20 Best Quarterbacks in High School Football: Michigan Nominates Bryce Underwood to Lead Star QBs

From Bryce Underwood to Julian Lewis, the 2024 high school football season featured high-caliber quarterback play across the country.

As the season winds down, here’s a look at the top 20 high school seniors in the country.

(List is in alphabetical order)

Top 20 High School Quarterbacks

Dia Bell, American Heritage (Florida) – junior (Texas)

Bell has thrown 29 touchdowns and scored five more on the ground this season in his second year as a starter. Last summer, after receiving about 40 offers, Bell headed to Texas.

Faison Brandon, Grimsley (North Carolina) – junior (Tennessee)

The nation’s top recruit in the 2026 class, Brandon threw 68 touchdown passes and only eight interceptions in 34 varsity games. He helped Grimsley to an 11-0 record, outscoring their opponents by more than 450 points heading into Friday’s second-round playoff game. In August he left early for Tennessee.

Jared Curtis, Nashville Christian (Tennessee) – junior

Curtis surpassed 7,000 yards in less than three seasons, catching 84 passes in 35 games. During this time, he also scored 33 goals on the ground. Curtis initially committed to Georgia in March and then reneged on those commitments in October.

Landon Duckworth, Jackson (Alabama) – junior

Duckworth has 31 passes this season in his second year as a starter. He also scored nine times on the ground, averaging more than 11 yards per carry heading into Friday’s quarterfinal playoff game. Having previously moved to South Carolina, he reopened his recruiting this summer and saw the offers continue to pile up.

Brady Edmunds, Huntington Beach (CA) – Sophomore

Edmunds threw for 60 touchdowns and more than 5,900 passing yards in two collegiate seasons. Ohio State is among more than 20 schools that have offered education through Edmunds to date.

Elijah Haven, Dunham (Los Angeles) – Sophomore

The nation’s top football player as a sophomore, Haven scored 35 touchdowns and scored 12 more as a freshman. Hometown LSU is among many schools that have expanded scholarship offerings at this time.

Antoine Hill, Houston County (Georgia) – Sr. (Memphis)

Hill is a veteran of 46 varsity games and has thrown 117 touchdown passes. He’s approaching 10,500 passing yards heading into Friday’s second-round playoff game at Georgia. A former Colorado player, Hill committed to Memphis last summer.

Deuce Knight, George County (MS) – Sr. (Auburn)

Knight has 50 career touchdown passes and another 31 on the ground heading into Friday’s playoff game against Picayune. Knight spent more than a year at Notre Dame before opting out of his Auburn commitment in October.

Julian Lewis, Carrollton (Georgia) – Sr. (Colorado)

Lewis was named MaxPreps National Freshman and Sophomore in each of the last two seasons, catching 48 passes in both years. He then made the decision to transfer to the class of 2025. He has thrown 40 touchdowns in 11 games this year leading into Friday’s Georgia 6A second-round playoff game. A longtime USC commit, Lewis committed to play at Colorado on Thursday morning.

Husan Longstreet, Corona Centennial (CA) – Sr. (USC)

Longstreet scored 40 touchdowns during his second season at Inglewood before heading to Centennial for his final two years. In two seasons with the Huskies, Longstreet threw for 43 touchdowns and ran for 13 more. After transferring to Texas A&M in April, Longstreet decommitted to USC over the weekend.

Ryder Lions, Folsom (CA) – junior

Lions had an outstanding sophomore season, throwing 38 touchdown passes and scoring another 23 on the ground. He led the Bulldogs to a CIF 1-A state title and took another step forward as a junior. He has thrown 41 touchdowns this year heading into Friday’s playoff game against Inderkum. USC, Oregon and Ole Miss are among the many schools vying for his commitment.

Colton Nussmeier, Marcus (Texas) – Sophomore

Nussmeier scored 16 touchdowns in his first season as the team’s starter. LSU, where his brother Garrett is the starting quarterback, is among the latest schools to expand scholarship offerings.

Keelon Russell, Duncanville (TX) – Sr. (Alabama)

Russell led Duncanville to back-to-back Texas 6A D1 state titles in his first two seasons, scoring 60 touchdowns during that time. He had thrown 45 touchdowns in his final season heading into Friday’s playoff game against Rockwall.

Jaron-Kia Sagapolutele, Campbell (Hyda) – Sr. (California)

Sagapolutele has seen his staff explode at senior level. Earlier this season, he became Hawaii’s all-time leader in passing yards. He signed with Cal in July, but continues to be heavily pursued by both Oregon and Georgia as signing day approaches.

Brady Smigel, Newbury Park (Calif.) – junior (Florida State)

Smigel has more than 10,000 passing yards in 38 collegiate games. He had thrown 98 touchdowns in his first two seasons and had 41 this year heading into Friday’s Southern Section playoff game against Yorba Linda. He committed to Florida State last summer despite offers from 30 other schools.

Tavien St. Clair, Bellefontaine (Ohio) – Sr. (Ohio State)

St. Clair came into his own as a sophomore, scoring 25 touchdowns. As a junior, he increased that total to 37, setting school records for both passing yards and touchdowns. After amassing two dozen scholarship offers, Ohio’s top recruit in the 2025 class committed to the Buckeyes in June 2023.

Camario Taylor, Noxubee County (MS) – Sr. (Mississippi State)

Taylor surpassed 2,000 passing yards and 1,000 rushing yards in his final high school season. He threw for 30 touchdowns and scored 13 more on the ground leading into Friday’s quarterfinal playoff game. He was in Mississippi for over a year.

Bryce Underwood, Belleville (MI) – Sr. (MI)

Underwood is no stranger to the big stage, having led Belleville to back-to-back state titles in his first two seasons on campus. The four-year starter finished his high school career with 139 passing yards and 24 rushing touchdowns. Underwood relinquished his commitment to Michigan on Thursday after being committed to LSU since January.

Malik Washington, Archbishop Spaulding (MD) – Sr. (Maryland)

Washington threw for more than 7,000 yards and 72 touchdown passes in three seasons as a starter. He scored 22 touchdowns and scored eight more on the ground this season, leading the Cavaliers to an undefeated Maryland state title.

Matt Zollers, Spring Ford (PA) – Sr. (MO)

Zollers scored 70 touchdowns in 39 varsity games. His senior season was cut short by an ankle injury in the fourth game that required surgery. Penn State Missouri has continued to recruit Zollers aggressively since April.