The Elite 11 Finals matter more than ever: Names, trends to know as 2024 event begins this week

Tavien St. 5 stars | #2 QB | #2 overall Rising quarterback prospect who has a chance to make a difference on Saturdays with his size, arm and mobility. Methodical as a passer, with speed and confidence to attack tight coverage windows. Skillful enough with the arm to pump, reset and fire a tight spiral. Julian Lewis 5 stars | #3 QB | #16 overall A true point guard on the football field who can distribute the football like few others. The compact release allows it to rip precise and precise spirals at all different levels. It may not have a true cannon, but it will launch balls over coverage into the deep third. Husan Longstreet 5 stars | #4 QB | #28 overall One of the strongest arms in the class and a quick release to go with it. He generates a lot of speed with little effort and can throw from multiple arm angles. Big hands and spins the ball very well. George MacIntyre 5 stars | #5 QB | #30 overall Top-notch quarterback prospect with a franchise-worthy frame, college-caliber arm and fluid pocket moves. On the thinner side, but he’s over 6′ and will probably fill out more. He has a cleaner swing and can drive the football over 50 yards. Matt Zollers 4 stars | #6 QB | #34 overall Athletic quarterback prospect with a projectable frame who can throw the ball across the yard. Agile upper and lower halves make him move like a middle infielder as he avoids pressure or tries to gain yards on designed runs Keelon Russell 4 stars | #7 QB | #39 overall Elite playmaker for the defender position who can beat defenses with his arms and legs. Accurate in the first two levels and get the ball out quickly. It slides through the pocket with its flexible movement patterns and has the speed and agility to turn scrambles into exhaustive gains. Duke Knight 4 stars | #8 QB | #66 overall A left-handed, dual-threat talent with an elite physical profile that needs a lot of seasoning to reach his full potential. He creates a lot of whip and speed with a shorter delivery and has the arm strength to attack the deeper third. Akili Smith Jr. 4 stars | #9 QB | #113 overall The son of junior Akili Smith is a big quarterback who weighs in at 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds. He is primarily a pure pocket passer, but has some escape ability and can make throws left or right. But it’s his deep passing and precision that stand out. Ryan Montgomery 4 stars | #10 QB | #144 overall Plays in a spread attack that often puts him on the gun and at fours and fives wide. He was asked to make a lot of shots and showed that he can do it. Timing, anticipation and shooting out windows took a huge leap forward when he was a junior. KJ Lacey 4 stars | #13 QB | #179 overall On the smaller side, but throws the ball quickly and can change arm angles to create shooting windows. Accurate at both the first and second levels and has the power to land his fair share of deep shots. It has proven to be a tricky offense for pass rushers as it dances away from pressure. Malik Washington 4 stars | #14 QB | #180 overall The best uncommitted QB in the class, Washington is an athletic passer with impressive speed. He won back to- Ty Hawkins 4 stars | #15 QB | #200 overall A long-time commit to TCU, Hawkins is fresh off a strong junior season that saw him lead Johnson to the second round of the Texas 6A-DI playoffs, completing 142 of 214 passes (66.4%) for 2,235 yards with 25 touchdowns against 11 interceptions. Kamario Taylor 4 stars | #16 QB | #221 overall The former Mississippi State commit threw for 3,634 yards on 211-of-353 passing (59.9%) with 48 touchdowns against five interceptions while rushing for an additional 794 yards and 15 touchdowns on 89 carries in a run to the Mississippi 3A state championship. TJ Lateef 4 stars | #17 QB | #230 overall A pocket passer with dual-threat skills. Can make defenders miss and does a good job extending plays and making something happen outside the pocket. Could be a threat in the reading zone. Tramel Jones Jr. 3 stars | #21 QB Experienced signal caller with cleaner mechanics who has improved in every major statistical category since earning the nod as a varsity freshman. At this stage, it’s more of a passer of a read that will feed your playmakers and open them up. Jaron Keawe Sagapolutele 3 stars | #27 QB One of only two uncommitted quarterbacks invited to the Elite 11 Finals, Keawe Sagapolutele was rated a 247Sports Alpha Dog for his performance at the Elite 11’s Las Vegas Regional in early May. The 6-foot-3 lefty threw for 3,757 yards and 37 touchdowns in 13 games as a junior, leading Campbell to a 9-4 record and a state semifinal appearance in the Hawaii Open Division. Lucas Nickel 3 stars | #30 QB Throws an accurate, catchable ball and can beat coverages with touch. Will dismantle defenses when plays stay on schedule and the pocket is kept clean. He’s already been asked to make pre-snap adjustments and does a favorable job of disguising his intentions. Kevin Sperry 3 stars | #32 QB After spending his sophomore season at Prosper (Texas) Rock Hill, Sperry transferred to Oklahoma City Carl Albert in 2023, where he posted a perfect 14-0 record and helped the program win its 18th state championship. In 14 games, the Oklahoma team threw for 2,564 yards on 131 of 191 passes (68.6%), with 31 touchdowns and four interceptions. Bryce Baker 3 stars | #34 QB Mobile player with a muscular build who will open up his wide receivers. It has a compact release and can create some torque with its top half. Can be a little streaky as a passer at times, but has some impressive long balls on the junior spray chart. Alex Manske 3 stars | #36 QB Manske completed 101 of 167 passes (60.5%) for 1,787 yards with 17 touchdowns and just three interceptions in 10 games as a junior, leading Algona to a 6-4 record and the first round of the Iowa 3A playoffs.