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How does the SEC’s quarterback haul look on the first day of the Early Signing Period? Loaded
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To say that quarterback play in the SEC the last few years has been “lacking” would be an understatement.
The SEC hasn’t had a quarterback drafted in the first three rounds of the NFL Draft since Johnny Manziel in 2014, and the conference had just four quarterbacks selected in the last three drafts. While passing did improve in 2017, there’s still a feeling that the conference isn’t exactly where quarterbacks go to thrive.
But after the first day of the Early Signing Period, that could be changing in a hurry.
It’s hard not to be impressed with the quarterbacks that the SEC pulled in. Nearly half the conference teams signed a quarterback rated 4 stars or better.
- Justin Fields, Georgia (5-star)
- Emory Jones, Florida (4-star)
- Matt Corral, Ole Miss (4-star)
- Joey Gatewood, Auburn (4-star)
- Dakereon Joyner, South Carolina (4-star)
- Connor Noland, Arkansas (4-star)
And there are other recruits, such as 4-star signal-caller and former Missouri commit James Foster, who could wind up at Alabama or LSU.
From just a numbers standpoint, that’s already better than the five schools that landed quarterbacks rated 4 stars or better last year.
Though as any coach would tell you, this isn’t strictly about stars. A quarterback recruit’s success is so often determined by the type of situation he walks into. If offensive coordinators are constantly rotating in and out, that’s a challenge. If he doesn’t really jell in the offensive system, that can obviously limit the success of a blue chip quarterback prospect.
When you take that into consideration, one can’t help but be optimistic about the SEC’s quarterback haul in the first Early Signing Period.
Ironically enough, the three top-rated quarterbacks who signed with SEC schools were once committed to non-SEC programs. For Georgia, Florida and Ole Miss, that’s a victory in itself. Not only did they have to flip those quarterbacks, but they had to fend off plenty of schools late to win those battles.
Fields’ well-documented recruitment might make some Georgia fans nervously excited. Getting a quarterback who is getting this kind of attention usually means he’s pretty good.
Have spoke to many coaches who say Justin Fields is the most impressive QB prospect they've seen in the past 3 yrs out of HS. He's now officially a #Georgia Bulldog.
— Bruce Feldman (@BruceFeldmanCFB) December 20, 2017
Whatever happens with the loaded quarterback room in Athens, it doesn’t change the fact that Fields is an extremely talented player whom Georgia officially added to its roster. The fact that the Dawgs were able to land a quarterback of his caliber despite Jake Fromm having a breakout year as a true freshman says a lot.
The former Penn State commit has all the attributes you look for in a modern quarterback. Fields has a big-time arm, he’s mobile and he can play in any offense.
“It’s simple. He’s going to win a national championship for some team,” 247Sports recruiting analyst Barton Simmons said of Fields last year. “It’s a matter of who’s fortunate enough to get him.”
Georgia got him, and if Kirby Smart really gets his way, Fields will wait his turn behind a national championship-winning quarterback in Fromm.
The Dawgs’ SEC East rival, Florida, hoped that Jones could be its next national championship-winning quarterback. Jones was a huge, huge get for Dan Mullen after Corral dropped his Florida commitment last week. Mullen got Jones to commit in hopes that he could become his next tough, dual-threat quarterback following the likes of Tim Tebow, Dak Prescott and Nick Fitzgerald.
Mullen was pretty pumped after Jones’ announcement:
The reaction says it all. 🐊🐊
Welcome to #GatorNation, @exjones6! #AllBite18 pic.twitter.com/K6DV90Kc5x
— Gators Football (@GatorsFB) December 20, 2017
The former Ohio State commit actually got his first big-time offer from Mullen when he was at Mississippi State. The fact that Jones’ long, winding recruiting path ended with Mullen is fitting. Now, Jones might have the best chance to start of any true freshman SEC quarterback. With Mullen, that could be a winning combination.
Again, quarterbacks are all about fits. Corral will get a chance to work with Matt Luke and become the next quarterback to benefit from that high-powered offense. He can learn from Jordan Ta’amu for a year and take over in his second season. Corral, the former USC and Florida commit, was a big-time addition for Ole Miss just weeks removed from the NCAA sanctions.
It’s amazing how quickly things can change:
https://twitter.com/corral_matt/status/940350076525821952
Three days later…
https://twitter.com/corral_matt/status/941522931326230528
Corral was once the third-ranked quarterback in the 2018 class. He might not have finished as a 5-star recruit, but there’s plenty to be excited about for Ole Miss fans. Even in the wake of Shea Patterson’s transfer to Michigan, it appears the Rebels should have plenty of talent at the quarterback position through the sanctions period. That’s a huge win, and for the SEC, it decreases the likelihood that Ole Miss becomes a complete doormat in the coming years.
It’s easy to make projections and comparisons at the quarterback position.
Gus Malzahn did that on Wednesday by calling Gatewood the closest thing he’s had to Cam Newton. At 6-4, 232 pounds, it’s not difficult to see why Malzahn gave his new quarterback such praise. For starters, most 6-4, 232-pound quarterbacks aren’t listed as “athletes.” Gatewood is definitely an athlete, alright.
The long-time Auburn commit actually gave his verbal pledge a year before Jarrett Stidham did so. Now, Gatewood will have a chance to become the Tigers’ quarterback of the post-Stidham era, which might not start for another two years. Given what Malzahn has been able to do to transform Stidham, one has to feel confident about his ability to develop someone with Gatewood’s potential.
The same could be said for Noland at Arkansas and Jalen Mayden at Mississippi State. From a talent standpoint, both quarterbacks are right on that low 4-star/high 3-star fringe. I’m more interested in who they get to work with. Morris and Moorhead might be new to the SEC, but they’re two of the best offensive minds in the sport.
Don’t be surprised when 4-star quarterbacks are committing to Arkansas and Mississippi State on a yearly basis with those two coaches.
That’s a big reason for optimism with the SEC’s 2018 quarterback class. The conference is going to continue to attract better quarterback talent with better quarterback developers. We’re not talking about guys like Jim McElwain and Butch Jones getting some 4-star kid. Instead, it’s guys like Moorhead, Morris and even Jimbo Fisher (he hasn’t signed a quarterback yet) who will be grooming these young signal-callers.
Finally, it feels like the right combinations are in place for some quality quarterback play in the SEC.
Connor O'Gara is the senior national columnist for Saturday Down South. He's a member of the Football Writers Association of America. After spending his entire life living in B1G country, he moved to the South in 2015.
