Three-Star Checkup: Quarterbacks that made waves in Week 2
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Every Wednesday during the college football season, we take a look back at the week before and identify three former three-star prospects that turned in big weeks or are having big seasons. This week we focus in on a trio of former three-star quarterbacks who are making a major name for themselves on the national scene.
MORE CHECKUPS: Four-star RBs | Five-star 2015 defenders | 2013 five-stars
Pro-style quarterback
3 STARS
Austin
RR: 5.6
Ht: 6'1.0"
Wt: 205.0
Class: 2013
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POSITION
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NATIONAL
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STATE
Commitment status:
undecided
As a recruit: Mayfield bet on himself as a high school recruit, passing up scholarship offers from Washington State and Rice while waiting on bigger offers to come and, when they didn’t, he elected to walk on at Texas Tech. His time in Lubbock saw its ups and downs, but started off with Mayfield winning the starting job a walk-on true freshman, an incredible feat. After one year with the Red Raiders he elected to transfer to Oklahoma, where he sat out the 2014 season and then won the starting job in 2015.
What he did this weekend: Mayfield has thrived with the Sooners and helped his team record one of the biggest victories of the young season on Saturday as he threw for 386 yards and three touchdowns in the Sooners' victory over No. 2 Ohio State. Mayfield made headlines when he planted an Oklahoma flag at midfield, but his play during his time in Norman and where he came from as a recruit is the real newsworthy item.
Dual-threat quarterback
3 STARS
Oregon
Eugene
RR: 5.6
Ht: 6'6.0"
Wt: 215.0
Class: 2016
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POSITION
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NATIONAL
Commitment status:
signed
As a recruit: A multi-sport high school athlete, Herbert saw his recruitment stall before it truly even started when he missed most of his junior season after suffering a leg injury. By the time his senior year rolled around he had a few FCS offers, but after a very impressive start to that campaign he caught the attention of the Oregon staff and committed shortly thereafter.
What he did this weekend: Herbert was thrust into the starting lineup as a freshman during Oregon’s lost 2016 season and was one of the few bright spots for a Ducks team that finished 4-8. This year he picked up right where he left off and on Saturday he had a huge first half in Oregon’s 42-35 victory over visiting Nebraska, throwing for 365 yards and three touchdowns while rushing for 31 more yards. Oregon’s inability to recruit a quarterback post-Marcus Mariota doomed the last staff, but it appears as if Willie Taggart and company have their quarterback of the present and the future in Herbert.
Athlete
3 STARS
Penn State
Ashburn
RR: 5.6
Ht: 6'0.0"
Wt: 182.0
Class: 2014
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NATIONAL
Commitment status:
signed
As a recruit: Ranked as an athlete coming out of high school McSorley had his share of college options and initially committed to Vanderbilt over Wake Forest and Boston College during the summer before his senior season. However, when James Franklin got the job at Penn State he managed to poach several of the Commodores' commits, including McSorely, who announced his flip to the Nittany Lions just two weeks before Signing Day 2014.
What he did this weekend: McSorley has had quite a career at Penn State after replacing former five-star quarterback Christian Hackenberg. On Saturday he had another big game, throwing for 164 yards and three touchdowns while also running for 65 more yards in the Nittany Lions' 33-14 victory over Pittsburgh. Many thought McSorley’s game wouldn’t translate well to quarterback at the next level, but after helping Penn State to a great season in 2016, he looks like he’s in store for another big year in 2017.
