Video: Nation's Top 10 returning high school football quarterbacks mirror numbers of NFL's best

The name of the game is football, but it might as well be passing.

At every level, dropping back and letting loose is what teams do. "Three yards in a cloud of the dust" is passé, Neanderthal, ancient history.

A quick gander at the top 10 returning high school passers from 2013 reveals that. Their numbers are largely absurd, a combined 2,837 completions out of 4,403 attempts (64 percent) for 44,629 yards and 512 touchdowns. The combined yardage totals more than 25 miles, almost the length of a marathon.

The numbers almost mirror those of the returning Top 10 quarterbacks from the NFL. Led by the likes of Peyton Manning, Drew Brees and Matthew Stafford, the combined 2013 total of the NFL top 10 was 3,917 completions in 6,076 attempts (64 percent) for 45,366 yards and 315 touchdowns.



Note that all 10 of the NFL's best each played in 16 games, a total of 160 games. The high school kids played a combined 131 games. Also, the high school game is 48 minutes compared to the NFL's 60.

See 2013 MaxPreps national passing leaderboard

The per-game average for the top 10 NFL quarterbacks was 24 of 40 for 285 yards and two touchdowns. The average for the high school quarterbacks was 21 of 34 for 343 yards and 3.9 touchdowns.

Here are the top 10 high school returners based on passing yards from last year, their 2013 statistics and their NFL quarterback counterparts ranked in the same spot.

1. Jake Browning, Folsom (Calif.)



The 6-foot-2, 195-pound incoming senior is the top returner by a wide margin after completing 440 of 579 passes for 5,737 yards and 75 touchdowns. He led Folsom — the nation's No. 43 team last year (ranked No. 17 heading into this season) to a 14-1 record.



The Washington-bound standout is just 37 passing yards and seven touchdowns from matching California state career records. He's already broken the single-season passing yardage record twice and he has the single-season touchdown passing mark. Last season he threw for more than 300 yards in 14 of 15 games and more than 400 five times, including a 596-yard, eight-TD explosion in a 67-36 win over San Ramon Valley. He's ranked the nation's sixth-best pro style quarterback by 247Sports.

NFL No. 1 passer: Peyton Manning (450 of 659, 5,477 yards, 55 touchdowns){PAGEBREAK}2. Brady White, Hart (Newhall, Calif.)



The 6-3, 190-pound incoming senior completed 333 of 524 passes for 4,535 yards and 41 touchdowns for the Indians (12-3). The Arizona State-bound standout is ranked the No. 3 pro style quarterback by 247Sports and No. 51 recruit overall.

Last season he set the tone early, throwing for 471 and 508 yards his first two games, combining for 10 touchdowns and no interceptions.

NFL No. 2: Drew Brees (446 of 650, 5,162 yards, 39 touchdowns){PAGEBREAK}3. Matthew Williams, Jireh Prep (Indian Trail, N.C.)





The 6-2, 204-pound incoming senior threw far less than the other nine top quarterbacks, completing 219 of 299 passes for 4,425 yards and 50 touchdowns at Lancaster Christian Academy (Smyrna, Tenn.). Williams, who has an offer from Tennessee, threw for all his yardage in just 11 games and completed a pinpoint 73 percent of his passes. He threw for 617 yards and seven touchdowns in a 68-42 win over Northwest, and in one three-game stretch he completed 60 of 78 passes for 1,463 yards and 17 touchdowns.

NFL No. 3: Matthew Stafford (371 of 634, 4,650 yards, 29 touchdowns){PAGEBREAK}4. Kody Wilstead, Pine View (St. George, Utah)



The 6-6, 210-pound incoming senior completed 294 of 471 passes for 4,395 yards and 36 touchdowns last year for the 9-3 Panthers. The BYU commit passed for more than 400 yards six times, including a 406-yard, five-touchdown performance in a 48-42 playoff win over Juan Diego Catholic.

NFL No. 4: Matt Ryan (439 of 651, 4,515 yards, 26 touchdowns){PAGEBREAK}5. Brandon Jones, Bakersfield Christian (Calif.)





The 6-2, 185-pound incoming senior completed 252 of 429 passes for 4,365 yards and 54 touchdowns for the Eagles (12-3), who lost in the state small-school title game to Central Catholic. Jones threw for more than 300 yards eight times, including 385 in the state title game. While throwing for 54 TDs, he threw only 10 interceptions.

NFL No. 5: Philip Rivers (378 of 544, 4,478 yards, 32 touchdowns){PAGEBREAK}6. Adam Dycus, Mayflower (Ark.)



The 5-11, 170-pound incoming senior completed 275 of 435 passes for 4,364 yards and 51 touchdowns for the 6-5 Eagles. Dycus twice threw for eight touchdowns in a game and in those two wins he completed a combined 48 of 63 passes for 1,144 yards and no interceptions. He's extremely elusive in the pocket, as seen in this highlight video.

NFL No. 6: Tom Brady (380 of 628, 4,343 yards, 25 touchdowns){PAGEBREAK}7. Caden Voges, Sacramento (Calif.)





The 6-foot, 165-pound incoming junior completed 266 of 421 passes for 4,351 yards and 48 touchdowns in 14 games. Voges, who threw for more yards than any sophomore in the nation, led Sacramento into the regional final after completing 19 of 29 passes for 529 yards and six touchdowns (no interceptions) in a 48-38 win over Christian Brothers. He threw for more than 400 yards in two other games. Voges also rushed for 671 yards and 10 scores.

NFL No. 7: Andy Dalton (363 of 586, 4,293 yards, 33 touchdowns){PAGEBREAK}8. Ty Storey, Charleston (Ark.)



The 6-3, 222-pound incoming senior completed 268 of 408 passes for 4,241 yards and 52 touchdowns, leading the Tigers to a 15-0 record and a state title. In the title game, a 42-19 win over Glen Rose, Storey threw for 389 yards and six touchdowns. The nation's No. 7 pro style quarterback, according to 247Sports, has committed to Arkansas. He opened 2013 on fire, throwing for 383, 394 and 328 his first three games. He had highs in 2013 of 34 completions, 49 attempts, 519 yards and seven touchdowns. He also rushed for six touchdowns on the season.

NFL No. 8: Carson Palmer (362 of 572, 4,274 yards, 24 touchdowns){PAGEBREAK}9. Will Hefley, Pulaski Academy (Little Rock, Ark.)





The 6-4, 205-pound incoming senior completed 264 of 400 passes last year for 4,152 yards and 54 touchdowns. The Tulsa commit opened last year with back-to-back 400-yard-plus games in two tight victories. He finished the year for the 10-1 Bruins with a flurry, throwing for 611 yards and five touchdowns in a 50-36 win over Watson Chapel and 539 yards and five scores in a 57-50 loss to Morriton.

NFL No. 9: Ben Roethlisberger (375 of 584, 4,261 yards, 28 touchdowns){PAGEBREAK}10. Tyler Sorensen, Navajo Prep (Farmington, N.M.)

The 5-11, 160-pound incoming senior completed 226 of 339 passes for 4,064 yards and 51 touchdowns for the 10-2 Eagles. Sorensen threw for 628 yards and five touchdowns in a 48-44 loss to Escalante and three other times passed for more than 400 yards.

Sorensen was superb at throwing the long ball, completing touchdown passes of 99, 93, 90, 88 and 80 yards. His quarterback rating on the season was 126.

NFL No. 10: Ryan Tannenhill (355 of 588, 3,913 yards, 24 touchdowns)