The nation's premier quarterback event wrapped up on Thursday and a clear-cut group of signal callers separated themselves from the rest of the pack.
Andrew Ivins
MANHATTAN BEACH, Calif. – The Elite 11 Finals wrapped up on Thursday with one final session at Mira Costa High. After the 20 quarterbacks went through a two-hour workout Tuesday night and competed in both the Vici's Pro Day and the Panini Accuracy Challenge on Wednesday night, they all got 15 minutes to show what they could do in a 7-on-7 game, which utilized the Elite 11 playbook. Below is the final ranking of the signal callers for 247Sports after taking all three days of action into account.
ALPHA DOG: Tavien St. Clair (Ohio State commit)
Top247: No. 2 QB, No. 2 overall
The No. 2-ranked player in the Top247 wasn't named the Elite 11 MVP, but he came very close to heading home with some hardware according to those making the decisions as Tavien St. Clair was solid all three days and made things constantly look easy. He not only has ready-to-play size, but he possesses clean mechanics and is able to touch all different corners of the field. We loved how St. Clair was able to glide both inside and outside of the pocket and came away impressed with his ability to layer the football over the middle. In our eyes, St. Clair is the type of signal caller that you could drop into next year's NFL Scouting Combine and he would have scouts buzzing given the combination of his frame, mobility, arm and mindset. We have already had some discussions behind the scenes about him potentially moving to No. 1 our rankings and this week will keep them going.
2. Keelon Russell (Alabama commit)
Top247: No. 7 QB, No. 39 overall
Keelon Russell was presented with the coveted Elite 11 MVP Trophy. We knew he was a dynamic athlete with one of the best on-field resumes in the class, but didn't realize just how talented of a passer he really is until getting a chance to evaluate him alongside some of his peers. Russell can rip the ball on tight lines to all three levels. He also can change his release and arm angles to manipulate coverages. If there's one finalist that absolutely put himself in the five-star discussion this week, it's Russell.
3. Husan Longstreet (Texas A&M commit)
Top247:No. 4 QB, No. 28 overall
Credit Husan Longstreet for playing through pain all week. After injuring his foot Monday night during a private workout, the Elite 11 staff advised Longstreet to take it easy. The twitched-up athlete wasn't having any of it. A hobbled Longstreet came out firing Tuesday and had one of the better pro day scores on Wednesday. He also was crisp in his 7-on-7 game. Longstreet is going to need to learn how to not always throw a fastball, but he's got NFL velocity and is more than comfortable distributing on the run.
4. Deuce Knight (Notre Dame commit)
Top247:No. 8 QB, No. 66 overall
We have long called Deuce Knight a "streaky" passer, but he's starting to change the script. In our eyes, Knight had one of the most exciting pro days as he was able to drive the football to the perimeter like few others while also delivering some absolute dimes down the sidelines. Knight is far from a complete product, but he's the type of dual-threat talent that we would bet on as he's got rare athletic juice for the position. We are eager to see what he's going to do as a senior after a mixed junior campaign.
5. Ryan Montgomery (Georgia commit)
Top247:No. 10 QB, No. 144 overall
The more we watch Ryan Montgomery, the more we like. We have always viewed him as a full-field reader that wins primarily with precision and accuracy. We still feel that way, but are even more bullish on what we can be at the next level after watching him roll and sprint out the past few days. Montgomery is a coordinated mover that serves up plenty of catchable balls on the move. We could see him thriving in a pro-style attack that's heavy on the play action as he can climb and put the ball on a dot.
6. Tramell Jones Jr. (FSU commit)
Top247:No. 21 QB
We have had plenty of exposure to Tramell Jones Jr. the past few months and he continues to turn heads. The statistical profile won't blow many away as he's less than a 60 percent career passer, but he proved to be one of the more dialed-in quarterbacks as his pro day and accuracy challenge scores ranked near the top. Jones did toss a pair of interceptions in 7-on-7 play, but those were the only real blemishes during an overall steady week. We exit the competition viewing him as a high-floor pocket assassin.
7. Julian Lewis (USC commit)
Top247:No. 3 QB, No. 16 overall
Not only was Julian Lewis the youngest finalist after reclassifying and moving up a year, but he was one of the smallest quarterbacks in attendance. With that being said, he's surgical with his ball placement. Lewis had the highest pro day score on Wednesday and followed that performance up with one of the cleaner 7-on-7 games as he barely put the ball in danger. Lewis might not have a prototypical build, but he has the makeup of a high-volume, up-tempo passer that can pick defenses apart.
8. Matt Zollers (Missouri commit)
Top247:No. 6 QB, No. 34 overall
It was an up and down week for Matt Zollers, but we love the developmental upside. Opinions were a bit split on his 7-on-7 outing, but if you love gunslingers, then Zollers is your guy. He threw an event-high six touchdowns to go against two interceptions. The turnovers were bad, but Zollers isn't afraid to take risks, which counts. He needs plenty of polish, but has one of the higher ceilings in the class as he's got the ideal blend of tools with his live arm, plus frame, grit and explosive lower half.
9. Bryce Baker (North Carolina commit)
Top247:No. 34 QB
Bryce Baker ended up being one of the biggest surprises of the week. A longtime three-star prospect in our rankings, we thought that Baker was near the top of the pack all three days. His arm and feet are frequently in tune, which allows him to challenge tight windows at the intermediate level. Baker threw five touchdowns on Thursday. More importantly, he protected the football, which is also what he has done in high school as his interception rate ranks third-best amongst the finalists.
10. Luke Nickel (Miami commit)
Top247: No. 30 QB
It seemed like each day Luke Nickel got sharper. We considered a handful of others for our final spots on the list, but settled on Nickel after watching him march down the field and connect with his targets on time. Nickel, who was dealing with an injury in his lower half, is very clean from a mechanical standpoint and is the type of quarterback that will throw wide receivers open. He might not have an elite arm or be a top-flight tester, but he's consistent in everything he does and is able to diagnose coverages better than most.
11. Jaron Keawe Sagapolutele
Top247: No. 27 QB
We'll be honest. Some of us had Jaron Keawe Sagapolutele dead last in our personal rankings when he arrived. So, the southpaw out of Hawaii definitely won some people over. Sagapolutele was the champion of the annual 'Rail Shot Challenge' on Tuesday. He was solid Wednesday, but really sent a message during his 7-on-7 game on Friday when he ripped dart after dart. Sagapolutele is going to need some seasoning, but he could be well worth the wait for someone as he's got the raw traits you want at the position.
