If the Elite 11 Finals proved one thing (for Pitt fans), it’s that Kenny Minchey is truly one of the very best quarterbacks in the class.
After a strong performance at the Elite 11 Regional in Nashville and Elite 11 Finals in Los Angeles, Minchey was named to the 2022 Elite 11 — one of the 12 very best quarterbacks in the class of 2023.
For Minchey, who was rated as a three-star recruit by both 247Sports and Rivals, he’s seen his stock skyrocket. Pittsburgh Sports Now has learned that Minchey’s ranking will rise in Rivals’ August rankings, and he’s already seen his ranking rise in 247Sports’s most recent ranking.
In 247Sports’ most recent ranking, Minchey has been given a 90 rating, elevating his stock to four-star status, rated as the 16th-ranked quarterback and the fifth-ranked recruit in Tennessee. To put it lightly, Minchey is truly one of the very best quarterbacks in the class of 2023, and he still may be undervalued.
“Minchey might have raised his stock more than anyone this week,” 247Sports’ Greg Biggins said before the rating jump. “He’s currently rated a high-end three-star with an 88 rating but will definitely be in the four-star discussion in our next rankings meeting. He won Wednesday night pro-day workout, finished sixth in today’s target competition, and was solid during 7-on-7 play. He’s mechanically strong and the Pitt staff won’t have to devote a ton of time to tweaking much with his drops, sets, and release.
Minchey, (6-foot-2, 205 pounds) won the Elite 11 Pro Day with a score of 44, put together a strong sixth-place finish in the Mega-Target challenge and was impressive with his poise, accuracy and arm strength during drills all week long — showcasing exactly the type of playmaking skill that appeals to college teams.
Minchey finished the Nashville Regional with the fourth-highest combine score of the day, putting up a stellar 102.33 rating. He also put together a great nine-throw Pro Day showing, finishing tied for eighth with a score of 19.
And with a 160 score in the B/A Ball Score (a drill designed to test a quarterback’s average velocity and average release time), he finished tied for 10th in the BreakAway station — with an average velocity of 47.3 miles per hour and a .42 second average release time.
The 2022 Elite 11 was determined by junior season film and event evaluation and traits shown at the finals this week.
As a junior, Minchey threw for 3,280 yards and 32 touchdowns to just nine interceptions on 215-of-351 passing attempts. And with his commitment ironed out, he’s already locked in to improving those numbers as a senior and preparing for the jump to the NCAA.
With Minchey’s blend of skills (solid size, excellent poise, adept arm strength and tailor-made leadership aptitude), his fomer head coach Justin Geisinger felt like Minchey could compete from Day 1. And as a native Pittsburgher himself, he felt like Minchey embodied what it means to play football in Pittsburgh.
“I think he has some blue-collar instincts and mentality to him, he’s got that heart, grind-it-out attitude,” Geisinger told PSN in April. “He knows nothing is going to come easy to him, he knows he has to work for it, and that’s what he had to do in our school — he hit adversity not really getting a chance to prove himself to nobody’s fault through Covid, stuck it out, but when his opportunity presented itself to him, he took full advantage of it and never come off the field from there.”
Geisinger, who tutored him through his first three high school seasons, saw a quarterback who was able to make an immediate jump as a college quarterback. And if both Kedon Slovis and Nick Patti aren’t around to start the 2023 season, it could be the next Kenny up.
My thoughts are. … when will the $$$$ schools be coming? Sorry it’s the world we live in now!