Ohio's top returning quarterbacks in 2025 include Mr. Football

Ohio's Mr. Football from 2024 is back for one more go-round this fall.

Matt Ponatoski won the state's top individual award last year after leading Cincinnati powerhouse Archbishop Moeller to the OHSAA Division I state championship game on Dec. 6. Unfortunately for Ponatoski and the Fighting Crusaders, the dream ended there in a 28-14 loss to the Olentangy Liberty (Powell, OH) Patriots.

Ponatoski, who was also named the Gatorade Ohio Football Player of the Year (and, for good measure, the state's Gatorade Baseball Player of the Year this spring), had one of the worst games of his career in the title game played at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton. The Crusaders generated just 233 yards of total offense, and Ponatoski, who was harassed throughout by Liberty's stingy defense, finished just 16-of-30 for 112 yards and a touchdown.

It was a rare off night for the prolific gunslinger who finished the season with 4,187 yards while tossing 57 touchdowns.

Ponatoski originally committed to play baseball at Missouri before he was even 14 years old, but decommitted after becoming Moeller's starting quarterback. He has since shifted his recruiting focus to football, and, in July, he became one of the key pieces of Kentucky's Class of 2026 when he committed to the Wildcats.

In the meantime, there's unfinished business for the Fighting Crusaders, who should be poised to make another deep playoff run with Ponatoski at the controls. If they do, then he stands within range of climbing into Ohio's all-time top five in career passing yards with 7,624 yards and 87 touchdown passes to his credit already.

One thing to keep an eye on with Ponatoski's commitment to Kentucky is the fact that head coach Mark Stoops enters the 2025 season on a very hot seat. The Wildcats were 4-8 a year ago and just 1-7 in the SEC. They host Ole Miss on Sept. 6 in their first conference game before entering a midseason lineup that features road games at South Carolina and Georgia, followed by home games with Texas and Tennessee.

If the Wildcats can't scrape together a couple of league wins during that stretch, then the writing could be on the wall for Stoops. And that, in turn, could have an impact on Ponatoski's college plans.

Seven FBS commits are among Ohio's top returning QBs

At least seven of Ohio's Top 10 returning quarterbacks on our list have committed to play at the FBS level in 2026.

Two of them have plans to remain in state with Pickerington North's Jarin Mock choosing Bowling Green following reports that Wisconsin was no longer honoring his commitment to sign with the Badgers. Olentangy Orange triggerman Levi Davis, meanwhile, has committed to Ohio.

If both commitments stick, the two quarterbacks could potentially be in uniform when Ohio pays a visit to Bowling Green in 2026.

Mock and Davis could cross paths down the road with Archbishop Hoban's Nick Kinsey, who is also committed to play college football in the MAC after committing to Eastern Michigan.

Rivalry to feature two top programs, prospects in head-to-head QB duel

Mock won't have to wait until college to meet one of the other top quarterbacks on our list. He's set to face off against Pickerington Central's Rocco Williams, a Middle Tennessee commit, in the city's annual rivalry game scheduled for Sept. 5.

Pickerington is a city of about 25,000 in the Columbus metro area with two OHSAA Division I high schools. Since 2020, they've played in separate leagues while choosing to stage their annual rivalry game as a non-conference affair in early September. In three of the past four seasons, they've ended up playing twice after meeting in the playoffs in 2021, 2022 and 2024.

Suffice it to say, these two programs are very familiar with each other.

Pickerington North got the better end of things in the rivalry a year ago, beating Pickerington Central 38-27 in the regular season matchup before winning again, 35-14, in the second round of the playoffs. Mock then led North to an 11-3 record and a spot in the Division I quarterfinals, where the Panthers suffered a 21-9 loss to the eventual state champions at Olentangy Liberty.

The Sept. 5 clash between North and Central won't have any bearing on either team's conference fortunes, but if recent history serves as a guide, it might not be their only meeting in 2025.

Interstate game to feature two high-profile signal callers

Another top quarterback duel on the 2025 slate is an interstate clash featuring OHSAA Division II Archbishop Hoban (Akron) hosting Pennsylvania's Central York on Oct. 17. Hoban's hopes will rest on the arm of Kinsey, the Eastern Michigan commit, while Central York will counter with future Old Dominion quarterback Brooklyn Nace.

These two teams tangled on Oct. 18 last year with Hoban cruising to a 41-7 win on Central York's home field. Hoban eventually finished 12-3, losing 35-10 to undefeated Avon in the Division II semifinals. Central York also dabbled in the 2024 playoffs, losing 28-20 to Wilson (West Lawn, PA) in the first round of Pennsylvania's PIAA Class 6A state tournament.

A small school prospect with big potential

There are some qualities you can't coach – like being 6 feet 6 inches tall. That's the vertical dimensions of Eastern (Beaver) senior quarterback Eric Manley Jr., who isn't currently listed on any top national recruiting lists.

The point man for the OHSAA Division VII Eagles isn't just a tall physical specimen. He also towered above the competition on the gridiron last year with 2,874 yards passing and 42 touchdowns.

Manley's active on social media, sharing his highlights, but he hasn't tipped his hand with a commitment, yet.

Junior season tape!

13-1!

Regional Runner Ups
3rd straight SOC title.
22 straight regular season wins.
2874 Passing yards 42 TD
60 carries 340 Rushing Yards 2 TD 5.7 ypc

DVII SE District OPOY
1st Team All SOC
2026 QB/ATH (6’6” 225 lbs) https://t.co/xjYS9mwPIU

— Eric Manley Jr. (@Eric_Manley7) December 4, 2024

At 230 pounds, Manley already possesses the frame of a classic NFL pocket passer, but he's no statue either. He rolled up another 340 yards rushing on 60 carries for a solid 5.67 yards per carry average.

Manley floats under the radar in Ohio's division for the state's smallest schools, but he isn't just a stat machine. He guided the Eagles to a 13-0 start last year before running into a buzzsaw at Danville, where the ride ended in a 40-6 loss to the Blue Devils.