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As a result of his performance in last weekend’s Elite 11 event in California, Virginia Tech quarterback commit Quincy Patterson earned an event to Nike’s The Opening. The Nike event features the top-12 performers from the Elite 11 event, which began with 25 of the nation’s top quarterback prospects in the class of 2018.
Patterson entered the weekend a mystery to some analysts and left as one of the more surprising prospects in attendance. Most people knew Patterson was a terrific athlete just watching his highlights. However, his arm strength, poise and accuracy impressed many.
SB Nation’s Bud Elliot had this to say about Patterson in his piece while covering the event:
This was my first time seeing QB Quincy Patterson, the Virginia Tech commit from Chicago. And I came away impressed by a player with a strong arm, paired with a smooth release. He's a shotmaker and will get better as his footwork becomes more consistent. He could be dangerous in Justin Fuente's offense.
This is encouraging news for Virginia Tech fans. Fuente can flat-out coach quarterbacks and if Patterson is more polished than some already believed, he could be a factor much earlier than some expected once he arrives in Blacksburg.
Luke Stampini of 247Sports who also covered the event, called Patterson the biggest riser in the rankings, offering this assessment:
The Virginia Tech pledge is currently a three-star recruit. That might change after this weekend’s showing. At 6-foot-4, 230-pounds, Patterson was the most physically developed quarterbacks at the camp. Patterson also flashed a strong arm capable of hitting throws down the field. The weekend only help Patterson’s stock.
Now, we know what comes next. All the recruiting services will reassess their ranking of Patterson and he will suddenly become a four-star prospect. That’s how this happens. That will certainly have other big-time programs checking in on Patterson and his commitment to Virginia Tech. All along, Patterson has maintained he is a firm pledge to the Hokies and that commitment will certainly be tested moving forward.
This anticipation from @quincy_qb1 pic.twitter.com/zxPGiwJFMT
— SB Nation Recruiting (@SBNRecruiting) June 5, 2017
But that’s for another day. Patterson is still pledged to the Hokies and that should excite Virginia Tech fans. The positive vibes surrounding the Hokies’ 2017 class and the commitment of Tre Turner continue with Patterson’s showing at such a national and high-profile event.