Pinellas County's Signal Callers: The Top 5 Quarterbacks for the 2025 Season
As the lights prepare to shine on Friday nights, the spotlight in Pinellas County turns to the crucial position of quarterback. The 2025 high school football season promises to showcase an array of talent under center, with veteran arms, dual-threat playmakers, and rising stars all vying for supremacy.
Here's a look at the top five signal-callers set to dominate the gridiron:
1. Jaylen White, Clearwater High School (Committed to University of Charlotte)
Clearwater's Jaylen White holds the top spot, not just as the county's premier quarterback, but as our #3 overall prospect heading into the season. With arguably the strongest arm among his peers, White is surrounded by an abundance of talent again this season, poised to build on a remarkable career. Despite his high ranking, many believe he still possesses the largest ceiling for growth. Throughout his career, White has been a dual threat, completing 232 of 369 passes for 3415 yards, with 28 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. He's also proven to be a dangerous runner, carrying the ball 18 times for 1053 yards and 13 touchdowns.
2. Ayden Wallace, Lakewood High School (Uncommitted)
Leading what we consider the #1 team heading into the season, Lakewood's Ayden Wallace comes in at #2 on our list and is ranked as the #10 overall prospect. An uncommitted talent who recently received an offer from Ohio Davidson, Wallace is known for his scrambling ability and a knack for winning big games. Last year, he not only outdueled our #1 prospect, Jaylen White, but also bested top quarterbacks Joaquin Kavouklis (now at Lakeland) and Dylan Nahra (who led Boca Ciega deep into the playoffs). For his career, Wallace has completed 198 of 343 passes for 3208 yards, with 20 touchdowns and 15 interceptions, adding 425 rushing yards on 63 carries.
3. Eli Millian, East Lake High School
A consistent presence on our radar for the past two seasons, Eli Millian out of East Lake High School earns his spot at #3. While East Lake's overall team performance may not have met expectations in recent years, Milian has delivered a solid career, earning his starting position by outperforming another top prospect. Despite the transfer of talent like Will Mirabella to Alonso, Millian will benefit from a solid offensive line, and East Lake always fields tough, ready-to-play athletes, ensuring they'll bring their A-game every Friday. Millian's career numbers stand at 268 completions on 457 attempts for 3011 yards, with 24 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.
4. Chase Burrill, St. Petersburg Catholic High School
Our feature quarterback at #4 is Junior quarterback Chase Burrill, who makes a significant move to St. Petersburg Catholic after a productive season at Northside Christian. Burrill , who recently recieved an offer from University of Rhode Island brings a career stat line of 241 completions on 432 attempts for 3101 yards, with 22 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. He'll have two solid transfer targets in Brendan Wright another top 25 prospect and Keyshaun Birks, who we believe has the opportunity to be a top 5 receiver in the county. With new coach Jesse Chincar, who boasts a track record of sending dozens of prospects to college from his previous stints at Tarpon Springs and the infamous Clearwater International Academy, St. Petersburg Catholic is hoping to make a strong run at glory after some subpar seasons.
We caught up with Chase Burrill to discuss his transition, his new team, and his goals for the upcoming season:
Pinellas Highschool Media Group: Last season, you had a strong statistical year with Northside Christian (167/245, 1922 yds, 13 TDs, 7 INTs). What were your biggest takeaways from that experience that you'll carry into this season at St. Petersburg Catholic?
Chase Burrill: "Last season was huge for me because I was able to get a full season of high school football under my belt and learned how to handle certain situations. My sophomore season also allowed me to gain confidence as a player and teammate."
PHMG: With a new offense and new personnel at St. Petersburg Catholic, what aspects of your game have you been focusing on improving to seamlessly fit into the new system?
Burrill: "I would say at this point coming into a new offense, the aspect I’m focusing on the most as of now is building chemistry with the offense as a whole, especially the receivers. It’s extremely important to be on the same page as your receivers as a quarterback."
PHMG: As a quarterback, how do you see your role evolving with St. Petersburg Catholic, especially considering the goal of making a run at glory after some subpar seasons?
Burrill: "I have 100% trust in our coaching staff here at SPC. It’s my job as the quarterback to trust the coaches' game plan completely every week. It is also my job to make sure the offense is on the same page so we can execute our plan to our fullest potential."
PHMG: What are your individual statistical goals for the 2025 season, and how do you believe those contribute to the overall success of the team?
Burrill: "My main goal is to get better every week and learn from my mistakes so I am fully prepared for districts, leading into playoffs. As far as the statistics, I want to keep improving every year and lower the interceptions."
PHMG: Coach Jesse Chincar has a reputation for developing prospects and sending dozens to college from his previous stops. What has it been like working with him so far, and how do you feel his coaching style will impact your development as a quarterback?
Burrill: "Coach Jesse has been instrumental as far as my development as a quarterback, teaching me more about the game, teaching me how to promote myself as a recruit, and installing confidence in me leading up to this season. I believe his coaching style will make me the best player that I can be and open doors for me in the future."
PHMG: You've transferred to St. Petersburg Catholic with other notable prospects like Larry Christian Jr. and Damarion Rowe (running backs), and Alex Malysko and Courtney Taylor (defense). How has the integration of new talent impacted the team's chemistry and what's the feeling within the locker room?
Burrill: "We are extremely fortunate to have the group of guys that we do; everybody feeds off of each other’s energy. Everybody has a tight bond not only during football but outside of football, so that naturally makes us want to play for each other."
PHMG: Building chemistry with new wide receivers and running backs is crucial for a quarterback. What have you been doing to develop strong relationships and timing with your new offensive weapons?
Burrill: "We get reps everyday at practice with the receivers. I also bring my receivers out to Tampa to train with my quarterback coach, Stephen Garcia. Doing so has helped a ton with building chemistry with all the guys."
PHMG: St. Petersburg Catholic is looking to make another run at glory. What is the overall feeling and expectation within the team as you head into the 2025 season with this new group of players and coaches?
Burrill: "The expectation is to get better every week with the goal of making a deep run in the playoffs."
5. Gavin Galish, Indian Rocks Christian
Rounding out our top five is Gavin Galish. After playing in a limited Osceola offense last year, Galish has transferred to Indian Rocks Christian, where he looks to showcase his accurate and very strong arm. For his career, he has completed 62 of 114 passes for 782 yards, with 10 touchdowns and 4 interceptions. He also adds a rushing dimension with 78 carries for 246 yards and 3 touchdowns.
As the 2025 season kicks off, these five quarterbacks are poised to leave their mark on Pinellas County football, each bringing unique skills and leadership to their respective teams. The competition promises to be fierce, making for an exciting year under center.