At Elite 11 quarterbacks take the ball off a stool and throw to plastic targets and receivers running routes against air. An audience of mostly parents and scouts ooh and aah over every big throw.
It's an artificial environment with its own kind of pressure. Twenty elite quarterbacks, most of them already committed to major D1 programs, compete in a Pro Day event, a rail shot challenge. On Sunday they compete in 7-on-7, still with no pads.
Oregon's Will Mencl, the 6-3, 200 quarterback from Chandler High School in Phoenix, stood fifth after Day 1 and sixth after Day 2. Peter Borque of Virginia Tech won the accuracy challenge, completing 18-20. Mencl was in a large group at 17-20, meaning the elite passers are all pretty good at throwing the football in shorts, tee shirts and cleats.
No surprise there.
The competition has gotten better at identifying excellence. In recent seasons Julian Sayin, Jackson Arnold, Cade Klubnik, Caleb Williams, CJ Stroud and Justin Fields won the Elite 11 MVP Award, and each became a multiple-year starter in college.
Oregon commit Will Mencl (Chandler, AZ) is putting on a show during his pro day workout at the Elite 11 Finals in LA. @teamfbseven pic.twitter.com/lvVLKGMiJb
— Matt Moreno (@MattRMoreno) May 31, 2026
The setting doesn't tell you as much as game tape-- it's a nearly empty stadium and there's no pass rush. What you most want to see are poise, decent mechanics, the ability to relax and trust your talent and handle scrutiny surrounded by other top prospects and a bevy of scouts.
Mencl did all that. Recruiting analyst Bradyn Pokrass said, "Will Mencl is a very fun QB to watch. Mechanics are smooth, the accuracy is very good, and the arm talent pops off the page. Really impressive player."
It's encouraging that the four-star Oregon commit took the process in stride. "Yesterday I was super strong," he said. "Today I kind of slacked off a little bit, having a long day, felt like it was more of a mental challenge for me."
"Part of playing quarterback is being able to bounce back from not so great days."
Even so, scouts praised his ball placement and touch, something that's evident in his 2025 highlights as a first-year full-time starter.
Mencl already talks and walks like a Duck
Combine settings can be fool's good. At the NFL level, combine workouts got JaMarcus Russell, Trey Lance and Carson Wentz drafted in the first round. Production and performance matter way more. At Chandler last season Mencl completed 258 of 367 passes (70.3%) for 3,815 yards with 33 TD and 5 interceptions. The team finished 10-3 and won a title.
Encouraging also is that Mencl is already thinking of himself as the leader and peer recruiter for the 2027 class of the Ducks. Asked about the priorities at receiver, he told the broadcast crew from 247Sports, “We want Dakota Guerrant. We want Xavier Sabb. We want Blake Wong. We want Bode Sparrow. In the 2028 class, we really want Braylon Clark.. just to name a few. We’re definitely on more guys. Those are, from what I’ve communicated, at the top of our board.”
The 247 crew asked him why he chose the Ducks. "At the end of the day it came down to wanting to play in the NFL. That's been my dream since I was a little kid. When you play with a bunch of first round picks around you it doesn't hurt."
"The scheme was a big piece of it and also, the relationships. I love that staff on the field but off the field as people."
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