We’ve made it to the third and final article of my Devy Freshman series, where I bring you my top prospects at the RB, WR, and QB positions. If you missed parts 1 and 2, you can check out the wide receiver article here and the running back article here. I may do some film review of the tight end class this offseason, but my general philosophy on Devy tight ends is that it’s better to wait until we see production on the field and invest at that point. It’s far too difficult to discern which 18-year-old tight end prospects have a potential future in the NFL; just take a look at the top-rated high school prospects at the position over the past decade or so and you’ll understand what I mean. You won’t recognize any of the names.
Quarterback success is also pretty difficult to project, and for that reason, I would say it’s typically better to draft RBs or WRs first if you’re on the fence in your Devy leagues. There’s so much nuance to the quarterback position that it’s tough to have any definitive takeaways simply from watching film on Hudl. That said, I’m going to do my best to point you in the right direction with this incoming QB class, which actually has some very exciting talent. Let’s start with my top quarterback of the class.
Quarterback
1. Bryce Underwood – Michigan
Production:
Bryce Underwood attended Belleville High in Belleville, Michigan, ranked 14th in the state his senior year. His list of high school awards is endless, including: MaxPreps National Freshman of the year (2021), MaxPreps National Sophomore of the Year (2022), and Gatorade Player of the Year (2023). His best season came as a junior in 2023, throwing for over 3,300 yards and 44 touchdowns with just three interceptions. As a senior, Underwood posted a stat line of 2,509 pass yards, 32 touchdowns, 6 INTs, and a 71.8% completion percentage.
Film:
- Above-average HS competition
- Solid frame – probably around 6’3” and 205-210 lbs.
- Good rushing upside – lots of designed runs
- Has breakaway speed and is elusive in the open field
- Can throw to all three levels with accuracy
- Arm strength is well above-average
Underwood could be stepping into the QB1 role at Michigan right away, and I believe he has the skill set to make an immediate impact. There are no major red flags on tape.
2. Keelon Russell – Alabama
Production:
Keelon Russell was the man under center for Duncanville High School in Duncanville, Texas, ranked as the #2 team in the state and #6 in the country in 2024. He had a number of elite receiving weapons to throw to, including Oregon commit Dakorien Moore. Russell had a truly dominant senior year, throwing for over 4,000 yards and 55 passing touchdowns while adding another 300 yards and three touchdowns on the ground. His production earned him the 2024 Gatorade Player of the Year award.
Film:
- Thinner frame – probably 6’3” and 180 lbs.
- Extremely quick, shifty, and elusive. Great scrambler.
- Highly accurate – decent arm strength but not to the level of Underwood
- Elite upside for fantasy purposes – Jayden Daniels-esque?
- Dominated against some of the best defenses in the country
With Jalen Milroe headed to the NFL, Russell has an outside shot to earn QB1 honors in Year 1 for HC DeBoer. Currently, it’s between Ty Simpson, Austin Mack, and Russell.
3. Husan Longstreet – USC
Production:
Longstreet graduated from Centennial High School in Corona, California, ranked 4th in the state and 14th in the country. Longstreet’s senior year was cut short due to a foot injury, playing in just nine contests. As a junior in 2023, he was a MaxPreps All-State selection, throwing for 3,013 yards and 24 touchdowns. He also ran for 645 yards and seven touchdowns that season.
Film:
- Slightly undersized – around 6’0-6’1” and maybe 190 lbs.
- Prefers to operate in the pocket but has some wheels as well
- Ran tons of play-action out of the shotgun, quick throws to his first read
- Good footwork. Arm strength looks good
- Accuracy left him at times – was more error-prone against the elite programs
- May have some growing pains as QB1 but has an elite upside
Like Russell, Longstreet played against some of the top high school teams in the nation, which should help him transition to the college level. He has a chance to start as a freshman and should be competing with Jayden Maiava for QB1 honors.
Honorable Mention
Julian Lewis – Colorado
Lewis is a smaller QB out of Carrollton, Georgia, measuring in around 6’0” and 180 lbs. He’s leaving high school a year early to go play for HC Deion Sanders, so he’s still only 17 years old. Lewis is extremely elusive in the backfield and looks very composed under pressure in the pocket. Similar to Longstreet, he ran a ton of play-action out of the shotgun in high school. It will be interesting to see if Lewis can beat out Liberty transfer Kaidon Salter for the starting job in 2025. I imagine Salter is the heavy favorite, but he may have a short leash.
Thank you for taking the time to read this article, and I hope you got some valuable information you can use for your fantasy team! If you’d like additional insight into Dynasty Football news and analysis, please follow me on Twitter at @jim_DFF. Until next time, keep grinding out there, DFF family! #DFFArmy #AlwaysBeBuilding
