'He’s a pro in every aspect': The photographic memory and elite drive of the Rivals300's new No. 1 QB

The Rivals300 updated on Monday and one of the biggest risers is the newly-minted No. 1 quarterback in the country, now stamped a five-star in Will Mencl out of Chandler (Ariz.).

The 6-foot-4, 205-pound Mencl is coming off a junior season where he completed over 70 percent of his passes for 3,815 yards and 33 touchdowns to just five interceptions. He added another 741 yards rushing and 17 more scores.

Oregon is considered the favorite for the Rivals300’s No. 4 prospect overall. Auburn, Miami and Penn State are a few other programs Mencl is very high on.

“I think his football IQ is super high and a lot of that is how he prepares himself day in and day out,” Chandler head coach Ty Wisdom said. This past fall was Wisdom’s first with the program after leading Omaha (Neb.) Millard South to a state title the season prior with Alabama 2026 five-star quarterback signee Jett Thomalla under center.

“He’s a pro in every aspect as far as his preparation and leadership skills and his on-the-field play speaks for itself.”

Mencl has always been incredibly prepared in anything that he does, including winning arguments with his parents.

“He’s almost got a photographic memory,” his father Dave stated. “He can recap things he’s seen once from a long time ago and he loves to prove me wrong all the time while doing it. Plays and coverages, once he gets it, it seems like he’s got it forever.

“There’s been times we’ll be in an argument and he pulls out a piece of paper or he likes to have recordings and be like, ‘I told you.’

“He’s very detailed in what he does.”

And while Mencl boasts a 4.1 GPA, football is where he’s the most dedicated and precise.

“One specific time I remember my dad sitting on the couch in seventh grade and I asked him to go out and catch for me,” Mencl said. “When he said ‘no’, I had video of him saying he’ll catch for me whenever I wanted. We had to go out and get some work in.

“I’ve been doing that since I was little.”

Mencl’s recall obviously helps on the gridiron.

“Memorizing playbooks, getting on the white board, install, getting up there and regurgitating has helped me a lot.”

It all came together this past fall. Mencl tripled his production from sophomore to junior year.

“The biggest strides were mentally,” he said. “That was biggest step in my game. Especially being with Coach Wis. We met for an hour and a half every single day during lunch time. We talked about what we liked and didn’t like for that week’s game plan. Being honest, if I didn’t like plays, taking it out of the script. I have 100 percent trust in him and he gave me the green light to check out of anything I wanted to. On the field I was more confident.”

“He just does a tremendous job leading with our younger kids,” Wisdom said. “He’s one of those that hasn’t let the limelight get too big. He’s the ultimate team guy that is always going to put the team before himself. As a coach you can’t ask for more than that. He’s the guy that can win over the locker room.”

Mencl has all the tangibles coveted at the position.

“The thing people underestimate is his laser 40-time is a high 4.7s,” Wisdom said. “He can run. We didn’t really run him intentionally till the quarterfinal this year. He’s 6-4, 205 and he does bring that aspect to it. To me he’s definitely a dual-threat guy. He can sit in the pocket and make every throw you want but he can also turn down and run the ball. I expect him to add another 10 pounds of muscle and be 215 when he comes out in August and is playing.”

Mencl’s mom works in the travel industry and her career has taken the family to the football-loving states of Texas, where he attended elementary school, and Florida, where he played in middle school. Mencl threw for 540 yards and seven touchdowns as an eighth grader in a high school JV game.

“He’s played lacrosse, baseball, basketball; he’d play anything and he was always the best player on the team,” Dave said. “He’s worked hard.”

The Mencl family moved to Arizona after that eighth grade season and, in a blink of an eye, he’s now preparing to play his senior season before the next chapter. A college decision is expected in the spring and Mencl is in the process of lining up trips to his top four. 

Oregon has a lot of things Mencl is looking for.

“The culture is the biggest thing with Oregon,” Mencl said. “Dan Lanning runs a really tight ship with what he believes and a standard he holds players to.

“My relationship with Coach Koa (Ka’ai), the quarterback coach, started off when I wasn’t the high recruit I am now. Being able to sit down with him the first time I was there helped push me over the edge mentally and be able to grow into the player I am now.”

A Navy All-American, Mencl loves the structure within the Oregon program.

“Whether it’s high school recruiting, portal, dealing with new coaches, Dan Lanning doesn’t change,” Mencl said. “He’s a very adaptable coach and sticks with what he believes. The culture he has there with the coaches, they do a lot of promoting from within and continue to hold the same culture year in and year out.”

Mencl got a chance to visit Auburn in January and the Tigers staff made him feel very comfortable as well.

“It was a family feel,” Mencl said. “I enjoyed my time there. I was in a meeting with the OC Joel Gordon for an hour and then we went to lunch and came back for another two hours and it felt like only 15 minutes had passed. He’s someone that is super easy to learn from.

“Coach (Alex) Golesh is a great person. Had really good conversations with him.”

Miami is coming on strong for Mencl.

“I used to live in South Florida,” Mencl said. He moved out to Arizona after the eighth grade football season. “That’s where I started to fall in love with football. 

“The culture they have, I’m someone big on culture. Miami knows exactly who they are. If you’re not with it they don’t worry about it. They have a moxie to them I really like.”

Mencl also likes the style of play.

“The numbers they put up,” he said. “You can’t argue with the results with Cam Ward, Carson Beck and what Darian Mensah is about to do. The pure passers they develop. They have guys that can extend with their legs but are looking to be pocket guys and move the ball downfield with pace.”

Mencl is excited to learn more about Penn State.

“Just the quality people they are,” he said. “I haven’t been in contact with them as much as the other schools but knowing them from my head coach, he tells me they’re great people.”

Penn State’s offensive coordinator Taylor Mouser is also from Chandler, Ariz.

“His ties to Arizona are really strong.”

So was Mencl’s move in the updated Rivals300.