5 junior quarterbacks to watch

Although several of them have yet to begin their junior season, several quarterbacks have already emerged in the class of 2013 in what appears to be a good year for the position.

Here's a look at five signal-callers — among a few dozen — who are already well-known recruiting targets.

Max Browne, 6-5, 210, Skyline (Sammamish, Wash.)
A U.S. Air Force All-American as a sophomore, Browne was offered a scholarship by Washington before ever playing a down of varsity football.

Taking over for Jake Heaps, Browne threw for 4,182 yards and 50 touchdowns last year, numbers that are simply staggering for a sophomore.



According to older brother Mitch, himself a former Skyline quarterback, Max Browne has spent the offseason bulking up in the weight room and improving his footwork. While the loss of Kasen Williams might mean Browne's numbers dip a little bit in 2011, he's still poised for a huge season.

Recruiting buzz: In addition to Washington, Browne has offers from Clemson, Wisconsin, Cal and Utah. This summer, he visited the Badgers along with Michigan and Notre Dame, neither of which offered. Washington has strong ties to Skyline and has done well recruiting in-state, so it could be the favorite. Michigan, with Shane Morris already committed, would seem unlikely. If Notre Dame offers, the Fighting Irish could be in the mix.

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Ryan Burns, 6-5, 220, Stone Bridge (Ashburn, Va.)
On one of Northern Virginia's top teams perennially, Burns certainly looks the part of a top quarterback and has the skill to back it up.

However, this will be his first season proving it on the varsity level.

"You look at the size and the way he throws the football, and you forget he's young and that it's his first time leading a varsity football team," said Stone Bridge head coach Mickey Thompson.

Thompson believes Burns is on the cusp of a big season, once he adjusts to Stone Bridge's offense.



"It's just getting him in a system he's comfortable with," Thompson said. "I would assume he would put up some pretty big numbers."

Recruiting buzz: According to Thompson, Burns has been offered by Boston College, Stanford, Virginia and Rutgers. Boston College has done a good job targeting top Virginia recruits early, and with Matt Ryan's NFL success, certainly has a good recruiting pitch. The same can easily be said of Stanford. Under Mike London, Virginia has done a great job locally, but Thompson insists Burns is wide open.

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Shane Morris, 6-4, 190, De La Salle Collegiate (Warren, Mich.)
Ever since he threw a touchdown in his first series, in the midst of a playoff game no less, Shane Morris has been in the spotlight for De La Salle.

The 6-4 Morris is already a seasoned veteran for De La Salle, one of Michigan's top programs.

Morris' best game to date was likely his performance against Harrison in the playoffs last season, when he nearly led De La Salle to a come-from-behind victory. Assistant coach Rick Corona saw Morris' maturation throughout the season.

"He started every game for us as a sophomore and as the season grew, really developed and blossomed into the prospect he is today," Corona said.



In two games this season, Morris looks even more impressive, having completed 24 of 34 passes for 390 yards and four touchdowns.

Recruiting buzz: Morris' recruitment skyrocketed this offseason. He was offered by Bowling Green in January. He eventually committed to Michigan in May. According to Corona, schools continue to recruit Morris, but he appears comfortable with his decision.

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Kevin Olsen, QB, 6-3, 198, Wayne Hills (Wayne, N.J.)
With an older brother currently in the NFL and a father who is one of New Jersey's top coaches, Kevin Olsen certainly has the pedigree to be a star quarterback.

The Wayne Hills standout, who guided the Patriots to a section title last season, has enjoyed a very productive offseason.

Olsen spent two weeks in Chicago visiting brother Greg, then with the Chicago Bears, during which time he worked out with several Bears players, including wide receiver Devin Hester. He also threw in front of offensive coordinator Mike Martz, according to Wayne Hills assistant coach Jon Goldstein, who believes Olsen is ready to take the next step as a signal-caller.

"I believe his greatest improvement is experience," he said. "He's got that year under his belt."

With improved arm strength, Olsen is also throwing the deep ball very well. He's also a very cerebral quarterback who knows when to throw the ball away.



Recruiting buzz: Miami has an obvious connection to Olsen, who spent time in the Hurricanes locker room when older brother Greg played there in the mid-2000s. He already has a dozen offers from around the country, from Rutgers to Stanford. Florida State and North Carolina have done a good job recruiting Olsen thus far. With Greg now playing for the Panthers, the Tar Heels may be an even more attractive option.

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Troy Williams, QB, 6-0, 175, Narbonne (Harbor City, Calif.)
A much-discussed recruit since his freshman season, Williams is on the verge of stardom and could be the Los Angeles City Section's best quarterback as a junior.

In 2010, Williams posted huge numbers as a sophomore, completing 200 of 317 passes for 2,597 yards and 23 touchdowns versus nine interceptions. Williams will be tested this season, as head coach Manuel Douglas has assembled a challenging schedule that includes Moore League power Long Beach Poly as well as Serra.

Though he lacks ideal height for the quarterback position, Williams has been remarkably productive and should be even better in 2011.

Recruiting buzz: Right now, Williams reports offers from Washington, Nevada, SMU and Bowling Green. Another 2013 quarterback, Eddie Printz, just made a verbal pledge to SMU, so Williams may have his sights set elsewhere. However, Williams believes UCLA could be close to offering. USC has yet to show interest in him.