports

Pass has been a rising name among the elite quarterback chatter. He participated in the Elite 11 Finals in Beaverton, Oregon, and showed signs of excellence throughout the week-long experience. He's a big-bodied athlete with a long stride and solid arm.

With offensive-minded coaches like head coach Bobby Petrino and offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Garrick McGee providing tutelage, don't be surprised if Pass develops into a star in the ACC.

"He thinks that Coach McGee is a genius," Thomas told Jones. "He thinks he can have him greatly prepared for the next level. ... He thinks their scheme is a great fit for him. He's in love with that staff there."

Having his big brother there to support his objective of being one of the conference's rising quarterbacks happens to be a nice bonus.

Damon Sayles is a National Recruiting Analyst for Bleacher Report. All quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. All player ratings are courtesy of 247Sports' composite ratings. Follow Damon via Twitter @DamonSayles.