Head West for quarterbacks in 2015

Good quarterback play is nothing new out West, particularly in California. The NFL draft’s first round has been littered with sun-burned California quarterbacks crossing the stage to sign multi-million dollar contracts. Though the well has dried up some of late, a heavy rain of talent is on the way.

Brady White should pick up a few offers this offseason after camp performances.

The quarterback class of 2015 is shaping up to be special and the western region is leading the way. With quarterbacks already emerging up and down the California coast, states like Utah, Arizona, Washington and Oregon are getting into the mix as well.

Pac-12 defensive coordinators be warned and Pac-12 offensive coordinators have started their recruiting engines already.

One of the top early names to emerge is Bellflower (Calif.) St. John Bosco’s Josh Rosen and he is well aware of the talent he’ll be competing against over the next two years. Like several of the other high-profile arms, that knowledge and competition only feeds his drive.

“I’m very aware of it. I know all of the competition personally and through the internet,” Rosen said following a strong Nike Football Training Camp performance last weekend. “I’m friendly with a lot of them and then some of them you don’t know them, you just know of them. I love playing against them. I love the pressure and everything about it.”

Rosen’s team very purposefully scheduled an out-of-state game in 2012 to give Rosen the opportunity to go head-to-head with another highly touted arm in Sandy (Utah) Jordan’s Austin Kafentzis.

Many more showdowns await on Friday nights and in camp settings for all of the big arms out west. Rising talent Brady White out of Newhall (Calif.) Hart is anxious to use those stages to prove himself against the best.

“I know about all of these big quarterbacks and it just motivates me to keep working even harder and strive for a higher goal,” White said. “Hopefully my name will get out there and I’ll be among them soon.”

As the recruiting cycle continues to progress, here are 12 names out of the class of 2015 out West to keep an eye on.

Sam Darnold performed well at the recent L.A. Nike Training Camp.

Jake Browning (6-2/185), Folsom, Calif.
391 completions on 605 attempts and over 5,200 yards passing and 63 touchdowns. That was Browning’s season line as a sophomore and it’s why he’s already earned an offer from Utah.

Sam Darnold (6-4/190), San Clemente, Calif.
Darnold didn’t start as a sophomore until an injury to the senior starter very late in the year thrust him into the starting job. All he did in his first start was lead his team to a comeback victory and a game-winning drive with just over a minute to go. He’s got a similar skill set and arrival on the scene as San Clemente’s QB before him, current Utah incumbent starter Travis Wilson.

Kevin Dillman (6-4/210), La Mirada, Calif.
A Swedish-born foreign exchange student, Dillman is another prospect that only got limited snaps at quarterback as a sophomore due to a senior starter but already his limited film has attracted offers from the likes of UCLA, Tennessee, Florida State and Arkansas among others.

Kimane Domena (6-2/185), Portland (Oreg.) Roosevelt
In nine games as a sophomore, Domena rushed for nearly 800 yards and threw for just under 1500 yards. He’s an athletic quarterback that has already garnered offers from BYU, Colorado State and Portland State.

Zach Gentry (6-6/215), Albuquerque (N.M.) Eldorado
Gentry possesses a frame you can’t teach at 6-foot-6 and he’s the best quarterback to come out of New Mexico since Landry Jones. Already San Diego State has offered.

Austin Kafentzis (6-1/195), Sandy (Utah) Jordan
While leading his team to a state championship as a sophomore, the athletic Kafentzis posted over 3,000 passing yards and over 1,800 yards rushing. He currently holds offers from BYU, Utah, Utah State and Wisconsin.

Bryce Perkins (6-2/195), Chandler, Ariz.
Another talented passer that didn’t even start as a sophomore, Perkins already has offers from UCLA and Arizona State. In 2012 he played behind Utah State signee Darell Garretson.

Josh Rosen (6-2/190), Bellflower (Calif.) St. John Bosco
A prospect that has impressed in every setting early in this offseason, Rosen has already added his first offer from Fresno State. As a sophomore he threw for over 2,000 yards and 22 touchdowns.

Brett Rypien (6-2/175), Spokane (Wash.) Shadie Park
The nephew of former NFL quarterback Mark Rypien, Brett has already picked up an in-state offer from Mike Leach and Washington State. More importantly, his sophomore year saw him throw for over 3,100 yards, including 577 yards in one game.

Ricky Town (6-3/190), Ventura (Calif.) St. Bonaventure
Town has some athleticism to go with his big arm and already Miami and UCLA have noticed and extended offers.

Brady White (6-2/180), Newhall (Calif.) Hart
White has very little recruiting interest to date but we have no doubt that it is coming after seeing him throw on film and in person. As a sophomore he posted 2,474 yards passing and 17 touchdowns.