Chip Kelly has his next potentially great quarterback.
On Wednesday, four-star New Hampshire pro-style quarterback Parker McQuarrie committed to UCLA, choosing the Bruins ahead of 11 other scholarship offers, including Michigan, Miami and Boston College. While the Eagles might seem an unlikely spot for McQuarrie, many thought they had a chance at the star passer because of his regional and familial ties; McQuarrie stars for St. Paul’s School, the prep academy in Weare, New Hampshire, and his brother Drew is a defensive end for the Eagles.
Instead, the 6-foot-7, 208-pounder opted to go across the country, committing to UCLA and Kelly, who was McQuarrie’s direct recruiting contact in Westwood.
“I loved it out there,” McQuarrie told 247Sports. “I love what they have going on at UCLA and they were recruiting me harder than anyone. Coach Kelly is also from New Hampshire and that was pretty special. He really understands what it takes to build a successful team. It’s not just about taking guys for their talent but for their character as well.
“It felt like family there for me, not just with coach Kelly but the entire coaching staff. A lot of the staff is from the Northeast as well and I had a great comfort level with everyone. The school itself is outstanding and location was never an issue for me. I always said if I find the right school that feels special for me, I’ll go anywhere, no matter where it’s located.”
The New Hampshire native stayed true to that pledge, opting for a traditional power program on the opposite side of the nation rather than Boston College, UMass or any number of Big Ten powers, including Rutgers on the East Coast.
Adding McQuarrie speaks to what Kelly plans to do offensively at UCLA. After excelling with a prototypical dual-threat offense at Oregon, McQuarrie is a fit for the pro-style sets that Kelly ran with the Philadelphia Eagles after he made the jump to the NFL.
That’s good news for the young passer, who sees his time at UCLA not only as a chance to maximize his college football potential, but also set the stage for a potential pro future.
