Elite 11 Finals Recap: Who Stood Out in LA?

With 11 quarterbacks set to compete for the Elite 11 MVP at The Opening Finals in Beaverton, Oregon, I wanted to recap my time at the Elite 11 Finals in California.

Elite 11 Competition Takeaways

There were plenty of great quarterbacks in attendance at the Elite 11 event, ranging from under-the-radar three-star prospects to potential future first overall picks.

It was an event jam-packed with excitement, so let’s dive into it!

Trae Taylor Looks Electric

To kick things off, we’ll highlight one of the best quarterbacks in the country in Trae Taylor.

A Nebraska commit and a newly anointed five-star prospect, Taylor showed why he was a star. He was named the MVP of Day 1 of the event, and did not slow down from there.

Taylor showed off the full capability of his arm talent on Day 2 of the event, making the “Pro Day” throws look easy. His touch was impressive, his arm strength was effortless, and his footwork was smooth.

Day 3, however, was when things took off. The quarterback was simply surgical in his 7-on-7 series, notching an impressive seven touchdowns. The arm strength was off the charts, while the accuracy on Taylor’s throws was some of the best of the day. The Nebraska commit got through his reads and ripped the ball once making a decision. Taylor constantly put his wideouts in a position to make big plays.

Taylor was already one of the best quarterbacks in the country, and his performance in California only solidified that fact. With another great showing at The Opening, he could cement himself as the best quarterback in the 2027 class.

Taylor’s claim to the throne of the best quarterback will likely be heavily contested, and one of the main competitors is University of Miami commit Israel Abrams.

Israel Abrams Shines in California

A major standout at the Indianapolis regional back in February, I loved the arm strength and overall game that Abrams displayed. Once he got settled in California, he not only lived up to his standard, but surpassed it.

Abrams shined during Day 2 of the Elite 11 Finals, putting together one of my favorite sessions of the entire event. The Illinois native showed quick and smooth footwork on every throw. Abrams unleashed from all types of arm angles, and despite the difficulty of some of them, kept up his high-level accuracy. Additionally, Abrams’s trademark velocity showed up in spades on Day 2. The quarterback was never short on a throw, no matter where it was on the field.

On Day 3, Abrams carved up the opposing defense, just like Taylor. Notching seven of his own passing touchdowns, the Miami commit was positive in every aspect of the game. Abrams was decisive and aggressive down the field on a consistent basis. He was also accurate at all levels of the field.

When attacking deep down the field, Abrams fit the ball into windows that few players could pull off. It was a true showcase of the massive skill and upside that he possesses, along with a confirmation of why he deserves to be a five-star player.

Abrams, like Taylor, has a great shot to win the Elite 11 MVP at The Opening Finals in Oregon. The sky is the limit for the Miami commit.

Who Else Stood Out At The Elite 11 Finals?

Outside of the aforementioned Abrams and Taylor, many other quarterbacks had impressive showings and moments at the Elite 11 Finals.

Ryan Rakowski

The lowest-rated prospect heading into the event, new Nevada commit Ryan Rakowski showed a very high level of talent at the Elite 11 Finals.

On Day 1, Rakowski walked down the rest of the competition during the famous Elite 11 Rail Shot Challenge. He consistently showed off great accuracy and velocity, dotting the throw over and over again. It was a drill that showed off one of the main aspects of his game.

Shifting to Day 2, Rakowski was highly impressive once again, this time during the Pro Day throwing circuit. The California native’s arm strength and touch were the aspects of his game that shined through the most, especially on the deeper throws down the field. Rakowski hit his wideouts in stride and made off-platform throws look consistently effortless. Furthermore, he was great in the accuracy challenge, as he had yet another opportunity to display his all around skillset as a thrower.

And once he got rolling on Day 3, Rakowski was lights out and had one of the best 7-on-7 performances of the Elite 11 Finals. The quarterback, who proceeded to win the OT7 MVP a few weeks later, did everything at a high level.

Rakowski proccessed at a high rate, threw on time, and was extremely accurate. He attacked the middle of the field and hit throws in tight windows, whether they were  five or 15 yards away.

Notching seven touchdowns on the day, Rakowski ended his time at the Elite 11 Finals on the highest note possible. With The Opening Finals ahead, do not sleep on Rakowski’s ability to compete for the Elite 11 MVP. He deserves more buzz and respect as a player going forward.

Brady Edmunds

Brady Edmunds and Jake Nawrot, two more quarterbacks who advanced to The Opening Finals in Oregon, also showed off their ability in California.

The best way to describe Edmunds is smooth. Currently committed to Ohio State, the California native never seemed to get outside himself throughout the three days of competition. No matter what drill he did on Day 1, Edmunds had repetitive footwork and mechanics. The ball jumped out of his hand, yet the quarterback still made it catchable and put it in locations his players could get to.

On Day 2, Edmunds showed the arm strength, touch, and accuracy to hit every throw on the field. And on Day 3, Edmunds performed at a high level in the 7-on-7 competition. The quarterback was constantly on time and decisive. Edmunds knew exactly how to attack the defense, where to throw it, and how to throw it. He not only took what the defense gave him, but rocketed throws into tight windows.

Possessing the size and traits to play the position at a high rate in college, I was fascinated to see what Edmunds would do in the competitive environment that was the Elite 11 Finals. After seeing his performance, I am very excited about Edmunds’s ceiling going forward.

Jake Nawrot

Nawrot, a Kentucky commit, has been one of my favorite quarterbacks in the 2027 class. At the Elite 11 Finals in Los Angeles, he did not disappoint.

On Day 2 of the event, the John Hersey standout had some of the best throws during the Pro Day drill. Nawrot lofted perfect passes into the back of the end zone on multiple occasions, floating the ball into the wideout’s arms. He was also dialed in during the accuracy competition, hitting multiple targets while still operating from a rock-solid base.

Nawrot did not post gaudy stats during his 7-on-7 series. However, the way he operated was impressive. The Kentucky commit did not force throws to covered wideouts, but rather took what the defense gave him. He got through his reads quickly, understood the opposing coverages, and threw the ball accordingly. If the checkdown was the right option, Nawrot took the checkdown. If he needed to thread the needle over the middle of the field, he did that, too.

Nawrot’s showing on Day 3 rounded out what was an all-around great showing for him. The quarterback has the upside and floor to have success in any situation, along with the skills to thrive in settings with high-level competition. Watch out for him as a major contender for the Elite 11 MVP.

The last two quarterbacks to highlight from the event, ironically, are two players who did not get invited to The Opening Finals. However, it is not for a lack of performance.

Will Mencl

Mencl, an Oregon commit, had a great showing from start to finish in Los Angeles. He was one of the last three quarterbacks standing at the end of the Rail Shot Challenge along with Ryan Rakowski and Trae Taylor, showing off velocity and accuracy. Mencl’s second day consisted of a top-notch Pro Day throwing series. The Arizona native showed off the easy arm strength, touch, and accuracy that made him a top prospect in the country.

On Day 3, Mencl was not helped out by his wideouts. There were multiple drops on pinpoint throws and good reads by the quarterback. However, that did not deter him from having another good performance. He was accurate in the vertical game and along the sidelines, fitting the ball into windows when necessary. Mencl was decisive, using his touch or his arm strength depending on what the situation.

In my eyes, Mencl is just as good, if not better, than most of the quarterbacks in the country.

Davin Davidson

Davidson, the Florida commit, is a player with some of the highest upside in the entire 2027 class. And over the course of the three days at the Elite 11 Finals, the Florida native showed exactly why his stock has risen at a very high rate.

On Day 1, Davidson did not start as fast as the other quarterbacks. However, he took to the coaching at a high level, continued to progress over the course of the drills, and finished the day as good as any other player. Davidson’s accuracy and velocity were top-notch, as was his touch.

Day 2 was more of the same for Davidson, if not better. The quarterback’s arm strength was good. And when paired with his accuracy to all levels of the field, it resulted in one of the best rounds of the entire Pro Day drill. Davidson’s footwork was smooth, and he made off-platform throws look easy.

To close things out, Davidson had a solid showing in his 7-on-7 session. From a footwork perspective, the quarterback was smooth on every throw. His mechanics were repeatable and allowed him to access every level of the field. Davidson was also decisive and accurate, understanding what the defense was showing him and using his arm strength to hit whatever throw he needed to.

A player whose stock has continually risen over the course of the past few months, Davidson truly has everything to be a top-tier quarterback at the college level. His performance in California only verified that, and he will continue to show that he is one of the best in the country.

Other Notable Performances

Peter Bourque was not a player whom I personally saw a ton of. However, he was one of the best quarterbacks of the entire event. The Virginia Tech commit showed elite accuracy, arm strength, touch, and footwork. He won the accuracy competition and beat out Peyton Houston for the Pro Day win, sweeping the honors for Day 2 of the event. Look for him to have a great performance at The Opening and in his 2026 season.

Peyton Houston, the LSU commit, has a rocket of an arm and fantastic accuracy. He was highly impressive during his 7-on-7 series, notching five touchdowns on a variety of throws all over the field.

Elijah Haven was rock solid as an overall player at this event. He did very well during his Pro Day session and notched four touchdowns during the 7-on-7 competition. Haven has easy arm strength and nice accuracy, and he has the ceiling to be a very high-level starter at the college level and beyond.

Braylen Warren, one of the more underrated quarterbacks in this class, showed great accuracy and decisiveness as a thrower throughout the three days of the competition. His mechanics were some of the smoothest of the group, and is rarely off-target. Like Ryan Rakowski, he deserves more buzz and much more respect on his name.

Other Notes from Elite 11 Finals

Three wideouts really stood out at the event. Those were Cal commit Charles Davis. top 2027 wideout Blake Wong, and JSerra Catholic wideout Clark Cokely.

Davis made impressive leaping catches, Wong was lethal all throughout the 7-on-7 competition, and Cokely made a ridiculous one-handed catch during the 7-on-7 competition. Keep an eye on these three players going forward.

Jaron Keawe-Sagapolutele is just simply one of the best quarterbacks in the country. A counselor at the event, the Cal standout was borderline perfect at the event. His accuracy is top-tier, while his touch and arm strength were simply fantastic. This is a future No. 1 overall pick.

Byrum Brown was working on his mechanics constantly over the course of his days at the event, specifically with Jordan Palmer. His arm strength was on display, as was his ability to hit throws off the platform. There were moments where he struggled, but there were plenty of positives, too. The 2026 season will be very big for him.

Demond Williams, even without being that tall of a quarterback. has an absolute rocket of an arm. I loved his Pro Day throwing series, especially when he got to let it rip on throws deep down the field.

Jayden Wade is a player who should be on everyone’s radar going forward. A 2028 prospect, he has the size of a top-level college quarterback already. Wade also has a cannon and great touch, especially for a player of his age. If Georgia can hold onto him, he will be their next start at the position. Book it.