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Eli Lederman, ESPN
As college football settles into the summer recruiting dead period, the quarterback market for the 2025 cycle is largely settled, from elite prospects such as LSU pledge Bryce Underwood, USC commit Julian Lewis and Ohio State-bound passer Tavien St. Clair down to the top Group of 5 commits, including Memphis’ Antwann Hill and Georgia Southern’s Charlie Johnston.
All told, of the 83 quarterbacks ranked across ESPN’s pocket passer and dual-threat quarterbacks rankings, just seven remained uncommitted as of Wednesday morning. Across the 67 Power 4 programs plus Notre Dame, all but eight have at least one quarterback committed in the 2025 class.
While most of the nation’s top schools have their next quarterback additions, scarcity at the sport’s most important position yields demand for the select Power 4 and remaining Group of 5 programs still hunting for a signal-caller in the 2025 class. As such, the statuses of the top remaining uncommitted quarterbacks carve some of the most fascinating ongoing storylines across the recruiting landscape this summer.
Who will gain the pledge of four-star quarterback Malik Washington, the last uncommitted top-300 quarterback in the 2025 class? Where will three-star lefty Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele land after his breakout performance at the Elite 11 Finals? What opportunities are out there for dual-threat passer Chris Jimerson Jr. following his decommitment from TCU?
As the recruiting cycle nears July, we dive into those questions and the state of the rest of the quarterback market with just over five months to go before the early signing period opens.
Malik Washington (Severn, Maryland/Archbishop Spalding High School)
ESPN 300 ranking: 255, No. 15 pocket passer
Scouting report: As the last uncommitted top-300 quarterback in the 2025 class, Washington has the measurables, athleticism and arm strength to become an impact quarterback at the Power 4 level. The 6-foot-5, 220-pound passer impressed onlookers with standout showings in the simulated pro day and 7-on-7 action at last week’s Elite 11 Finals, where Washington was the first invitee from the DMV since eventual Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams attended the event in 2020.
Washington possesses a keen pocket presence and has flashed the ability to make intermediate and deep throws while leading Archbishop Spalding to back-to-back conference titles in Maryland’s highest private school classification during his sophomore and junior seasons. The same size and athleticism Washington uses as a rim-rattling forward on the basketball court make him a dynamic, open-field runner when he breaks out of the backfield.
Washington might need time to settle in at the next level with ball security and reading coverages among his areas for improvement. Wherever he lands, Washington will arrive as an intriguing, high-ceiling future starter with all the necessary tools to compete at the Power 4 level.
Recruitment: Virginia Tech was first to offer Washington, and he has maintained a tight relationship with Hokies offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Tyler Bowen. Recruited roughly 30 miles from Maryland’s College Park campus, Washington is similarly familiar with members of Mike Locksley’s Terrapins staff.
Syracuse entered the picture shortly after Fran Brown took over the Orange late last year. Washington took an unofficial visit to Syracuse in January, then ventured north again for an official visit earlier this month.
“They’ve pitched me on how I can fit in and really help jump-start their program,” Washington told ESPN. “They’re trying to go some places early on, trying to assemble a national championship team. And they’ve just kind of talked to me about where I fit into that.”
Washington also visited UCF in May. Gus Malzahn and his high-scoring offense represents an attractive proposition as Washington enters the final days of his recruitment.
“I think I would fit in pretty well,” Washington said. “He had Cam [Newton] back at Auburn. Some of the things they were doing [then], there’s shades of that now and that offense is pretty good.”
The latest: Washington is scheduled to commit on June 28. Upon his pledge, every top-300 quarterback in the 2025 class will be off the board.
Virginia Tech has stayed connected with Washington but already has two quarterbacks committed in 2025, headlined by three-star dual-threat Kelden Ryan. Syracuse and UCF have made strong plays for Washington’s pledge this spring, but Maryland hosted Washington for his final official visit last weekend and should be considered the front-runner to keep Washington home in what would represent a statement move for Locksley & Co. in 2025.
Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele (Ewa Beach, Hawaii/Campbell High School)
Ranking: Three-star, No. 28 pocket passer
Scouting report: At a moment in the cycle where just about every high-profile passer has found a destination, no uncommitted quarterback has more buzz surrounding him than the 6-2 lefty from Hawaii.
Sagapolutele arrived at last week’s Elite 11 Finals as the second-lowest ranked invitee to the nation’s premier quarterback event. Across three days, Sagapolutele flashed his arm strength, threw alongside Oregon quarterback and fellow Hawaii native Dillon Gabriel and wowed the coaches and scouts on hand with the surprise breakout performance of the week.
A steady, year-to-year improver, Sagapolutele threw for 3,757 yards and 37 touchdowns in his junior season last fall. With a big arm and under-the-radar athleticism, Sagapolutele already had the attention of several West Coast programs who see him as a future starter, and he’s already drawing additional interest after his head-turning effort at the Elite 11.
Thank you Oregon State for the amazing OV! pic.twitter.com/2A9xMvPEmx
— Jaron Keawe Sagapolutele (@JaronKeawe) June 10, 2024
Recruitment: Sagapolutele went straight from the Elite 11 to an official trip to Cal over the weekend. Sagapolutele told ESPN that he “enjoyed every part” of his visit with the Golden Bears, and Cal now joins Oregon State, Boise State and Utah State among the leaders for his commitment.
Sagapolutele visited Trent Bray and his first-year staff at Oregon State earlier this month. The three-star quarterback noted a particular connection with Beavers offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Ryan Gunderson, pointing to the program’s pro-style offense as an ideal system for his development.
“It’s a place where I’m their guy — they’re waiting on my decision,” Sagapolutele said. “It just feels like a great place where I’d want to be.”
At Boise State, where Sagapolutele visited on the second weekend in June, there’s a connection with first-year coach Spencer Danielson and a potential path to playing time.
“They were real,” Sagapolutele said. “They really showed us who they truly were. [Danielson] is really spiritual. He’s a Christian and that kind of spoke to me, as well.”
Sagapolutele’s first visit of the spring was to Utah State in late May.
The latest: Oregon State leads the race for Sagapolutele’s commitment, but Boise State and Cal have each left a strong impression and his commitment would represent a major recruiting victory for either school.
New interest has followed Sagapolutele’s Elite 11 showing with SMU among the newcomers to enter the picture with an offer this week as the Mustangs seek to land quarterback after top dual-threat prospect Keelon Russell flipped to Alabama earlier this month.
Sagapolutele has not set a commitment date but could announce a decision in July.
“I’m looking for a place where I can play and a place that will get me ready for the NFL and the next level because that’s the goal,” Sagapolutele said. “But I want to be somewhere that won’t just develop me as a football player but as a person outside of football.”
Chris Jimerson Jr. (Fort Worth, Texas/North Crowley High School)
Ranking: Three-star, No. 18 dual-threat
Scouting report: At 5-9, 170 pounds, Jimerson is a decidedly undersized quarterback, but he has been successful in two seasons as a starter at North Crowley. It’s why TCU offered the three-star prospect as a slot receiver before he pledged to the Horned Frogs last October.
Despite his commitment to a position change, Jimerson never wavered on his personal dream of playing quarterback at the next level, giving his pledge with a full vision of competing for quarterback reps at TCU. When that avenue closed and opportunities to play quarterback emerged elsewhere this spring, Jimerson pulled his commitment from the Horned Frogs on June 19.
“I took a couple of official visits [to other schools], and it really opened my eyes that I could play QB at the top level,” Jimerson told ESPN.
Now, Jimerson, with a number of Group of 5 offers, is back on the market after throwing for 3,092 passing yards and 40 touchdowns last fall with 1,105 yards and 12 more scores on the ground. His offense averaged 52.5 points per game and powered North Crowley to an unbeaten regular season.
An elusive runner, Jimerson boasts strong arm velocity and a fast release from the backfield. Those three factors have helped Jimerson overcome his stature in Texas 6A Division I football. The college programs chasing his commitment now will be betting Jimerson can do the same at the next level.
Recruitment: Upon his October 2023 commitment to TCU, Jimerson held offers to play quarterback from UTSA, Mississippi Valley State and Grambling State but opted for an opportunity closer to home at TCU. The flurry of calls Jimerson received following his productive junior season changed his perspective.
“I started picking up offers from a couple of D1 schools,” Jimerson said. “I knew I had a shot of playing quarterback at the next level.”
As of his decommitment, Jimerson added offers from Tulane, North Texas, Texas State, UTEP, Arkansas State, Louisiana, Jacksonville State and Marshall.
The latest: Jimerson has taken recent visits to North Texas, Louisiana and Arkansas State and says Texas State rounds out the group of front-runners as he considers his commitment.
North Texas, based in nearby Denton, Texas, and led by second-year head coach Eric Morris, appears to have the edge, but Jimerson is keeping options open as he contemplates the right place to continue his quarterbacking career.
“I need to be able to fit their system the way I play,” he said. “And I’m looking for playing time. I believe that I can produce at a high level right now. I really believe that.”
Jimerson expects to announce a commitment between July 7 and 14.
Jamar Malone (Daphne, Alabama/Daphne High School)
Ranking: Three-star, No. 19 dual-threat
Scouting report: Malone stands as one of the most physically gifted but raw talents among the remaining uncommitted quarterbacks. He’ll carry a high ceiling for development at the next level.
The mobile, 6-foot-1 passer began his high school career at Arizona’s Higley High School where Malone burst onto the national scene during his sophomore season in 2022, shepherding the program to its first 5A state championship. Malone threw for 4,017 yards and 44 touchdowns with eight interceptions and added 937 rushing yards and 12 ground scores that fall.
Malone left Arizona for Florida-based IMG Academy in the spring of 2023 and spent two semesters at the national power before landing at Daphne in Southwest Alabama. In his first season with the Trojans last fall, Malone totaled 1,678 passing yards and 28 total touchdowns, including 12 on the ground.
Once among the fastest-rising quarterback prospects in the 2025 class, Malone still carries the pocket presence, mobility and ability to read a defense that will make him a high-upside project at his next school, where he will best thrive in a spread, RPO-based quarterback run scheme.
Recruitment: Malone has had a busy summer on the camp trail with stops at Florida, UCF, Florida State, Kentucky, Arizona, Georgia Tech and Tulane. From that group, Arizona and Tulane are the programs Malone says he’s still in close contact with ahead of his senior season.
Arizona’s Brent Brennan already has quarterbacks Luke Haugo (No. 52 pocket passer in 2025) and Robert McDaniel (No. 54 pocket passer) committed in his first recruiting class with the Wildcats. Yet Arizona remains in touch with Malone, leaving open the possibility that the athletic quarterback could return to the state where his football career first blossomed.
“[Arizona] has a great staff,” Malone told ESPN. “They’re definitely QB friendly. They have guys that either played the position or know a lot about it. You have a lot of people in that room that can help you and see the game in different ways.”
Like Arizona, Tulane is led by a first-year coach in Jon Sumrall, whose initial recruiting class currently only has four commits. Malone remains in communication with Tulane offensive analyst Collin D’Angelo and would represent the second-highest-rated commit in the Green Wave’s upcoming class.
“A place like that is somewhere I can come in and compete,” Malone said. “They’ll work with me to try to be the best quarterback I can be.”
The latest: Arizona might seem a difficult fit for Malone with two quarterbacks already committed in 2025, but the Wildcats are building from scratch in this cycle and could explore all options. Tulane, meanwhile, is in the mix for a handful of Group of 5-level quarterbacks prospects in 2025.
With either school, Malone would arrive as an intriguing project for the future. Other landing spots could emerge for this fall for Malone, who intends to wait until at least the middle of his senior season to make a decision.
“I’m not turning down any options,” he said. “Any opportunity that comes my way I’ll take with full consideration.”
Jamison Kitna (Liberty Township/Ohio, Lakota East High School)
Ranking: Three-star, No. 47 pocket passer
Scouting report: The son of former NFL quarterback Jon Kitna, the 6-3, 225-pound passer has top-end measurables but will be a developmental prospect at the next level.
Kitna spent the first two seasons of his high school career at Texas’ Burleson High School before a move to Ohio and a transfer to Lakota East ahead of his junior season. Kitna boasts a powerful arm and the ability to make passes at every level of the field, and he’ll hit college with all the intangible benefits of growing up in the sport as the son of a 14-year NFL veteran.
Kitna will give his next program plenty to work with and he carries the potential to become a starting quarterback at the Group of 5 level.
Recruitment: Kitna committed to Houston last summer before reopening his commitment in late 2023 after the Cougars parted ways with Dana Holgorsen. Kitna has close relationships with Indiana’s staff dating to Curt Cignetti’s time at James Madison, and Kitna also held previous interest from Liberty.
As of late June, the leaders in Kitna’s recruitment are Trent Dilfer’s UAB and the new staff at James Madison, led by former Holy Cross coach Bob Chesney.
Kitna described a “big family” vibe at UAB and holds connections across the coaching staff, including with Dilfer, who overlapped with Kitna’s father in the NFL. Kitna’s brother Jalen, the former Florida quarterback who was dismissed by the Gators in 2022 following an arrest on felony charges that were later dropped, also joined the Blazers’ roster this offseason.
Kitna took an official visit to Birmingham earlier this month.
“They’re going to develop me like no other program,” Kitna told ESPN. “They’re trying to develop me for the NFL. They’re not trying to make me a good college QB. They’re trying to make me an NFL quarterback. That’s the vision that they have for me.”
James Madison offered Kitna in May after attending one of his throwing sessions in Ohio. He took an official visit to the school this past weekend with offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Dean Kennedy leading the Dukes’ pitch.
“They made my life harder because now I’ve got to make a decision between some schools,” Kitna said following the visit. “They’re absolutely in the mix.”
The latest: UAB and James Madison are the front-runners for Kitna’s pledge, but the three-star quarterback plans to keep his options open and does not plan to announce a decision prior to his senior season this fall.
“I don’t have any more visits,” he said. “It’s those two schools for now, but as we go down the line there could be some late risers that I’ll have to wait and see on.”
Emile Picarella (Baton Rouge, Louisiana/University Laboratory School)
Ranking: Three-star, No. 50 pocket passer
Scouting report: The 6-2, 205-pound passer is the 29th-ranked prospect in the state of Louisiana and holds options across the Group of 5.
Picarella is a prototypical pocket passer who began his career at St. Joseph High School in Madison, Mississippi. The three-star quarterback moved to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, ahead of his junior season and threw for 2,312 yards and 34 touchdowns while guiding University Laboratory to an 11-2 record in his first campaign under center with the Cubs.
Size, velocity and pocket presence are among Picarella’s strongest traits, and he projects to be an effective future Group of 5 starter down the line.
Recruitment: Picarella has taken spring visits to Tulane, Southern Mississippi, South Alabama and Arkansas State and all four schools remain in the mix for his pledge.
Like Malone, Picarella has been in touch with Tulane offensive analyst Collin D’Angelo, with whom he holds a relationship that dates back to D’Angelo’s time at Baylor. South Alabama has wide receiver Jeremy Scott, one of Picarella’s former 7-on-7 teammates, and a Louisiana connection with first-year coach Major Applewhite. At Arkansas State, Butch Jones has impressed Picarella with the culture the former Tennessee and Cincinnati coach has forged.
The latest: Picarella is ready to make a move and says whichever program “pulls the trigger first” is most likely the one that will get his pledge, but the clear favorite is the school nearest to home in Louisiana.
“My favorite is Tulane,” Picarella told ESPN. “They’re right down the street from me and they’re the closest to my family. It’d be really easy for them to come to games. That’s the dream right there.”
Picarella expects to announce a decision in the coming weeks.
Isaiah French (Washington, D.C./St. John’s College High School)
Ranking: Three-star, No. 61 pocket passer
Scouting report: French has flown under the radar of the top Group of 5 programs but carries developmental traits that could make the 6-2 passer an attractive late-cycle prospect for the right program. A multiyear starter, French possesses good measurables, top arm strength and speed to keep opposing defenses honest.
Recruitment: French’s recruiting experience has been a lesson in the challenges of navigating modern recruiting, particularly in the hyper-competitive quarterback market.
The three-star passer drew early interest from Marshall and developed a close relationship with former Thundering Herd offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Clint Trickett. When Marshall coach Charles Huff parted ways with four assistants, including Trickett, following the 2023 season, French stopped hearing from the coaching staff entirely.
“It’s a difficult process with the transfer portal and coaching changes,” French told ESPN. “I was really high on Marshall and I went up there to visit. Then all the coaches I talked to there got fired.”
French is now weighing opportunities with a handful of Group of 5 and FCS programs.
The latest: French intends to visit Group of 5 programs Kent State and Miami (Ohio) this summer. He also holds interest from Howard at the FCS level and attended William and Mary’s junior camp earlier this spring.
“I’m just looking for somewhere I can be where my family can trust them and it’s going to be a good environment and the best fit for me,” French said.
French hopes to announce a commitment next month.