Florida QB loves Iowa's O

Pro-style quarterback, meet pro-style offense.

St. Thomas Aquinas quarterback Jake Rudock sees himself as a pro-style quarterback. Iowa is a pro-style offense. Seeing that match, Rudock, a 6-3, 185-pounder, committed to the Hawkeyes on Wednesday.

"I am going to the University of Iowa," Rudock told the Miami Herald. "Great program, tremendous coaching staff and a chance to play on a team that fits exactly what I do."

St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) is one of the top prep programs in the country. It's in the national title hunt year in and year out. It'll open the season against Dallas' Skyline High at Cowboys Stadium.

Before Rudock, Aquinas ran a spread offense with veer-option quarterbacks. They changed to play to Rudock's strengths.

"We've built it around him a little bit because of his size and his style of play," said Aquinas quarterbacks coach Dave Bilitier. "He's comfortable in the pocket with a really good arm."

Rudock picked the Hawkeyes over Wisconsin, Colorado and Illinois. Memphis and Minnesota also offered. Wisconsin was the real competition here.

Bilitier said Rudock's strength is his decision making and coachability. A lot of Aquinas' passing game is built with the help of a wide receivers coach you might've heard of. His name is Cris Carter. Yes, that Cris Carter, of the Minnesota Vikings and NFL fame.

"Our offense likes to try to keep people off balance with quick decisions," Bilitier said. "A lot of the patterns were put in by Cris Carter. A lot of them are deep patterns put in by Division I or NFL teams. Some are quick one-step passes, but some are out of shotgun with a three-step drop and are deep, developing patterns."

Bilitier also praised his quarterback's vision, seeing plays before they're there.

"It's not just how hard or far you can throw it," Bilitier said. "He anticipates the patterns. He anticipates when they're going to be open. He doesn't wait for them to be sitting in a curl pattern or sitting in an out. He anticipates the pattern pretty well."

Aquinas has 57 players on scholarships in FBS programs right now, Bilitier estimated.

Those numbers include quarterbacks Wesley Carroll (Mississippi State) and Ryan Becker, who is the No. 2 quarterback at Florida State after walking on.

After coming off a national championship in 2008, Rudock guided the Raiders to a 13-1 record in '09, throwing for 1,945 yards and 34 touchdowns.

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Jake Rudock, 6-3, 185, QB, St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.)

John Raymon, 6-5, 240, DE, Council Rock North High School (New Town, Penn.)

Ray Hamilton, 6-5, 225, TE, Strongsville (Ohio) High School

Austin Vincent, 6-2, 170, WR, DeSoto (Texas) High School

Henry Krieger-Coble, 6-4, 220, TE, Mount Pleasant High School

Austin Blythe, 6-3, 280, OL, Williamsburg High School

Marcus Grant, 6-2, 190, WR Lawrence Academy (Groton, Mass.)

JaCorey Shepherd, 5-11, 170, WR, Horn High School (Mesquite, Texas)

Here are several Jake Rudock videos (it's sooo easy to find stuff on kids who play for one of the top prep programs in the country):