CFB Recruiting 200: Top 8 Pro-Style Quarterbacks
After thorough study using specific scoring criteria, Bleacher Report recruiting analysts Sanjay Kirpalani and Tyler Donohue have graded the top 200 players in the 247Sports' composite rankings and provided in-depth analysis. As national signing day draws near, Bleacher Report provides a position-by-position breakdown of the best college football recruits. Here we present the Top Pro-Style Quarterbacks.
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The 2015 crop of pro-style passers could eventually reshape the nation's conference landscape.
A strong contingent of West Coast quarterbacks are prepared to take Pac-12 play to another level, while prospects from across the country also enhance a group surrounded by lofty expectations.
We continue to break down recruits listed among the top 200 players in 247Sports' composite rankings, grading each quarterback with a 100-point system that takes football IQ, mobility, leadership, pocket presence, arm strength and accuracy into consideration.
*All prospects studied and graded by Bleacher Report national recruiting analyst Tyler Donohue.
*Players listed in order of 247Sports' composite rankings.
8. 4-Star Zach Gentry
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Height/Weight: 6'7", 230 lbs
High School: Eldorado High School; Albuquerque, New Mexico
247Sports Ranking: No. 8 pro-style quarterback; No. 175 overall
Bleacher Report Score: 80/100
Committed to: Michigan on Jan. 24, 2015
New Mexico isn't exactly viewed as a hotbed of college football talent, an element that likely limited Zach Gentry's opportunities at early stages of his recruitment. Substantial interest began to arrive following his junior season, as Tennessee, Louisville, Oklahoma State and Alabama each extended offers.
Texas offered Gentry in late March and landed his pledge just six weeks later. However, he became the first big-time pickup for Jim Harbaugh by flipping late.
Bleacher Report Analysis
Gentry, who tallied 4,035 total yards and 48 touchdowns in 2014, per USA Today, exhibits athleticism that's borderline surreal for an athlete his size. He glides downfield with a blend of power and quickness that shows off his basketball roots, resulting in an above-average mobility grade of 7/10.
His physique allows him to shrug off defenders while standing tall in the pocket. Gentry lacks elite arm strength (16/20) at this stage, but fits the football into tight windows with consistency (23/25 accuracy).
Pocket presence (5/10) is my biggest concern with Gentry. His footwork is inconsistent, and he too often ends up awkwardly bent at the end of his follow-through, teachable issues that will be addressed in Ann Arbor.
7. 4-Star Drew Lock
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Height/Weight: 6'3.5", 205 lbs
High School: Lee's Summit High School; Lee's Summit, Missouri
247Sports Ranking: No. 7 pro-style quarterback; No. 96 overall
Bleacher Report Score: 79/100
Committed to: Missouri on April 9, 2014
Drew Lock elected to follow in his father's footsteps. The son of a former Tigers offensive lineman, he selected the Tigers over offers from Michigan State, Ohio State and Tennessee.
Bleacher Report Analysis
I've been up-and-down when it comes to Lock's stock during the past year. I arrived at the Elite 11 finals last summer with limited expectations based on 2013 film study, but he appeared smoother in drills and seven-on-seven action than I anticipated.
However, further review of his 2014 tape failed to flash the kind of strides he must make from a technical standpoint. Lock lacks mobility beyond the pocket (3/10), so it's pivotal for him to maneuver effectively within a short area of space.
He routinely relies on a strong right arm (18/20), while sacrificing efficient lower-body work. His foot placement is still occasionally inconsistent when passes are released, and despite throwing for 2,679 yards and 28 scores as a senior, that lack of detail could spell disaster against SEC defenses if he doesn't clean things up.
6. 4-Star Ricky Town
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Height/Weight: 6'3", 206 lbs
High School: St. Bonaventure High School; Ventura; California
247Sports Ranking: No. 6 pro-style quarterback; No. 79 overall
Bleacher Report Score: 85/100
Committed to: USC on Jan. 25, 2014
Ricky Town initially committed to Alabama before his junior season and remained a member of the Crimson Tide class for several months. He flipped to the Trojans shortly after Steve Sarkisian accepted the head-coaching position at USC.
Bleacher Report Analysis
Town, once considered the top overall 2015 prospect by 247Sports analysts, slipped a bit in national rankings after relatively average efforts at the Elite 11 finals and The Opening. His football intelligence (19/20) and arm strength (18/20) supersede a lack of ideal mobility (5/10), though there's room for growth in the pocket.
He will occasionally take an unbalanced approach while firing passes downfield, lifting his back foot rather than pushing off to harness full force. These instances are outliers when compared to his overall body of work in terms of mechanics.
There are times when Town appears somewhat robotic in the pocket, and his delivery isn't always as effortless as other top contemporaries. An opportunity to polish his skill set through countless drills at USC should have him ready to rise up as a starting contender by 2016.
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5. 4-Star Jake Browning
4 of 8Height/Weight: 6'2", 185 lbs
High School: Folsom High School; Folsom, California
247Sports Ranking: No. 5 pro-style quarterback; No. 71 overall
Bleacher Report Score: 81/100
Enrolled at: Washington
Jake Browning considered several West Coast offers before committing to Washington and freshly hired head coach Chris Peterson on March 31, 2014. Other Pac-12 contenders included Cal, Washington State and Utah.
Bleacher Report Analysis
Browning, who broke the all-time high school career record with 229 touchdown passes and tied a single-season mark with 91 scoring strikes in 2014, is the most decorated quarterback prospect ever from a statistical standpoint. His efforts were aided by desirable football intelligence (20/20) and impressive precision (22/25).
He attempted 33 passes per contest as a senior, but limited his turnover total to just seven interceptions in 16 games. Browning seems to grasp which chances are worth taking and which are ill-advised.
His physical attributes aren't extraordinary, warranting scores of 14/20 for arm strength and 4/10 for mobility. Still, his success rate and smarts seem to set the stage for a strong run as a multiyear college starter.
4. 4-Star Brady White
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Height/Weight: 6'0.5", 180 lbs
High School: Hart High School; Santa Clarita, California
247Sports Ranking: No. 4 pro-style quarterback; No. 67 overall
Bleacher Report Score: 87/100
Committed to: Arizona State on May 2, 2014
Brady White, a three-year starter at Hart, pledged to the Sun Devils over fellow finalists Cal and Oregon. Penn State also emerged as a potential landing spot leading up to his decision.
Bleacher Report Analysis
White is a savvy leader who possesses an accurate arm (22/25) and overlooked mobility (8/10). His dropback is consistent and precise, leading him through the same motions on a repetitive basis.
Despite a lack of elite physical stature, White is able to get the ball downfield with velocity and touch. His development in a collegiate weight room should further enhance these traits and make him more battle-ready as he takes on blitzes.
He's a quiet, natural leader who responded well to any adversity at The Opening and in U.S. Army All-American Bowl action.
"Quarterback is exactly where I wanted to be from the beginning," he told me this summer. "I wanted to be the guy who leads the offense and has a big impact on the game. I was blessed with the ability to sling the ball at a young age, and I've worked to get better year after year. I take pride in that."
His skill set and demeanor remind me of former Boise State star Kellen Moore. He threw for 66 scores as an upperclassman.
3. 4-Star Deondre Francois
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Height/Weight: 6'1", 195 lbs
High School: IMG Academy; Bradenton, Florida
247Sports Ranking: No. 3 pro-style quarterback; No. 64 overall
Bleacher Report Score: 83/100
Committed to: Florida State on July 31, 2014
Deondre Francois, who was coached in high school by former Seminoles star quarterback Chris Weinke, pledged to Florida State last summer after weighing offers from Oregon and Auburn. New Florida coach Jim McElwain aims to make a late push for the in-state standout by hosting him on campus for an official visit in late January.
Bleacher Report Analysis
You won't find a stronger throwing arm (20/20) in this recruiting class. That aspect of his game stood out on previous game film and shined this summer at The Opening, where even America's most elite receivers seemed overwhelmed at times by the zip on Francois' passes.
He's still working to augment that power with increased accuracy (20/25), and there's room for development when it comes to pocket presence (6/10). Francois commands respect for his flamethrower arm but needs to do a better job of setting a strong base behind center as he surveys the field.
Francois, who threw for 1,294 yards, 17 touchdowns and four interceptions as a senior, offers enough mobility to salvage a broken pass play and provides offensive coordinators with an opportunity to implement designed runs.
2. 5-Star Blake Barnett
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Height/Weight: 6'4.5", 200 lbs
High School: Santiago High School; Corona, California
247Sports Ranking: No. 2 pro-style quarterback; No. 21 overall
Bleacher Report Score: 90/100
Enrolled at: Alabama
The Crimson Tide landed Blake Barnett despite growing belief that he was headed to Oregon. His initial commitment occurred last November, when he pledged to Notre Dame. Barnett paid a visit to the Ducks after decommitting but eventually chose Alabama in June.
Bleacher Report Analysis
Barnett took over as the starter at Santiago as a junior and quickly accrued heavy recruiting interest. His elite blend of size and speed is savored by collegiate offensive coordinators, and he displays a deep understanding of how to dissect defenses.
His natural leadership skills were on display at The Opening, where many elite recruits gravitated toward him. He teamed up with future Crimson Tide teammate Calvin Ridley to win a seven-on-seven tournament title and stole the show with Elite 11 MVP honors.
His most pivotal improvements will occur in downfield accuracy, as defenders are still often able to disrupt the location of those attempts. Barnett may also be the best of this group when it comes to firing passes while rolling out, adding a new wrinkle to Lane Kiffin's attack in Tuscaloosa.
1. 5-Star Josh Rosen
8 of 8Height/Weight: 6'4", 205 lbs
High School: St. John Bosco High School; Bellflower, Caifornia
247Sports Ranking: No. 1 pro-style quarterback; No. 12 overall
Bleacher Report Score: 92/100
Enrolled at: UCLA
Josh Rosen spent a visit at Michigan in mid-March, less than a week before he committed to the Bruins. Tennessee, Duke, Cal and Vanderbilt each offered scholarships by the end of his sophomore year.
Bleacher Report Analysis
Rosen looks like a potential program-changer behind center, commanding respect as an elite passer and leader. He threw for 6,386 yards and 68 scores as an upperclassman, showing off the best accuracy (24/25) of anyone on this list.
Rosen's impeccable footwork also stands out, resulting in the lone 10/10 grade for pocket presence among this group.
His ability to handle pressure and step up in the pocket provides glimpses of potential college stardom. Rosen convinced me he's the real deal during "pocket conflict" drills at the Elite 11 finals, as he smoothly maneuvered away from oncoming pressure before reestablishing his platform and finding a downfield target.
Rosen's expectations, like those of the UCLA faithful, are sky-high.
"I'd love to take snaps on opening day," Rosen said. "I'm going to work as hard as I can to make that happen."
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
