According to 247Sports, Jake Bentley is the sixth best pro-style QB the country. According to ESPN, he is the second best pocket passer in the country.
But, according to his coach at Opelika (Ala.), Brian Blackmon, Bentley is the best QB in the nation.
I think he is the best 2017 quarterback in the country. If there's one better as a true passer and pro-style quarterback, I'd love to see him. He'd have to be a really good player.
Bentley, who Nick Saban says has the "it factor", is doing his best to prove his coach right. He lead Opelika to a 12-1 record on 2843 yards passing and 28 touchdowns against eight interceptions this past season. He also performed well in the 2016 Elite 11 Atlanta Regional earlier this week. Bentley showed off his "big arm" in less than favorable throwing conditions, and had a top 5 QB performance.
The Gamecocks might have an edge in at least one department. Bentley's father, Bobby, is the Gamecocks' RB coach, and the younger Bentley was on campus yesterday paying a visit. He has the size and tools that make coaches drool, and that endorsement from Saban doesn't hurt, either.
Prediction: Bentley is one of the highest rated uncommitted QB prospects in his class, and would be a huge victory for Will Muschamp in his first recruiting cycle. Bentley received an offer from Alabama earlier in the month and has the Crimson Tide in his top 5, along with South Carolina, LSU, Miami, and Stanford. He has mentioned Stanford as his top choice, but is having second thoughts now that fellow 4-star QB Davis Mills has committed to the school. He may be leaning toward joining his father, Gamecocks RB coach Bobby Bentley, in Columbia: experts are predicting he will commit to the Gamecocks.
Class: 2017 Position: QB, 6-foot-4, 215 pounds Hometown: Duncan, SC High School: Opelika (AL) Ranking:
247: 4-star, National: 104, Pos: 6
Scout: 4-star, National: 91, Pos: 9
ESPN: 4-star, National: 33, Pos: 2 Front Runner: South Carolina In the Mix: Stanford, Alabama, LSU, Miami