Across the entire national landscape of high school football, there are few programs, if any, that have seen more talent come through across the last decade-plus than the IMG Academy Ascenders.
Based out of Bradenton, Florida, IMG Academy has been home to some of the greatest high school football teams in recent memory, and a big reason as to why is their talent.
A program known across the country, IMG Academy sees many of the nation’s top recruits transfer into the program annually just to suit up for the IMG’s national team, which plays teams from all across the country. Even with the challenging level of competition, they rarely lose more than one game a season.
The Ascenders have had numerous top names take the field at all positions, but one position that sticks out is quarterback.
IMG has seen some of the nation’s top QB recruits, along with some other names who quickly rose up the recruiting ranks based on their performances with the Ascenders.
Let’s take a look back at the overall history of the IMG Academy program, and, based on a combination of on-field performances, team success, and prospect rankings, rank the nine greatest quarterbacks to ever take snaps under center for the Ascenders.
(Note: Recruiting rankings mentioned are according to the 247Sports Composite.)
9. DJ Boney, Class of 2021
Stats (across 10 games):
-
57.3% completion percentage
-
933 yards passing
-
9-1 TD-INT ratio
-
57 carries
-
273 yards rushing
-
4 TDs rushing
Team Record: 9-1 overall
Offensive PPG: 36.1
As a junior, DJ Boney helped lead the IMG Academy offense in 2019 to an average of 36.1 points per game and a 9-1 record. Boney completed 57.3% of passes for 933 yards with a touchdown-to-interception ratio of 9-to-1, and he rushed for 273 yards and four more scores across 10 games.
He was an unranked prospect at the time.
After his junior season, Boney did not suit up for the Ascenders as a senior. He went on to play collegiately at both Eastern Kentucky and Florida A&M.
8. Michael O’Connor, Class of 2014
Stats (across 10 games):
-
54.1% completion percentage
-
1,804 yards passing
-
18-5 TD-INT ratio
-
7 carries
-
26 yards rushing
-
2 TDs rushing
Team Record: 8-2 overall
Offensive PPG: 31.7
Michael O’Connor was IMG Academy’s first starting quarterback during their inaugural season in 2013.
O’Connor, a senior at the time, led the Ascenders to an 8-2 overall record and an average of 31.7 PPG offensively. Rated as a four-star prospect, O’Connor completed 54.1% of passes for 1,804 yards and a touchdown-to-interception ratio of 18-to-5 across 10 games. He also rushed for two scores.
After departing the program, O’Connor went on to play collegiately at both Penn State and the University of British Columbia in Canada before playing professionally in the Canadian Football League.
7. Deondre Francois, Class of 2015
Stats (across 11 games):
-
56% completion percentage
-
1,488 yards passing
-
18-4 TD-INT ratio
-
46 carries
-
281 yards rushing
-
2 TDs rushing
Team Record: 10-1 overall
Offensive PPG: 43.5
Deondre Francois, who was rated as a four-star prospect and as the No. 3 pro-style quarterback in the 2015 class, transferred to IMG Academy prior to his senior football season in 2014.
That season, Francois led the Ascenders to a 10-1 overall record and an average of 43.5 PPG offensively. He completed 56% of passes for 1,488 yards and a touchdown-to-interception ratio of 18-to-4 over 11 games. He also rushed for two more scores.
Francois went on to play collegiately at both Florida State and Howard. He made multiple stops in his professional football career, including in the United Football League.
6. Ty Hawkins, Class of 2025
Stats (across 8 games):
-
63.8% completion percentage
-
1,061 yards passing
-
10-2 TD-INT ratio
-
53 carries
-
348 yards rushing
-
5 TDs rushing
Team Record: 7-2 overall
Offensive PPG: 29.7
The most recent starting quarterback for the Ascenders, Ty Hawkins transferred to IMG Academy for his senior football season this past fall. He ranked as a four-star prospect in the 2025 cycle.
Hawkins helped lead the Ascenders to a 7-2 record and an average of 29.7 PPG offensively. He completed 63.8% of passes for 1,061 yards and a touchdown-to-interception ratio of 10-to-2 across eight games. He also rushed for five more scores.
Having now left IMG, Hawkins is set to take the field collegiately this upcoming season at Southern Methodist University.
5. AJ Duffy, Class of 2022
Team Record: 9-1 overall
Offensive PPG: 43.1
AJ Duffy transferred to IMG Academy prior to his senior football season in 2021. He was ranked as the nation’s No. 176 overall prospect and No. 11 quarterback in the 2022 cycle.
A four-star prospect, Duffy helped lead the Ascenders to a 9-1 overall record and an average of 43.1 PPG offensively.
Since departing the Ascenders program, Duffy has seen stops collegiately at both Florida State and San Diego State.
4. Shea Patterson, Class of 2016
Stats (across 8 games):
-
60.5% completion percentage
-
1,533 yards passing
-
18-4 TD-INT ratio
-
29 carries
-
217 yards rushing
-
3 TDs rushing
Team Record: 9-0 overall
Offensive PPG: 37.7
Considered the nation’s No. 3 overall prospect and No. 1 quarterback in the 2016 class, Shea Patterson transferred to IMG Academy for his senior football season in 2015, a move that made the five-star one of the highest-rated recruits to ever play for the Ascenders.
In 2015, Patterson led IMG to an undefeated 9-0 record and an average of 37.7 PPG offensively. He completed 60.5% of passes for 1,533 yards with a touchdown-to-interception ratio of 18-to-4, and he rushed for three more scores.
After IMG, Patterson went on to play collegiately at both Ole Miss and Michigan before playing professionally in multiple spots, most notably the CFL.
3. J.J. McCarthy, Class of 2021
Stats (across 6 games):
-
58% completion percentage
-
1,440 yards passing
-
16-0 TD-INT ratio
-
13 carries
-
104 yards rushing
-
1 TD rushing
Team Record: 9-0 overall
Offensive PPG: 47.8
Rated as a five-star prospect, J.J. McCarthy transferred to IMG Academy for his senior football season in 2020. He was ranked as the nation’s No. 25 overall player and No. 5 quarterback.
Leading the Ascenders to an undefeated 9-0 record and an average of 47.8 PPG offensively, McCarthy certainly impressed as well, completing 58% of passes for 1,440 yards and a touchdown-to-interception ratio of 16-to-0 across six games.
After leaving IMG, McCarthy became a multi-year starter at Michigan, where he won a national championship in 2023. He is currently in the NFL after being selected in the first round of the 2024 draft by the Minnesota Vikings.
2. Jayden Bradford, Class of 2024
Stats (across 18 games):
-
68% completion percentage
-
2,504 yards passing
-
37-2 TD-INT ratio
-
65 carries
-
186 yards rushing
-
2 TDs rushing
Team Record: 18-1
Offensive PPG: 41.3
While he’s not the highest-ranked football recruit on this list, Jayden Bradford was a productive starter for IMG Academy. Rated as a three-star prospect in the 2024 class, he transferred into the Ascenders program for his junior and senior seasons.
A two-year starter at IMG, Bradford led the Ascenders to a combined 18-1 record and an average of 41.3 PPG offensively during the 2022-23 seasons by completing 68% of passes for 2,504 yards and a touchdown-to-interception ratio of 37-to-2.
Bradford is currently entering his second season collegiately at Liberty University.
1. Kellen Mond, Class of 2017
Stats (across 10 games):
-
55.6% completion percentage
-
1,803 yards passing
-
19-3 TD-INT ratio
-
135 carries
-
757 yards rushing
-
17 TDs rushing
Team Record: 11-0 overall
Offensive PPG: 36.5
Transferring to IMG Academy for his senior football season, Kellen Mond was considered a four-star prospect in the 2017 class.
He posted one of the greatest seasons the Ascenders have ever seen from the quarterback position. Over 10 games, Mond completed 55.6% of passes for 1,803 yards and a touchdown-to-interception ratio of 19-to-3. He also rushed for 757 yards and 17 touchdowns on 135 attempts.
Mond went on to have a successful collegiate career at Texas A&M, where he was a multi-year starter for the Aggies, and he was a third-round pick in the 2021 NFL draft.
