Ranking 2024 Elite 11 QBs Day 1 performances: Where do Tavien St. Clair, Husan Longstreet, and Ryan Montgomery land?
The 2024 Elite 11 finals commenced on Tuesday evening, with the initial session taking place at Mira Costa High School. 20 quarterbacks engaged in various drills for approximately two hours before concluding with the yearly Rail Shot Challenge. The challenge was clinched by the uncommitted quarterback, Jaron Keawe Sagapolutele. Following is a summary of our […]
The 2024 Elite 11 finals commenced on Tuesday evening, with the initial session taking place at Mira Costa High School. 20 quarterbacks engaged in various drills for approximately two hours before concluding with the yearly Rail Shot Challenge. The challenge was clinched by the uncommitted quarterback, Jaron Keawe Sagapolutele.
Following is a summary of our rankings based on the performances observed on the first day. The quarterbacks are set to return on Wednesday for an extensive evening filled with showcase activities.
Elite 11 QB Day 1 Rankings
1. Tavien St. Clair (Ohio State)
The nation's No. 2-rated QB maximized his opportunity with LSU commit and No. 1 QB Bryce Underwood not attending. St. Clair will be an NFL quarterback one day, showing off a great passing motion and excellent control of the ball. In many ways, he feels like OSU's second-chance at Quinn Ewers.
2. Keelon Russell (Alabama)
There might not be a better arm in the class than Keelon Russell's. We loved to see Russell's improved accuracy and ability to layer the ball into passing windows. He'll be moving up boards as the seventh-ranked QB if that control continues.
3. Ryan Montgomery (Georgia)
Although he's not the biggest or strongest thrower, Ryan Montgomery is reminiscent of Georgia's current QB, Carson Beck. Montgomery has great accuracy and played with good tempo and confidence.
4. Husan Longstreet (Texas A&M)
Having a cannon on your shoulder isn't a bad thing for Husan Longstreet. The A&M commit can certainly rip the ball, and his running ability is jaw-dropping. He'll have to continue learning how and when to take some heat off his fastball, though.
5. Tramell Jones Jr. (Florida State)
Just based on one night of action, it's clear Tramell Jones Jr. is underrated by recruiting services. He has a good, clean release that produces accurate throws. He can move well and has the arm to be a good starter for the Seminoles.
6. Matt Zollers (Missouri)
It's hard to ding Matt Zollers too much for his lack of physical traits, but his lack of plus arm strength will be an issue in the SEC. Nevertheless, Zollers threw well as the night progressed and could get the job done. I think he's overrated, though.
7. Julian Lewis (USC)
This was my first exposure to the 5-star outside of some highlight videos, and it's no surprise he was the youngest guy at the Elite 11. Based on his lack of throw power and consistent accuracy, he looks like he should've stayed in the 2026 class. He's clearly a plus athlete, though, and he could fulfill his potential in a few years.
8. Bryce Baker (North Carolina)
There's little consistency in Bryce Baker's passing motion and mechanics, but he is twitched-up and a gifted athlete. If his passing ability takes a leap, he'll be a major issue at the collegiate level. He has the throw power and movement ability any coaching staff would love.
9. Deuce Knight (Notre Dame)
There were a few throws that came from Deuce Knight that made his projection to Notre Dame seem obvious. But those were glimpses and not the consistent result. Knight has a lot of work to do from a mechanical standpoint to get the most out of his incredible frame and arm talent.
10. Alex Manske (Iowa State)
Everything about Alex Manske points toward a player who will be able to execute a basic scheme at a quality level for Iowa State. He's not the most gifted or refined thrower, but he has the goods to be productive and effective. That kind of sounds like a certain former Iowa State QB.
11. KJ Lacey (Texas)
Part of why KJ Lacey falls so far for me is that I didn't have preconceived rankings for him. He's small and jittery and has just enough arm to make plays. But he's not someone who I think will be the engine of an offense or become an NFL prospect.
