Kentucky QB target Matt Ponatoski receives invite to Elite 11

Moeller Crusaders Matt Ponatoski (7) looks to throw in the first half of a second-round Division I OHSAA high school football game against the St. Xavier Bombers, Friday, Nov. 3, 2023, at St. Xavier High School s RDI Field in Cincinnati. | © Kareem Elgazzar/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Elite 11 is a national quarterback competition that sets out to find the top quarterback in high school football. A Kentucky target has received an invite to the finals after the regional camp circuit recently finished.

Cincinnati (Ohio) Moeller quarterback Matt Ponatoski will head to Los Angeles from June 17-19 to compete for the Elite 11 title. Ponatoski is the 14th player to receive an invite. Previous Elite 11 winners include Jackson Arnold, Caleb Williams, C.J. Stroud, Spencer Rattler, Justin Fields, and Tua Tagovailoa.

.@mattponatoski » 2025 Elite 11 Finalist 🎯 pic.twitter.com/XkmRe7yFjS
— Elite11 (@Elite11) May 20, 2025

Matt Ponatoski led Moeller to a state championship as a junior in a year where he threw for over 4,000 yards and 56 touchdowns. The class of 2026 prospect is also a high-end baseball recruit who could sign to play with numerous SEC schools. There is also some serious competition brewing on the football side on a player who could double-dip in between the white line and on the diamond at the next level.

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Ponatoski visited Kentucky last summer for a camp and delivered an excellent passing performance. The four-star quarterback has been on UK’s radar ever since. Alabama and Oregon recently issued scholarship offers to the quarterback. Arkansas, Texas A&M, Wake Forest, Georgia Tech, Mississippi State, and Duke are also involved. With his baseball schedule, Ponatoski has not spent a ton of time throwing the football in the offseason and that makes his performance at a recent Elite 11 regional camp in State College even more impressive.

The plan is for Matt Ponatoski to play both sports in college. Kentucky baseball hosted the prospect for an official visit in the spring. Ponatoski made a stop at the Joe Craft Football Training Facility during that time to spend some time with the Kentucky football staff.

UK is in the hunt for one of the best quarterbacks in high school football.

Elite 11 Finals Roster

Player	Ranking	High School	Recruitment Status
Dia Bell	5-star (No. 10 overall)	Plantation (Fla.) American Heritage	Committed to Texas
Faizon Brandon	5-star (No. 12 overall)	Greensboro (N.C.) Grimsley	Committed to Tennessee
Keisean Henderson	5-star (No. 16 overall)	Spring (Texas) Legacy	Committed to Houston
Landon Duckworth	4-star (No. 61 overall)	Jackson (Ala.) High	Uncommitted
Jonas Williams	4-star (No. 89 overall)	Frankfort (Ill.) Lincoln-Way East	Committed to USC
Jake Fette	4-star (No. 110 overall)	Del Valle (Texas) High	Committed to Arizona State
Dereon Coleman	4-star (No. 208 overall)	Orlando (Fla.) Jones	Committed to Miami
Jett Thomalla	4-Star (No. 215 overall)	Omaha (Neb.) Millard South	Committed to Iowa State
Helaman Casuga	4-star (No. 222 overall)	Draper (Utah) Corner Canyon	Committed to Texas A&M
Will Griffin	4-star (No. 257 overall)	Tampa (Fla.) Jesuit	Committed to Florida
Matt Ponatoski	4-star (No. 312 overall)	Cincinnati (Ohio) Moeller	Uncommitted
Briggs Cherry	High 3-star (No. 458 overall)	Chattanooga (Tenn.) Baylor School	Committed to Louisville
Derek Zammit	High 3-star (No. 499 overall)	Wayne (N.J.) DePaul Catholic	Committed to Washington
Terry Walker III	3-star (No. 771)	Fishers (Ind.) Hamilton Southeastern	Committed to Duke
Bryson Beaver	3-star (No. 976 overall)	Murrieta (Calif.) Vista Murrieta	Committed to Boise State