Quarterback commitment timelines have rapidly accelerated over the past five years, leaving limited spots available for late-blooming signal-callers. Only four of the Top-45 quarterbacks in the country per 247Sports are not committed to Power Four programs with a few months remaining until their senior seasons. Which makes the case of Norfolk (Va.) Maury quarterback Au’Tori Newkirk, who debuts with a high three-star 87 grade, one of the more riveting quarterback storylines to monitor entering the 2024 season. An offseason growth spurt pushed Newkirk from a shade taller than 6 feet to a confirmed 6-foot-3, and live exposure to the southpaw passer at the Under Armour Baltimore Regional opened our eyes to his immense developmental upside. Newkirk — quite young for the 2025 cycle with a Sept. 2007 birth date — showcased improved arm talent at all three levels and a much quicker release compared to his previously elongated motion.
This past fall, Newkirk checked nearly every box for Virginia prospect factory Maury High, earning Virginia Class 5 Offensive Player of the Year honors after throwing for 3,670 yards at a 68 percent clip with a stellar 44-5 TD-to-INT ratio. He also ran for 760 rushing yards and 13 TDs. While an all-star cast of talent certainly helped Newkirk lead Maury to a 15-0 record, he put on the cape when necessary, including a six total-touchdown, MVP state championship game performance.
Newkirk is now 247Sports’ highest-rated quarterback without a P4 offer; Newkirk reports FBS scholarships from Toledo, Temple, and UMass. Even with uncertainty surrounding his eventual landing spot, Newkirk’s combination of physical upside and on-field production make him one of the higher-ceiling late risers at quarterback over the last few cycles. — Standish
