Quarterback play has been a relative weak spot for SEC teams in recent seasons, but a major haul of elite 2016 prospects might change that.
Jalen Hurts, a 4-star prospect, came within one second leading Alabama to a national championship. Classmates Jacob Eason and Shea Patterson, both 5-star talents, showed off their potential at Georgia and Ole Miss.
Now, there are a plethora of talented, young signal-callers in the SEC. Will the Class of 2017 continue to bolster that position? Twelve of the nation’s top 50 overall quarterback prospects are headed to the SEC, according to 247Sports.com’s composite rankings.
Signing Day is Feb. 1. Here’s a look at each quarterback prospect committed to an SEC team for 2017.
Alabama
Tua Tagovailoa (4-star, No. 1 dual-threat): Hurts showed immense promise during his freshman season, but he’ll have some competition coming from this early enrollee. Tagovailoa followed in Marcus Mariota’s footsteps at Saint Louis High School in Honolulu, and he has plenty of similarities with the former Heisman winner.
Mac Jones (4-star, No. 14 pro-style): Given Alabama’s quarterback departures, Jones is a pro-style passer who will replenish some of that depth. Jones is committed to the Tide, but it will be interesting to see how he looks in this offense.
Arkansas
Daulton Hyatt (3-star, No. 20 pro-style): Hyatt has been committed to the Razorbacks for nearly a year, and the 3-star quarterback could be a contributor down the line as he learns from Austin Allen. He still needs plenty of polish, however.
Auburn
Jarrett Stidham (4-star, No. 1 JUCO): The nation’s top JUCO prospect for 2017, Stidham should provide an immediate upgrade for the Tigers. In limited time during his freshman year at Baylor, Stidham completed 68.8 percent of his passes for 1,265 yards, 12 touchdowns and two interceptions.
Florida
Jake Allen (3-star, No. 23 pro-style): Florida’s quarterback situation wasn’t ideal in 2016, and the Gators haven’t made a strong push to correct that with this class. Feleipe Franks will likely get a shot at the starting job in the spring, but Allen did throw for more than 2,000 yards with 26 touchdowns and could factor into the mix.
Georgia
Jake Fromm (4-star, No. 3 pro-style): After landing Eason last season, the Bulldogs are dipping right back into the pool and bringing in one of the top prospects for 2017. Fromm can place the ball anywhere on the field and has great touch.
Kentucky
Danny Clark (3-star, No. 17 pro-style): Clark, 6-4, 223 pounds, led his high school to back-to-back Ohio state championships and has shown true leadership ability. Ohio State offered Clark as a freshman, and he was previously committed to the Buckeyes for three years.
Walker Wood (3-star, No. 19 dual-threat): A versatile athlete, Wood could end up making an impact at a position other than quarterback in the future. Kentucky has promised him the opportunity to compete at quarterback, however, and he is an exciting player to watch.
LSU
Myles Brennan (4-star, No. 6 pro-style): At No. 11 overall, Brennan is the highest-rated of the Tigers’ two talented commitments. Brennan is slated to join the team over the summer. Brennan has a big arm and threw for nearly 4,000 yards with 48 touchdowns and only 3 interceptions during his senior season.
Lowell Narcisse (4-star, No. 9 dual-threat): As LSU’s offense attempts to play catch-up, Narcisse offers a lot of upside to help them do just that. Narcisse, ranked No. 20 overall, has a lively arm, but he did struggle with injuries in high school. The early enrollee has made it known he plans on winning the starting job.
Mississippi State
Keytaon Thompson (4-star, No. 8 dual-threat): Mississippi State looks to be in good shape with Nick Fitzgerald, but it will have another talented dual-threat quarterback on the way. Thompson ended his final regular season with 2,348 passing yards and 29 touchdowns while adding another 879 yards and 14 touchdowns on the ground.
Missouri
Reyondous Estes (3-star, No. 51 dual-threat): Drew Lock was great in his first season as the Tigers’ quarterback, so he figures to have that role for at least a couple more years. Estes may be more of a threat with his legs than his arm at this point and might be nothing more than added depth.
Ole Miss
Alex Faniel (3-star, No. 32 pro-style): Faniel is a raw passer at this point, but he does have great size and a strong arm. Due to Patterson’s presence, he might be a redshirt option in 2017.
Jordan Ta’amu (3-star, No. 3 JUCO): A veteran addition, Ta’amu has a nice blend of size and speed in addition to a good arm. He will likely compete for the second-string role behind Patterson next season and could become a nice mentor at the position.
South Carolina
Jay Urich (3-star, No. 22 dual-threat): A former high school wide receiver, Urich made the transition to quarterback during his sophomore season and has improved ever since. As a junior, Urich threw for 2,758 yards and 21 touchdowns while also running for 1,031 yards and 9 scores.
Tennessee
Will McBride (3-star, No. 28 dual-threat): The Vols now face life after Josh Dobbs, and they recently added a new quarterback to the mix. McBride is already on campus, but it might take some time for him to become a true contender for a contributing role.
Texas A&M
Kellen Mond (4-star, No. 3 dual-threat): Mond might be the prospect that Aggies fans are most excited about for next season. A precision passer and a true running threat, Mond could be the favorite to become the starter from Day 1.
Connor Blumrick (3-star, No. 36 pro-style): This 6-foot-6 quarterback has the size and frame that programs covet at the position. Blumrick has a bit of Eddy Pineiro in him as well; he was filmed throwing Nerf football with the wings 96 yards over the summer.
Throw No. 3 for #GigEm @ConnorBlumrick: 96 yards (video below)
Next two attempts went 99, then he hit 102. pic.twitter.com/pbXqbptGkN
— Phil Murphy © (@Phil_Sports) June 5, 2016
Vanderbilt
Jacob Free (3-star, No. 24 pro-style): The first commitment of Vanderbilt’s 2017 class, Free has prototypical size and can make every throw. As a junior, Free threw for 2,748 yards with 35 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. Free was the nation’s No. 37 quarterback prospect.
All rankings courtesy of the 247Sports Composite
