Daily News football countdown: Top quarterbacks to watch in 2025

Some great — and I mean great — quarterbacks played in the Daily News footprint on Friday nights.

John Elway prepped at Granada Hills. Tom Ramsey was a standout QB at Kennedy and was Elway’s rival. Ramsey went on to play at UCLA. How about Jimmy Clausen out of Oaks Christian? He was the No. 1 quarterback in the country when he was coming out of high school.

Cameron Rising of Newbury Park went on to lead Utah to the Pac-12 championship in 2022. He’s back at his old stomping grounds now as the Panthers’ offensive coordinator. There were really good quarterbacks at Hart High back in the day … Joe Kapp, Kyle Boller, Matt Moore — all NFL guys.

There’s a rich pedigree of signal callers to come from the Daily News’ backyard, and there are certainly great ones to watch this 2025 season.

(Top players are listed in alphabetical order by last name)

Wyatt Brown, Notre Dame/SO, Sr.: Brown is an addition to the area after transferring from Santa Monica. The 6-foot-4, 200-pound lefty holds offers to Cal, Arkansas and Wyoming.

Chase Curren, Crespi, So.: There’s buzz in Encino, and it’s because the Celts are excited about sophomore QB Chase Curren, who has already earned scholarship offers to Arkansas, Florida State, Houston and Purdue. He’s 6-foot-2, 190 pounds and is preparing to show what the hype is all about.

Diego Montes, Kennedy, Sr.: What doesn’t this guy do? Montes led the Cougars to a 10-win season with his arm and legs. He threw for more than 2,500 yards with 24 TDs and added 1,400 yards rushing and 25 more TDs — yes, he was responsible for 49 touchdowns.

Jacob Paisano, Hart, Sr.: Paisano is expected to have a monster senior campaign after bursting onto the scene as a junior with 2,222 yards passing and 22 TDs. He also rushed for six touchdowns to help Hart go 8-3 overall and 5-1 in the Foothill League.

Liam Pasten, Eagle Rock, Sr.: You don’t have to tell Pasten twice. This gunslinger threw for 3,602 yards and 36 TDs in 13 games last year. He averages just under 280 yards per game through the air and completes his passes at a 65% rate.

Cameron Pooley, Chaminade, Jr.: Pooley could have the biggest jump of anyone on this list in 2025. After being thrown into the fray as a sophomore, the rising junior could have a breakout season for the Eagles. He tossed for 1,483 yards and 10 TDs in his debut season last fall.

Brady Smigiel, Newbury Park, Sr.: He’s arguably the best QB in California. The 5-star Michigan commit led the Panthers to the CIF Southern Section Division 2 title last fall with 3,521 yards and 49 touchdowns (and just three INTs). Smigiel is the real deal.

Jackson Taylor, Thousand Oaks, Sr.: Taylor threw for 2,939 yards and 25 TDs in 13 games as a junior, leading the Lancers to an 8-5 season.

Treyvone Towns Jr., Oaks Christian, So.: Towns was one of the more impressive freshman QBs in all of California, maybe only behind St. John Bosco’s Koa Malau’ulu. Towns had 1,996 yards passing and 19 touchdowns as a ninth grader last year.

Others to watch: Laird Finkel, Sierra Canyon, Sr.; Ford Green, Westlake, Fr.; Evan McCalister, Valencia, Fr.; Nathan Swinson, Taft, Sr.; Carlos Herrera, Van Nuys, Sr.; Deshawn Laporte, Burbank, Jr.; Dominik Hardy, Calabasas, Jr.; Joseph   Mesa, Paraclete, Sr.; Jake Nuttall, Saugus, Sr.; Joshua Suarez, Palmdale, Sr.; Chase Everett, Sierra Canyon, Sr.; Aaryan Williams, Harvard-Westlake, Jr.; Ari Sykes, Heritage Christian, Sr.; Gavin Gray, Agoura, Sr.; Shawn Sanders, St. Francis, Jr.; Michael Wynn, St. Genevieve, Sr.;