Mike Farrell Sports

College Football Recruiting, Opinion, and Analysis

How Raheim Jeter Overcame Adversity to Become a National QB Prospect

Raheim Jeter has overcome what no 17-year-old should ever experience, and he’s stronger for it.

Pin

Raheim Jeter is a three-star quarterback in the Class of 2023 and is considered one of the best remaining quarterbacks in the class uncommitted. Previously this year, he was committed to West Virginia, but decommitted in July as he considered SEC schools which began to woo his talents. 

Currently, Jeter holds offers from 11 schools, five of which are in the SEC (South Carolina, Georgia, Kentucky, Auburn, and Missouri). Of those six remaining offers, three are from other power five schools (West Virginia, Virginia Tech, and Rutgers). Across the industry, his rankings are all over the place, ranging from the 33rd overall quarterback in the class on ESPN to the 66th on On3. 

It’s a miracle that he’s still in the running as a top quarterback recruit headed to college, especially after what happened this off-season. “My life could have been gone just like that,” Jeter told FOX Carolina Sports while snapping his fingers. “I can’t take a second for granted. I can’t take anything for granted. It gave me a new, whole perspective on life.”

Gaffney played Spartanburg in high school football at Gaffney High School on Oct. 7, 2022. Spartanburg’s Raheim Jeter (1) QB takes to the field.

How football was almost taken away 

On February 18th of this year, Jeter was the victim of a gunshot wound inflicted at what was described by police as a “road rage” incident. Around 9:30 PM, authorities were alerted to a gunshot wound in his leg.

He returned to the practice field with his teammates in June following surgery to remove the bullet and therapy to help him recover. His local community surrounded Jeter and his family, helping them all throughout the traumatic process. 

More Sports News

The entire experience has only advanced his passion for the game. “As Coach Ramsey [says], attack the day,” Jeter explained. “Anytime reps in the weight room get hard, or it’s hot at practice, I just think to myself like, ‘Oh, this could have been gone.’ So I just take everything in.”

Now, Jeter is the headlining star at the annual Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas that will be held in December.

Scouting Report

HT: 6’2″ | WT: 220 lbs. | Composite Ranking: 3-star (85.92)

Raheim Jeter comes from a spread offense at Spartanburg. The spread scheme utilized both west coast and vertical spread schemes, trying to help Jeter get the ball out quickly but giving him space to use his legs when opportunities opened up. He has plenty of growing to do in terms of his ability as a passer, but his body is already built to handle a heavy workload. 

Jeter told Youth1 that football is an outlet for him. “I love being able to release built-up anger,” he explained. “I love being able to have control and lead my team.”

Strengths:

  • Has good arm strength and can push the ball down the field. 
  • Can release the ball quickly and from multiple angles. 
  • Fairly accurate. 
  • Very strong runner. His stout body allows him to go downhill very well and run with strength and power.
  • Strong person and leader who has already overcome so much.

Areas of Improvement: 

  • Struggles overall with proper placement and throwing consistently. 
  • Doesn’t maneuver the pocket very well. 
  • Average foot speed. He will struggle to drop into his five/seven-step drops.

The final projection:

Currently, the rumor is that Raheim Jeter intends to attend East Carolina University, despite the lack of a scholarship offer at the moment. Only three group-of-five schools are have offered him – Memphis, Temple, and Charlotte. 

The rumors linking him to the Pirates could very well be legitimate. East Carolina runs an offense that fits Jeter’s play style very well, and he’s scheduled to visit the school October 14th-16th. The Pirates are also supposed to lose their starting quarterback, Holton Ahlers, to professional ranks next year, which could open up the job for competition. 

If I were Jeter and East Carolina never offered me, Kentucky makes the most sense. It’s another uncertainty at the position, as their current starter, Will Levis, should be headed for NFL ranks. Their backup, Kaiya Sheron, started in relief of Levis this past week against South Carolina and wasn’t all that impressive. That job could be wide open when Levis departs as a first-round prospect.

Right now, though, all signs point to East Carolina landing one of the most inspirational prospects in the country.

Category: Tag: , ,
Pin

You’ll Also Like