VYPE Hot 20 QBs: No. 2 Carson Meger, Plano

Who are the Hot 20 quarterbacks in the area? Let's make one thing clear - this is not a quarterback recruiting list. These rankings are based on, with one game to win - let's same a state championship - which area quarterback would you most want leading the offense. Today's pick is: No. 2 Carson Meger, Plano Meger may or may not end up playing at a major college football, but at the high school level, he has already proven to be a winner and a pretty good passing quarterback. He led Plano to the state semifinals last year while shattering the school record for passing yards in a season. Meger can make almost every throw and takes advantage of the constant threat of tailback Rex Burkhead in the same backfield. "Carson does a great job of running our offense," Plano coach Jaydon McCullough said. Previous picks were: 20. Ryan Polite, DeSoto Polite is the young player to keep an eye on. The 6-2, 190-pound sophomore is an electric player. Ex-DeSoto coach Dave Meadows said that the sophomore might be the best quarterback to ever come out of DeSoto. That's pretty high praise for a program that has played Casey Printers and Cyrus Gray at that position. 19. Tyler Cotton, Richland Cotton had a terrific summer as Richland won the national 7-on-7 title. Now Rebels head coach Gene Wier has decide whether he should go with Cotton or outstanding athlete Phil Gonzalez at quarterback. Expect Cotton to get a lot of time throwing passes to Gonzalez, who was the best receiver at the State 7-on-7 tournament, with apologies to Plano's Kris Lott. 18. Jarvis Phillips, Carter Phillips didn't put up huge numbers last year but he led Carter to a surprising berth in the regional finals. And the Cowboys almost upset state finalist Pflugerville. Phillips can fly and can he can lead an offense. If he sounds like the second coming of Texas Tech receiver Michael Crabtree, well then think it. Crabtree might prove to be an once-in-a-lifetime player at Carter. Phillips has a chance to establish himself as a winner. 17. Gavin Gray, Frisco Gray put up huge numbers while playing in the shadow of Centennial's Ryan Mossakowski. Gray can flat out run and he can throw the ball too. He passed for 2,266 yards and 17 touchdowns last year. He and receiver Alphonse Coleman are one of the state's best combinations. 16. Kirk Hayes, St. Mark's Hayes put up big numbers last year for the Lions, passing for 2,418 yards and 34 touchdowns. The 6-2, 180-pound quarterback can also make plays with his feet. He had 604 yards rushing and six touchdowns last season. 15. Zack Lee, McKinney Enjoy this junior flamethrower while you can. Lee is likely to play only two more seasons of football before moving on to a high profile baseball career. Lee had a breakout sophomore season, passing for almost 2,000 yards and 19 touchdowns last season. 14. Matt Brown, Allen Brown arguably had the best regular season of any 5A quarterback in the state last year and he was only a sophomore. He passed for over 2,000 yards and had 14 touchdown passes and almost rushed for a 1,000 yards. He didn't have a good playoff game in a shocking loss to Rowlett, but that is over now. He could easily finish this season at the top of this list. 13. Daryn Alves, McKinney Boyd Alves mystified opponents last year, rushing for 2,636 yards and 32 touchdowns and passing for 1,178 yards. Things will get a whole lot tougher for the 5-7, 155-pound quarterback as Boyd moves up to 5A and a district with four of the state's biggest high schools - Plano, Plano East, Plano West and Allen. He doesn't have to prove last season wasn't a fluke, but his district rivals will expect him to. 12. Kyle Padron, Southlake Carroll It's unfair to put any blame on Padron's shoulders for how last season ended for the Dragons. He replaced a superb quarterback, Riley Dodge, because of an injury in a playoff game and played well. Padron has long been considered a rising prospect at Carroll because he is 6-4 and 215 pounds and has a great arm. He will be better off for last year and gets the unfathomable task of leading an underdog Carroll team. 11. Luke Halpin, Mesquite Halpin showed a ton of improvement during the summer as the Skeeters' offense is finally his for an entire season. He is a tremendous leader who can handle adversity and he should lift a Mesquite team that underachieved last year. "We know what we have to do this year to get off to a good start and be strong at the end of the season," Halpin said. "We just have to be focused from the very beginning of the year." 10. Will Secord, Frisco Wakeland The left-hander is headed to Arkansas and before that could help Wakeland be a surprise team in the area. The 6-3, 204-pound quarterback has the nuances of the spread offense down. He makes good decisions and his patience as a quarterback should serve him well at the next level. 9. Brant Costilla, Parish Episcopal This might be the best quarterback you've never heard of. Costilla has good size at 6-4 and 203 pounds and he likes to throw the ball down the field. "He has a huge arm and he sees the field very well," Parish coach Scott Nady said. "He has the ability to make plays with his feet and the vision to make something out of nothing." 8. Denarius McGhee, Euless Trinity He isn't likely to show up on many recruiting lists as a quarterback, but who cares. McGhee led the Trojans to a state championship last year because he can make plays. He passed for 1,706 yards and 14 touchdowns, but that doesn't really tell the whole story of what McGhee means to Trinity. He is mostly a mistake-free quarterback (four interceptions) that helps Trinity play to its powerful strength. 7. Drew Hollingshead, Rockwall Heath Hollingshead passed for 1,350 yards last year and should be even more explosive in new coach Mickey Moss's offense. The 6-3, 190-pound quarterback, who has verbally committed to Houston, is an accurate passer and a good leader growing up in a good football family with father Tam Hollingshead, the former Odessa Permian coach and Heath coach who is now the Director of High School Relations at SMU. 6. Jerod Monk, Wylie Two years ago Wylie quarterback Patrick Witt had committed to Nebraska as he started his senior year. Monk is arguably a better player and hasn't committed anywhere yet. It is mind-boggling considering Monk's strong arm and his running ability. He is also 6-5 and 230 pounds and led the Pirates to the playoffs last year. He has offers from UTEP and Kansas State, so Monk will eventually make a commitment. But it's surprising considering he passed for almost 2,000 yards last season. 5. Bryce Petty, Midlothian Every summer an area quarterback lights it up on the camp circuit. A few years ago it was Southlake Carroll's Greg McElroy. This year it is Midlothian's Perry. The 6-2, 212-pound quarterback verbally committed to Tennessee after getting early offers from Portland State and New Mexico. He recently got a scholarship offer from Nebraska. Petty passed for 2,101 yards last year but the Panthers missed the playoffs. He has a tough task of getting into the postseason this year in District 16-4A. 4. Richard Morrison, Royse City Morrison is probably the area's best dual-threat quarterback, and he will need to use all of his ability to help Royse City make the jump to a Class 4A district that includes Highland Park. Morrison tore it up at the 3A level last year, passing for 3,350 yards and 33 touchdowns last year. He rushed for 11 touchdowns. The 6-0, 170-pound quarterback has verbally committed to Mike Stoops and the Arizona Wildcats. 3. Ryan Mossakowski, Frisco Centennial Mossakowski has one of the strongest arms in the country and needs five yards to reach 6,000 passing yards for his career. The 6-4, 201-pound quarterback has verbally committed to Kentucky. All of Massakowski's tools were only good for one win last year for the Titans. And Centennial isn't a pick to make the playoffs this year. But don't put that on Mossakowski.