Who are the top 5 QBs on the Emerald Coast? No. 1 shouldn't surprise you

This offseason, we've seen a development of arguably the deepest quarterback class the Emerald Coast has ever seen.

Jesse Winslette returns under center for Choctaw after a magical playoff run, while Harrison Orr trades in the maroon jersey for Viking blue and red. IMG transfer Nino Freeman appears to be the man in Niceville, while Carson Hawk has all the tools to shine in South Walton. Over in Navarre, Hunter Pfiester has a solid connection with Terence Marshall, while in DeFuniak Springs Wells Bettenhausen looks to make a name for himself out of the shadows of South Walton.

Those are just a few of the story lines surrounding the area's depth under center, and really any one of them could be picked as the preseason's top QB. Factoring in the talent around them, the potential success of the team, their impact on that success, their track record and what we've seen, here's Seth Stringer's top 5 QBs as of now leading up to the season opener on Aug. 25th. Make sure to vote for your top QB below, with the poll open through Saturday until noon.

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1. Jesse Winslette, Choctaw, 6-6, 215, Sr.

2022 stats: 1,973 passing yards, 22 TDs, 7 INT, 57% completion; 607 rushing yards, 107 carries, 11 TDs

Considering what we saw from this dual threat QB in the playoffs, who else? Winslette finished 2022 with 10 touchdowns over the final three playoff games, including back-to-back four-score efforts against St. Augustine and Pine Forest as part of the region final run.

Winslette is projectable at 6-foot-6, 215 pounds. He's got a cannon of an arm. He's a downhill runner in the option. And he shares a backfield with Stanford commit Cole Tabb. While he lost his favorite target in Jayce Brown (925 receiving yards, 12 TDs), Winslette welcomes in Crestview transfer Issac Thomas.

The young man is a natural leader, a fiery competitor and is in prime shape to build on 2022 and pile up Division I offers.

2. Harrison Orr, FWB, 6-2, 210, Sr.

2022 stats: 1,523 passing yards, 7 TDs, 4 INT, 70% completion; 406 rushing yards, 95 carries, 4 TDs

Typically you don't see the starting QB of a 9-2 powerhouse transfer to an 0-10 program mired in uncertainty, but here Orr is taking the road less traveled.

Orr operated a run-centric offense (67% run) for the Eagles, who despite a solid O-line, an all-state receiver in Maddax Fayard and an up-and-coming back in Deangelo Shorts struggled to put up points. That wasn't really on Orr, who made the right reads and sacrificed his body with nearly nine carries a night. He now shifts to an offense with a worse O-line and less weapons at wideout, but also with the promise that his usage trends up after the Vikings scored just 42 points in 2022.

The Vikings filled a backfield void with Navarre transfer Eddie Love Jr. and bolstered its O-line, so Orr won't be hamstrung like Viking quarterbacks before him. But he has his work cut out for him playing two ways. A proven commodity at both QB and safety, we can hardly wait to see what he does for a Viking program on the rise.

3. Nino Freeman, Niceville, 6-4, 180, Jr.

2022 stats: 407 passing yards, five touchdowns, two interceptions, 57% completion; 49 rushing yards, two TDs

It's been a circuitous journey to Niceville for Freeman, who finds himself with his third high school in as many years. As a freshman he took his lumps as the starter for 1-9 Pensacola, throwing for 700 yards, six touchdowns and four interceptions to accompany two rushing scores. Then, last year, he backed up three-star QB Jayden Bradord at IMG and found success in his limited snaps.

Now, humbled and seasoned, Freeman enters a situation brimming with potential. The Eagles have the biggest O-line they've had in years, they return Fayard and Landon Isbell at wideout and Shorts headlines a stacked backfield. Freeman has dazzled this preseason. Now it's time for him to be the latest Niceville quarterback to mature into a star.

4. Carson Hawk, South Walton, 6-5, 185, Sr.

2022 stats: 1,623 passing yards, 17 TDs, six INTs, 54% completion; 414 rushing yards, 88 carries, nine TDs

You have to love that Seahawks offense. They air it out, they score in bunches and they're rarely boring, as typified by last year's playoff exit where they posted 44 points on Florida High. At the core of it all is Hawk, who showcased his versatility and resiliency last year. Now, with Wells Bettenhausen gone to Walton, Hawk's usage will only rise.

The good news is Jaden Robinson returns (454 receiving yards and five TDs) and the O-line is looking stout. Meanwhile the projectable Hawk has grown both literally and figuratively, visiting big camp after big camp this offseason and building on his dual threats. Like Winslette, he's a big dude that sees the field well and is hard to bring down. An 8-2 type regular season depends heavily on his continued maturation.

5. Hunter Pfiester, Navarre, 5-11, 170, Sr.

2022 Stats: 1,753 passing yards, 19 TDs, nine INTs, 55% completion; 134 rushing yards, 28 carries, one TD

Pfiester and Terence Marshall are one of the best 1-2 punches on the Emerald Coast. That relationship will need to strengthen even more this season after the Raiders lost top receiver Jadon Reese to graduation and tailback Love Jr. to Fort Walton Beach.

Pfiester, more than any quarterback on this list, is a bit one dimensional and projects more as a pocket passer. But even then, he completed just 55 percent of his passes and threw nine picks in 2022 — both a concern. But Navarre is known for its stoutness on the offensive line and giving its QB ample time. So now the big question looms: Can this offense open up the vertical attack this year and lessen the burden on the ground game?

This article originally appeared on Northwest Florida Daily News: Top 5 quarterbacks entering 2023 high school football season