Interview: 3-Star 2021 QB Brayden Zermeno Pulling in Offers with Play at Loyola

Written by Ryan Wright

Twitter: @RyanWrightRNG

The 2018 season for Brayden Zermeno was a successful one, and one that caught the imagination of all those around him. The 6-4, 225-pound, quarterback has all the physical giftings of a next level gunslinger and showed that potential playing against his peer group at Orange Lutheran. Zermeno picked apart Trinity League JV defenses throwing for 1,200 yards with 23 touchdowns in just eight games. The wondering against varsity talent for onlookers was taken off the board in 2019 seeing him throw for 1,633 yards with eight touchdowns while rushing for 323 yards on 44 carries with four more scores in his first season with Loyola High School. Within the numbers, as the Cubs squad came together building that chemistry in 2019, they made a run in Southern California’s D-IV playoffs making it to the championship game. That leadership, skill, and potential has landed offers from William & Mary along with Yale for Zermeno.

In an RNG follow-up interview, I sat down with the three-star 2021 talent ahead of his weekend visit to Kansas covering the action on and off the gridiron.

Interview

Brayden, how did the 2019 season with Loyola go overall?

“It went really well. It was a building year, I guess you can say. The team was coming off an 1-9 season. This season was about getting back to winning and getting all the young guys together. We were back focused on winning this season. The 2019 season was good for me. It was great taking the team to the championship game. It was really cool.”

What style of offense were you executing with the Cubs?

“Coach Matthew Hatchette runs a pro-style. We do a lot of plays under center, about 75 percent. We do a lot of play action and bootleg, that got me to run some this year. We can spread the ball out when we have to.”

Which routes were you throwing to within the offense?

“With the short-game, 5-yard hitches and outs, then the intermediate game was 15-yard come-backs, 10-yard curls, some bang-8 posts in one-high, digs 12- to 15-yards, goes, fades, big posts – all that fun stuff.”

How do you feel you took your game to another level during your junior season?

“Being my first year at Loyola, this was a big growing year. Every game I got something I hadn’t seen before; a new look from the defense or I did something new on the field. I had a new field perspective and different point of view picking up gems up information throughout the season.”

Over the winter and spring months, what will you focus on with your work as a passing quarterback?

“I am always working on my mechanics. There is always some improvement that can be made. I am with my QB coaches working on my timing under center, and footwork in a pro-style – which is a lot different than a Spread. You have to have quicker-faster feet and you have to get the ball out on time. I am working with my QB coach twice a week and working with my OC constantly on that. I am working on the timing with my receivers.”

What are some of the things you are doing to help grow your understanding of the Cubs’ offense and of defenses this winter?

“Oh man, where do I start. It is a 24/7 thing. I always try to strength my game and my understanding of defenses. I am always talking to our coaches learning blocking schemes and learning coverages. When I am watching football, I am watching trying to understand how NFL and colleges are doing it. How would you attack that defense? How are they disguising coverages? I am going on the board a lot and I am trying to learn new plays that will help our offense. We will add more plays to our offense this year. I am learning those and executing those plays.”

You have the offers from William & Mary and Yale, which schools are showing recruiting interest?

“UCLA, Wisconsin, Princeton, Pennsylvania, Kansas, Maryland, and Arkansas are showing interest. That is all I can think of right now.”

During the season, did you take any unofficial visits?

“Yes. I went to a UCLA game with Coach Ron Allen (B2G) for the Arizona game and I went to a USC game with my teammates.”

How did the UCLA game turn out?

“It went really well. I talked to the coaches some, they have cool coaches. Coach (Dana) Bible (QB) and Ethan Young, he’s the head of UCLA recruiting, I talked to them. UCLA has a cool program and that is a good place to be. I checked the game out, had some fun, watched their style and saw what they were doing.”

And USC, how did that visit go?

“It went really well too. Same thing as UCLA, you go through the process. You see how they do things and you see what separates them from other schools. You see the relationship with the coaches and players. I like what they have going on at USC. I love JT (Daniels), their quarterback.”

Looking ahead, do you have any planned trips coming up?

“This weekend I am doing a Junior Day visit at Kansas with RJ from Orange Lutheran. I have some throwing sessions coming up, I am throwing for the Maryland coaches. I plan to take some SEC visits over the summer. I may hit up Florida State, Florida, Miami and possibly Stanford.”

Are you competing at any national camps this spring?

“Yes. I am going to the Opening Regional in LA and San Francisco and an Under Armour camp as well.”

Brayden, always great catching up with you. I appreciate your time and wish you success on your visit to Kansas.

“Thank you.”

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Photo credit: Zermeno family; Brayden Zermeno