Malik Zaire
Quarterback
6'1" • 196
Archbishop Alter High School
Kettering, Ohio
As one of five early enrollees this semester, Malik Zaire has taken the first step in his development as an Irish quarterback. Expectations for the left-handed quarterback likely include him following in the footsteps of Andrew Hendrix, Everett Golson and Gunner Kiel and redshirting in his first season. Zaire is a true dual-threat quarterback who operated a spread-option offense in high school.
While some quarterbacks may seek rushing yards at the first sign of trouble, Zaire used his mobility to bide time in order to continue to read coverages until a receiver broke open. On the relatively few occasions he was asked to throw, he displayed accuracy on deep, downfield throws. The majority of his rushing attempts came on designed run plays or read options, which were similar to plays Golson ran this season.
