Published May 23, 2012 - 10:35am
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SEC fans: catch your breath for a moment. Several big-time quarterback prospects are flying off the big board, and they’re coming to the SEC.
The SEC is as stable of a conference as there is in the country. And this will have a great effect on recruiting, bigger than what most think. Kids want to play in the SEC, and it’s showing with the talent already committing.
We’re only near the end of May, and nine SEC teams likely have their quarterback of the future already committed. Let me remind you, however, that this process ends in February. There’s still a long way to go.
Several of these prospects are franchise-type quarterbacks who will compete for playing time in year one.
Alabama: Cooper Bateman, 6-3, 195
Nick Saban went all the way out to Utah to grab his QB of the future. What Saban wants, Saban gets. Bateman has all the tools necessary and will compete for the starting job in year one. He has a big arm and great feet.
Arkansas: Austin Allen, 6-2, 205
John L. Smith didn’t have to go far to land his QB of the future. Allen preps at Fayetteville High, in the same hometown as the Hogs’ campus. Allen threw for over 4,000 yards during his junior season. This kid is one of the more underrated prospects who will excel in the right offense.
Auburn: Jeremy Johnson, 6-5, 215
Auburn nabbed in-state QB Jeremy Johnson from Montgomery this past weekend. Johnson is a special athlete, because he excels both on the gridiron and the basketball court. He will compete in year one for playing time, even though he needs some time to hone his skills. But it’s a very big skill set.
Georgia: Brice Ramsey, 6-3, 200
Ramsey was one of the first commits in the SEC, as he committed last summer. Ramsey is the top signal caller in the South. He has a big arm and really grades out well for the Georgia offense and as a pro-style QB for several years to come.
LSU: Hayden Rettig, 6-3, 190
Rettig will enter LSU in a good situation. Who knows if Zach Mettenberger will be there for two more years. Rettig could show up and compete for playing time day one with the other QBs on the depth chart. Even though he tore his ACL and missed much of the 2011 season, he’s still a guy who will play well in the SEC.
Missouri: Trent Hosick, 6-2, 220
Hosick is listed as a dual-threat QB. While he may not be highly rated, he can do all the things that current QB James Franklin can do, with more experience obviously. One thing is for sure – Hosick will have one of the best WRs in the country to throw to in Dorial Green-Beckham. He will remind you of Aaron Murray.
South Carolina: Connor Mitch, 6-3, 220
Mitch is the biggest QB commit Steve Spurrier has had while at Carolina. Mitch threw for over 3,800 yards in his junior season, and he looks to beat those numbers in his senior season. Mitch might not have the strongest arm, but his accuracy is dead on. Spurrier loves these types of QBs.
Texas A&M: Kohl Stewart, 6-3, 190
Kevin Sumlin could have the next Case Keenum committed in Stewart. He is deadly accurate and has a very quick release, thanks to a strong baseball career. Stewart could be electric in Sumlin’s spread offense.
Vanderbilt: Johnathan McCrary, 6-4, 200
It shouldn’t surprise me anymore that James Franklin is pulling big-time prospects in at Vandy. McCrary is a big athlete and dual-threat QB, and Franklin went out of state to land him, too. I will be anxious to see him in the SEC, and what he can do against SEC defenses.
The future of the QB position in the SEC certainly looks bright, and several other teams are still searching for their QB in this year’s class. We’ll take another look at this at the beginning of the season.
WOW! 9 out of 14 SEC schools with these type of quality QB’s?! That’s impressive.
Yes, it really is. And, we have many SEC schools with quarterbacks already on our SEC campus sites who are every bit as impressive as the ones committed to come in 2013 and attempt to compete for snaps. It is the schools in The SEC who do the better job of incorporating these new 9 listed here into games for meaningful snaps, who will compete nationally because all The SEC teams have tough great defenses. We need to do a better job at UGA of getting our quarterbacks out there on the field playing some. Recruiting them is one part of the equation; and, the other part of the equation is playing them. Wasn’t sure what the reference is above in the blog to Aaron Murray, # 72 nationally in pass completion percentage and 0-9 vs teams achieving any top 25 poll. Well, that and 23 interceptions, 22 fumbles, 56 sacks, and 11 losses in 26 games, requiring him to go 13-1 both 2012 and 2013 to just tie David Greene’s record at UGA 42 wins as Starting Quarterback. And, we have 3 other big-time quarterbacks like these listed here, if not even more impressive such as Christian LeMay and Hutson Mason whom we are wholly unable to get into a game even against Louisiana Lafayette against whom, instead, Aaron Murray threw five (5) Touchdown passes. What’s our goal here on this blog topic ? Recruit all the quarterbacks in the nation, and never play any of them ? Who could possibly have done worse than 0-9 vs teams achieving any top 25 poll as Aaron Murray ? The opposing QB has been the better QB all 9 of those games and 2 more losses to teams who did not achieve any top 25 poll.
I don’t know where you got 0-9 vs teams achieving any top 25 poll, but that’s wrong. Auburn was #20 when we beat them last year, and GT was #23 when we beat them last year. So UGA is 2 for 9 against teams in the top 25 for the past two years
Where do I get it ?
Neither Auburn 8-5 and Georgie tek 8-5 made ANY top 25 poll for 2011. NONE. They are 2 of the top 48 teams in won lost record 2011 at 8-5. 48 teams 2011 were 8-5. NONE achieved any ranking in any poll for 2011 for being 8-5, obviously.
You want to hang your hat on us beating these 2 lousy football teams who are not listed on any final polls, of which there are 25 such said polls, for 2011 ?
Get real, sir.