MAUI, Hawaii -- This year's Steve Clarkson Maui Super Seven featured not only prospects from the 2011 class, but also two underclassmen from the 2012 class that look to have bright futures. This camp was a great place for the quarterback prospects to improve their game, while enhancing and refining the little nuances of the position. This year's group of Super Seven participants qualified for the event through the regional Steve Clarkson's Dreammaker Tour this past spring.
The group of seven is made up of Brett Hundley (Chandler, Ariz.), Max Wittek (Santa Ana, Calif./Mater Dei), Kyle Boehm (San Jose, Calif./Archbishop Mitty), Jerrard Randall (Hollywood, Fla./Chaminade-Madonna), Jacoby Brissett (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla./Dwyer), 2012 prospect Jeff Lindquist (Mercer Island, Wash.) and 2012 prospect Bennie Coney (Plant City, Fla.).
With such a small group, the first day was a pretty strong eye-opener for all seven participants as they received specific, individual attention to detail on the fundamentals of the position. There was also plenty of constructive criticism to go around, and if there is one thing this event will do, it will force prospects to develop a thick skin -- something all the great quarterbacks have.
NFL Hall of Fame QB Joe Montana was on hand as an instructor, especially when it comes to footwork, drops and balance. The goal of the event was to provide one-on-one instruction on the field and on the chalkboard in the classroom to gauge where the prospects are in their development and to lay out a plan for them to meet their goals of playing at the next level and beyond.
Much of the work early on the first day consisted of footwork, drops, balance, agility, quickness and timing, and more often than not without the use of the football. The focus is on drop speed and depth, setup quickness, transfer of weight, accuracy, and timing.
These points of emphasis are especially critical to the overall production of the position, especially for prospects that have little to no background playing from under center. The shotgun spread offense has many positives, but one thing most all coaches agree upon is that it has hindered the development of the quarterback position from the ground up.
Here is a look at how each player fared off their first day of working out. Wittek did not participate because of a schedule conflict.
Jerrard Randall (Hollywood, Fla./Chaminade-Madonna)
2011, 6-1, 190 pounds | College: Oregon
It would be easy to argue that Randall has the strongest arm of any of the quarterbacks we have seen in person, on tape or both for the 2011 class. However, his blessing can also be his curse because he knows only one speed -- 110 mph. That being said, the slightly built, wiry signal-caller is a quick learner, has feet like a sewing machine needle and is a terrific athlete. He lacks ideal height, but his dimensions fit perfectly to Oregon's style. He is such a good athlete that he will give defenses fits with his legs, but his ability to make all the difficult throws is what is most impressive. His drop speed and quickness can be almost too fast, and it becomes difficult for him to balance and transfer his weight forward at times, which can cause him to spray the ball around. Based on day one, he was the most physically impressive prospect of the group.
Brett Hundley (Chandler, Ariz.)
2011, 6-3, 210 pounds | College: Undecided
He is the No.-5 ranked quarterback in the Class of 2011 with a blend of size, physical stature, arm strength and athleticism. While there are times when he is incredibly fundamentally sound and the ball just jumps out of his hand as smooth as can be, he must work on his consistency. He has a tendency to stand tall and release the ball with a high arc as opposed to driving the ball vertically, using his power and strong lower body. The four-star prospect almost throws on his tippy-toes at times. He has the arm and feet and is extremely coachable.
Jacoby Brissett (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla./Dwyer)
2011, 6-4, 220 pounds | College: Undecided
He is a tall, raw strong-armed pocket passer that possesses the stature to stand in the pocket and fire the ball downfield. Brissett possesses deceptively good athleticism for his size and reminds us a lot of two other quarterbacks in this class -- Marquise Williams (Charlotte, N.C./Mallard Creek) and Cardale Jones (Cleveland, Ohio/Glenville). This is likely the first setting where Brissett has been stacked up against others who have the same pure ability that he does, if not more. However, he excelled at listening to instruction and applying the coaching to the next rep. Brissett is also accustomed to playing at a high level against great competition, so the company he is in is not intimidating him. This setting is a very positive one for him because he needs refinement and the technique side of the game is what is being taught the most from rep to rep.
Kyle Boehm (Cupertino, Calif./Archbishop Mitty)
2011, 6-3, 202 pounds | College: California
He certainly looks the part, thanks to his great arm and sturdy build with ideal height, and he has played under center probably more than the other participants on a regular basis. Boehm has such a good arm that he is capable of making all the throws you want, even if he is not set or balanced, so he can get away with doing some things that are unsound. At the top of his drop and when attempting to transfer his weight planting off his back foot (right foot), Boehm locks out his front leg (left) which does not allow for him to properly throw the ball with the power and velocity he is capable of having. It also causes the nose of the ball to come down, so his accuracy can be affected as well. This is correctable and coachable, and you can tell he knows he is doing it, which can be good and bad -- good in a sense that he knows he needs to correct it and bad in a sense that it can consume his thought process and not allow for him to throw his best because he can find himself constantly thinking about it. As far as a pocket passer, Boehm has tools, and there is a lot of upside for him.
Bennie Coney (Plant City, Fla.)
2012, 6-1, 194 pounds | College: Undecided
He reminds us of a bigger but not as polished Phillip Sims from the 2010 class; Sims attended this event last year. Coney looks great on the hoof and has a live arm. When all cylinders are clicking, he is a very impressive prospect, especially when you consider he's going into his junior year. He plays in a fast-paced, no-huddle shotgun spread and is just as imposing a run threat as he is a passer. He is a better athlete than Sims, but has not seen much time under center. Coney really has nice feet and his drop speed, balance and setup is ahead of the curve at this stage.
Jeff Lindquist (Mercer Island, Wash.)
2012, 6-3, 220 pounds | College: Undecided
As far as your prototypical pocket passer goes, Lindquist may end up being one of the better prospects the 2012 class has to offer. Physically, he has all the measurables you want, displays tremendous velocity and wrist snap and has outstanding arm strength to make all the necessary college-level throws. Like Coney, he also is physically advanced for his age. Lindquist is not going to be a guy who wows you with dual-threat athleticism, but he can get set, plant, and get the ball out with power and authority, and for a kid that does not say much, he lets his reps do the talking.
Tom Luginbill is ESPN's national director of football recruiting.