4-star QB Matt Ponatoski lands Elite 11 Finals invite

Cincinnati Archbishop Moeller four-star quarterback Matt Ponatoski is the latest to land an invitation to the Elite 11 Finals.

It was announced on Tuesday that the 6-foot-2, 190-pounder is headed to Los Angeles to compete in the top-notch showcase, which will take place from June 17-19. He will compete alongside a slew of other blue-chip QBs in the 2026 cycle. Ponatoski is the 14th finalist for this year’s event.

There are few higher honors for prep quarterbacks than being invited to the event, which will celebrate its 26th year in 2025. It bring together 20 of the country’s best quarterbacks for three days, ultimately ending with an MVP and 10 other ‘finalists’ being named.

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

Ponatoski joins Tennessee commit Faizon Brandon, Houston commit Keisean Henderson, Texas commit Dia Bell, USC pledge Jonas Williams, Miami verbal Dereon Coleman, Iowa State’s Jett Thomalla, Louisville commit Briggs Cherry, Texas A&M commit Helaman Casuga, Washington pledge Derek Zammit, Arizona State verbal Jake Fette, uncommitted four-star Landon Duckworth, Boise State commit Bryson Beaver and Florida pledge Will Griffin.

Ponatoski is an elite two-sport prospect

As a junior Ponatoski led Moeller to the Ohio state championship game. He threw for over 4,000 yards and 56 touchdowns to just three interceptions. He emerged as a baseball recruit in the eighth grade and now all of his opportunities are in both sports.

His process has had a local flavor to this point, but big-time offers continue to roll in. Alabama and Oregon are two of his latest, while the likes of Michigan and Texas A&M have also offered. Kentucky, Arkansas and Wake Forest are among those keeping communication.

“I think I’m pretty raw,” Ponatoski recently told On3. “I don’t really work with anybody, so I think there’s a lot of improvement that can be done. And, you know, just trying to balance. You know, throwing the baseball and throwing the football is kind of why I feel like the development is still raw, just because I can’t throw as much as I want to. But I think there’s a lot of room for growth.”

Ponatoski is the No. 312 overall prospect and No. 22 QB in the 2026 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. On3 ranks him as the No. 101 recruit and No. 9 signal-caller overall.