National Signing Day 2017: Florida Mr. Football Nick Tronti inks with Indiana

A late bloomer and possible quarterback diamond-in-the-rough is coming to Bloomington. Nick Tronti is officially an Indiana Hoosier.

Just one year ago, Tronti was almost unheard of on the national recruiting season. But, now, a year later, his stock is soaring. Florida’s Mr. Football for all divisions in the 2016 season lit up scoreboards en route to carrying Ponte Vedra High School to a state championship game in his senior season. Now he’ll come to Bloomington as the only quarterback in the 2017 class — and a possible candidate to start in future seasons.

HOW HE STACKS UP

As we wrote at the time of his commitment: The 6-2 Tronti led Ponte Vedra High School to the Florida 5A State Championship game this past fall, totaling eye-popping numbers of 4,000 yards and 53 touchdowns during his senior campaign — with 3,330 of those yards coming through the air. Despite all that, Tronti only registered two stars with most recruiting services and didn’t register his first Power 5 offers (Indiana & Arizona) until after his senior season.

That’s now changed — big time.

247Sports’ own latest evaluation (not the composite, which is an aggregation of the three services) just before signing day bumped Tronti from way off the map all the way up to an 86 rating & the 15th best dual-threat quarterback in his class. That’s a massive jump.

So, by 247Sports own evaluations, Tronti is Indiana’s best quarterback recruit since Nate Sudfeld — just edging out Peyton Ramsey. Very good and fun.

WHAT IT MEANS

Tronti’s got game — and his tape says as much, but it’s hard for any true freshman to come in and play right away at the quarterback position. But for Indiana University to pull FLORIDA’S BEST HIGH SCHOOL PLAYER OF ANY KIND IN A SEASON? Man, that’s something.

Here’s from a StAugustine.com article on his Mr. Football award:

Six months ago, Thursday’s ceremony would have been unfathomable. Troni was uncannily accurate, but he was only a known commodity by opponents, and football followers in Northeast Florida and a handful of recruiters.

Lighting up nationally ranked Plantation American Heritage with a secondary chock-full of future collegians to the tune of 271 passing yards, five total touchdowns and no turnovers in the Class 5A state championship game will quickly elicit attention.

Coincidentally, Wednesday was the last day of a college football recruiting dead period, so a pair of schools took the opportunity to see and be seen during Tronti’s awards ceremony. The presence of coaches from UNC Charlotte, to whom Tronti has been committed to since the summer, as well as Indiana University was as apparent as the quarterback’s arm strength when throwing a flag route to receiver, and longtime friend, Marshall Few on Friday nights.