Interview: 5-Star 2018 QB Tanner McKee Covers Five Visits with Fall Camp Update

Written by Ryan Wright

Twitter: @RyanWrightRNG

Recruiting rankings are often what one makes of them, but for every miss on a “top recruit” there is the proverbial hammer on the head of a nail when the number of stars granted lines up with talent and ability. Over the summer months, Class of 2018 dual-threat quarterback Tanner McKee “earned” his fifth star officially taking a well-deserved spot among the best players in the nation. Now college coaches are sprinting to Corona (CA) in hopes of landing the field general.

McKee is a wizard in the pocket capable of dissecting a defense with precision accuracy or bewildering with his speed and mobility out of the pocket. His junior season ended hitting 73 percent of his passes connecting on 203-of-280 pass attempts for 3,522 yards with 36 touchdowns. On the ground, the California prospect covered 539 yards off 63 carries posting 15 more touchdowns on the scoreboard.

While some stats for players can easily be padded, McKee’s were not. Centennial High School was among the best in the country during the 2016 season going 11-2 ending the year as MaxPrep’s No. 8 team in the country. The two games the Huskies lost came by a combined total of three points to IMG Academy (50-49) and St. John Bosco (49-47). IMG Academy (Bradenton, FL) ended the season ranked No. 4 with an 11-0 record and St. John Bosco (Bellflower) finished 13-2 slotted as the second-best team in the country winning the California state championship after downing De La Salle 56-33.

The talents of the 6-6, 220 pound, difference-maker has not been lost on college scouts. McKee has 23 reported offers but actually has more, as mentioned within the Q&A interview. The impressive list includes Alabama, Utah, Colorado, BYU, Hawaii, Georgia, Louisville, Virginia Tech, Oregon State, Duke, Texas, UCLA, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, Purdue, Houston, Arizona State, Texas A&M, and North Carolina.

While McKee is racing through his senior season with high expectations for his preseason No. 7 nationally ranked Huskies’ squad (MaxPreps), for now, five college programs will be racing behind the scenes on the recruiting trail trying to land him. With official visit dates tentatively set to five schools, McKee appears to have a top list coming into form. In a Recruiting News Guru exclusive interview, I sat down with McKee getting insight on the Huskies’ fall camp and a rundown of his five official visits.

Interview

Tanner, how have your workouts gone this summer?

“Great. We have a ton of guys working hard. I’m very excited to see the hard work payoff.”

What have you been working on to fine-tune your game this offseason?

“I’m getting my timing down with the new receivers. I’m seeing what our receivers have to offer, making my decisions faster, and becoming a better leader and a better quarterback.”

Have you been working on anything with your mechanics?

“Not really. If anything, quicker feet and getting set faster.”

Did you go to any college camps this summer?

“I went to a Junior Day thing at Stanford. I threw for about an hour there. It was not a camp-camp but more hanging out with the coaches and getting to know them better.”

Are there any schools that are showing interest but have not offered?

“I have talked to Notre Dame a little and USC wants me to visit. Those are the two main schools off the top of my head.”

How many offers do you have now?

“I think I have 25 or 26. I’m not sure.”

Stanford was one of your more recent offers (July 29), how did the Cardinal staff offer you?

“I received the offer when we went up for the Junior Day. That was really cool. They basically said first thing first, we are offering you a full-ride scholarship. Today is a stress free day. Don’t worry about your throws or being perfect. Today, we want to get to know you better. That was good for me.”

What was your reaction when they offered you?

“I was super excited. Stanford has always been a dream school of mine.”

Since you have so many offers, do you have a commitment date in mind?

“Not an exact date. I will commit sometime after the season.”

Is there a reason why you want to wait until then?

“I want to see how some teams do during the season. I don’t feel rushed to commit right now.”

Have you set your official visit dates yet?

“I have set all five official visits. My official visits are with Texas, Washington, Stanford, BYU (last week before signing day), and Alabama (LSU game). I don’t know the dates for the others yet.”

Based off what you shared, you are signing in February not during the early period.

“Yes. I am signing in February.”

When you take your official visits, what will you look for and what will factor into your final decision?

“Academics and the network of the school is huge for me. During the visit, I want to see how well I interact with the players and the coaches. I want to see what it is like when I am there.”

Turning to Centennial’s 2017 season, how is fall practice going so far?

“We started two weeks ago. I think we look great. We have a bunch of guys that work hard and we are all coming together as a team.”

You mentioned getting your timing down with your receivers earlier, how have you worked to create that bond with your receivers?

“We’ve been putting in extra time. During the weekends, I go throw with them. We hang out at school which is helping build that chemistry needed. Coach (Matt) Logan (head coach) does a great job getting extra reps in at practice for us.”

Centennial once again has a challenging schedule playing IMG Academy in San Diego (Honor Bowl), Narbonne, and local rivals Corona and Norco. Are there any games you are excited to play above the others?

“We are taking it one game at a time. I’m preparing for each game like it is any other game. I am excited for IMG and hopefully we will see St. John Bosco in the playoffs this year.”

Have you set any personal goals for the season beyond winning league or a state title?

“Just to be a better player and better leader than last year. I have nothing stat wise set.”

Tanner, thank you for your time today and good luck with the upcoming season.

“Thank you.”

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Photo credit: recruitingnewsguru.com; Tanner McKee at the Elite 11

Photo credit: McKee family; Tanner McKee with Stanford head coach David Shaw

Photo credit: McKee family; Tanner McKee with Stanford coaching staff