Top 10 quarterbacks in the Bay Area
Brentwood’s Butterfield headlines solid group
The list of current and former NFL quarterbacks who began playing high school in the Bay Area is long and impressive.
Among them: Tom Brady, Jared Goff, Jim Plunkett, Dan Fouts, Bob Lee, John Brodie, Craig Morton, Dan Pastorini and Norm Van Brocklin.
The current crop of QBs heading into the 2019 season is also pretty impressive. Here are 10 of the best, based evenly between productivity and recruitability.
10. Bowen Dickstein (Moreau CatholicHayward): The 6foot2, 195pound senior lefthander also is listed as a linebacker for the Mariners (121 in 2018). He proved very productive under center, throwing for 1,841 yards and 24 touchdowns on a team that featured 2,000yard rusher Fresh Ison.
9. Nick Kresnak (AcalanesLafayette): The replacement for AllMetro performer Robby Rowell didn’t miss a beat last season, throwing for 2,542 yards and 25 touchdowns. The 61, 200pound senior is also a baseball standout: a .366 hitter and 62 on the mound with a 1.09 ERA.
8. Payton Stokes (Saratoga): The 6foot, 170pound senior was second in the Central Coast Section last season with 3,168 passing yards and 36 touchdowns. In Saratoga’s spread attack, Stokes completed 213 of 331 passes and rushed for 626 yards and nine touchdowns.
7. Jack Stewardson (Monte VistaDanville): Following in a long line of standout quarterbacks in the program, the 62, 200pound senior is poised and smooth. He threw for 2.391 yards, 21 touchdowns and five interceptions last season. He completed 63% of his passes.
6. Jared Stocker (Rancho CotateRohnert Park): Like Kresnak, Stocker had to replace an AllMetro firstteamer, this one Jake Simmons (9,105 career total yards, 107 TDs). At 62, 180 pounds, Stocker completed 164 of 254 passes last season as a junior for 2,522 yards, 25 touchdowns and seven interceptions for the Cougars (112).
5. Dorian Hale (De La SalleConcord): He wore No. 99 as a freshman and 20 as a sophomore, but the 61, 190pound junior lefthander “has earned his way to a normal number this season,” DLS head coach Justin Alumbaugh said. Hale is one of the fleetest players on a very fast team, but he’s much more than a handtheballoff QB in a veer attack. He’ll orchestrate a very potent offense. Hale threw for 254 yards and two TDs in the state title game — losing 3521 to Mater DeiSanta Ana — and finished with 1,460 passing yards, 14 touchdown passes and two interceptions. He also rushed for eight touchdowns.
4. Grant Harper (CampolindoMoraga): Yet another replacement, the 62, 200pound senior and UC Davis commit followed 2017 Contra Costa Player of the Year John Torchia, and responded with an AllMetro season of his own, completing 188 of 309 passes for 2,932 yards, 32 touchdowns and six interceptions. Harper led the Cougars to a 103 season.
3. Jackson Pavitt (Cardinal NewmanSanta Rosa): The 62, 193pound senior did it all for the Cardinals (111) last year, completing 154 of 200 passes for 2,494 yards and 30 touchdowns with just three interceptions. He also rushed for 552 yards and 11 scores. He figures to increase those numbers for the 10thranked Cardinals.
2. Shamir Bey (Mitty): His season was cut short by injury last season, so the now63, 207pound senior is champing at the bit for a big senior season. A dual threat, Bey threw for 1,335 yards and 18 touchdowns in eight games last season and has 15 career rushing TDs.
1. Jay Butterfield (LibertyBrentwood): One of the most highly touted Bay Area quarterbacks in more than a decade, the 66, 202pound senior completed 188 of 293 passes for 3,294 yards and 43 touchdowns in 2018. All were Bay Areabests. He led the Lions to the school’s first CIF State title, and he’s rated the No. 2 prostyle quarterback in the nation. He’s committed to Oregon.