2018 QB Devin Leary's Recruitment on Rise Thanks to Video Game-Like Stats

ERIAL, N.J. — Another Friday night of offensive fireworks left Timber Creek High School quarterback Devin Leary standing in the end zone with a smile on his face. 

A 49-7 victory over previously unbeaten West Jersey Football League foe Clearview High School on Sept. 23 extended his team's win streak to seven games, dating back to a 2015 state sectional title run. He spearheaded the onslaught by connecting for five scores and has now thrown 15 touchdowns through three games.

Still, the 6'2", 186-pound passer couldn't help but think about those few passes that he missed.

"This definitely wasn't my best performance," Leary told Bleacher Report. "I'm very hard on myself and there were opportunities to do more in the game."

Just three weeks into his junior season, and he's already at the stage of development when good simply isn't good enough. It's back to the drawing board for Leary, even after a 12-for-20 night that resulted in 275 passing yards.

"I like to look at film during the weekend and immediately get back to work with my receivers to improve on what we just did and fix our technique," he said.

This method has produced outstanding results so far for Leary, who is rated No. 16 nationally among pro-style quarterback prospects in 2018 composite recruit rankings. Now averaging five touchdown tosses per contest, he is on pace to obliterate several school and regional records.

"Right in front of my eyes, he's becoming one of the best high school quarterbacks I've seen—working with or coaching against," said Timber Creek Head Coach Rob Hinson, who guided his program to a state sectional championship game in six of the past seven years. 

Leary took over the reigns of a full-spread attack last fall as a sophomore, hitting his stride with back-to-back 300-yard performances in late October, per MaxPreps. He capped off a breakout campaign with 245 passing yards and three total scores in a narrow championship victory.

Collegiate interest intensified as a result, and Leary entered his second season as starter with scholarship offers from Boston College, Maryland, Rutgers, Temple and Wake Forest. Syracuse joined the mix earlier this month, and additional opportunities could loom ahead based on his hot start.

"Syracuse originally wanted to see Devin throw in person, but after watching his film, they said it was a no-brainer," Hinson said.

Through three matchups this fall, Leary has completed 61 percent of his passes for 937 yards, 15 touchdowns and just one interception. This explosion occurred despite the graduation of 4-star receiver Cam Chambers (1,041 yards and nine touchdowns in 2015), who is now a Michigan State Spartans freshman.

His career touchdown-to-interception ratio now stands at 41-to-11. Timber Creek boasts a 12-3 record during this span.

"Last year, the coaches did a good job letting me settle into my role within the offense," he said. "This year, they've kind of set me free, and I'm allowed to play as a true quarterback. Depending on defensive coverage, I can audible into different plays that might give us a better advantage."

Teammates believe Leary provides Timber Creek with an edge even before the ball is snapped.

"He's actually, probably more impressive mentally than physically," said University of Pennsylvania pledge Ezrah Archie, who has been on the receiving end of eight touchdowns this season. "Devin really understands the game. He reads defenses left and right, and as a receiver, you can count on him to throw a perfect ball if you run correct routes."

[Video contains minor NSFW language]

Timber Creek defensive back Naijee Jones, a senior committed to Rutgers, deals with Leary every day during practice.

"I've seen him develop over the years—he's become a phenomenal player and leader," he said. "You've got to play smart and hard against him, or he'll beat you."

Hinson believes Leary's increased offseason dedication is a key component of his progression.

As a varsity baseball player his freshman year, the quarterback was unable to maintain consistent strength training, Hinson noted. However, he elevated year-round efforts as a sophomore by balancing shortstop duties with weekend football workouts and optional team weight-lifting sessions.

Instead of losing pounds this past offseason, he gained them.

"That increased size has given him more confidence and greater physical ability," Hinson said. "Another offseason like that is going to continue his physical maturation, which is so important."

Leary certainly brings impressive physical tools to the football field: able to extend plays beyond the pocket and punish opponents with a tremendous mix of velocity and touch on various passes. His blend of attributes has drawn expansive interest from college coaching staffs.

Dialogue continues to increase with programs such as South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia Tech and Pittsburgh. Teams would be wise to pull the trigger on an offer sooner rather than later, as Leary expressed plans to potentially end his recruitment this winter.

"I want to become the face of a class as an early commit," he said. "A quarterback can help lead their class, so I'm hoping to narrow things down and maybe make a decision toward the end of this year."

In-state Rutgers presents a compelling opportunity to play close to home in an evolving offense. It's imperative that the Scarlet Knights land at least one of the top passers in a loaded 2018 New Jersey quarterback class that also includes Artur Sitkowski, Allan Walters and John Langan (each are considered top-20 pro-style passers in composite rankings).

"I really like what [offensive coordinator Drew] Mehringer does with his quarterbacks," Leary said. "He told me he revolves things around the quarterback's strengths. It's good to see him planning things toward what guys at my position do best."

An alternative Big Ten option at Maryland also attracts consideration, especially given his growing rapport with the Terrapins' new staff.

"I've built a great relationship with [offensive coordinator Walt] Bell and [head coach DJ] Durkin," Leary said. "I like them just as people, and they like me a lot too. There's good stuff going on with the offense down there."

"

Had a great day at Maryland today! Thanks to @coachwaltbell and the whole Maryland staff for having me!  pic.twitter.com/IrdewRafBE

— Dleary (@DevinLeary1) July 30, 2016"

He's also impressed by early-season returns from a new-look Syracuse system that's produced college football's seventh-most passing yards per contest (372) through four games.

"You can tell they're already doing great things with the offense under [head coach Dino] Babers," Leary said. "They have a top-10 passing offense in the country right now, and you can tell there are high expectations with Tommy DeVito committed for the 2017 class."

Leary would love to follow the footsteps of DeVito, a fellow Garden State gunslinger, to Los Angeles and Beaverton, Oregon. Those are destinations where the Don Bosco High School star made strides this summer during national Elite 11 finals and, ultimately, The Opening.

"It's a lifelong dream," Leary said. "It's one of my main goals that I hope to achieve. Just working with [Elite 11 instructor] Paul Troth once [at the Washington, D.C. Elite 11 regional in April] taught me so much, and hopefully I can make a strong impression on their coaches and become a part of that group."

Troth identified Leary as a premier performer following that showcase, where he was the lone underclassman selected to compete in "pressure chamber" action.

"In terms of feeling someone's presence today, it was him by far," Troth said afterward. "I knew when he was throwing because the ball spoke for itself. I knew when he was competing because he raised the level of everybody around him. ... He's going to be very intriguing to watch."

"

Thank you @Elite11 for giving me the opportunity to preform today. Thank you for naming me the underclassmen MVP! pic.twitter.com/kevHDBjkzg

— Dleary (@DevinLeary1) April 17, 2016"

Leary continues to build a strong case for inclusion in the 2017 Elite 11 circuit, and he will have an opportunity to secure a spot next spring. For now, he's focused on the day-to-day details that build a championship team.

"From a statistical standpoint, this season has been pretty surprising," Leary said. "But I knew we could be successful because of the weapons around me and our offensive play-calling, so I expected big things."

Expectations exceeded, this young quarterback should continue his climb on the national recruiting scene. Leary revealed he will take advantage of a Timber Creek bye week by attending the Boston College game this Saturday. 

Quotes obtained firsthand by Bleacher Report National Recruiting Analyst Tyler Donohue. All player ratings are courtesy of 247Sports' composite ratings.

Follow Tyler via Twitter: @TDsTake.