The Texas 7-on-7 State Tournament in College Station is here!

It’s the summer’s main event every year. Nowhere else will you see more TXHSFB players from across the state competing on one field. And, every year, there’s an underrated player who puts the entire state on notice by going toe-to-toe with the best recruits in the state. The only thing hotter than the 110-degree heat is their stock after the weekend.

There was Jacksboro’s Cannon Valenzuela in 2024, a Colorado State commit who earned a DCTX three-star ranking after a dominant display. Or in 2025, when Austin LBJ defensive back Antione Baker entered the tournament with Texas State, Old Dominion, and Washington State leading his recruitment. He’s now signed to Vanderbilt in the SEC.

So, I’m predicting who could be this year’s Valenzuela or Baker. Here are five quarterbacks who could experience the same meteoric rise in recruiting circles. The names are listed in alphabetical order.

Zay Adolphe, Huntsville

Huntsville coach Todd Moebes calls Adolphe one of the best – and most overlooked – quarterbacks in the Class of 2028. A varsity starter at the 5A level for the last four games of his freshman year on, Adolphe earned All-District Newcomer of the Year in 2024 and was named an All-District quarterback in 2025. Last season, he threw for 1,520 yards and 16 touchdowns and also showed his dynamic dual-threat ability with 828 rushing yards and eight touchdowns on the ground. Adolphe’s combination of size (6-foot-1, 200) and arm strength makes him an intriguing college football prospect. He received offers from UTSA and UTEP before his sophomore year. 

Lorenzo Aguirre, Dickinson

Dickinson head coach John Snelson says that if Aguirre were 6-foot-2, he’d have every offer in the country. A three-year starter, Aguirre earned District Overall MVP and the Daily News’ All-Galveston County Player of the Year as a junior. He threw for 3,410 yards and 43 touchdowns, leading Dickinson to a 13-1 record and first Regional Final appearance since 2015. 

But Aguirre is not 6-foot-2. He’s 5-foot-10, 185 pounds, which has limited his offer list to Arkansas Tech and Arkansas Monticello. He might not have the prototypical height, but Snelson says that Aguirre’s confidence and accuracy are second to none. He’s as mentally and physically tough as anyone Snelson has coached since he arrived at Dickinson in 2012. 

“No disrespect to all the other great QBs out there,” Snelson said. “Pound-for-pound, we think we have the best one in the state.”

Aguirre can prove that this weekend.

Chase Ames, Dripping Springs

Ames was one of the state’s biggest breakout stars as a junior. He emerged as Dripping Springs’s starting quarterback amid a heated four-man competition. It took about one half of football for Ames to prove the coaches right, blowing out defending state champion Austin Vandegrift 41-14 in Week 1. He went on to lead the Tigers to a 12-2 record, which included a signature win over Austin Westlake and two other playoff wins. Ames earned District Newcomer of the Year after breaking school records with 3,736 passing yards and 48 passing touchdowns.

The 6-foot-1, 185-pound prospect has offers from North Texas, East Carolina, Lamar, and Prairie View A&M. But more could flood in after this weekend, because the State 7-on-7 Tournament is the perfect setting for his skill set. Ames thrives off diagnosing the coverage and throwing with anticipation, timing, and accuracy.

Hudson Humble, Harker Heights

Yesterday, Humble added “DCTX three-star” to one of the most impressive resumes in Texas. Ahead of his senior year, Humble has thrown for 6,464 yards and 74 touchdowns on a 78 percent completion rate. He has led the Knights to 27 wins as a starting quarterback while earning numerous individual accolades, including District Offensive MVP as a sophomore and District Overall MVP as a junior. 

At 6-foot, 182 pounds, Humble’s size has limited the college offers that his skill set and stats warrant. He has offers from Lamar and Jackson State. But with another year of development, and 1,300-yard wide receiver Ryan Taylor back in the fold, Humble might make it impossible for colleges to ignore him this season – starting in College Station.

Ty Snell, Allen

I know, it’s kind of egregious to put a guy with 36 Division I offers as a “potential riser.” But I think Snell is still eligible because he’s a rising sophomore who hasn’t started a varsity game in Texas yet. Snell started the final five games of the 2024 season for Lipscomb Academy in Tennessee when he was in eighth grade. The offers are based on his intriguing size (6-foot-3, 192 pounds) and stellar performance on both the camp circuit and backup duty as a freshman (1,030 passing yards, 10 touchdowns, 3 interceptions). So I think his stock still has a chance to soar based on how he performs in the state’s first glimpse of him as Allen’s starting quarterback. 

Allen head coach Lee Wiginton couldn’t be more complimentary of Snell’s offseason. With snell at the helm, Allen has not lost a 7-on-7 game the entire year. And, notably, Wiginton raves about his mental ability over his physical ability, which is a terrific sign for a player as young as Snell is.

“He is a student of the game who makes everyone around him better with his work ethic, attention to detail, love for the game, and competitive nature,” Wiginton said.

In that case, this student of the game looks to take opposing defenses to school this weekend.