Quarterback play across New York City continues to improve, and heading into the 2026 season there are a number of players I’m excited to watch. Some are already established names, while others are younger quarterbacks who I believe could take significant steps forward this fall.
For this list, I split eight quarterbacks into four categories: Elite, Underrated Gems, Young and Promising, and Something to Prove. This isn’t a ranking. Instead, these are eight quarterbacks who have caught my attention through live evaluation, film, 7-on-7 events, or firsthand work with them this offseason.
ELITE
Madden Martinez — Holy Cross | 2027 | 5’11”, 180
Madden first caught my eye at the Rising Stars Bowl, and after having the opportunity to work with him at Development Over Hype this offseason, my opinion of him has only gotten stronger. He can make throws to all levels of the field and is a better athlete than you might initially expect, with the ability to evade pressure and create outside of structure. His combination of arm talent, movement skills and playmaking reminds me a lot of Hawaii quarterback Micah Alejado—neither needs prototypical size to threaten every part of the field. What separates Madden for me is how complete his game is; he doesn’t need everything around him to be perfect to make a play. In my opinion, Madden is the best all-around quarterback in NYC football entering this season.
Tommy Zeh — Erasmus Hall | 2027 | 6’0”, 170
I had a chance to watch Tommy at the Move the Chains 7-on-7 Showdown, and what immediately stood out wasn’t simply his arm talent—it was how he played the position. Tommy consistently throws on time and in rhythm, understands where his eyes need to be and shows the ability to work through progressions, traits that many quarterbacks don’t fully develop until college. Mechanically, he operates from a great base and has a repeatable throwing motion, which shows up in his consistency as a passer. He looks comfortable playing within structure and understands how the pieces of an offense fit together. Pairing him with Harvard commit Victor Onukaogu gives Erasmus Hall a potentially dynamic combination in PSAL 4A.
UNDERRATED GEMS
Alex Lopez — Boys & Girls | 2029 | 6’0”, 175
I’ve had the opportunity to coach Alex throughout the summer at Development Over Hype, and his work ethic has stood out just as much as his ability. He has gotten better consistently, and when he’s playing on time and trusting what he sees, he is deadly accurate and capable of fitting the football into windows he’ll eventually be asked to attack at the college level. In my opinion, Alex is already one of the best quarterbacks in PSAL 2A despite still being early in his high school career. The biggest question may simply be how many opportunities he gets to showcase his arm in a Boys & Girls program that has historically leaned heavily on the Wing-T. If the offense opens things up, I think a lot more people are going to learn his name.
Simon Valencia — Bayside | 2029 | 6’0”, 150
Simon is another quarterback I had the opportunity to work with at Development Over Hype this offseason, and two things became apparent quickly: he learns fast and he wants to get better. His accuracy immediately stood out, along with a compact, baseball-influenced throwing motion that allows him to deliver the football naturally. His biggest challenge this fall is opportunity, as Bayside returns its 2025 starting quarterback for his senior season, putting Simon in a legitimate competition for the job. Regardless of when his opportunity comes, I believe he has the accuracy and intangibles necessary to eventually become one of the top quarterbacks in PSAL 3A. He’s a name worth knowing now before everyone else does.
YOUNG AND PROMISING
Jah’Ziah “JT” Turner — Fort Hamilton | 2029 | 6’0”, 190
JT spent the summer working with us at Development Over Hype, and he’s an extremely serious young quarterback whose primary concern is getting better. One of the most encouraging things was watching him attack an over-striding issue he arrived with and make significant progress correcting it over the course of the summer. He throws an excellent football to every level, but his deep ball is what really stands out—he has the ability to put air underneath it while still giving his receiver a chance to stay in stride. He’s also beginning to understand the mental side of quarterback play and how to identify and attack defensive structures. With three full high school seasons ahead of him, JT has a chance to develop into a serious problem for opposing defenses.
Jayden Stephens — Eagle Academy III | 2029 | 6’2”, 160
Jayden helped lead Eagle Academy III’s JV team to a 4-1 record in 2025, and from a physical tools standpoint, there’s a lot to be excited about. At 6’2” with legitimate arm strength and plenty of room to add muscle to his frame, he already possesses some of the physical characteristics you’re looking for in a future college quarterback. What really catches my attention is his release—the ball gets out of his hand extremely quickly and arrives with plenty of velocity. He’ll be back leading Eagle III’s JV offense this season as the program makes the jump from 2A to 3A, which should provide a tougher test. I think he’s going to handle that jump well, and I’m excited to see where his development goes from here.
SOMETHING TO PROVE
Mikey Misla — Lincoln | 2028 | 5’8”, 160
Mikey was part of the two-quarterback system that helped lead Sheepshead Bay to an undefeated season and a PSAL 3A championship, so he’s already proven he can contribute to winning football. Now he transfers to Lincoln, steps up to PSAL 4A and gets an opportunity to show what he can do as the Railsplitters’ QB1. At 5’8”, his size is an obvious question mark, particularly as the speed and size of the defenses around him increase, but he has enough arm to make the throws his offense asks of him. More importantly, there’s something to be said for a quarterback who has already played meaningful football and won a championship. The question this season is simple: How does his game translate when the competition gets better and the offense becomes his?
Jeremiah Senat — JFK | 2028 | 5’10”, 200
I coached against Jeremiah during his freshman season and later got another chance to evaluate him at the Move the Chains 7-on-7 Showdown, and my takeaway is pretty simple: this kid is a football player. His arm talent isn’t necessarily going to be the first thing that blows you away, but his consistency at the 7-on-7 event stood out, and you could see that he has a high-level understanding of JFK’s offense and what is being asked of him. Playing quarterback in a Wing-T system can sometimes cause a passer to get overlooked because the raw passing numbers aren’t going to tell the entire story. Jeremiah looks comfortable operating his offense, plays with confidence and has shown me that he understands the position beyond simply throwing the football. I expect both him and JFK to surprise some teams in PSAL 4A this season.
Final Thoughts
There isn’t one specific mold represented by these eight quarterbacks, and that’s part of what makes this group interesting. Some win with arm talent, some with accuracy and processing, some with playmaking ability, and several are still young enough that we haven’t come close to seeing their finished product.
For me, quarterback evaluation has always been about more than who throws the prettiest football. I want to see how a player operates the position: Can you play on time? Can you process what the defense is giving you? Can you stay mechanically consistent when things aren’t perfect? And when the play breaks down, can you still find a way to make something happen?
These eight quarterbacks are at different stages of their development, but each has shown traits that make him worth following closely in 2026. Now it’s time to see who turns those traits into production when the games count.
