20 Athletes Punch Ticket to 2021 Elite 11 Finals
Brian Stumpf oversees the regional tours and selection process for one of the most prestigious high school football camps in the country: the Elite 11.
And on June 8, his team shared via Twitter the final 4 athletes who will be part of the 20 at the Elite 11 Finals:
The field is set - congratulations to invites 17-20 to the 2021 #Elite11 Finals! pic.twitter.com/RavBOssTr2
— Elite11 (@Elite11) June 8, 2021
In a unique year, where many high school football players either did not play, experienced a shortened season, or competed in the springtime rather than the fall, Stumpf told Stack Sports selecting the roster for the Elite 11 Finals this time around was not an easy task.
He and Elite 11 Director of Scouting Joey Roberts combed through all of the data: limited game tape, regional tour footage, and feedback from coaches at each camp.
The following QBs will participate in the Elite 11 Finals:
Regional Selections:
- Zach Pyron – Pinson Valley High School (Ala.)
- Drew Allar – Medina High School (Ala.)
- Devin Brown – Queen Creek High School (Ariz.)
- Katin Houser – St. John Bosco High School (Calif.)
- Maalik Murphy – Serra Gardena High School (Calif.)
- AJ Swann – Cherokee High School (Ga.)
- Jacurri Brown – Lowndes High School (Ga.)
- Gavin Wimsatt – Owensboro High School (Ky.)
- Ty Simpson – Westview High School (Ky.)
- Tayven Jackson – Center Grove High School (Ind.)
- Walker Howard – St. Thomas More Catholic High School (La.)
- Luther Richesson – Lipscomb Academy (Tenn.)
- Nick Evers – Flower Mound High School (Texas)
- Cade Klubnik – Westlake High School (Texas)
- Quinn Ewers – Southlake Carroll High School (Texas)
- Connor Weigman – Bridgeland High School (Texas)
Final Four:
- Nate Johnson – Clovis High School (Calif.)
- AJ Duffy – IMG Academy (Fla.)
- Holden Geriner – Benedictine Miltary School (Ga.)
- Tevin Carter – Pure Academy (Tenn.)
The Elite 11 regional tour spanned coast-to-coast in 2021, including these cities:
- Atlanta
- Orlando
- Houston
- Dallas
- Philadelphia
- Indianapolis
- Nashville
- Los Angeles
Of all the regionals, Stumpf’s visit to Nashville blew him away. The number of high school quarterbacks in attendance with at least one college offer exceeded 50.
But at the Dallas regional, Ohio State recruit and Southlake Carroll High School star Quinn Ewers stole the show.
“People write about [Ewers] as the No. 1 guy and his arm talent is a reason,” Stumpf said.
Footage of Ewers at the Steve Clarkson QB Retreat in Los Angeles:
Five-star Ohio State QB commit Quinn Ewerz is too smooth with the sidearm delivery 🔥
— The Checkdown (@thecheckdown) June 1, 2021
Buckeyes got a good one coming 👀 @QuinnEwers @OhioStateFB
(via @SartiranaLuca) pic.twitter.com/nhrV42EHPP
Ewers will be a high school senior this upcoming fall, but his talent draws comparisons to a star in the NFL, who also has Texas roots: Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes II.
Check out this cool side-by-side comparison of Ewers’ and Mahomes’ throwing motion:
Texas QB @QuinnEwers is @247Sports' top high school prospect.
— NFL (@NFL) June 5, 2021
That sidearm delivery looks... familiar. 👀 (via @thecheckdown) pic.twitter.com/MWhIupRZmx
The Los Angeles regional marked the final stop with this year’s cross-country tour. Tied with Georgia, the state of California will send the second largest group of quarterbacks (three) behind Texas to the Elite 11 Finals.
Katin Houser and Maalik Murphy earned their roster sports at the LA regional while Nate Johnson made the cut as one of the final four.
Katin Houser
Between Josh Rosen and D.J. Uiagalelei, the lineage of great quarterbacks to play for St. John Bosco High School runs deep.
Stumpf has observed Houser across three regionals since the spring of 2020, noting significant improvements to his game from camp to camp.
“His ball is finishing much stronger downfield,” Stumpf said. “All the coaches said he looked the most consistent.”
Since his first interaction with Stumpf, Houser has grown taller by an inch-and-a-half and put on 11 pounds.
Maalik Murphy
At 6’5’’ and 231 Ibs with what Stumpf described as “big hands” and a “big frame,” Murphy certainly looks the part.
And he has the talent to back it up.
“[Murphy’s] got the arm talent to touch every blade of grass from the pocket,” Stumpf said.
Nate Johnson
This camper may be considered an under-the-radar candidate to perform well at the Elite 11 Finals, whose resume carries the athletic credentials to justify the hype.
Johnson clocked a 4.45 40-yard-dash time last fall at a regional camp, following it up with a 4.56 at the last Los Angeles regional.
“[Johnson] dabbled a little bit at quarterback the last time he played a full season but really played more receiver and was a pretty damn good one,” Stumpf said.
Among all the quarterbacks at the Los Angeles regional, Johnson dominated the competition from an athletic testing standpoint:
Big testing numbers put up by an athletic group of quarterbacks at Sunday's Los Angeles #Elite11 regional - here are the unofficial Top 10 ratings 💪🦵💨 pic.twitter.com/MZPHrkojnb
— Elite11 (@Elite11) June 7, 2021
The Elite 11 Finals will take place from June 30 to July 3 in Manhatten Beach. The camp will also include a period of 7-on-7 with skill players brought in to test what these quarterbacks have learned from their coaches in the classroom.
Whoever applies those lessons on the field the best will be crowned the MVP.
RECOMMENDED FOR YOU
MOST POPULAR
20 Athletes Punch Ticket to 2021 Elite 11 Finals
Brian Stumpf oversees the regional tours and selection process for one of the most prestigious high school football camps in the country: the Elite 11.
And on June 8, his team shared via Twitter the final 4 athletes who will be part of the 20 at the Elite 11 Finals:
The field is set - congratulations to invites 17-20 to the 2021 #Elite11 Finals! pic.twitter.com/RavBOssTr2
— Elite11 (@Elite11) June 8, 2021
In a unique year, where many high school football players either did not play, experienced a shortened season, or competed in the springtime rather than the fall, Stumpf told Stack Sports selecting the roster for the Elite 11 Finals this time around was not an easy task.
He and Elite 11 Director of Scouting Joey Roberts combed through all of the data: limited game tape, regional tour footage, and feedback from coaches at each camp.
The following QBs will participate in the Elite 11 Finals:
Regional Selections:
- Zach Pyron – Pinson Valley High School (Ala.)
- Drew Allar – Medina High School (Ala.)
- Devin Brown – Queen Creek High School (Ariz.)
- Katin Houser – St. John Bosco High School (Calif.)
- Maalik Murphy – Serra Gardena High School (Calif.)
- AJ Swann – Cherokee High School (Ga.)
- Jacurri Brown – Lowndes High School (Ga.)
- Gavin Wimsatt – Owensboro High School (Ky.)
- Ty Simpson – Westview High School (Ky.)
- Tayven Jackson – Center Grove High School (Ind.)
- Walker Howard – St. Thomas More Catholic High School (La.)
- Luther Richesson – Lipscomb Academy (Tenn.)
- Nick Evers – Flower Mound High School (Texas)
- Cade Klubnik – Westlake High School (Texas)
- Quinn Ewers – Southlake Carroll High School (Texas)
- Connor Weigman – Bridgeland High School (Texas)
Final Four:
- Nate Johnson – Clovis High School (Calif.)
- AJ Duffy – IMG Academy (Fla.)
- Holden Geriner – Benedictine Miltary School (Ga.)
- Tevin Carter – Pure Academy (Tenn.)
The Elite 11 regional tour spanned coast-to-coast in 2021, including these cities:
- Atlanta
- Orlando
- Houston
- Dallas
- Philadelphia
- Indianapolis
- Nashville
- Los Angeles
Of all the regionals, Stumpf’s visit to Nashville blew him away. The number of high school quarterbacks in attendance with at least one college offer exceeded 50.
But at the Dallas regional, Ohio State recruit and Southlake Carroll High School star Quinn Ewers stole the show.
“People write about [Ewers] as the No. 1 guy and his arm talent is a reason,” Stumpf said.
Footage of Ewers at the Steve Clarkson QB Retreat in Los Angeles:
Five-star Ohio State QB commit Quinn Ewerz is too smooth with the sidearm delivery 🔥
— The Checkdown (@thecheckdown) June 1, 2021
Buckeyes got a good one coming 👀 @QuinnEwers @OhioStateFB
(via @SartiranaLuca) pic.twitter.com/nhrV42EHPP
Ewers will be a high school senior this upcoming fall, but his talent draws comparisons to a star in the NFL, who also has Texas roots: Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes II.
Check out this cool side-by-side comparison of Ewers’ and Mahomes’ throwing motion:
Texas QB @QuinnEwers is @247Sports' top high school prospect.
— NFL (@NFL) June 5, 2021
That sidearm delivery looks... familiar. 👀 (via @thecheckdown) pic.twitter.com/MWhIupRZmx
The Los Angeles regional marked the final stop with this year’s cross-country tour. Tied with Georgia, the state of California will send the second largest group of quarterbacks (three) behind Texas to the Elite 11 Finals.
Katin Houser and Maalik Murphy earned their roster sports at the LA regional while Nate Johnson made the cut as one of the final four.
Katin Houser
Between Josh Rosen and D.J. Uiagalelei, the lineage of great quarterbacks to play for St. John Bosco High School runs deep.
Stumpf has observed Houser across three regionals since the spring of 2020, noting significant improvements to his game from camp to camp.
“His ball is finishing much stronger downfield,” Stumpf said. “All the coaches said he looked the most consistent.”
Since his first interaction with Stumpf, Houser has grown taller by an inch-and-a-half and put on 11 pounds.
Maalik Murphy
At 6’5’’ and 231 Ibs with what Stumpf described as “big hands” and a “big frame,” Murphy certainly looks the part.
And he has the talent to back it up.
“[Murphy’s] got the arm talent to touch every blade of grass from the pocket,” Stumpf said.
Nate Johnson
This camper may be considered an under-the-radar candidate to perform well at the Elite 11 Finals, whose resume carries the athletic credentials to justify the hype.
Johnson clocked a 4.45 40-yard-dash time last fall at a regional camp, following it up with a 4.56 at the last Los Angeles regional.
“[Johnson] dabbled a little bit at quarterback the last time he played a full season but really played more receiver and was a pretty damn good one,” Stumpf said.
Among all the quarterbacks at the Los Angeles regional, Johnson dominated the competition from an athletic testing standpoint:
Big testing numbers put up by an athletic group of quarterbacks at Sunday's Los Angeles #Elite11 regional - here are the unofficial Top 10 ratings 💪🦵💨 pic.twitter.com/MZPHrkojnb
— Elite11 (@Elite11) June 7, 2021
The Elite 11 Finals will take place from June 30 to July 3 in Manhatten Beach. The camp will also include a period of 7-on-7 with skill players brought in to test what these quarterbacks have learned from their coaches in the classroom.
Whoever applies those lessons on the field the best will be crowned the MVP.