5 Top-Performing Quarterback Recruits from 2015 Elite 11 Semifinals

LOS ANGELES — Thirty of the top quarterbacks of the 2016 class were on the USC campus competing in the inaugural Elite 11 semifinals this past weekend. Of the 30, eight entered the weekend already qualified for the Elite 11 finals in Beaverton, Oregon, next month.

Four quarterbacks earned golden tickets to the finals with their play Saturday and Sunday, but when the competition came to a conclusion, South Carolina commit Brandon McIlwain was the quarterback to take home the weekend MVP honors. He also earned a trip to the Elite 11 finals.

In addition to learning new tricks of the trade from Elite 11 coaches, the athletes heard important messages from motivational speakers and influential individuals looking to help shape the minds of future college student-athletes.

"I think the thing that was the most challenging was really just taking it all in," McIlwain told the Elite 11's A.J. Lawrence on Sunday. "It's such an amazing experience and something I haven't been a part of before. Being able to really take in and listen to every influential speaker...it was a very great experience; it was amazing."

While McIlwain was one of the stars on the field, he wasn't alone. Here are five players who shined during Saturday and Sunday competition. Also included are five additional players who caught the eye of various Elite 11 coaches. Also included are player comments from Brian Stumpf, vice president of football events for Student Sports and one of the leaders of the Elite 11.

4-Star South Carolina Commit Brandon McIlwain

Credit: 247Sports

Hometown (school): Newtown, Pennsylvania (Council Rock North)

Size: 6'0", 200 lbs

247Sports national rank: No. 260 (No. 8 Dual-Threat QB)

With so many other quarterbacks entering the weekend with the hype in their favor, Brandon McIlwain was one of the players who didn't say much verbally, but did so with actions. McIlwain was outstanding on Sunday during seven-on-seven play, and he impressed the Elite 11 coaches with his decision-making skills, as well as his ability to move the ball up the field.

McIlwain is a gifted athlete who could be a college quarterback or a potential pro baseball prospect in 2016. He was a sponge with every coach's tutelage, and he made adjustments very quickly. If he sticks with college football, South Carolina will be getting a quarterback who knows how to manage a game, make the right reads and proper checks and do whatever is necessary to get the victory.

Stumpf's comments

"The best seven-on-seven culminated into a great weekend. Brandon is one of the most focused and mature 17-year-olds we've seen with a lot of natural ability, as well. He was very composed. Nothing was too big for him. He spoke softly but carried a big stick, so to speak."

5-Star Ole Miss Commit Shea Patterson

Credit: 247Sports

Hometown (school): Shreveport, Louisiana (Calvary Baptist Academy)

Size: 6'2", 195 lbs

247Sports national rank: No. 12 (No. 2 Pro-Style QB)

From the minute he arrived—and he arrived late on Saturday after attending a camp at Ole Miss—Shea Patterson showed he was as legitimate as advertised. He showed a quick release, tons of athleticism and a combination of velocity and accuracy that wowed the Elite 11 coaches so much that he earned a ticket to the Elite 11 finals as the 10th invitee.

Patterson was one of those players who blended in well with both the introverted and extroverted—a sign of a quarterback who can relate to all of his players. His intelligence in seven-on-seven situations was one of his strong points on Sunday, as he showed an ability to deliver rocket passes while also making adjustments when necessary.

Stumpf's comments

"This was the first time we saw him this year. What a competitor to jump off a plane after an all-nighter of travel and just walk right into the most competitive quarterback environment and own it. He isn't 6'4" but is a dominant kid in terms of all the other physical traits, and he's as competitive as anyone in this class."

3-Star Michigan State Commit Messiah deWeaver

Credit: 247Sports

Hometown (school): Dayton, Ohio (Wayne)

Size: 6'4", 215 lbs

247Sports national rank: No. 348 (No. 13 Pro-Style QB)

Messiah deWeaver quickly makes spectators forget that he's classified as only a 3-star athlete. He was named the MVP of the Saturday morning circuit, and he also earned a ticket to the Elite 11 finals as the ninth invitee. In short, the Michigan State commit was the total package.

Possessing size, a great release, a high IQ for the position and, perhaps most importantly, poise in the pocket, deWeaver didn't disappoint in drills or in seven-on-seven play. The weekend event was the perfect time to show that he's much better than the ratings indicate. He's going to be a player to watch when it's his time to lead in the Big Ten.

Stumpf's comments

"Messiah was close to locking up a finals spot in Chicago before an up-and-down Columbus regional. He was back at top form in Cali. He has a great base. He's a power passer and a steady kid with a ton of maturity and moxie."

4-Star Stanford Commit K.J. Costello

Credit: 247Sports

Hometown (school): Rancho Santa Margarita, California (Santa Margarita Catholic)

Size: 6'4", 213 lbs

247Sports national rank: No. 34 (No. 4 Pro-Style QB)

When you look at K.J. Costello, physically, he has all the tools to be a marquee quarterback. He's a big athlete with a strong arm and someone who loves to put extra zip on his throws. Costello celebrated a birthday in Los Angeles, and his present from the Elite 11 coaches was a ticket to the Elite 11 finals.

Costello became the 11th invitee to the prestigious event, and he earned the ticket with his play in seven-on-seven exercises. The Stanford commit was a surgeon in competition, and he muscled his way through rigorous drills that tested accuracy, poise, arm strength and quick decision-making. Costello left Elite 11 coaches with smiles on their faces.

Stumpf's comments

"K.J. is a prime example of how we improved our process with this semifinal addition. We saw him March, and he was rusty coming off a minor injury. He was not good, and he knew it and owned it. This weekend, he flashed everything you like about him on film. He's big and strong, has an accurate arm and is a great decision maker."

4-Star Texas Commit Shane Buechele

Credit: 247Sports

Hometown (school): Arlington, Texas (Lamar)

Size: 6'2", 185 lbs

247Sports national rank: No. 176 (No. 4 Dual-Threat QB)

Saturday's competition was an overall statement for Shane Buechele. Every passing drill, he aced. Nearly every target assigned, he drilled it—multiple times. Buechele was a man on a mission Saturday, and he carried that assassin's attitude and consistency over to Sunday's seven-on-seven drills.

Buechele, a Texas commit, is the kind of player who will manage a game with minimal mistakes. He made the right decisions throughout seven-on-sevens, whether it was connecting with a checkdown or showcasing a gunslinger's mentality and going for the deep ball. He may not be the biggest quarterback, but it was evident that he's one of the hungriest.

Stumpf's comments

"I think he's a very similar kid in terms of makeup to BMac [Brandon McIlwain]. He's poised, mature, steady-handed and almost a flatliner in terms of how nothing phases or overwhelms him. And he's a pure passer with a clean stroke. He's quick in everything he does—setup, release. There's a lot of Colt McCoy is his game."

5 Quarterback Honorable Mentions

Credit: 247Sports

Michigan commit Brandon Peters

Here are five other quarterbacks who impressed members of the Elite 11 coaching staff during the weekend competition.

3-star Oklahoma State commit Nick Starkel

There were times when Starkel's passes were poetry in motion. He has a gunslinger's mentality, and he showed it and his overall enthusiasm for the game during seven-on-seven play. In addition to having a strong arm and a high football IQ, Starkel was also one of the most charismatic quarterbacks at the camp—and his attitude was infectious.

4-star Michigan commit Brandon Peters

Peters got better and better as the two days of competition went on. He showed his deep-ball skills in seven-on-seven play, connecting on a bomb for a touchdown. Accuracy and overall zip are two qualities definitely in the favor of Peters, who is one of those athletes that, when he is dialed in and gets hot, few high school quarterbacks in the country are on his level.

3-star Texas Tech commit Jett Duffey

The Elite 11 coaches love Duffey because he has a never-surrender attitude. Considered one of the hardest workers of the Elite 11 circuit this year, Duffey was seen taking extra snaps while others were on water breaks a few times this weekend. His seven-on-seven play Sunday showed his surgical ability against defenders, something that will fit in well for Kliff Kingsbury's high-octane offense at Texas Tech.

4-star Tennessee commit Jarrett Guarantano

Guarantano is listed as a dual-threat quarterback, but he looked more like a comfortable, pro-style signal-caller on Sunday. Guarantano was very comfortable in the pocket during seven-on-seven, and he was consistent in both Saturday and Sunday drills. Most importantly, he didn't try forcing anything, showing game-management skills that could help him at the college level sooner than later.

5-star Georgia commit Jacob Eason

Eason didn't have one of his best camps, but here's what separates him from other quarterbacks: He persevered through adversity. In seven-on-seven play, he made necessary adjustments and showed his ability to fight through unfavorable situations. He quickly reminded people of his booming arm and made tough throws look easy. Eason showed on multiple occasions why he's the nation's No. 1 pro-style quarterback.

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