The 2021 high school football season is just over a month away from kicking off. We continue previewing the upcoming campaign by looking at the best quarterbacks in the country.
Rising seniors dominate our list but there are a couple of young guns in the mix with juniors Arch Manning of Newman (New Orleans) and Malachi Nelson of Los Alamitos (Calif.) making the cut.
Elite 11 winner Cade Klubnik and Quinn Ewers represent Texas while Gunner Stockton, poised to break Georgia records held by Trevor Lawrence and Deshaun Watson, also appears on the list.
Find out how slotted the nation's top signal callers below. Our position-by-position look at high school football's best continues next week with running backs, wide receivers, tight ends and offensive linemen.
Future Alabama Crimson Tide signal caller Ty Simpson checks in at No. 10 on our list.
Photo by Jason Goode
Height: 6-2 | Weight: 185
Status: Committed to Alabama | Class: Senior (2022)
Accounted for 2,200 yards of total offense and 27 touchdowns during his junior season. Simpson checks in as the No. 3 quarterback on 247Sports composite rankings and is currently the second-rated prospect committed to the Crimson Tide's 2022 class.
Height: 6-4 | Weight: 225
Status: Committed to Texas | Class: Senior (2022)
The four-star quarterback threw for over 1,200 yards and nine touchdowns during a shortened spring season. Expect a monster senior campaign from the No. 8 quarterback in the 247Sports composite rankings.
Height: 5-10 | Weight: 170
Status: Committed to Arizona | Class: Senior (2022)
Has thrown for over 4,000 yards and accounted for 60 total touchdowns over the last two years playing against some of the nation's best competition. He's one of the best leaders in the country and the Friars begin the season at No. 21 in the MaxPreps Top 25. He will face No. 1 Mater Dei (Santa Ana), No. 3 St. John Bosco (Bellflower), No. 42 Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth) and No. 54 Mission Viejo this season.
7. Conner Harrell, Thompson (Alabaster, Ala.)
Height: 6-1 | Weight: 190
Status: Committed to North Carolina | Class: Senior (2022)
Threw for over 3,500 yards and 42 touchdowns as a junior while leading the Warriors to a second consecutive 7A state title. He added nearly 300 yards rushing and six more scores for the No. 6 team in the 2020 MaxPreps Top 25.
Height: 6-1 | Weight: 195
Status: Committed to LSU | Class: Senior (2022)
Named the
MaxPreps Louisiana Football Player of the Year in 2020 after leading the Cougars to their second consecutive Division II state title. The five-star quarterback threw for 3,430 yards and 39 touchdowns. In their 35-28 state championship win over De La Salle (New Orleans) he threw for 381 yards and four touchdowns to cap off a 10-0 season.
Height: 6-3 | Weight: 180
Status: Uncommitted | Class: Junior (2023)
Was as good as any player in California during the spring throwing for over 1,500 yards and 23 touchdowns in six games. Led the Griffins to a 6-0 record and completed nearly 75 percent of his passes. Nelson checks in as fourth-rated prospect overall on 247Sports composite rankings for the Class of 2023 and is set to make his
college announcement live on CBS HQ on July 18.
Height: 6-4 | Weight: 210
Status: Uncommitted | Class: Junior (2023)
The top-rated quarterback in the Class of 2023 was named the
MaxPreps Freshman of the Year in 2019 and has thrown for over 4,300 yards and 55 touchdowns during his first two seasons. He was the first quarterback in school history to start as a freshman and has led the Greenies to an 18-3 record.
Height: 6-1 | Weight: 220
Status: Committed to Georgia | Class: Senior (2022)
Through his first three seasons, he's thrown for 9,518 yards and 122 touchdowns while rushing for 3,416 yards and 62 scores. He's 4,385 yards away from breaking Trevor Lawrence's state record for career passing yards and needs 4,190 yards of total offense to break Deshaun Watson's state mark. Stockton has 122 passing touchdowns, good for third in state history and needs 40 in 2021 to pass Lawrence for the No. 1 spot. He's also 35 scores from breaking Watson's total touchdown mark of 218.
Height: 6-2 | Weight: 185
Status: Committed to Clemson | Class: Senior (2022)
The Elite 11 MVP was a first team MaxPreps Junior All-America selection last year after leading the Austin power to a 14-0 record accounting for 4,078 yards of total offense (3,495 passing, 583 rushing) and 50 touchdowns. The back-to-back state champs begin this season No. 4 in the MaxPreps Top 25.
Height: 6-3 | Weight: 205
Status: Committed to Ohio State | Class: Senior (2022)
The top-rated player in the country was named the
MaxPreps Sophomore Player of the Year in 2019 and has thrown for 6,445 yards and 73 touchdowns over the last two seasons while completing 70 percent of his passes. Ewers has added 700-plus yards rushing and 12 scores as the Dragons begin No. 7 in the MaxPreps Top 25.
