Top Houston Area QB/WR Duos (pt.1)

By: Nick Gradney (National Scout) @StatZ_G

Texas is arguably the best football state in the country. Due to its population, talent and atmosphere, it takes Friday nights to a whole new level. Within the lone star, there’s Houston – the biggest city in the state. The talent there have immensely dominated the college ranks. H-Town is filled with great, young football players at every position, perhaps none better than quarterback and wide receiver. Putting together this list was fun but also a brain wreck trying to come up with the best pairings the city has to offer. They are so good, I had to break this down into two parts. Here’s a look at part one….

North Shore Mustangs

2025 prospect Kaleb Bailey (@unexpectedkb9) is what you would consider a household name in Texas High School Football and many believe he’s the best quarterback in the Houston area. He led powerhouse North Shore to a state title as a freshman in 2021 against Duncanville. He’s a chiseled athlete that displays instinctive awareness, solid mechanics, improved accuracy and have one of the best deep balls in the game. Coming off of his best season statistically with 3600+ passing yards and 52 total scores, Bailey is primed for another deep postseason run with the Mustangs. Many will say newly acquired four-star wideout Quanell X Farrakhan Jr is his top target now, however, 25′ wide receiver Deion DeBlanc (@D3blanc) is the guy he built a bond with last season. DeBlanc is a division 1 prospect himself and he’s a real speed demon. He didn’t “wow” the world with his numbers due to the ball being spread around to other guys, but the talent is undeniable. Although they came up short in the state championship last season, Kaleb and Deion connected on one of the biggest highlight plays of the game. The tape says it all. Expect a breakout year from DeBlanc with Bailey under center. 

Fort Bend Marshall Buffalo’s 

2026 quarterback Kaeden “KK” Johnson (@KaedenJohnson16) and recent Kentucky Wildcat commit Ja’Kayden Ferguson (@jakayden_) definitely cracks the list of best duos in Houston. Johnson split time under center during his sophomore year but that won’t be the case in 2024. He stands 6’6 and weigh in at 220 lbs, which is worthy of at least a look. This kid have a strong arm and great mobility for a player his size. The expectation for Johnson is very high going into 2024 and he have an elite receiver in Ja’Kayden Ferguson to help him put up superb numbers. Ferguson is recognized as one of the best players at his position in the city. He can turn any 50/50 ball to 80/20 with his athleticism and ability to high point the football. The Wildcat pledge caught my attention during a game against Lake Creek in the playoffs in 2022. I went to see Ja’Koby Banks but I stayed for Ja’Kayden. He was only a sophomore then and have only been elevating ever since. He even picked up an offer from LSU to play defensive back so that speaks to his versatility and toughness. This upcoming will come with championship or bust expectations with this current Fort Bend Marshall roster and these two young stars will play a huge role in how their season play out.

KIPP Sunnyside Senators

Quarterback Timonthy Carter Jr (@sh0wtime_doodie) and wide receiver Rodney “Uno” Wilson Jr (@RodneyUnoWilson) are two of the most underrated prospects in the 2026 class. Carter Jr is a well put together athlete who is just a natural football player. He can play multiple positions on both sides of the ball. I have no doubt this young, rising star can stand next to most of the top recruited athletes in the city and hold his own. Timonthy have impressed college coaches at camps and visits so it is only a matter of time before he receives his first offer. Making something out of nothing is his specialty. His nickname is “Showtime” and his film shows just why. In 2023, Timonthy passed for 3,121 yards and 57 total touchdowns. A dozen of those went to standout Rodney Wilson Jr – a long arm, rangy, playmaker who can break open a game at any given moment. During his sophomore campaign, he had 828 yards as the 2nd leading receiver. This kid plays bigger than he looks. His quarterback, coaches and teammates all lean on him when in need of a big play and Uno delivers every time. The chemistry between the two is unmatched. Recently, they’ve been lighting up the 7v7 circuit. With Wilson’s diverse route running and Carter’s ability to extend plays with his legs while keeping his eyes down field, it’s always a tough cover for any defense. Both players saw an increase in production from their freshman to sophomore seasons. As they are entering their third year together with plenty of upside, they already have a state championship to show for it. However, they don’t attend one of the big name schools in the Houston area but they are putting KIPP Sunnyside on the map. This scary part is that this dynamic duo still have a couple of years left to terrorize TCSAAL.

Ridge Point Panthers

Ridge Point can arguably say their the best school in the Fort Bend district. A big reason as to why that may be true is because of the play of Houston quarterback commit Austin Carlisle (@AustinCarlisle_) and TCU wide receiver commit Dane Jones (@iamdanejones_). I’m not sure there’s a more slippery QB in the city than Austin Carlisle. There’s been times where the play seems dead but he turns it into a positive gain with his legs. He had 600 yards on the ground last season but what makes him the complete package is his willingness to stand in the pocket and deliver strikes. Carlisle will have a clear-cut new number one option in TCU commit Dane Jones after the departures of Ashton Bethel-Roman and Mason Dossett. Jones is a deep threat with a quick release and the fluidity in his route running is to be admired. He’s a well polished receiver who gives defensive backs nightmares when they see #4 line up in front of them. After accumulating over 800 yards and 13 touchdowns as the WR3 sometimes, his numbers could skyrocket in his senior year. Dane Jones and Austin Carlisle have great chemistry that will only get more dangerous. These two dynamic talents will make plenty of noise in 6A and are expected to have a nice run in the postseason.

Shadow Creek Sharks

Transferring from Hightower to Shadow Creek is 25′ quarterback Joseph “Jojo” Stewart (@JosephStewartJ2). He joins the Sharks as a former district MVP. He’s an incredible athlete who can dominate on the ground and through the air. Stewart should have his best season statistically under new head coach Tyrone Green. This kid is electrifying and the scary part is he’s just scratching the surface of how good he can be. He’s an underrated player in his class and I’m not sure why because he have great intangibles and he’s a winner. With Stewart under center, four star recruit Jacorey Watson (@jacoreywatson1) can go back to playing wide receiver full time. Watson played quarterback for Shadow Creek last season prior to his season ending injury where he accounted for a huge portion of the Sharks offense. However, he’s a naturally gifted wideout who have elite hands, quick twitch, strong lower and upper body strength and makes some of the toughest catch that you’ll see. Having someone like Joseph Stewart throwing him the ball, Watson numbers could spike and he may also see a ranking boost. Jacorey recently committed to Baylor University over the likes of Oregon, Michigan, LSU and others. This 2024 Shadow Creek offense looks as explosive of an offense that’d ever had in their short history. Both Jojo and Jacorey will be must-see on Friday nights.

Grand Oaks Grizzlies

2026 rising star quarterback Grant Smith (@grantsmithtexas) is a name to get familiar with. This kid is rapidly growing, adding 3 inches and 40 pounds since the end of his freshman season. One thing that goes without question is that he looks the part – but more importantly, his talent is undeniable. Smith saw time as a freshman before becoming a full time starter last year. In his upcoming junior year, he looks to take a leap that will put his name in different conversations. The work ethic and development of Grant Smith is admirable. Watching the 26′ standout throw is a thing of beauty. It really looks like the ball is on a string. Smith shows great poise, have a natural pocket presence and reads the field like a vet. Grant Smith have already garnered offers from Texas A&M, Arkansas, TCU, Houston, Cal and others. However, he’s not throwing to himself. Perhaps the best tight end in the Houston area, Ty Rupe (@_TyRupe) is ready for a breakout senior campaign. Rupe only appeared in 1 game in 2023 due to a severe injury. He’s a huge target at 6’7 and 245 pounds. Rupe isn’t afraid to go across the middle to make catches in traffic. I’m not sure who braces themselves for contact more, Ty or the defender. Before choosing to commit to UTSA, he earned other offers from schools such as Colorado, Texas Tech, Mississippi State, Nebraska and more. It’ll be very interesting to see this duo fully healthy and more experienced this year. The potential is through the roof and they’re expected to put up big time stats that equate to winning football at Grand Oaks.