Heisman finalists 2019: When they were young(er)
Taking a quick trip down memory lane when the four 2019 Heisman finalists were prep standouts and highly sought recruits.
Joe Burrow
The top QB coming out of Ohio, Burrow, from Athens High (Plains, Ohio), was a gifted passer who was not afraid to tuck the ball and run. He threw for over 11,400 yards in high school with 157 touchdowns, including 63 TDs against just two interceptions as a senior. Burrow, who also rushed for over 2,000 yards in his high school career not to mention starring on the basketball court, led Athens to the Ohio state championship game as a senior. He was named Ohio Mr. Football while earning Ohio All-State first team honors in 2014.
Recruiting Service – 247Sports
Rating – 4 stars
Position Rank – 7 (Dual-threat QB)
Overall Rank – 210
Evaluation Quote – Ohio’s top QB prospect for the 2015 class must continue to add strength and bulk. However, has a strong arm to go with a high football IQ. A natural leader with the ability to stretch a play and throw on the run who is also a tough runner that is not afraid of contact.
Recruiting Service – Rivals
Rating – 3 stars
Position Rank – 24 (Dual-threat QB)
State Rank – 29
Recruiting Service – ESPN
Rating – 4 stars
Position Rank – 9 (Dual-threat QB)
Overall Rank – 298
Evaluation Quote – He’s the type of athlete under center that defenses have to account for on every snap in the run game and with the initial play of the passing game breaks down. Should receive significant attention from top tier programs in the top five conferences.
Here are some clips of his senior year highlights at Athens High.
Jalen Hurts
Hurts prepped at Channelview (Texas) High where his father, Averion, was the head coach. He was a unanimous four-star prospect and ultimately enrolled at Alabama a semester early. As a senior, he threw for 2,384 yards and 26 TDs in 11 games while gaining 1,391 yards on the ground with 25 more scores, He threw for 2,545 yards and had 951 yards rushing with 40 combined TDs as a junior. He was named Texas District 21-6A Overall MVP in 2014 and 2015.
Recruiting Service – 247Sports
Rating – 4 stars
Position Rank – 1 (Dual-threat QB)
Overall Rank – 105
Evaluation Quote – An excellent dual-threat type of player, who is able to beat you with the run or the pass. He put up huge offensive numbers and most impressively he does it with a calm and stoic effectiveness. He has a strong arm and can fit the ball in to tight spaces. Seeing how athletic he is on tape it is also nice to see him perform solidly throwing the ball in camp showings and seven-on-seven action. He passes the EBT test with a thick athletic frame.
Recruiting Service – ESPN
Rating – 4 stars
Position Rank – 13 (Dual-threat QB)
State Rank – 62
Evaluation Quote – STRENGTHS: Hurts is a smart quarterback who makes quick reads and gets the ball out of his hand in a hurry. Has the athletic ability to be able to escape the pocket and run when receivers are covered or when in trouble. Gets himself set very well even when outside the pocket. … AREAS OF IMPROVEMENT: Plays in an offense that is primarily in the shotgun so he will need help developing his footwork and set up. Doesn’t have a very strong arm and would benefit from offseason weight room training. … BOTTOM LINE: Hurts is a raw prospect who with time could develop into a polished duel-threat quarterback. Once he becomes stronger, he should develop a stronger more accurate arm.
Recruiting Service – Rivals
Rating – 4 stars
Position Rank – 9 (Dual-threat QB)
Overall Rank – 231
Here are some clips of his senior year highlights at Channelview High.
Justin Fields
Fields was a unanimous five-star prospect in the 2018 recruiting cycle coming out of Harrison High School in Kennesaw, Ga. Rated as the No. 2 overall player in the Class of 2018, he was the MVP of the 2017 Elite 11 Quarterback Competition. He piled up 4,187 yards passing with 41 TDs while rushing for 2,096 rushing yards and 28 more TDs in two years as a starter for Harrison and was named 2018 Mr. Georgia Football by the Touchdown Club of Atlanta. The 2017 Class 6A offensive player of the year, Fields was also an accomplished shortstop in high school and was a highly touted MLB prospect.
Recruiting Service – 247Sports
Rating – 5 stars
Position Rank – 1 (Dual-threat QB)
Overall Rank – 2
Evaluation Quote – Fields is an exciting player to watch. He is a big quarterback who is an athlete. He is a big arm and the ball comes out hot. At times, it comes out too hot, so he can improve on his consistency as a passer. He throws a beautiful deep ball, and he has shown the ability to dump the ball off to the flats and to throw screen passes. Where he needs to improve most in that area is the intermediate routes. When he throws a bad pass, it typically sails high on him. He was injured for about half the season as a sophomore, so he is still maturing as a quarterback. He can improve his feet and just throw with a better, more consistent foundation. What you cannot coach is how he is dynamic with his legs. He plays baseball, he is an athlete and he is one who can hurt defenses with his strong right arm or his legs. He has the Cameron Newton type of frame. He comes across as a great leader, he has fun when he plays and he is only going to get better as he refines his fundamentals as a passer.
Recruiting Service – ESPN
Rating – 5 stars
Position Rank – 1 (Dual-threat QB)
State Rank – 1
Evaluation Quote – STRENGTHS: Fields is a QB prospect with tremendous arm talent and the athleticism you want at the position. He is always a passer first, runner second and possesses coveted poise in the pocket and composure under duress. … AREAS OF IMPROVEMENT: There is still so much growth and developmental upside which makes him exciting. … BOTTOM LINE: Fields is capable of making plays physically with both both his arm and legs that reminds us of Deshaun Watson.
Recruiting Service – Rivals
Rating – 5 stars
Position Rank – 1 (Dual-threat QB)
Overall Rank – 2
Here are some clips of his senior year highlights at Harrison High.
Chase Young
Young was a consensus 5-star prospect and one of the Top 10 players nationally as a senior at DeMatha Catholic in Hyattsville Md. The top player in his state, he led DeMatha to the 2016 state championship as a senior with 118 tackles and 37 tackles-for-loss, including 19 sacks, while forcing five fumbles. He was named to the U.S. Army All-American and to the American Family Insurance all-USA Football Team. A versatile athlete, Young played basketball until his junior year, ran track in high school and also grew up playing soccer.
Recruiting Service – 247Sports
Rating – 5 stars
Position Rank – 2
Overall Rank – 4
Evaluation Quote – Young is a force on the edge coming off the blind side. He is cat-quick and changes direction well. He fires off the ball and plays with a low pad level. Young knows how to use his hands to disengage, and he plays with a great motor. He has the speed to chase down plays on the backside. Young is not asked to drop into coverage, but he has the athleticism to do that as well. Once he gets stronger, he will dominate games regularly.
Recruiting Service – ESPN
Rating – 4 stars
Position Rank – 3
State Rank – 1
Evaluation Quote – STRENGTHS: Tall with a massive frame. Possesses quick feet and has the speed to make plays from the backside. Athletic enough to play in space. Uses his hands to effectively shed in the pass rush. Solid form tackler. … AREAS OF IMPROVEMENT: Must add size and functional strength. Not overly explosive. Can get overwhelmed by bigger blockers in a phone booth. … BOTTOM LINE: Young has an outstanding blend of size and athletic ability. With added bulk and functional strength, we feel he can develop into an effective edge player.
Recruiting Service – Rivals
Rating – 5 stars
Position Rank – 3
Overall Rank – 8
Here are some clips of his senior year highlights at DeMatha Catholic High.
