5 Top-Performing Quarterback Recruits from 2016 Seattle Elite 11 Regional
RENTON, Wash. — The Pacific Northwest was the final stop for the Elite 11 regional tour on Saturday, and while no quarterbacks were chosen for the upcoming Elite 11 finals in Los Angeles, there were quarterbacks to keep an eye on for the future.
More than 40 quarterbacks were on hand at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center (VMAC)—the training facility and headquarters of the Seattle Seahawks. And while a spot in the Elite 11 may not be in the cards for those athletes this year, an opportunity to play college football is expected to be in the future for a few of them.
The regional competition not only showcased athletes receiving attention from Pac-12 schools but also featured some of the best young talent in the country. Here are five quarterbacks—including two freshmen—who competed in the Elite 11 Seattle half-skelly showdown, which helped determine a camp MVP for the position.
MVP: 3-Star QB Connor Neville
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Hometown (school): Wilsonville, Oregon (Wilsonville HS)
Size: 6'2", 183 lbs
247Sports composite rank: No. 386 overall (No. 17 PRO)
Commitment status: Committed to Washington State
Need a definition of persistence? Connor Neville has been to eight Elite 11 regional competitions since his freshman year, including three this year. Prior to Saturday, he had never been named camp MVP.
In the last Elite 11 regional of the year, the Washington State commit walked away from the VMAC with his first MVP award and plenty of confidence as he prepares for the summer stretch. Neville was impressive from start to finish and competed with a high level of intensity.
Neville is coming off a junior season where he threw for 3,110 yards and 37 touchdowns for Wilsonville High School. He also completed 64 percent of his passes (199 of 309). Neville is a guy who should fit in well in Washington State's pass-happy offensive scheme.
Unrated QB Gunner Talkington
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Hometown (school): Battle Ground, Washington (Battle Ground HS)
Size: 5'10", 180" lbs
247Sports composite rank: n/a
Commitment status: Uncommitted
At first glance, Gunner Talkington doesn't look like a quarterback. His size and measurements suggest he would fit best as a running back or a slot receiver.
All questions, however, are thrown out the window after watching Talkington throw the football. He's got a great arm, and he moves well in and out of the pocket. He showed at the Elite 11 Seattle that he can be a quality sleeper get for a college.
Talkington threw for 2,774 yards and 24 touchdowns as a junior, according to his Hudl page. He also was a second-team all-Greater St. Helens League quarterback.
2018 QB Jacob Sirmon
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Hometown (school): Bothell, Washington (Bothell HS)
Size: 6'3", 205 lbs
247Sports composite rank: n/a
Commitment status: Committed to Washington
On paper, Jacob Sirmon has everything you want in a quarterback of the future. He has a big frame, a cannon for an arm and a high football IQ. There's a reason Washington fans were excited when he committed to the Huskies in December.
Sirmon finished his sophomore season with 1,833 passing yards and 19 touchdowns, according to his Hudl page. He also completed 64 percent of his passes (120 of 188). 247Sports ranks him the No. 3 pro-style quarterback and the No. 25 overall player in the 2018 class.
The surname should ring a bell to college football purists. Sirmon is the nephew of former Washington assistant coach Peter Sirmon, who now is the defensive coordinator at Mississippi State.
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2019 QB Ryan Hilinski
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Hometown (school): Orange, California (Orange Lutheran HS)
Size: 6'3", 207 lbs
247Sports composite rank: n/a
Commitment status: Uncommitted
Never mind the fact that he's a freshman; Ryan Hilinski showed on Saturday that he can compete with the big dogs.
Hilinski showed a level of poise and a rocket arm that many high school freshman quarterbacks haven't developed yet. His performance throughout the regional showed why he has early interest from Stanford, Notre Dame, USC and UCLA, according to Scout.com.
Hilinski is the youngest of three brothers who have excelled as pro-style quarterbacks. Oldest brother Kelly Hilinski is now at Weber State after transferring from Columbia and playing a year at Riverside City College in California. Middle brother Tyler Hilinski is competing for a starting job at Washington State.
2019 QB Dylan Morris
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Hometown (school): Graham, Washington (Graham-Kapowsin HS)
Size: 6'1", 185 lbs
247Sports composite rank: n/a
Commitment status: Uncommitted
There are times when people forget Dylan Morris is a freshman—and that's a good thing. At the Elite 11 Seattle, Morris never showed he was rattled, and when it was time to deliver the big throw, he connected.
Morris has early interest from Washington, Washington State, Oregon and Oregon State, per Scout.com. He has a strong arm and good feet, and he has solid pocket presence and awareness. In short, Morris doesn't play like a high school freshman.
The state of Washington had its share of quarterbacks this past season, with the biggest name being Jacob Eason, who now is at Georgia. Morris competed against Eason in the Washington Class 4A state quarterfinals and threw for 238 yards and a touchdown in a loss. The future is bright for him.
Damon Sayles is a National Recruiting Analyst for Bleacher Report. All quotes were obtained firsthand. All player ratings are courtesy of 247Sports' composite rankings. Follow Damon via Twitter: @DamonSayles.
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