The 2024 high school football season begins next week in several states, and over the next few weeks we’ll be featuring players expected to be among the best of the best.

We started with the best defensive backs in the country, and now SBLive/SI turns to the quarterbacks trying to beat those DBs.

Here are the nation’s 20 best high school quarterbacks for the 2024 season.

Rich Belin, Sr., Cardinal Hayes (New York)

Cardinal Hayes made history last season with Belin at center, becoming the first New York team to win the Catholic High School Football League state title. The Syracuse product threw for 3,112 yards and 30 touchdowns while rushing for 1,351 yards and 19 scores. He was named New York Gatorade Player of the Year.

Faizon Brandon, Jr., Grimsley (North Carolina)

Ranked as the top prospect in the national class of 2026 by 247Sports, Brandon threw for 3,026 yards and 36 touchdowns with just three interceptions as a sophomore. He also ran for 528 yards and nine more TDs. In early August, Brandon committed to Tennessee.

Helaman Casuga, Jr., Corner Gorge (Utah)

In his first two seasons at Timpview, Casuga amassed 6,475 passing yards and 60 touchdowns. The promising player is now at Corner Canyon to replace the departed Isaac Wilson, who threw for 4,595 yards and 49 TDs last season.

Cameron Dyer, Sr., The Cave (New Mexico)

Dyer is a standout basketball player and 22-foot triple jumper for La Cueva, but the standout athlete is at his best on the football field. As a junior, he was named New Mexico Gatorade Player of the Year after throwing for 2,897 yards and 29 touchdowns and running for 1,492 yards and 26 scores. The Arizona State commit led La Cueva to the Class 6A state title.

Noah Grubbs, Jr., Lake Mary (Florida)

A starter since his freshman year, Grubbs transferred to Notre Dame in June. As a sophomore, he was a dominant passer, throwing for 3,677 yards and 49 touchdowns.

Madden Iamaleava, Sr., labyrinth (California)

In his first season as a starter last fall, Iamaleava shone with 3,626 passing yards, 43 touchdowns and just four interceptions. The UCLA player also scored three touchdowns on the ground.

KJ Lacey, Sr., Saraland (Alabama)

Lacey threw for 3,448 yards and 42 touchdowns last season as Saraland made it to the Class 6A state championship game. The talented thrower has chosen Texas.

Julian Lewis, Sr., Carrollton (Georgia)

Lewis, the reigning Georgia Gatorade Player of the Year, is a five-star prospect who threw for 7,212 yards and 96 touchdowns in his first two years as a starter at Carrollton. The USC product was caught just twice last season while rushing for 3,094 passing yards and 48 touchdowns.

Ryder Lyons, Jr., Folsom (California)

Lyons totaled 61 touchdowns (38 passing, 23 rushing) as a sophomore. The five-star quarterback threw for 3,578 yards and led Folsom to a 13-2 record, including three game-winning drives in the fourth quarter.

George MacIntyre, Sr., Brentwood Academy (Tennessee)

MacIntyre is also a Division I basketball prospect but will play quarterback for Tennessee in college. The pocket passer threw for 3,229 yards and 25 touchdowns last season.

Kolton Matson, Sr., Lake Stevens (Washington)

Matson led Lake Stevens to the Class 4A state title as a junior, throwing for 3,388 yards and 49 touchdowns and scoring six more. He is the reigning Washington Gatorade Player of the Year.

Kini McMillan, Sr., Mililani (Hawaii)

McMillan was named Hawaii Gatorade Player of the Year as a junior after throwing for 3,521 yards and 42 touchdowns and leading Mililani to the Open Division title game. The Washington product also ran for 575 yards and 11 touchdowns. At 6-foot-3 and 200 pounds, McMillan looks more like a running back, but his throwing ability is unmatched.

Luke Nickel, Sr., Milton (Georgia)

Nickel led Milton to the Class 7A state title last season, passing for 3,914 yards and 39 touchdowns with just five interceptions. Nickel, a four-star prospect, transferred to Miami in June.

Keelon Russell, Sr., Duncanville (Texas)

Duncanville won its second consecutive Class 6A Division I title last season, and Russell was a big reason why. The dual-threat quarterback threw for 3,483 yards and 38 touchdowns and ran for six more scores. The five-star senior transferred to Alabama from SMU in June.

Stone Saunders, Sr., Bishop McDevitt (Pennsylvania)

Saunders, the 2022 Pennsylvania Gatorade Player of the Year, began his final season with 10,142 passing yards and 156 touchdowns with just 15 interceptions. The Kentucky commit threw for 3,522 yards and 56 TDs last season.

Brady Smigiel, Jr., Newbury Park (California)

Smigiel, a five-star out of Florida State, followed up a strong freshman season by throwing for 4,222 yards and 52 touchdowns as a sophomore. He is a traditional pocket passer with a great throwing arm.

Carter Smith, Sr., Bishop Verot (Florida)

Smith was named Florida Gatorade Player of the Year as a junior after throwing for 2,223 yards and 29 touchdowns with just four interceptions. He also ran for 715 yards and scored 19 touchdowns. Smith has been a starter since his freshman season and will play college football for Michigan.

Tavien St. Clair, Sr., Bellefontaine (Ohio)

St. Clair began starting games as a freshman and has developed into one of the most promising quarterback prospects in the country. The five-star Ohio State player threw for 3,983 yards and 37 touchdowns – both school records – and ran for four TDs as a junior.

Bryce Underwood, Sr., Belleville (Michigan)

Underwood is the top prospect in the class of 2025 in the 247Sports rankings and was the Michigan Gatorade Player of the Year last season after throwing for 3,329 yards and 44 touchdowns with three interceptions. He enters his final season as a starter with a record of 40-2. Underwood has committed to LSU.

Grayson Wilson, Sr., Conway (Arkansas)

Wilson spent his first three seasons at Central Arkansas Christian, where he rushed for 3,413 yards and 41 touchdowns with two interceptions as a junior and scored 15 touchdowns on the ground. He also led CAC to its first state basketball title, including the game-winning basket in the Class 3A semifinals. Now in Conway, the Arkansas product looks to add a state title in football.