Texas 4-star QB commit K.J. Lacey earns Elite 11 Finals invitation

Texas struck early in the 2025 class when it came to quarterback recruiting by landing Saraland (Ala.) four-star passer K.J. Lacey.

The 5-foot-11, 165-pounder has been considered one of the best in his class for some time now, and he continues to rack up honors to back that up.

On Sunday, Lacey received his invitation to the prestigious event after competing in the Elite 11 Regionals in Austin. He was joined by Oklahoma four-star quarterback commit Kevin Sperry and SMU four-star pledge Keelon Russell as well in earning invites.

FULL ELITE 11 FINALS ROSTER

There are few higher honors for high school quarterbacks than being invited to the Elite 11 Finals. The event, which will celebrate its 25th year in 2024, brings together the country’s elite signal-callers for three days of competition and training in Los Angeles.

Elite 11 alumni include Carson Palmer, Andrew Luck, Matthew Stafford, Tim Tebow, and more recently Trevor Lawrence, C.J. Stroud, Bryce Young and more. Last year’s Elite 11 Finals featured more than a dozen of the top 20 quarterbacks in the final On3 Industry Rankings, including each of the top five players at the position.

Current Longhorns quarterback Quinn Ewers participated in the Elite 11 Finals in 2021.

Lacey looking to build an elite class around him

Lacey has been pledged to Texas since June, though other schools remain in pursuit. He told InsideTexas.com that Auburn, Ole Miss, and Oregon as three schools that have continued to recruit him after his commitment.

With the Longhorns, Lacey said he still feels great about his pledge and that Texas is “where I want to be at and that’s where I’m going.” He’s set for an official visit the third weekend in June to the Forty Acres, his only trip planned at this time.

“Just knowing that Texas is going uphill from here,” Lacey said. “Just knowing as soon as I get here, I’m going to be developed to be my best self until I get to the next level after that. I’m going to have my teammates around me, the class is going to get built up, and with the people that are going to be there before and I after I get here is going to keep it going uphill.”

As the centerpiece of the Longhorns’ class, he is looking to add some major playmakers around him as well.

“Marcus (Harris), Jordon (Davison), all the Mater Dei guys always hit me up about that,” Lacey said of who he’s attempting to bring with him. “A couple out of Florida, Jaime Ffrench. He’s recently hopped on. He got the offer, been talking to him a lot. Trying to get him on the 7-on-7 team I’m with so we can have it go on from there.”

As a junior last fall, Lacey led Saraland to a 14-1 record as a junior and an Alabama 6A runner-up finish. On the season, he completed 219 of 315 passes for 3,448 yards with 42 touchdowns, eight interceptions and five more rushing scores.