Penn State QB commit Marcus Stokes off to strong start at Elite 11 Finals

Penn State quarterback commit Marcus Stokes will get an opportunity to impress scouts this week at the Elite 11 Finals in Los Angeles. A native of Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., Stokes is one of 20 quarterbacks who were selected to participate in the marquee event. Despite top-ranked prospect Arch Manning choosing not to make the trip, the field is deep with talent, as Malachi Nelson, Dante Moore, Christopher Vizzina and many others are in attendance.

Stokes, who ranks No. 536 nationally in the On3 Consensus, is one of the lower-ranked quarterbacks coming into the event, ranking 29th at his position. Our staff at On3 ranks him substantially higher at No. 17 nationally, but this still sets up to be a win-win for Stokes. Perform well and there’s only one way to go.

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“It’s a huge deal for me. Growing up my whole life, I watched the Elite 11,” Stokes said. “I would watch the videos of when Dwayne Haskins was there on YouTube, then a few years ago when CJ Stroud was there. I always wanted to get that opportunity.

“When I actually got that invite, I was at the beach with my friends and it was crazy getting that call. I remember telling all of my friends, ‘Guys, I just got invited to the Elite 11 Finals,’ and we all went crazy. We all just went running into the water going nuts. Other than committing to Penn State, it was probably the best experience I’ve had [throughout the recruiting process].”

After night one, Stokes is off to a strong start. On3’s Scouting Director Charles Power ranked him No. 6 overall, praising his quick release. That was ahead of top 100 prospects like Nelson, who’s committed to USC, as well Eli Holstein (Alabama) and Jaden Rashada (Miami).

“The Penn State pledge was very impressive in throwing across his body on the goal line,” Power wrote. “Stokes consistently delivered well-thrown, on-target passes from off-platform. He has a dexterous arm and showed the ability to throw from different arm slots. Stokes was able to quickly generate force with his hip torque to whip quick passes despite his feet not being set.”

Related: Rising Texas prospect recaps recent visit to Penn State

Coming into the event, Stokes made it clear that while he was looking forward to getting to know the other participants, he was mainly there to not just compete, but to take home MVP honors.

“You’re definitely there to compete, but it’s also a fun experience to get to know all the other top quarterbacks in the country that you’ll probably get to play against someday down the road. So, my goal this week is definitely to compete with the best of the best and show everyone what I got. I’m coming after that MVP spot.”

Leading up to the event, Stokes was one of Penn State’s most active players in recruiting other prospects. Just this past weekend, safety DaKaari Nelson, from Selma, Ala., became the latest player to commit to Penn State. He credited Stokes for having an impact on this decision.

“Me and Marcus got pretty close on my official to Penn State, but we were communicating about two weeks before the visit,” Nelson said. “He’s a fun person. He’s a very energetic personality and he is gonna be himself no matter who is around.”

Related: Penn State lands commitment from specialist Ryan Barker

With Nelson now in the fold, Stokes said he’s turned much of his attention to running back Treyaun Webb, who, just like Stokes, lives in the greater Jacksonville region.

“I’m on him like white on rice man,” Stokes said. “He hasn’t really told me where he’s leaning, and I respect that. He’s been keeping it hush-hush. Whatever decision he makes that’s best for him and his family, I’ll support him, but he already knows what I think. I’d love to play with him someday together in the blue and white. He’d be a big addition to our class and I’m doing what I can to help get him here.”

With official visits now finished for the summer, Penn State sits in a strong position with preseason about a month away. The Nittany Lions currently rank No. 8 nationally in the On3 Consensus Team Rankings, with a handful of four-star prospects believed to be leaning this way.

“I’m super excited about what we’re doing right now,” Stokes said. “I’ve been talking to Tony [Rojas] a lot. Really, we all have. He knows how important he is to this class. He’s a major priority for us. I’ve been talking to Ta’Mere [Robinson] a lot. We’re on him really hard and I was stoked to see TJ Parker commit and DaKaari. I just think there’s a lot for fans to be excited about. We’re working on guys every day. The class that we have is incredible.”