5 Top-Performing Quarterback Recruits from 2016 New Jersey Elite 11 Regional
Elite 11 regional action returned to New York Jets facilities in Florham Park, New Jersey, attracting compelling quarterback prospects from across the country. The latest competition in a series of spring showcases featured passers who journeyed throughout Northeast states, though a top Texas gunslinger threatened to steal the spotlight.
Bleacher Report was on the scene Sunday from start to finish, observing a crowded group of throwers dwindle down to five final competitors selected by Elite 11 coaches. These athletes participated in the "pressure chamber," an intense final gauntlet that tests quarterbacks' abilities to quickly digest play calls and operate within restricted time.
Developments in the pressure chamber and drills preceding it ultimately determined Sunday's regional MVP and helped two passers punch their ticket to Elite 11 national finals, held June 3-5 in Los Angeles. We caught up with Brian Stumpf, president of sports at Student Sports, to break down each quarterback who qualified for final-five competition.
MVP: 3-Star Tommy DeVito
1 of 5High School: Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, New Jersey)
Size: 6'2", 185 lbs
247Sports Composite Ranking: No. 58 pro-style quarterback; No. 1,297 overall
Tommy DeVito represented the Garden State well, ensuring MVP honors were handed out to a local product. He is also headed to Elite 11 finals, following in the footsteps of recent New Jersey passers such as 2016 Tennessee signee Jarrett Guarantano and Notre Dame quarterback Brandon Wimbush.
DeVito stars behind center at national powerhouse Don Bosco Prep, where he is coached by offensive coordinator Mike Teel, a former starting quarterback at nearby Rutgers. His offer sheet expanded to include the Scarlet Knights, Maryland, Temple and Boston College by early spring.
He committed to Syracuse on April 16, less than two months after the Orange extended an offer. DeVito threw for 1,689 yards and 17 touchdowns last season, according to Braulio Perez of NJ.com.
Stumpf's Comments
"Tommy showed a big progression from last year to this year. He's starting to physically mature, he was first in line and competed really well. From start to finish, he was probably the most consistent guy in the group. That, combined with his great intangibles and the fact that he's a good leader for a powerful program, makes me excited to see what he can do out at the finals."
4-Star Sam Ehlinger
2 of 5High School: Westlake (Austin, Texas)
Size: 6'1 ½", 215 lbs
247Sports Composite Ranking: No. 6 dual-threat quarterback; No. 150 overall
Sam Ehlinger achieved his goal of securing an invitation to Elite 11 finals following a long-distance flight from the Lone Star State. He attended the Houston regional April 3 and refused to settle for anything less than a shot at national Elite 11 MVP.
"There's nothing better than competing against the best, so I wouldn't want to miss out on that opportunity," he said.
Ehlinger certainly didn't appear travel-weary, spinning the ball with excellent velocity and accuracy. He's enjoyed a dominant run at Westlake, racking up 6,133 passing yards, 2,082 rushing yards and 103 total touchdowns during the past two seasons.
The Texas Longhorns landed his commitment last July, while Florida State added another offer to his list in early March.
Stumpf's Comments
"He built on a good performance in Houston and looked even better today. He's obviously been as productive as you could want from a high school player on the field. Combined with the physical talent he showed today, it was a no-brainer for us to include him in that final 24 for Elite 11 competition in June."
3-Star Johnathan Lewis
3 of 5High School: St. Peter's Prep (Jersey City, New Jersey)
Size: 6'3", 205 lbs
247Sports Composite Ranking: No. 18 dual-threat quarterback; No. 785 overall
Fresh off his commitment to Rutgers, Johnathan Lewis showed exactly why Scarlet Knights head coach Chris Ash and company are so excited about their latest addition. The long, athletic passer showed off a powerful arm and punctuated his pressure chamber experience with a 40-yard laser along the right sideline that resulted in a touchdown completion.
Lewis stepped into the starting role at New Jersey powerhouse St. Peter's Prep last fall, doing damage through the air and on the ground. He threw for 1,669 yards, rushed for 501 yards and tallied 27 total touchdowns, according to Todderick Hunt of NJ.com.
The Scarlet Knights secured his verbal commitment Saturday, edging out offers from Georgia, Iowa, Wake Forest and Boston College.
Stumpf's Comments
"We saw him last year as an underclassman for the first time and he was kind of an unknown after being behind [St. Peter's alum and 2015 Notre Dame signee] Brandon Wimbush. He's grown a lot as a quarterback since then. He's a big, physically talented kid. A little raw, but has a lot of tools. He can make a lot of throws and shows the strength to get the ball down the field deep. Johnathan is a really intriguing kid."
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Unranked Austin Burton
4 of 5High School: Newton South (Newton Centre, Massachusetts)
Size: 6'3", 190 lbs
247Sports Composite Ranking: Unranked
We routinely witness an under-the-radar quarterback make a run that lands him in the pressure chamber, and on Sunday it was New England product Austin Burton who provided the surprise. He stood out immediately due to an impressive physical frame and flashed a powerful arm at times.
Massachusetts isn't typically viewed as a recruiting hotbed so Burton did his best to send a message during Elite 11 regional action. While he may still be searching for increased respect from collegiate coaching staffs, his junior campaign wasn't exactly quiet.
He posted impressive statistics throughout the 2015 season (3,299 passing yards and 34 touchdown tosses), highlighted by a 429-yard, four-score effort in a November playoff victory, according to Emily McCarthy of the Boston Globe. Burton, who carries an offer from Massachusetts, could soon see interest mount moving toward summer.
Stumpf's Comments
"I think through the spring evaluation period he could pop on some people's radars because he's big, smart and showed he can make good reads in the half-field seven-on-seven portion. He's probably more of a pro-style guy. He's not someone who is going to pull it down and run with it, but he threw with the best of them today."
2018 Coaches' Selection: 4-Star Artur Sitkowski
5 of 5High School: Old Bridge (Matawan, New Jersey)
Size: 6'4", 205 lbs
247Sports Composite Ranking: No. 8 pro-style quarterback; No. 223 overall (strictly 247Sports ranking)
In what seemed to be an extremely narrow contest among 2018 prospects for a spot in the pressure chamber, Artur Sitkowski edged out fellow 4-star New Jersey passer Allan Walters (Paramus Catholic High School). Already possessing prototypical pro-style size in the pocket, this underclassman proved increased collegiate interest is validated.
Sitkowski's afternoon ended with an interception in the pressure chamber, but his overall body of work for the day was enough to indicate he's a premier rising junior to watch in the Northeast. He collected 1,436 passing yards and 16 touchdown tosses in 2015, adding two rushing scores as a sophomore.
His recruitment reached a new level of intensity this spring when a slew of scholarship offers arrived. His latest opportunities include South Carolina, Boston College, Indiana and Michigan.
Stumpf's Comments
"He's one of the best underclassmen we've seen this year in terms of how a guy projects to the next level. He has great size and checks the stature box. When it comes to his ceiling over the next couple years, he might project higher than any of the 2017 quarterbacks at this camp. If he keeps developing, he has the chance to be a top-tier kid in next year's class."
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