Austin Novosad

Baylor quarterback commit Nate Bennett battled through an entire season with a grade 3 torn abdominal rectus, which severely impacted his mobility and ability to throw the football. This added to the challenges he faced during a difficult season, following his impressive sophomore campaign. His sophomore year he threw for 2,946 yards with 41 touchdowns and 10 interceptions while completing 60% of his passes at Village Christian School.He then moved to Oaks Christian where they ran the ball 278 times while splitting up quarterback duties among three different players. Bennett lost 84 opportunities to throw the football which led to him only attempting 139 passes. He finished with 1,228 yards and 14 touchdowns with nine interceptions while completing 66% of his passes. It is clear there were many factors at play here including the season-long injury he played through.Bennett has responded this spring and that strong showing has sparked interest from various schools who have seen him in person. Although the details of these interactions will likely remain undisclosed due to his commitment to Baylor, it is clear that his performances have garnered attention from other programs. His return to full health sets the stage for an anticipated breakout season as a senior.The Baylor coaching staff, led by Shawn Bell, has recognized Bennett's abilities and invested significant time and effort in his evaluation process. Bell has a track record of identifying promising quarterback prospects. His initial offers to Cade Klubnik, DJ Lagway, and Austin Novosad were followed by national recognition and acclaim for these players. Hence, Bell's endorsement of Bennett speaks volumes about the quarterback's potential. At some point we have to trust him on the evaluation side of things and with the amount of time he put into this recruitment, we know he saw the flashes he needed to when Bennett was healthy.I am not saying Bennett is the top quarterback in the nation or the top quarterback offer in this class but there is reason to be optimistic about his upside and potential for a major bounce back senior season.