Options at QB for the 2018 Recruiting Class

One major prospect came off the board this weekend as 2018 QB Cameron Rising pledged to the Sooners over OSU and other schools across the country.

And with quarterback generally being a position you want to pin down early to attract other recruits, what other QB’s is the OSU staff targeting now that Rising is seemingly out of the picture?

Cade Fortin – 6’2, 207 (Suwanee, GA)

Fortin could become the second straight QB recruit to hail from the Peach State, with Jelani Woods expected to sign in February with the Cowboys. Fortin is rated as the No. 13 pocket passer by ESPN in the Jr300 rankings, and has offers from Texas A&M, Iowa, Louisville, West Virginia, Kentucky, and others. Rated by most as a consensus four-star prospect, the major player in his recruitment could be the in-state Georgia Bulldogs, who have not offered — yet.

National recruiting analyst for Scout.com, Chad Simmons, had this to say about the big-time prospect from North Gwinnett:

He is now 6-foot-2, 202 pounds, so he has great size.  He also really throws a good ball.  He throws receivers open and really anticipates well.  He has those intangibles you look for in a top signal caller.

Casey Thompson – 6’1, 190 (Moore, OK)

Thompson is an in-state prospect who has OU history with Kendall Thompson most recently making a stop in Norman. However, OU just took a commitment in the 2018 class with Cam Rising — meaning Thompson is most likely out of the picture. So where will he go? Miami, Arizona State, and OSU are all possibilities — and he’s only a junior, so his offer list is sure to grow during this fall. His sophomore season saw him go for 2,670 passing yards and a crazy 32-4 TD/INT ratio. He added 1,000 yards on the ground and 20 rushing TD’s, so he’s a well oiled QB machine who can do everything really, really well.

Spencer Sanders – 6’2, 190 (Denton, TX)

The No. 3 ranked dual-threat QB in the country, Sanders is a standout prospect who had a breakout sophomore season and is already up to 13 offers including A&M, Ole Miss, Texas Tech, OSU and many others. For a quarterback, he’s physical outside the pocket and isn’t afraid to lower his shoulder down the field to grab an extra yard. He’s got a pretty decent arm, too, and can deliver strikes down the field with ease. If you haven’t heard his name, you will.

Here’s what regional recruiting analyst Gabe Brooks said about the rising junior from Denton:

A starting quarterback in high-level Texas high school football since his freshman season, Spencer Sanders is a Power Five conference-caliber QB prospect who can hurt opposing defenses with an array of skills. Good size and excellent verified speed at 4.43 in the 40, an exceptionally fast time for the quarterback position. Strong-armed quarterback who shows great velocity in the short-to-intermediate range, including impressive zip on routes across field and/or outside the numbers. Great feel for the deep ball. Strength to push the ball downfield and touch to drop it on top of his receivers. Dangerous runner who’s a big play waiting to happen as a scrambler or a designed ball-carrier. Makes defenders miss in the open field and possesses the speed to outrun opposing secondaries. Can improve arm angle and release point as it often is a three-quarters throw instead of a true over-the-top delivery. Can rely on natural arm strength and sometimes throws flat-footed or off his back foot. Occasionally takes chances, but confidence and competitive nature are hallmarks of good quarterbacks and you can live with a little gambling here and there from such a natural playmaker. Overall, Sanders is a talented quarterback with an array of weapons who will get plenty of P5 offers during the course of his recruitment

Tanner Mordecai – 6’2, 190 (Waco, TX)

Mordecai is being slept on in the 2018 class by many. 247sports ranks him a three-star prospect, and ESPN has him as the No. 4 pocket passer in the country. Texas Tech, Houston, SMU, OSU have offered. And that’s despite being a backup QB on varsity last year. He’s expected to assume the starting role this year — and his recruitment will likely take off as the season progresses. He’s listed as a pocket passer, which is what he’ll likely project to at whatever offense he takes over at the next level. But he’s fairly quick on his feet, too, and has the ability, if needed, to pull it down and grab yards on the run.

Mordecai made the haul to Stillwater for OSU’s final summer mini-camp just a week and a half ago, so it appears the interest between the two in the early going seems to be mutual.