The Elite 11 Finals matter more than ever: Names, trends to know as 2024 event begins this week
The Elite 11 Finals matter more than ever: Names, trends to know as 2024 event begins this week
All eyes will be on the nation's top prep quarterbacks this week as the Elite 11 Finals return. The invite-only event, which has served as a showcase in the past for dozens upon dozens of future NFL starters, will bring 20 signal-callers from around the country to Los Angeles for three days of competition where the cream should rise to the top.
This year's roster has one notable omission as LSU commit Bryce Underwood, the consensus No. 1-ranked prospect in the class of 2025, will not be participating. Still, the group of finalists is a scout's dream with 14 of the 17 quarterbacks currently ranked inside the Top247 expected to go through the ringer. That includes four five-stars and nine of the top 10-ranked passers.
Action gets underway Tuesday (June 18) night with opening drills at Mira Costa High in Manhattan Beach. It continues Wednesday evening with a pro day and accuracy challenge before things wrap up Thursday afternoon with the presentation of the final Elite 11 rankings and the coveted title of Elite 11 MVP.
Elite 11 History
27 of 32 NFL starters in 2023 attended Elite 11 finals or regionals (84%)
16 of the last 17 QBs to win the Heisman Trophy attended Elite 11 finals or regionals
The last three Heisman Trophy winners were Elite 11 finalists
The last 13 QBs to go No. 1 overall in NFL Draft attended Elite 11 finals or regionals
2024 Elite 11 finalists by state
- California - 3
- Texas - 3
- Georgia - 2
- Ohio - 2
- Mississippi - 2
- Alabama - 1
- Florida - 1
- Hawaii - 1
- Iowa - 1
- Maryland - 1
- North Carolina - 1
- Pennsylvania - 1
- Tennessee - 1
2024 Elite 11 finalists by conference committed
- SEC - 8
- Big Ten - 4
- Big 12 - 2
- ACC - 3
- Independent - 1 (Deuce Knight, Notre Dame)
Get to know the 2024 Elite 11 finalists
| Team | Name | 247Sports rankings | Bio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tavien St. Clair | 5-star | No. 2 QB | No. 2 overall | Budding quarterback prospect who has a chance to be a real difference-maker on Saturdays with his size, arm and mobility. Methodical as a passer with the velocity and confidence to attack tight coverage windows. Skilled enough with his arm to pump, reset, and then fire a tight spiral. | |
| Julian Lewis | 5-star | No. 3 QB | No. 16 overall | A de facto point guard on the gridiron that can distribute the football like few others. Compact release allows him to rip tight, accurate spirals to all different levels. Might not have a true cannon, but will drop balls over coverage well into the deeper third. | |
| Husan Longstreet | 5-star | No. 4 QB | No. 28 overall | One of the strongest arms in the class and a quick release to go with it. He generates a ton of velocity with little effort and can throw from multiple arm angles. Big hands and spins the football great. | |
| George MacIntyre | 5-star | No. 5 QB | No. 30 overall | High-upside quarterback prospect with a franchise-worthy frame, college-level arm and fluid pocket movements. On the skinnier side, but is over 6-foot-5 and is likely going to fill out more. Possesses a cleaner stroke and can drive the football 50-plus yards. | |
| Matt Zollers | 4-star | No. 6 QB | No. 34 overall | Athletic quarterback prospect with a projectable frame that can whip the ball around the yard. Snappy upper and lower halves have him moving around like a middle infielder as he evades pressure or looks to pick up yardage on designed runs | |
| Keelon Russell | 4-star | No. 7 QB | No. 39 overall | Elite playmaker for the quarterback position who can beat defenses with his arm and legs. Accurate to the first two levels and gets the ball out fast. Slides around the pocket with his limber movement patterns and has both the speed and agility to turn scrambles into back-breaking gains. | |
| Deuce Knight | 4-star | No. 8 QB | No. 66 overall | A left-handed, dual-threat talent with an elite physical profile that needs plenty of seasoning if he's going to reach his full potential. Creates plenty of whip and velocity with a shorter release and has the arm strength to attack the deeper third. | |
| Akili Smith Jr. | 4-star | No. 9 QB | No. 113 overall | The son of Akili Smith, junior is a huge quarterback who is every bit of 6-foot-, 200 pounds. He's mostly a pure pocket-passer but has a bit of escapability and can make throws rolling out left or right. But it's his deep ball, and its accuracy, that stand out. | |
| Ryan Montgomery | 4-star | No. 10 QB | No. 144 overall | Plays in a spread offense that has him frequently in the gun and in four and five wide. Has been asked to make a variety of throws and has shown he can do that. Sense of timing, anticipation and throwing into windows took a big jump as a junior. | |
| KJ Lacey | 4-star | No. 13 QB | No. 179 overall | On the smaller side, but gets the ball out fast and can change arm angles to create throwing windows. Accurate to both the first and second levels and has the power to connect on his fair share of deep shots. Has proven to be a tricky tackle for pass rushers as he dances away from pressure. | |
| Malik Washington | 4-star | No. 14 QB | No. 180 overall | The top uncommitted QB in the class, Washington is an athletic pocket-passer with impressive velocity. He's won back-to- | |
| Ty Hawkins | 4-star | No. 15 QB | No. 200 overall | A longtime TCU commit, Hawkins is fresh off a strong junior season that saw him lead Johnson to the second round of the Texas 6A-DI playoffs, completing 142 of 214 passes (66.4%) for 2,235 yards with 25 touchdowns against 11 interceptions. | |
| Kamario Taylor | 4-star | No. 16 QB | No. 221 overall | The longtime Mississippi State commit threw for 3,634 yards on 211-of-353 passing (59.9%) with 48 touchdowns against five interceptions while rushing for an additional 794 yards and 15 touchdowns on 89 carries in a run to the 3A state championship in Mississippi. | |
| TJ Lateef | 4-star | No. 17 QB | No. 230 overall | A pocket-passer with dual-threat abilities. Can make defenders miss and does a nice job extending plays and making something happen outside the pocket. Can be a threat in the zone-read. | |
| Tramell Jones Jr. | 3-star | No. 21 QB | Experienced signal caller with cleaner mechanics that has improved in every key statistical category since earning the starting nod as a freshman on varsity. More of a one-read passer at this stage who will feed his playmakers and throw them open. | |
| Jaron Keawe Sagapolutele | 3-star | No. 27 QB | One of just two uncommitted quarterbacks invited to the Elite 11 Finals, Keawe Sagapolutele was tabbed as 247Sports' Alpha Dog for his performance at the Elite 11's Las Vegas Regional in early May. The 6-foot-3 southpaw threw for 3,757 yards and 37 touchdowns over 13 games as a junior, leading Campbell to a 9-4 record and a state semifinal appearance in Hawaii's Open Division. | |
| Luke Nickel | 3-star | No. 30 QB | Throws an accurate, catchable ball and can beat coverages with touch. Will pick apart defenses when plays stay on schedule and the pocket is kept clean. Has already been asked to make pre-snap adjustments and does a favorable job of disguising his intentions. | |
| Kevin Sperry | 3-star | No. 32 QB | After spending his sophomore season at Prosper (Texas) Rock Hill, Sperry transferred into Oklahoma City Carl Albert in 2023, where he posted a perfect 14-0 record and helped the program win its 18th state championship. In 14 games, the Oklahoma commit threw for 2,564 yards on 131-of-191 passing (68.6%) with 31 touchdowns to four interceptions. | |
| Bryce Baker | 3-star | No. 34 QB | Mobile player with a muscled-up build that will throw his wide receivers open. Owns a compact release and can create some torque with his upper half. Can be a bit streaky at times as a passer, but has some impressive long balls on the junior spray chart. | |
| Alex Manske | 3-star | No. 36 QB | Manske completed 101 of 167 passes (60.5%) for 1,787 yards with 17 touchdowns to just three interceptions over 10 games as a junior, leading Algona to a 6-4 record and the first round of Iowa's 3A playoffs. |
As the summer heats up, so too does the recruiting calendar. June will be chock-full of official visits, followed by a July spree of commitments. A subscription to 247Sports -- the industry leader in college sports recruiting coverage at the national and local level -- gets you access to every bit of news from our stable of insiders who span the country from coast-to-coast, and unlocks VIP insider content. Sign up here today!