Over the coming weeks, High School Football America will be looking at the top high school football players in America.
We start with the most important position on the field, quarterback. Many of the top signal-callers led their teams into the 2022 High School Football America 300 national rankings, powered by NFL Play Football.
Dylan Raiola – Pinnacle (Arizona)
Editor’s Note: since this story was written, Raiola has transferred to Buford High School in Georgia. Read the story.
The nation’s top signal caller is Dylan Raiola of Pinnacle High School in Arizona. 247Sports, ESPN, On3 and Rivals have the senior-to-be as the overall No. 1 college football prospect in the nation.
The 5-star prospect recently gave his verbal commitment to Georgia. Originally, Raiola had given his verbal to Ohio State, but de-committed late last year.
Raiola also made headlines in January when he announced another switch. After leading Chandler to the Open Division state semifinals in 2022, the 6-3, 220-pounder transferred to Pinnacle for his senior season. It was the second time that he transferred in the two years.
He began his scholastic career in Texas at Burleson High School with former NFL quarterback Jon Kitna as his head coach. During his sophomore season, he threw for 3,341 yards and 42 touchdowns.
Last year at Chander, Raiola led the Wolves to a No. 68 ranking in the High School Football America 300 national rankings. He threw for 2,435 yards with 22 touchdowns against only five interceptions, according to his MaxPreps.com statistics.
Elijah Brown – Mater Dei (California)
While Brown’s name isn’t mentioned near the top of most of the recruiting services, it’s hard to argue with a player, who has been a starter since he was a freshman and has only lost one game while playing one of the toughest schedules in the nation.
We also know that Mater Dei is known for turning out top-notch quarterbacks. Former Monarch Bryce Young was the overall No. 1 pick in April’s NFL Draft.
The only thing that prevented Brown from leading MD to a second straight national championship last year, was arch-rival St. John Bosco, who beat the Monarchs in the CIF Southern Section Division 1 title game. The loss snapped the Monarchs’ 29-game win streak.
Statistically, Brown’s numbers are impressive.
Brown has thrown for over 6,300 yards with 76 touchdowns against just 11 interceptions, while completing over 70-percent of his passes. His numbers would be bigger if the 2020 season hadn’t been limited to five games because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Michael Van Buren – St. Frances Academy (Maryland)
Like Brown, Van Buren has gotten it done against one of the toughest schedules in the nation. ESPN has given Van Buren, who recently gave his verbal to Oregon, a 5-star prospect rating.
St. Frances Academy finished No. 7 in our national rankings last year with the 6-foot, 190-pounder throwing for over 1,700 yards and 17 touchdowns.
Air Noland – Langston Hughes (Georgia)
Heading to his fourth year as the starter at Langston Hughes, Noland will be looking to lead the Panthers, who finished 2022 No. 14 in the HSFA 300, to their second straight Georgia 6A state championship. Noland had an outstanding junior year while helping the program set a new Georgia record for most points (792) in a season.
The Ohio State-recruit tossed 55 touchdowns with over 4,000 yards passing in 2022.
Julian Sayin – Carlsbad (California)
The Alabama-recruit led Carlsbad to a No. 166 ranking in the HSFA 300 last season with a 10-2 record. This will be Sayin’s third year as a starter, having thrown for over 5,600 yards with 62 touchdowns against only nine picks.
Luke Kromenhoek – Benedictine (Georgia)
Like Noland, Kromenhoek will be going after a second straight Georgia title in 2023. As a program, the Cadets, who finished No. 239 in the Top 300 last year, will be going for a three-peat in Class 4A.
Last season was Kromenhoek’s first taking snaps under center after playing mostly as a receiver and safety during his first two varsity seasons. He completed 65-percent of his passes last year.
Last month, High School Football America was on-hand when he was the MVP and Top Gun winner at the Jacksonville Jaguars High School QB Skills Challenge. During the long toss portion of the Top Gun competition, the Florida State-recruit had one thrown for 68-yards.
Jadyn Davis – Providence Day School (North Carolina)
The Michigan-recruit was North Carolina’s Mr. Football in 2022. The 6-foot, 185-pounder amassed 3,425 yards threw the air with 43 touchdowns with just six interceptions last year. After winning its second straight North Carolina Independent Schools Athletic Association AAA state title, the Chargers finished No. 259 in the HSFA 300.
Other Top Class of 2024 QB’s
Name/School/State/Verbal Commitment
Deuce Adams, Vandegrift HS (Texas) – Louisville
Micah Alejado, Bishop Gorman (Nevada) – Hawaii
Judd Anderson, Jones County (Georgia) – Miami (Florida)
Tyler Aronson, Vero Beach (Florida) – SMU
Cedrick Bailey, Chaminade-Madonna (Florida) – NC State
Daniel Beale, Catholic (Baton Rouge, Louisiana) – Uncommitted
Davi Belfort, Western HS (Florida) – Virginia Tech
Nate Bennett, Oaks Christian (California) – Baylor
Cutter Boley, Lexington Christian HS (Kentucky) – Kentucky
Jayden Bradford, IMG Academy (Florida) – Miami (Florida)
Blake Burnett, Erie HS (Colorado) – Kansas State
EJ Caminong, Garfield HS (Washington) – Washington
Timothy Carpenter, Trotwood-Madison HS (Ohio) – Indiana
CJ Carr, Saline HS (Michigan) – Notre Dame
Tyler Cherry, Center Grove HS (Indiana) – Duke
Bryce Clavon, Kell HS (Georgia) – Uncommitted
Alonzo Contreras, Calabasas HS (California) – San Jose St.
Darius Curry, Long Beach Poly (California) – Uncommitted
Marcos Davila, Midland Legacy HS (Texas) – Purdue
Dermaricus Davis, Etiwanda HS (California) – Uncommitted
Drew Devillier, Plano East HS (Texas) – Uncommitted
Julian Dugger, Penn Hills HS (Pennsylvania) – Uncommitted
Alex Erby, Steelton-Highspire (Pennsylvania) – Uncommitted
Josh Flowers, Baker HS (Alabama) – Mississippi State
Aidan Glover, Collierville HS (Tennessee) – Uncommitted
Karson Gordan, Episcopal (Bellaire, Texas) – UNLV
Thomas Gotkowski, Ben Davis HS (Indiana) – Miami (Ohio)
Braden Graham, Riverdale HS (Tennessee) – Uncommitted
Ethan Grunkemeyer, Olentangy HS – Penn State
Will Hammond, Hutto HS (Texas) – Texas Tech
Henry Hasselbeck, Xaverian Brothers (Massachusetts) – Uncommitted
Michael Hawkins, Emerson HS (Frisco, Texas) – Oklahoma
Jeremy Hecklinski, Walton HS (Georgia) – Wake Forest
Hauss Hejny, Aledo HS (Texas) – TCU
Colin Hurley, Trinity Christian Academy (Jacksonville, Florida) – LSU
KJ Jackson, St. James School (Alabama) – Arkansas
Trever Jackson, West Orange (Florida) – Uncommitted
Samaj Jones, St. Joseph’s Prep (Pennsylvania) – Uncommitted
Daniel Kaelin, Bellevue West HS (Nebraska) – Nebraska
DJ Lagway, Willis HS (Texas) – Florida
Drake Lindsey, Fayetteville HS (Arkansas) – Minnesota
Jacqai Long, Archbishop Hoban HS (Ohio) – Uncommitted
Anthony Maddox, Oak Grove (Mississippi) – Texas A&M
Isaiah Marshall, Southfield HS (Michigan) – Kansas
Khristian Martin, Highland Springs HS (Virginia) – Uncommitted
Kamari McClellan, Clay-Chalkville HS (Alabama) – Uncommitted
Caleb McCreary, Montgomery Catholic (Alabama) – Troy
Ty McCutcheon, Punahou (Hawaii) – Uncommitted
Brady McDonough, Desert Mountain (Arizona) – Navy
Michael Merdinger, Cardinal Gibbons (Florida) – North Carolina)
Jake Merklinger, Calvary Day (Georgia) – Tennessee
Mabrey Mettauer, The Woodlands HS (Texas) – Wisconsin
Alessio Milivojevic, St. Francis (Illinois) – Uncommitted
Dylan Mills, San Clemente HS (California) – Uncommitted
Connor Moberly, Southeast Polk (Iowa) – Iowa State
Luke Moga, Sunnyslope HS (Arizona) – Oregon
DJ Moore, The Bolles School (Florida) – Coastal Carolina
Whit Muschamp, Baylor (Tennessee) – Vanderbilt
Danny O’Neil, Cathedral HS (Indiana) – Colorado
Miles O’Neil, Hun School (New Jersey) – Uncommitted
Kalieb Osborne, Mott HS (Michigan) – Toledo
Trey Owens, Cy-Fair HS (Texas) – Texas
Cody Pagach, Alcoa HS (Tennessee) – Uncommitted
Trey Petty, Starkville HS (Mississippi) – Illinois
Aaron Philo, Prince Avenue Christian (Georgia) – Georgia Tech
Adrian Posse, Northwestern HS (Miami, Florida) – Uncommitted
Ryan Puglisi, Avon Old Farms (Connecticut) – Georgia
Deshawn Purdie, Milford Mill Academy (Maryland) – Charlotte
Dante Reno, Cheshire Academy (Massachusetts) – South Carolina
James Resar, Bishop Kenny HS (Florida) – Iowa
Maealiuaki Smith, Serra HS (San Mateo, California) – Uncommitted
Jeremy St-Hilaire, McCallie School (Tennessee) – Vanderbilt
Carson Suesue, Granger (Utah) – Uncommitted
AJ Surace – Notre Dame (Lawrenceville, New Jersey) – Rutgers
Marcelis Tate, Duncan U. Fletcher HS – South Florida
Riley Trujillo, Bartram Trail HS (Florida) – UCF
Asher Weiner, Valor Christian HS (Colorado) – Uncommitted
Cole Welliver, Liberty Christian HS (Texas) – Uncommitted
John White, Madison-Ridgeland Academy (Mississippi) – Southern Mississippi
Walker White, Little Rock Christian (Arkansas) – Auburn
Khalil Wilkins, Roosevelt (Washington, DC) – Uncommitted
Desmond Williams, Basha HS (Arizona) – Ole Miss
Jakhari Williams, First Presbyterian Day (Georgia) – Uncommitted
Isaac Wilson, Corner Canyon HS (Utah) – Utah
Brendan Zurbrugg, Alliance (Ohio) – Uncommitted
