Elite 11 Finals: Overall Top Performers

REDONDO BEACH, Calif. – The 2023 Elite 11 Finals are wrapped after three days of drill work and competitions amongst the nation’s top 2024 quarterbacks in Southern California. Following a pro-day style event on Thursday night and drills on Wednesday, Friday’s session featured each of the quarterbacks competing in 7-on-7 with some top pass-catchers and defenders in the 2024, 2025 and 2026 classes alongside them.

Each quarterback had 15 straight minutes to showcase their short, intermediate and deep passing game, and they also competed in an accuracy challenge to the side of the field. Of the group of 20, all had between 16 and 20 plays during that time.

We charted each session live, noting total completions and attempts, touchdowns and interceptions, as well as drops, off-target passes and timed sacks.

For the purposes of this Top Performers, we are looking at the overall body of work over the course of three days — drills on air, pro day performance and Friday’s 7-on-7 event.

Complete Elite 11 Finals Roster | Day 1 Top Performers | Day 2 Top Performers | Day 3 Live Updates

On3 MVP: Julian Sayin – 5-star Alabama commit

Julian Sayin was the most consistent performer over the course of all three days at the Elite 11 Finals. The Alabama pledge was very comfortable in every setting – whether it was the drill work on Day 1, the pro day on Day 2 and the accuracy challenge and 7-on-7 on Day 3. Sayin is technically polished. He flashed one of the quickest releases on hand. The ball comes out on time and he hit receivers in stride on repeat. There was very little variance in his throws all week. We can’t recall an occasion where there was a blatant bad miss by the Carlsbad (Calif.) High passer.

While Sayin’s consistency is his calling card, he did have some ‘wow’ moments over the course of the week. We thought Sayin was sensational in drill work, dropping flag routes in very tight windows. He had a very strong showing on his pro day, playing with an assertive nature while showing excellent rhythm between his footwork and upper body. His stat line in 7-on-7 was not overly gaudy, but he did have one touchdown ruled out of bounds that looked to be good and another that was dropped. Some of the other quarterbacks on hand are bigger and have more pure arm strength, but Sayin’s confidence and quick release compensate and result in good zip in addition to his high level accuracy. Sayin entered the week with the reputation as the cycle’s safest quarterback prospect and lived up to the billing with the strong three-day showing. He was also named MVP by the Elite 11 staff at the conclusion of the event.

2. Dylan Raiola – Five-Star Plus+ Georgia commit

Dylan Raiola made a strong push for the top spot with a fantastic showing in 7-on-7 on Day 3. The Five-Star Plus+ prospect completed 13 of 16 passes for four touchdowns. The Georgia pledge has easy arm strength. There is zero strain as he drives the ball downfield. He likely had the best and most effortless deep ball we saw at the Elite 11 Finals. The deep ball was on display on Friday, as he delivered a handful of beautiful vertical passes in 7-on-7. Raiola also showed strong timing and accuracy with his receivers while throwing against defensive backs.

While he was in the middle of the pack on Day 1, the Arizona native and NFL legacy got stronger and stronger as the week progressed. He was increasingly comfortable in the setting and allowed his pure arm talent to take over. Raiola entered the event with a bunch of eyeballs due to his lofty status and answered the bell, in our opinion. He’ll need to use this positive momentum as a spring board in an effort for a rebound senior season, but the week of work at the Elite 11 Finals has to be taken as a positive sign.

3. Ethan Grunkemeyer – 3-star Penn State commit

Ethan Grunkemeyer was perhaps the most pleasant surprise at the Elite 11 Finals. The Penn State pledge flashed arguably the most explosive arm action at the event. From early on in Day 1, the ball jumped out of Grunkemeyer’s hand. He easily drove the ball downfield on a line – as well as anyone. The Lewis Center (Ohio) Olentangy product was the On3 MVP on Day 1 with a very impressive day in drill work. He backed that up with a strong showing during his pro day, flashing loose, coordinated movements to go with his plus arm. Grunkemeyer had an up and down 7-on-7 session on Day 3 but still made a number of high level throws. He showed he could go throw for throw alongside the best quarterback prospects in the cycle.

4. Luke Kromenhoek – 4-star Florida State commit

No quarterback on hand flashed more physical upside than Luke Kromenhoek, in our opinion. That may seem like a bold statement, but at 6-foot-3.5, 190 pounds, Kromenhoek easily had one of the strongest arms in attendance in addition to plus movement skills. The Savannah (Ga.) Benedictine signal caller has the horsepower in his arm to throw ropes on a straight line 30 to 40 yards downfield. He first flashed the big arm during drill work on Day 1. Kromenhoek struggled a bit during his pro day session on Day 2, but rebounded on Day 3 with one of the strongest 7-on-7 showings from the group. He caught fire after getting off to an up-and-down start, and finished 13 of 17 for three touchdowns. Kromenhoek hasn’t played as much varsity football as most of the group as 2022 was his first year as a starter. He’ll need to continue adding experience and overall consistency, but the tangible upside was apparent in Redondo Beach.

5. Air Noland – 4-star Ohio State commit

Air Noland entered the Elite 11 as the most productive and decorated high school player of the group – perhaps by a wide margin. The southpaw passer was among the more accurate and steady passers on Day 1 and Day 2. He showed impressive touch and feel in drill work. Noland threw the ball on time and showed the ability to layer his passes. He parlayed that showing into a strong pro day session on Day 2 – one that was among the best we saw from the group. Noland had a few misfires early on in 7-on-7 play but rebounded to finish strong, completing seven straight passes. While many others in the group have remaining questions about their play on Friday nights (a key factor in evaluations), Noland remains a known commodity and put his best foot forward at the Elite 11 Finals.

6. Ryan Puglisi – 4-star Georgia commit

Ryan Puglisi entered the week at the Elite 11 Finals with a chip on his shoulder. The Avon (Conn.) Avon Old Farms product turned in a good week of work, landing on our top performers on Day 1 and just missing out on Day 2. Puglisi is a live-armed passer who plays with a bouncy, kinetic energy. He showed a quick, loose arm and easily generated notable zip on his short and intermediate passes. Puglisi had some moments where he pressed and the ball got away from him, but overall it was a good showing and his arm talent stacked up in the top group. For a quarterback from the Northeast who does not play the type of competition of some others, he showed he belonged and didn’t struggle to adjust to the environment.

7. Colin Hurley – 4-star LSU commit

Similar to Dylan Raiola, Colin Hurley showed easy arm strength. Hurley is a powerful, compactly built passer and uses his strong base and loose arm to drive the ball with no strain. The LSU pledge was a Top Performer on each day of the event for On3. He flashed the pure arm talent to make all of the throws to every level of the field. We thought he got progressively better over the course of the week, as well. Hurley built on a good pro day session on Day 2 with one of the better 7-on-7 showings. He completed 13 of 17 passes for 4 touchdowns, taking advantage of a few busted coverages in the secondary. Hurley plays with a deliberate, unbothered pace that may seem a bit slow at times. He’ll need to continue improving his footwork and overall movement skills as he progresses into his senior season, but the arm talent is not in question.

8. Hauss Hejny – 4-star TCU commit

Hauss Hejny is the top athlete among the Elite 11 Finalists, but more than held his own in a setting that didn’t allow him to use his feet. The Aledo (Texas) High standout is a twitchy, torqued up athlete who puts his entire 5-foot-11, 185 pound frame into his throws. Hejny was able to generate very good velocity over the course of the week. He put heat on his passes in the short and intermediate areas. We also saw some glimpses of his elite movement skills on his drops and rollouts. Another first-year varsity starter as a junior, we could see the TCU pledge building on this showing to have a big senior season at one of Texas’ top high school programs.

9. CJ Carr – 4-star Notre Dame commit

CJ Carr was certainly among the most technically polished quarterbacks on hand at the Elite 11 Finals. The Notre Dame pledge was very comfortable in drill work and in his pro day session. He’s able to easily replicate his natural throwing motion over and over. When operating on rhythm, he was also among the most accurate quarterbacks on hand. We saw this during his pro day session and again on Day 3 in the accuracy competition. Carr faltered a bit when things went live in 7-on-7 taking three sacks during his period. He also had a tendency to take some juice off his throws when defensive backs were added to the equation. There’s no question Carr is highly polished when operating within structure and he has the potential to continue to improve as he gets more comfortable in open, live settings.

10. Will Hammond – 3-star Texas Tech commit

Will Hammond turned in a consistent, solid week of work at the Elite 11 Finals. His skill set looks to be a strong fit in Texas Tech offensive coordinator Zach Kittley’s Air Raid scheme. Hammond showed very good accuracy on his short and intermediate passes. His ability to place the football to those levels of the field was in the top group among the Elite 11 Finalists. Hammond played with good timing over the course of the week, especially during 7-on-7. He completed his first nine passes, doing a nice job of taking what the defense gave him. While Hammond didn’t have quite the downfield arm of others on hand, he was one of the more accurate and reliable passers over the course of the week.

11. DJ Lagway – 4-star Florida commit

DJ Lagway flashed his big arm on each day. The Florida pledge easily drove the ball to all levels and had two solid showings earning Top Performer status on the first two days. Lagway was arguably the best off-platform passer during drill work on Day 1. He showed some very nice arm dexterity and rotational ability, drawing on his background as a baseball player. Lagway also had a solid showing Day 2. He didn’t have a great 7-on-7 session as one of the last quarterbacks to go on Friday – completing 9 of 17 passes for zero touchdowns and two interceptions. While he has plus pure arm strength and the ability to throw from multiple platforms, Lagway will need to refine his mechanics to improve his accuracy. He has a somewhat unconventional throwing motion that can make for errant throws from time to time. Still, we got to see the Willis (Texas) High standout’s upside in Redondo Beach.

Additional notes on Elite 11 Finalists

+ Michigan commit Jadyn Davis made a late push for inclusion in the Top Performers with a strong showing in 7-on-7 on Friday. The Wolverine pledge looked by far the best he had all week, completing 11 of 15 passes for four touchdowns. Davis showed good zip on his intermediate passes and had nice touch on a few corner routes that went for scores. The 6-foot-0.5, 190-pounder has a longer backstroke on his throwing motion that can affect the release time and accuracy on his shorter passes. He was at his best over the course of the week when he had time to set up and deliver to the middle of the field.

+ Trever Jackson flashed one of the strongest arms in attendance. The Winter Park (Fla.) West Orange signal caller is one of the youngest and least experienced quarterbacks on hand, but showed some intriguing upside. Jackson was at his best in drill work on Day 1 and had a solid pro day on Day 2. He faltered a bit in 7-on-7, going 6 for 16 with one touchdown and one interception. There’s no question he has the upside but will need to continue gaining experience to develop.

+ Ole Miss commit Demond Williams Jr. had solid showings on Day 1 and Day 2 before struggling a bit in 7-on-7. The 5-foot-10 signal caller is one of the top athletes on hand and showed a quick release with the ability to hit short and intermediate passes.

+ Utah pledge Isaac Wilson had a good showing during his pro day session and was solid overall. He moves well and was fairly accurate in this setting.

+ Nebraska commit Daniel Kaelin showed his skill set as an accurate, in structure passer. Kaelin has solid footwork and was able to throw a catchable football when everything was on time. To that point, he won the accuracy challenge on Friday. The pure arm talent registered in the middle to low end of the pack.

+ Elijah Brown does not wow you with his arm or movement skills, but showed nice timing during his pro day and 7-on-7 session. The Mater Dei signal caller looks best suited for a scheme where he’s a game manager and distributor.

+ South Carolina pledge Dante Reno showed a quick release and was at his best when targeting the short and intermediate areas of the field. Reno had his best day during 7-on-7 and settled in after a tough start, finishing 12 of 18 for three touchdowns and an interception. Reno also showed solid footwork. His deep ball tended to flutter a bit and he didn’t always consistently spin his throws, but he looked polished overall.

+ Oklahoma commit Michael Hawkins is another top athlete who is not at his best in this stationary setting. He has a very compact throwing motion and had some moments in drill work on Day 1. Hawkins struggled in 7-on-7 play, taking five timed sacks.

+ Colorado commit Danny O’Neil landed in On3’s Top Performers after a very accurate pro day session on Day 2. O’Neil is decisive in working the short areas of the field. He lacked juice in his arm compared to most of the other finalists, but made some noise during his pro day.