#VK17FB Playmakers: The Top 10 quarterbacks for 2017

1. Jayden Price, Mulvane senior

• 6-foot-1, 180 pounds
• Verbally committed to North Dakota State
• All-4A I selection in 2016

One of the most electric playmakers in Kansas, Price returns for his senior season at Mulvane after earning first team All-Class 4A I honors. Price rushed for 1,640 yards in 11 games (149 yards per game), completed 59 percent of his passes for 1,551 yards, and finished with 41 total touchdowns. Price loses nearly all of the production that surrounded him last year, so look for him to create even more for himself in 2017.

2. Blake Sullivan, Goddard senior

• 6-foot-0, 185 pounds
• Honorable mention All-5A pick in 2016

Sullivan’s ability to gash defenses with his arm or legs was a reason Goddard was able to make its run to the 5A championship game last season. Sullivan averaged better than seven yards per carry, rushing for 1,404 yards and 17 touchdowns to go on top of passing for 1,629 yards and 28 touchdowns. Goddard’s offense loses tailback Kody Gonzalez and receiver Bryant Mocaby, but may be even more potent this season with Sullivan as a senior.

3. K’Vonte Baker, Heights junior

• 5-foot-9, 180 pounds
• First-team All-City League pick in 2016

Perhaps the most dangerous player in Kansas with the ball in his hands, Baker will be back for his second season running the flexbone for Terry Harrison at Heights. Last season Baker took the City League by storm as a sophomore, racking up 1,453 yards on just 143 attempts (10.2 yards per carry) and completing 13 passes for seven more touchdowns. Harrison suspects Baker to keep some of those hand-offs from last season, making him a likely bet to surpass his rushing total from 2016.

4. Cody McNerney, Collegiate senior

• 6-foot-1, 195 pounds
• Honorable mention All-4A II selection in 2016

Collegiate’s spread has been a deadly attack over the years and McNerney is among the best dual-threat options coach Mike Gehrer has ever had at the helm. In his debut year in the shotgun, McNerney completed 62 percent of his throws for 2,295 yards and 32 touchdowns to go along with a team-high 791 rushing yards and five more touchdowns. He has bulked up in the offseason and expects to be even more dangerous as a senior.

5. Braden Howell, Bishop Carroll senior

• 6-foot-2, 185 pounds
• Honorable mention All-5A selection in 2016

After Howell’s junior season was plagued by a nagging foot injury, he enters this season fully healthy and has first-year coach (but long-time offensive coordinator) Dusty Trail excited about the possibilities with Howell running Carroll’s spread offense. Even with the injury, Howell completed 61 percent of passes for 2,187 yards and 23 touchdowns. Trail suspects Howell will even more involved in the running game this season to go along with his passing ability.

6. Austin Anderson, Northwest senior

• 5-foot-11, 185 pounds
• Honorable mention All-6A selection in 2016
• Northwest broke the state record for yards per game in 2016

Northwest’s up-tempo spread seems to get more dangerous by the year and Anderson will attempt to maintain its record-setting pace in 2017. In his first season starting, Anderson broke Northwest records in passing yards (2,221) and touchdowns (26) last year. He added 393 yards on the ground, a total that coach Steve Martin sees rising this season as Anderson is expected to be more of a dual-threat at quarterback.

7. Wyatt Lange, Valley Center senior

• 6-foot-1, 175 pounds
• Honorable mention All-5A selection in 2016

Valley Center stunned 5A with its run to the semifinals last season behind a stingy defense and steady quarterback play from Lange, who set school records in passing touchdowns (17) and completion percentage (60 percent). He also proved to be a reliable threat on quarterback keepers, actually leading the Hornets in rushing yards with 535 and adding eight touchdowns. After combining for nearly 2,200 yards of offense as a junior, Lange will be looking to duplicate those numbers as a senior.

8. Federico Harvey, Campus senior

• 6-foot-1, 155 pounds
• Second team All-AV-CTL I selection in 2016

Harvey is coming off a nice track season in the spring, where he won the 6A title in the triple jump and also showed off his speed with a sub-11-second time in the 100-meter dash. That kind of speed and agility will make Harvey a tough quarterback to defend this season. If Campus wants to push for its first winning season since 2006, then Harvey will have to produce a big season.

9. Colton Terhune, Conway Springs senior

• 5-foot-11, 170 pounds
• Honorable mention All-3A selection in 2016

Passing in the Single Wing has been a rarity in Conway Springs, but Terhune’s arm strength is adding a new dimension to the Cardinals’ offense. Terhune averaged nearly 16 yards per completion and threw for 537 yards and five touchdowns last season, all while being the No. 1 threat for Conway Springs in the running game with a team-high 823 yards and 16 touchdowns. Terhune has bulked up in the offseason and has the Cardinals looking like one of the top teams in 3A this fall.

10. Chance Whitehead, Augusta senior

• 6-foot-0, 175 pounds
• Honorable mention All-AV-CTL III pick in 2016

Whitehead was charged more with managing Augusta’s offense last season, as the Orioles plowed their way to nearly 2,000 yards on the ground. This year coach Jason Filbeck is expected to open up the offense to feature Whitehead’s dual-threat nature. Whitehead threw for 1,504 yards on just 78 completions (19.3 yards per completion) and added 517 rushing yards for 14 total touchdowns. Expect those numbers to increase in Whitehead’s senior campaign.

Next Five: Andrew Clark, Chaparral senior; Micah Grover, Cheney senior; Sammy Hardin, Trinity Academy senior; Hunter Igo, Derby junior; Hooper Schroeder, Sedgwick junior.

This story was originally published August 24, 2017 at 5:57 PM with the headline "#VK17FB Playmakers: The Top 10 quarterbacks for 2017."