Ranking WNC QBs in 2024 North Carolina high school football season

The start of the North Carolina football season is quickly approaching. Western North Carolina teams are completing summer workouts and competing in 7-on-7s to prepare for the upcoming NCHSAA and NCISAA seasons.

With the season arriving before we know it, the Citizen Times and Times-News are highlighting the top quarterbacks to watch in 2024, like Reynolds' Ely Hamrick and West Henderson's Cade Young.

Here are the Citizen Times and Times-News' ranking of the WNC's best quarterbacks from 10 to 1.

Best North Carolina high school football QBs in WNC area for 2024

10. Brady Grant

Murphy

Vitals: 5-9, 148, Jr.

Grant completed 48% of his passes in 2023 for 1,047 yards, 15 touchdowns and six interceptions.

9. Meek Slydell

Asheville High

Vitals: 6-2, 175, Jr.

Slydell's numbers took a dip last season after a more challenging nonconference schedule. He completed 58% of his passes for 1,633 yards with 11 touchdowns and seven interceptions.

8. Aaron Clark

Pisgah

Vitals: 6-0, 170, Sr.

Offers: Maryville (Tenn.)

Clark passed for 1,684 yards with seven touchdowns and rushed for 510 yards while guiding the Bears to the second round of the NCHSAA 3A playoffs in 2023.

7. JaRon Ward

Hendersonville

Vitals: 6-0, 195, So.

Ward was impressive as a freshman, completing 60% of his passes for 1,357 yards with 17 touchdowns and four interceptions. Ward also rushed for 115 yards and three more scores.

6. Benjamin Kessinger

Brevard

Vitals: 6-0, 150, Jr.

Kessinger flourished as a first-year starter with the Blue Devils. He completed 65% of his passes for 1,488 yards with 25 touchdowns and six interceptions. Kessinger added four touchdowns rushing.

5. Mason Holtzclaw

Christ School

Vitals: 6-3, 185, So.

Offers: Duke, Florida State, Kentucky, UNC, Virginia Tech.

Holtzclaw has seen a surge of college interest after completing 50% of his passes for 1,522 yards with 14 touchdowns and 14 interceptions.

4. Cade Young

West Henderson

Vitals: 6-0, 172, Jr.

It's not easy becoming the starting quarterback of an undefeated team halfway through the season. But that's exactly what happened to Young, and he handled it marvelously. He completed 69% of his passes for 1,836 yards with 19 touchdowns and nine interceptions while guiding West Henderson to the fourth round of the NCHSAA 3A playoffs.

3. Ely Hamrick

Reynolds

Vitals: 6-5, 215, Jr.

Offers: Virginia, Kentucky, East Carolina

Hamrick will be tasked with replacing quarterback Hayden Craig, who graduated after being named All-WNC second team last season. Hamrick transferred during the offseason to the Rockets from IMG Academy, where he passed for 1,244 yards with18 touchdowns and no interceptions in nine games last season.

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2. Ricky Tolbert

Asheville School

Vitals: 6-2, 200, Sr.

Offers: Maryville (Tenn.)

Tolbert led the Blues to a second straight NCISAA Division II state championship last season. He completed 64% of his passes for 2,147 yards with 25 touchdowns and nine interceptions. He added 610 yards and 11 more touchdowns rushing.

1. Brandon Quinn

Mountain Heritage

Vitals: 6-2, 185, Sr.

Quinn helped lead the Cougars to the third round of the NCHSAA 1A playoffs. He is most dangerous with his feet, rushing for 2,082 yards and 27 touchdowns. He also improved in the passing game, completing 40% of his passes for 681 yards with 14 touchdowns and five interceptions.

Zachary Huber is a high school sports reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times and Hendersonville Times-News. Email him at zhuber@gannett.com or follow him on X @zacharyahuber. Please support this type of journalism with a subscription to the Citizen Times and Times-News .

This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Ranking WNC QBs in 2024 North Carolina high school football season