Mid-South Spotlight: Quarterback storylines to follow this spring
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There are more commitments each and every week as we move further into the spring and quarterbacks are at the center of it all. Big decisions are coming with plenty of critical storylines to track when it comes to the quarterback position.
Here are the biggest quarterback storylines in the Mid-South Region.
THIS SERIES: Quarterback storylines to follow on the East Coast
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MORE: Breaking down the 10 biggest commitments from the weekend | Recruiting Rumor Mill
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THE BATTLE FOR NO. 1 IN TEXAS
Previously, I was of the opinion that the 2025 cycle was a fairly weak class for quarterbacks in Texas. But, after seeing nearly all of the top arm talent in the state in recent weeks, I have changed my tune. And there are three quarterbacks that can have a legitimate claim at No. 1 in the state.
The first is TCU commit Ty Hawkins, who was my top performer at this past weekend’s Elite 11 Austin regional. Hawkins showed he has the arm and the skill to make the throws necessary to excel at the next level. He moves well on the run and is calm even when on the move.
Next is SMU commit Keelon Russell. Russell has been a major stock riser for me this offseason after showing it is not just the Duncanville playmakers who can lead the Panthers offense. He has legit arm talent and is worth discussion as the top guy in Texas.
The third option is a new (again) prospect in the state, Oklahoma commit Kevin Sperry. Sperry, who once lived in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, is back after a season-long stint in Oklahoma City. He is currently the highest ranked of the trio, but Hawkins and Russell will push for his spot.
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CAN SMU HANG ONTO KEELON RUSSELL?
As I mentioned above, Russell has been one of my biggest risers in the 2025 class in this region. It hasn’t hit full stride yet, but the battle for SMU to hang onto Russell until signing day will be a tough one. There are going to be some major programs entering the picture over the next few months.
Oregon, UCLA, Texas, Baylor and others have been in contact and may decide to turn up the pressure. Russell’s goal is to play on a big stage at the collegiate level and if another program makes him feel as if it offers a better opportunity to do that, he may be on the move.
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CLASS OF 2026 PROSPECTS FINDING THEIR GROOVE
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There have been several 2026 quarterback prospects to emerge over the last six months or so, and many of them are showing that they are set to be blue-chip talents. Players such as El Paso (Texas) Del Valle’s Jake Fette, Sienna Plantation (Texas) Ridge Point’s Romin Seymour and Spring (Texas) Grand Oaks’ Grant Smith are ones I feel will be national recruits by the end of next season.
We know about Argyle (Texas) Liberty Christian four-star Quinn Murphy and Greenwood (Ark.) four-star Kane Archer, both of whom are in the Rivals250. While Murphy and Archer are the only two Mid-South signal callers in the national rankings, we can expect there will be others to join them as the cycle plays out.
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MAYBE THE TOP 2027 QB PROSPECT IN THE REGION?
There is still some time before we really have to know who’s who in the 2027 class, but it may not be hard to identify the top arm talent in the Mid-South in that class.
Shreveport (La) Evangel Christian’s Peyton Houston is a sniper putting the ball in the air. He is far ahead of other 2027s I have seen to this point, essentially across the board. His mechanics, arm strength, mobility and accuracy were all very impressive at the Elite 11 regionals. He was the youngest prospect in attendance but you would never know it.
He still has so much time ahead of him to grow, but Houston already measures in at 6-foot and 185 pounds. At the current time, he is my nod for the top quarterback prospect in the region in the 2027 class.