Fact or fiction: Ryan Montgomery is the best quarterback no one is talking about
Competitors nationwide recruiting analysts Greg Smith Joined is Tyler James of InsideNDSports.com, Jeremy Birmingham DottingTheEyes.com with National Recruiting Analysts Marshall Levenson Address three topics and determine whether they believe each statement is fact or fiction.
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1. James Flanigan is Notre Dame’s most underrated contributor.
James: Fiction. If you had asked me before the latest Rivals250 was released, I probably would have agreed. But now that James Flanigan is at No. 245, I feel like he’s closer to where he belongs. However, I would definitely buy Flanigan’s stock as he can continue to emerge as a well-rounded, physical tight end.
But my pick for Notre Dame’s most underrated player is cornerback Mark Zackery, who ranks No. 241 on Rivals250, just ahead of Flanigan. In my opinion, Zachary should be closer to a top-100 prospect. He was a playmaker at cornerback and wide receiver in high school and had the athletic traits to be a top cornerback during his career at Notre Dame. Zachary doesn’t have elite height at 6 feet, but his long arms give him better coverage. Zachary’s change of direction and speed allow him to cover receivers.
Smith: Fact. For me, it comes down to a pair of Midwestern prospects. Tight end James Flanigan and cornerback Mark Zachary have the best ideas. If forced to choose, I would choose Flanigan. It’s interesting because he’s the No. 10 tight end in the country, which is a good ranking. However, this is a very good year at tight end, and many players at the position will be in big programs.
Flanigan was a two-way player on his football team and a multi-sport athlete who ran track and played field hockey. His athletic profile shows he will be an impact player in college and will join a program that develops NFL tight ends.
The Wisconsin native has good reason for that.
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2. Tavien St. Clair has been Ohio State’s best quarterback of the past 10 years.
Bohm: Novel. It’s an interesting question for a number of reasons, but mostly because Ohio State’s recent flurry of quarterback signings and commitments has made it harder for the Buckeyes to answer this question than any other program in the country. Justin Fields was a five-star recruit coming out of high school with incredible hype and expectations in Columbus. He delivered on all of them. CJ Stroud won an Elite 11 championship and was rated a five-star recruit by some. Kyle McCord is a five-star recruit from a prep powerhouse in Philadelphia.
But ultimately it’s hard to ignore Quinn Ewers. He is the highest-ranked prospect in the country, the highest-ranked prospect ever according to some, and is actually considered the “perfect” prospect. Tavien St. Clair is ranked about the same as Ewers and may have a slight edge from a physical standpoint heading into college, but when it comes to arm talent, level of play and around Ewers still has the advantage when it comes to his halo.
Smith: Fiction. It was actually a two-horse race between St. Clair and Quinn Ewers. Even though Ewers didn’t spend much time with the Buckeyes, he did sign with the program, so he’s important. If things stay as they are, both candidates will finish their recruiting cycles as the No. 1 quarterback and overall prospect in the class.
I’ll give Evos a slight edge here. He was better in his high school career. He is considered by many to be a high school graduate and a generational talent. St. Clair may be a future first-round pick, but he’s not as highly regarded as Ewers.
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3. Ryan Montgomery is the best quarterback we don’t talk about enough.
Levenson: Fact. There are a few options in this category that could get the nod, but as of right now, I’d say Ryan Montgomery is truly the best quarterback that doesn’t get a lot of attention. Montgomery was a three-year starter who threw for over 7,500 yards and nearly 100 touchdowns, so we knew he was talented. But he was certainly overlooked to some degree during his career.
During the Elite 11 game, Montgomery impressed at his pro day and in drills, showing plenty of arm strength and accuracy. With the level of talent Georgia has at wide receiver and tight end, it would be foolish to think the Bulldogs won’t be able to run an elite offense under Montgomery in the future. Do people think Stetson Bennett will lead the Dawgs to a national championship? Absolutely not. Are Carson Baker considered a potential first-round pick? Absolutely not. Montgomery had a similar sentiment.
Now, Montgomery is seeing significant upside in the latest update to reflect his impressive summer. So, he took credit from his competitors. But at 6-foot-3, 215 pounds and entering Athens’ arsenal, he could emulate Georgia and become a household name.
Smith: Fact. It’s strange that a quarterback committed to Georgia is already getting attention, but that’s exactly what happened with Montgomery. It started with Georgia’s pursuit of JuJu Lewis and the initial thought of going from then-Rivals250’s No. 1 prospect to Montgomery. However, as the offseason progressed, Montgomery did nothing but prove that he was the top quarterback in the class.
The Ohio native is extremely accurate, has great size and is a coach’s dream in terms of mentality. We should watch with great interest how his career unfolds at Georgia, as we know he will get his fair share of games in big games Kirby Smart.
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