VIDEO: https://wisconsin.rivals.com/news/week-7-in-state-blitz-2023-wisconsin-qb-target-chase-spellman
STRENGTHS
My stock in Chase Spellman went up after seeing him Friday night during 36-7 a win over Waukesha North. I heard mixed reviews after he camped with the Badgers this summer, and I assumed he was outside of the top five quarterbacks on Wisconsin’s 2023 recruiting board this fall. But after watching him live and talking to some people close to Spellman, I do think he can play at the FBS level.
The thing that stood out right away was the touch Spellman used on a variety of throws. Listed at 6-foot-4 and 215 pounds (he’s closer to 6-foot-3 than he is 6-foot-4), Spellman put some nice air under the ball on some shots to the end zone and he also displayed good zip on routes over the middle of the field. One of the knocks on Graham Mertz through four games this season is his inability to adjust the speed on his ball. Spellman did that on Friday - obviously, though, on a very different competition level in comparison to Mertz.
Spellman isn’t a dual-threat quarterback, but he’s an athletic kid who can move around the pocket well. His number was called on some designed QB runs and he was able to break two for chunk plays down the sideline. In the same department, I liked Spellman’s footwork and poise in the pocket - he doesn’t get rattled when pressure hits and he’s able to extend the play and work through his progressions in order for his receivers to get open.
Rounding things out - and you see this from younger quarterbacks who have been watching Patrick Mahomes - Spellman works on his ability to throw from different arm angles. It’s not something I saw him do much of during the game, but he was working on it during warmups.
REMAINING QUESTIONS
Waukesha North isn’t a great team and this game was never really in question. With that, I didn’t get to see Spellman’s full toolbox, as Kettle Moraine pounded away with Nolan Schopp, a 6-foot-2, 240-pound running back who racked up 164 yards on 19 carries with three touchdowns. This kid moves well for his size and is an absolute wrecking ball when he gets going.
On the night, Spellman completed 12 of his 18 attempts for 161 yards, two scores and one interception. Three of those incompletions came on balls in the end zone that should have been caught. The interception came on Kettle Moraine’s first offensive snap on a well thrown deep ball - Spellman’s longest attempt on the night - that North’s defender made an excellent play on.
Overall, I saw Spellman hit receivers that were wide open on intermediate routes. When I see him again, I want to see his arm strength and ability to connect on deeper routes. I’ve been told Spellman can make all the throws, but I want to see it in person.
OUTLOOK
The biggest factor when looking at Spellman’s recruitment, in my opinion, is his upcoming shoulder surgery. The junior quarterback has been playing with a torn labrum in his throwing shoulder, which will require surgery at the conclusion of the 2021 season. The timetable for his return to full strength, according to Spellman, is six months. That would put him in the May-range, right before college camps kick off the following month.
With surgery looming, I would be surprised if an FBS school tossed a scholarship out this fall or winter. More than likely, programs are going to want to see Spellman at camp next summer, in addition to tape from his senior season. That’s pretty late in the process, especially at quarterback. I’d expect a number of spots to be filled at that point. Obviously a tough decision to make in terms of when to get that surgery done when you’re trying to be there for your high school team but also have recruiting on your mind.
How could this work out for the Badgers? I actually think it helps the in-state program, as Spellman could be a nice option later in the process if the staff isn’t able to land one of their top top targets at this point, Brayden Dorman or Avery Johnson. I’m not calling Spellman a Plan B kid, but if he’s still an option for the Badgers next summer, it will almost certainly mean they missed out on one of their top QB targets.
Spellman has made four visits this fall - three to Wisconsin and one to Iowa. He’s also planning to see Cincinnati, Minnesota and a few other programs over the next two months. I fully expect the Badgers to stay in close contact for the duration of Spellman’s recruitment, especially in a class where the staff may look to take two scholarship quarterbacks.
WISCONSIN COMPARISON ON THE CURRENT ROSTER
There’s only four to choose from, and I don’t think Spellman closely resembles any of the current quarterbacks on Wisconsin’s roster. Body- and skillset-wise, there are some similarities to Jack Coan, but that’s not a perfect match, either.
Let me know what you think.
STRENGTHS
My stock in Chase Spellman went up after seeing him Friday night during 36-7 a win over Waukesha North. I heard mixed reviews after he camped with the Badgers this summer, and I assumed he was outside of the top five quarterbacks on Wisconsin’s 2023 recruiting board this fall. But after watching him live and talking to some people close to Spellman, I do think he can play at the FBS level.
The thing that stood out right away was the touch Spellman used on a variety of throws. Listed at 6-foot-4 and 215 pounds (he’s closer to 6-foot-3 than he is 6-foot-4), Spellman put some nice air under the ball on some shots to the end zone and he also displayed good zip on routes over the middle of the field. One of the knocks on Graham Mertz through four games this season is his inability to adjust the speed on his ball. Spellman did that on Friday - obviously, though, on a very different competition level in comparison to Mertz.
Spellman isn’t a dual-threat quarterback, but he’s an athletic kid who can move around the pocket well. His number was called on some designed QB runs and he was able to break two for chunk plays down the sideline. In the same department, I liked Spellman’s footwork and poise in the pocket - he doesn’t get rattled when pressure hits and he’s able to extend the play and work through his progressions in order for his receivers to get open.
Rounding things out - and you see this from younger quarterbacks who have been watching Patrick Mahomes - Spellman works on his ability to throw from different arm angles. It’s not something I saw him do much of during the game, but he was working on it during warmups.
REMAINING QUESTIONS
Waukesha North isn’t a great team and this game was never really in question. With that, I didn’t get to see Spellman’s full toolbox, as Kettle Moraine pounded away with Nolan Schopp, a 6-foot-2, 240-pound running back who racked up 164 yards on 19 carries with three touchdowns. This kid moves well for his size and is an absolute wrecking ball when he gets going.
On the night, Spellman completed 12 of his 18 attempts for 161 yards, two scores and one interception. Three of those incompletions came on balls in the end zone that should have been caught. The interception came on Kettle Moraine’s first offensive snap on a well thrown deep ball - Spellman’s longest attempt on the night - that North’s defender made an excellent play on.
Overall, I saw Spellman hit receivers that were wide open on intermediate routes. When I see him again, I want to see his arm strength and ability to connect on deeper routes. I’ve been told Spellman can make all the throws, but I want to see it in person.
OUTLOOK
The biggest factor when looking at Spellman’s recruitment, in my opinion, is his upcoming shoulder surgery. The junior quarterback has been playing with a torn labrum in his throwing shoulder, which will require surgery at the conclusion of the 2021 season. The timetable for his return to full strength, according to Spellman, is six months. That would put him in the May-range, right before college camps kick off the following month.
With surgery looming, I would be surprised if an FBS school tossed a scholarship out this fall or winter. More than likely, programs are going to want to see Spellman at camp next summer, in addition to tape from his senior season. That’s pretty late in the process, especially at quarterback. I’d expect a number of spots to be filled at that point. Obviously a tough decision to make in terms of when to get that surgery done when you’re trying to be there for your high school team but also have recruiting on your mind.
How could this work out for the Badgers? I actually think it helps the in-state program, as Spellman could be a nice option later in the process if the staff isn’t able to land one of their top top targets at this point, Brayden Dorman or Avery Johnson. I’m not calling Spellman a Plan B kid, but if he’s still an option for the Badgers next summer, it will almost certainly mean they missed out on one of their top QB targets.
Spellman has made four visits this fall - three to Wisconsin and one to Iowa. He’s also planning to see Cincinnati, Minnesota and a few other programs over the next two months. I fully expect the Badgers to stay in close contact for the duration of Spellman’s recruitment, especially in a class where the staff may look to take two scholarship quarterbacks.
WISCONSIN COMPARISON ON THE CURRENT ROSTER
There’s only four to choose from, and I don’t think Spellman closely resembles any of the current quarterbacks on Wisconsin’s roster. Body- and skillset-wise, there are some similarities to Jack Coan, but that’s not a perfect match, either.
Let me know what you think.
