San Diego Scripps Ranch quarterback Tate Forcier, a PrepStar Dream Team All-American, may be the hotest prospect in the country in the Class of 2009. Tate, who has turned out stunning performances in every camp he has visited over the past year, has reportedly put together a short list that includes Arizona State, Florida, Michigan, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oregon, Penn State, Stanford, Texas A&M, and Washington State.

Recent reliable reports from folks at Scripps Ranch have Baylor, Duke, Brigham Young, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Tennessee, Wake Forest, UNLV, and Virginia falling by the wayside. Why? Tate is paring down his short list to more workable size.

The lists are impressive, but so is the list of recruiters who are in hot pursuit. Van Malone and Tom Rossley, from Texas A&M are just two of the top-notch recruiters in the hunt. Oregon's Chip Kelly and John Neal are an outstanding pair from the PAC-10, while Jay Paterno and Kermit Sugggs, from Penn State, are Big Ten standouts.

The point is that Tate is drawing serious interest from many of the best programs in the country. He has earned the intense interest on the field and through a long list of visits from across the country.

Tate isn't the biggest quarterback prospect in the country, at 6-0, nearly 6-1, and 185 pounds, but he is growing. Some suggest that he will wind up at 6-2, perhaps taller. He has good speed, 4.55 seconds. Athletic, he has a thirty-five inch vertical jump.

Forcier is a very good student with a 3.3 grade point average.

Tate's numbers are behind the interest As a sophomore, Tate carried the ball 73 times for 533 yards ans six touchdowns. As a passer he completed 157 of 221 passes, a 71 percent rate, 1,637 yards, seventeen touchdowns and only four interceptions. He had a 4.25 to one touchdowns to interception ratio.

Outstanding as a sophomore, but spectacular as a junior. Tate completed 164 of 213 passes, a whopping 77 percent, 2,387 yards, twenty-one touchdowns and only five interceptions. His touchowns to interception ratio was 4.2 to one.

The competion percentages and TD to interception ratios are as good or better than any in the country this year.

All of these impressive numbers go to his ability to see the field well, understand what he is seeing, and to make sound decisions. He is an exceptionally accurate passer.

Tate turned up with his entire family at an unofficial visit to Wisconsin last summer wearing Badger cardinal and white clothing. Showing off, he started throwing the ball through the goalposts from the fifty-yard line. Not bad for a high school junior!

Forcier has all of the tools and is drawing legitimate interest from every program in the country. There doesn't appear to be a leader, but more on that in a week or two.