Air Noland, Julian Sayin among top QB prospects following Elite 11 Finals

There was plenty to take away from the Elite 11 Finals, which took place June 14-16 at Redondo Union High School and featured 20 of the top quarterbacks prospects in the 2024 recruiting cycle. Following the three-day showcase, there is some reshuffling in order for me.

I came away from the event with some positive thoughts surrounding a few of the signal-callers – five of them in fact.

5. Ethan Grunkemeyer, Penn State commit

This man walked onto a football field in Redondo Beach ranked as the No. 625 prospect and the No. 40 QB in the 247Sports Composite. The nicest thing you could say about him before Elite 11 is that he was committed to Penn State. But then he threw, and the comparisons came fast and hard-charging. Folks on-hand saw his big arm, his easy release, his size and quickly saw why Mike Yurcich had offered what looks like another Drew Allar, which FOX Sports' Michael Cohen detailed in this piece.

Grunkemeyer got rid of the ball quicker and faster than Georgia commit Dylan Raiola, Ohio State commit Air Noland and Alabama commit and Elite 11 MVP Julian Sayin. He put together a better pro day circuit score than Michigan QB commit Jaydn Davis and Noland.

Grunkemeyer, who could be a little chippy about not receiving an offer from Ohio State, even though he grew up 20 minutes from campus, might have raised his stock more than any other QB who participated in the Elite 11 Finals — which is the point.

Former Ohio State QB C.J. Stroud, who was a two-time Heisman finalist and the No. 2 pick in this year's NFL Draft, was ranked 860th in the 247Sports Composite at the onset of Elite 11. Following the event, not only was he identified as a blue-chip prospect, but also the future of Ohio State's QB room. 

4. Hauss Hejny, TCU commit

If you like a dual-threat QB — and Kendal Briles does — then you’re going to love Hejny, who led Aledo to a 5A-1 state title last year as a junior. If Aledo sounds familiar, it’s because Alabama running back Jase McClellan, among others, came out of there.

Hejny stands at 5-foot-11, 185 pounds, and is built like one of those profane brick outhouses, but he can flat-out skedaddle. He’s gonna touch the 4.4s in the 40-yard dash and break off 10.6 in the 100-meter dash.

If this man gets to the corner before you do, start studying the environs of a rotisserie chicken, because you're likely cooked.

As fast as Hejny is, don't get suckered by his wheels because this man has a missile for an arm. He’s a 3,000-yard passer, 1,000-yard rusher waiting to break out. 

3. Julian Sayin, Alabama commit

I see the appeal for Nick Saban as Sayin looks and plays like Bryce Young. If you wanted to compare him to Clemson’s Cade Klubnik, I could see that too. He’s slight of frame but slippery, and he puts his whole body into the throws he makes. His accuracy is primarily why he won Elite 11 MVP.

2. Dylan Raiola, Georgia commit

His sophomore highlight film is 17 minutes, 30 seconds. He can make every throw, from every angle. He’s tough to bring down and is more than capable of not just evading the rush, but looking to throw while doing so.

Raiola reads the front seven like he’s the son of an All-American center … because he is. He passed for over 3,200 yards with 42 TDs as a sophomore. And finally, he's every bit of 6-3, 215 pounds, and he’s still growing.

Now, Georgia hasn’t made a habit of playing the most talented QB in the room. See: Fields, Justin. But that’s the only knock on Raiola — he might not see the field for three years.

1. Air Noland, Ohio State commit

Noland scored more points in a single season than any other high school football player ever in the state of Georgia with 792.

He led Langston Hughes to a 15-0 record and a Georgia state championship, while throwing for over 4,000 yards with 55 TDs and just four picks. Joe Burrow threw for over 5,000, 60 TDs and six picks during his Heisman-winning season, but Langston Hughes ain’t LSU, and Noland wasn’t throwing to Ja’Marr Chase, Justin Jefferson and Terrace Marshall either.

The only knock on Noland is he’s left-handed — just like the guy who came off the bench in the second half of the 2018 national title game against Georgia to find DeVonta Smith for six in overtime — Tua Tagovailoa. Just like Tim Tebow, Matt Leinart and Mike Vick.

If Nick Saban, Urban Meyer, Pete Carroll and Frank Beamer can turn their offensive lines upside down for those talents, I'm sure Ohio State coach Ryan Day can do the same.

RJ Young is a national college football writer and analyst for FOX Sports and the host of the podcast "The Number One College Football Show." Follow him on Twitter at @RJ_Young and subscribe to "The Number One College Football Show" on YouTube.