UCLA Offers 2018 QB, Continues Concerning Trend of Super-Early Offers

At 6'3" and 206 pounds, Florida quarterback Joey Gatewood isn't your average freshman on the football field.

Physically, he's gifted. He's already as big as many of the nation's top-ranked QBs. On film, he shows great touch in short and long passes, acceleration out of the pocket and a fearless attitude.

There's a reason why he's already on the radars of several FBS programs. Gatewood has six offers, the latest coming from UCLA, according to 247Sports' Ryan Bartow. The UCLA offer was confirmed by his seven-on-seven coach Gerard Ross. Gatewood also has offers from Utah, Louisville, Cincinnati, South Florida and Florida Atlantic.

Gatewood himself tweeted the news on the UCLA offer:

At this rate, Gatewood is going to be one of the best QBs of the 2018 class. But this is where college football recruiting is becoming more and more divided.

Gatewood doesn't look, play or act like a freshman. But he is, indeed, a freshman.

It wasn't long ago when purists would be appalled about sophomore athletes landing scholarship offers from high-profile programs. Recently, the trend has shifted to freshmen—and, in rare cases, eighth-graders—and the concerns seem to include the same questions from those who oppose.

"What if he grows into another position player?"

"What do college coaches see out of a freshman, any freshman?"

"Why not just let the kid play?"

Mentally, the questions are valid. The major concern involves one word: when. When is it too early to offer an athlete? And an even scarier "when" may be, when will the world of college football recruiting see an elementary school athlete with a legitimate FBS offer?

The argument for early offers involves the evolution of the athlete. They're bigger, faster, stronger. They are walking specimens with and without football pads.

See LB/RB Dylan Moses and LB Anthony Hines III, two 2017s, as examples. These studs combined have more than 80 offers—and both landed big offers as freshmen.

There are few high school athletes ready to step on a varsity field at that age, let alone run the offense as quarterback. With the help of specialty camps, clinics and coaching at an early age, the trend suggests that times are changing.

A prime example: Tate Martell. Back in 2012, the Las Vegas QB shocked the world by committing to Washington—prior to entering his eighth-grade year. Martell recently decommitted from the Huskies and has offers from USC and Texas Tech.

And then there are the questions of how the young athlete would handle the media spotlight. With six offers, including two from the Pac-12, Gatewood is now a public figure.

Kevin Murray, former Texas A&M quarterback and father of Aggies commit Kyler Murray, said he was careful with the publicity his son got early as a precaution. You never know what to expect, particularly with a freshman athlete.

"Apparently, the kid is talented, but it's difficult to project the future," Kevin Murray said. "To say it's [offering] a gamble would be an understatement. I wish the kid well."

Texas Tech head coach Kliff Kingsbury played QB for the Red Raiders and holds multiple school and conference passing records. He didn't pick up his first offer until his senior year. Texas State—then known as Southwest Texas State—was offer No. 1. Texas Tech was offer No. 2.

Kingsbury, however, is one of those coaches who believes in offering a young player only if warranted. Texas Tech offered Martell in October, as Kingsbury feels he can be a game-changer.

"I think kids are developing at an earlier age with their fundamentals because of all the QB camps and private sessions, so I can definitely see kids getting offers earlier and earlier at the QB position specifically," Kingsbury said.

Gatewood has shown already that, physically, he has the talent to compete with many older quarterbacks. As good as he potentially can be, don't be surprised if he has 25 offers before entering his junior year.

Gatewood still has a long way to go, and a lot can happen before his national signing day experience in February 2018. Look for him to show the world that the early offers were warranted. And look for him to attempt to silence the critics.

Damon Sayles is a National Recruiting Analyst for Bleacher Report. All quotes obtained firsthand.