When it comes to quarterback rankings, sometimes the head that wears the crown starts to feel heavy. Sure, elite QBs like Julian Sayin can turn a high ranking into stardom. But sometimes, the experience is more like Arch Manning’s roller coaster or Nico Iamaleava’s cliff dive of a college career.
The brand-new top national QB recruit for 2027, as freshly dubbed in the Rivals300, will have to make his own mark at the next level. That said, with a massive rise to the top QB spot comes some significant praise from watchful eyes with some expertise to contribute.
The New Top QB
Arizona prep QB Will Mencl is the new No. 1 QB in the recent RIvals300 rankings. Mencl made a massive jump to the No. 4 overall player in the class and is the only quarterback that Rivals has thus far designated with a fifth star. For comparison’s sake, the 2025 QB recruits who were five-star recruits were: Michigan’s Bryce Underwood, Alabama’s Keelon Russell, USC’s Husan Longstreet, Cal star Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele, Ohio State’s Tavien St. Clair, and Auburn-now-Ole Miss QB Deuce Knight.
Praise for Mencl
Mencl’s high school coach, Ty Wisdom, was effusive in praise of the star to Rivals’ Steve Wiltfong. “His football IQ is super high and a lot of that is how he handles himself day in and day out,” said Wisdom, who called his prep star “a pro in every aspect” in regards to preparation and leadership.
The quarterback’s father, Dave, says that his son has a near-photographic memory. “Plays and coverages, once he gets it, it seems like he’s got it forver,” said the proud father.
Mencl himself is clear that he has dedicated himself to the mental and preparation aspects of the game, which presumably helped his production jump to 3,815 passing yards and 33 scores with another 741 yards and 17 touchdowns on the ground.
Mencl’s ground ability might take some observers by surprise. While he’s listed at 6’3″ or 6’4″, his backers argue that his speed might be a significant aspect. Coach Wisdom terms him “definitely a dual-threat guy.”
The immediate question will be where Mencl will play his college football. On3 has Oregon as an early leader based on recruiting projections from its experts. 247sports mentions Auburn and North Carolina as two other teams that are also significantly pursuing Mencl. The battle to fulfill massive expectations will begin somewhere in 2027, and early indications are that Mencl may have the right stuff to fulfill those expectations.
