Quarterback Dominoes: Decisions from elite signal-callers will ripple across country

No position is more interconnected in the football recruiting process more than quarterback.

Once a quarterback picks a school, it often creates a domino effect that impacts program after program. And that’s going to be especially true in the Class of 2023 with so many top programs focused on top uncommitted quarterbacks Arch Manning and Nico Iamaleava.

Chad Simmons, On3’s Director of Recruiting, says what happens with Arch and Nico will have a significant impact on other top quarterback recruits like Dante Moore, Christopher Vizzina, Jaden Rashada, Dylan Lonergan, Eli Holstein and many others.

In the end, the trickle-down effect could affect upwards of 20 or so quarterbacks and countless programs throughout the entire country in almost every Power Five conference. Quarterbacks are often the first — or one of the first — prospects to commit in a given team’s recruiting class.

Which one a school lands can have a major impact on the offensive skill players they get later on. Exhibit A: Lincoln Riley landing Malachi Nelson at Oklahoma, then adding elite wideouts Brandon Inniss, Makai Lemon and DeAndre Moore. When Nelson flipped to USC, Lemon went with him. Moore is projected to join them, and Inniss has USC as a major player in his recruitment.

“It’s a little more intertwined than what it has been in recent years,” Simmons said. “It’s largely because a lot of the same schools are involved in with the top prospects at quarterback. We usually see those guys commit earlier and most schools only take one quarterback. I think it always has some sort of domino effect, but this year might be a little bit different, especially because of Arch and Nico.”

According to intel from Simmons, both Manning of New Orleans (La.) Isidore Newman and Iamaleava of Downey (Calif.) Warren have similar schools on their lists.

Alabama and Georgia are in a good position for Manning with Ole Miss and Texas also right there. Florida and LSU are also hoping to get into the top group. But upcoming spring visits could dictate where Manning’s recruitment eventually heads.

Iamaleava could be first quarterback to pop

Iamaleava also has Alabama and Georgia on his list, and he’s scheduled to visit Georgia and Tennessee for the first two weekends in March. Oregon is currently listed as the team to beat, according to the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine, but Alabama and Georgia are right there, too.

Things could get very interesting if Iamaleava sticks with his timetable of making an early April decision.

“I think all signs point toward Nico being the first to pop,” Simmons said. “I think that will definitely make an impact on other schools and other players like Arch or Jaden Rashada, or Dante Moore potentially. But I think as of now, it looks like Nico looks to be the first to start the domino effect.”

Will UGA, Bama wait on Arch?

And it’s Iamaleava’s commitment timetable that could lead to one of the biggest decisions that could impact college football for years to come.

Does Alabama or Georgia wait for Manning if Iamaleava wants to commit?

Or would the Tide or Dawgs happily take the commit from the five-star signal-caller from California and pass on the next in line from the legendary Manning quarterback family?

“I don’t know how you can tell him [Nico] no,” Simmons said. “If he wants to pop in mid-to-late April, it would be hard for me to see schools even of the status of Alabama or Georgia telling him no.

Simmons continued: “And who knows, does every school even have Arch as their clear-cut No. 1? I definitely heard that some schools think Nico’s upside is up there with anybody in the country. I think it’s hard for either one of those schools, if he was to try to commit to them, to wait on Arch at that point. Arch can only pick one school. We all think Alabama and Georgia are up there, maybe even the top two. But I don’t think they can wait on Arch if it costs them Nico.”

Moore, Rashada will also cause ripple effects

All of this maneuvering could have an impact on Moore, the five-star quarterback out of Detroit Martin Luther King.

Granted, Moore seems to be more focused on Midwest schools like Notre Dame and Michigan. However, he visited Oregon. He’s going to visit LSU. He still likes Miami and is seemingly leaving the door open for others to come after him before deciding before the start of his senior season.

Another that could be greatly impacted by Manning and Iamaleava’s decisions is Rashada, the No. 7 quarterback in the country out of Pittsburg, California.

Rashada has been linked greatly with Oregon, and should Iamaleava pick one of the SEC programs, the Ducks could quickly turn to him as their top target.

“There’s just a lot of spinning plates with Moore and Rashada,” Simmons said. “Jaden has indicated he’d like to have a spring-ish decision, too. But does he wait things out to see what happens with Nico if he wants to really go to Oregon like some believe he does?”

Will Vizzina, other quarterbacks become a priority?

Simmons said somebody else that could be impacted by all the quarterback maneuvering is Vizzina. Vizzina is a fast-rising but still somewhat underappreciated signal-caller from Birmingham (Ala.) Briarwood Christian.

When Clemson slipped in the race for Manning, Vizzina became the Tigers’ top target at quarterback. But Georgia and Notre Dame are also involved.

Will Clemson’s focus pay off? Or could Georgia and Notre Dame shift momentum if they miss on Manning, Iamaleava or Moore?

“This is another one that’s so intertwined with the same type of schools,” Simmons said. “But he’s going to commit this spring or in the near future. So, where he visits the next five to six weeks will say a lot about where he’s at.”

Then there are others like Holstein, who is committed Texas A&M, but is expected to look at other schools. As well as Lonergan in Georgia.

“I think once you get past that point, there’s a big drop off from a talent standpoint,” Simmons said. “If you don’t get one of those big guys, folks could turn to Holstein or Lonergan. So again, it’s more quarterbacks that are linked to each other. And that’s what’s going to make this class so fascinating to follow over the next few weeks and months.”