Kentucky '25 QB commit Stone Saunders impressing through 4 games

We talk a lot about Cutter Boley on this website — and deservedly so — but there’s another future Kentucky quarterback out there who deserves his shine. Stone Saunders, the reigning Gatorade Pennsylvania Player of the Year, has been off to a blazing hot start to his junior season up in the northeast.

Saunders is a grade below Boley as a class of 2025 member, but he’s still highly regarded in his own right. The top 350-ranked high school junior suits up for Harrisburg (PA) Bishop McDevitt, which is off to a 4-0 start this season with Saunders running the show. Bishop McDevitt, the defending Pennsylvania 4A state champion, has won all four games by an average score of 45.3-21, largely in part due to Saunders’ play. His most efficient outing was a six-touchdown performance this past Friday with an over 90 percent completion rate.

However, his most impressive showing came in Week 2 during a tight, 46-42 win over DePaul Catholic. Bishop McDevitt trailed 35-20 to begin the second half, but Saunders locked in to lead a furious comeback. He even punched in the go-ahead game-winning score on the ground with under nine minutes left.

“I think I’ve played pretty decent so far,” Saunders told KSR on Tuesday. “We had three really tough games from the start. First game we had to come back by 14 points in the fourth quarter, so it was my first game really having to come back. It was great to see our team come back with that. With DePaul (Catholic), we had a shootout. LaSalle (College) we just played a little bit better than everybody, but it’s been really fun. We’ve got a great group of guys on this team so it’s been a blast so far. It’s probably been the most fun I’ve ever had playing football. I have no complaints so far.”

Stone Saunders’ stats through 4 games

8/25 vs. Mount St. Joseph (20-14 W) | 22-39, 255 yards – 3 TD, 1 INT (QBR: 91.3)
9/1 @ DePaul Catholic (46-42 W) | 19-28, 243 yards – 2 TD, 0 INT (QBR: 118.6)
9/8 vs. La Salle College (47-21 W) | 15-23, 333 yards – 4 TD, 0 INT (QBR: 148.1)
9/14 vs. Palmyra (68-7 W) | 10-11, 301 yards – 6 TD, 0 INT (QBR: 169.5)

TOTALS: 66-101 (65.3%), 1,132 yards – 15 TD, 1 INT (QBR: 138.7) | 3 rushing TDs

Saunders has gotten better as the season has rolled along. He’s completed passes of at least 70 yards in back-to-back games. His 1,132 passing yards rank third in the state of Pennsylvania and trails the overall leader by just 17 yards. But it’s the multiple comeback drives he’s fueled that should have the Big Blue Nation excited about his arrival in two years.

Bishop McDevitt was down by 14 in the fourth quarter to Mount St. Joseph and 15 at halftime to DePaul Catholic. But Saunders, with the help of four-star Alabama WR commit Rico Scott, locked in to lead his team on necessary touchdown drives. Against Mount St. Joseph in particular, the two playmakers simply out-talented the opposition down the stretch.

“In that fourth quarter, we just kinda talked to each other, we were like we’re just gonna try to take over this game,” Saunders said. “There was like a 4th and 25 and I told the coach to run this one play and I just told Rico go find a space and get open. He found a space, we got the 4th and 25, went and scored the next play. Next drive came back, four minutes left in the game, he takes a screen pass to the house. He took over that game.

“That’s what you play the game for, moments like that.”

Saunders recruiting Alabama commit Rico Scott

Having Rico Scott as a weapon on the outside is certainly a luxury for Saunders. Through four games, he’s hauled in 27 receptions for 515 yards and eight touchdowns. Scott has been committed to Alabama since April and is considered a four-star, top 250 class of 2024 prospect. By all accounts, he remains fully committed to the Crimson Tide, but that doesn’t mean Saunders isn’t constantly in his ear talking about the ‘Cats.

“We’re gonna try to get him to Lexington. I’m trying to convince him to take a visit still,” Saunders said of Scott. “We’ll see. We got a little bit until Signing Day.”

#BBN @Rico_Scott1 😁 pic.twitter.com/wbXA3gD0uw

— Stone Saunders (@Stone_Saunders8) September 19, 2023

So far, no visit has been scheduled, but there is time to make it happen. A good opportunity would be two weekends from now when the Florida Gators come to Lexington for an SEC showdown. Saunders tells KSR he will be in attendance — driving through the night after his game that Friday to make the noon kickoff. Could he bring his teammate along with him?

His trip to Kentucky will be Saunders’ first since he was on campus in June. He committed to the Wildcats a couple of months later and says he regularly talks with the coaches during the season. But the chance to see a packed Kroger Field in action is something he’s looking forward to.

“UK’s been great,” Saunders said. “I’ve got no complaints at all. I’ve loved seeing them play during the season so far. Last game our offense really looked great. Devin (Leary) was slinging the ball out to everybody. It was the first time the passing attack really looked good. It’ll be fun to watch them during SEC play. They got screwed on a noon kickoff. It’s crazy.”