5 Under the Radar Defensive Players With the Most to Gain

When it comes to football, the state of Georgia has a great reputation of producing a high level talent within every position group. Year after year, players of each graduating class are highly recruited by colleges across the nation. As a result, multiple players receive various offers, and some are even ranked nationally. Even then, because Georgia produces such a deep pool of talent, there are a large amount of players who tend to fall under the radar. Within our time evaluating players to produce our rankings, we have noticed numerous players who we feel are underrated, and have the opportunity to produce on the field and give themselves a chance to climb up our lists. Specifically, we would like to introduce a few defensive players who are under the radar and have the most to gain. [player_tooltip player_id="34033" first="Bryce" last="Thornton"] (2023)- 5’10 160, DB <strong>Milton</strong> [player_tooltip player_id="34033" first="Bryce" last="Thornton"] finds himself on the bottom half of our 2023 rankings, but his raw ability was very impressive. While not many athletes his age can move fluidly as a DB, Thornton has good hips, the ability to understand angles and take them effectively, and he also has a good burst due to his lower body frame. As a 2023, it appears that he only has an offer from UGA. If he has as good of a sophomore campaign as he hopes too, he will certainly receive more offers by the end of the 2020 season. [player_tooltip player_id="33699" first="Elijah" last="Johnson"] (2021)-6’4 237, DE <strong>South Gwinnett</strong> Johnson can be seen to be ranked 50th in our 2021 rankings because his film revealed talent that is clearly under the radar. So far, he only has Georgia State as an offer, but this will soon change as more colleges get a good look at his developing frame, length, and ability going into next season. His ability to be explosive, as well as his use of hands, and pop make him a great DE. Things he should look to improve upon to raise his stock include more fluidity in his movement, and more dominance in his pass rush moves. [player_tooltip player_id="33883" first="Angelo" last="Brown"] (2022)- 5’10 170, DB <strong>Walton</strong> As a 2022 DB, Brown can be seen to be a bit raw. His pedal is inconsistent but he has great upside if he develops at a positive rate. While Brown may not be a popular player to make a list such as this, it is undeniable that he has a bit of a burst, and twitch to him. As a young athlete, his speed will further develop, and his length and frame seem to be able to do so as well. Going into the 2020 season, if Angelo improves upon such things, he has an opportunity to climb up our lists and gain more recognition from colleges with his success on the field. [player_tooltip player_id="33884" first="Quentel" last="Jones"] (2022)- 6’0 260, DT <strong>Peach County</strong> For a younger athlete in high school, Jones’ tape is fun to watch. He has great size and a good instinct for hand use as a 2022, Moving sideline to sideline also does not seem to be a problem for him due to his high motor. With this, he also tackles very well, and brings ball carriers down with ease. Jones ranks 27 overall within our 2022, but is an easy favorite to be within the top 20 before the 2020 season is over. [player_tooltip player_id="34020" first="Isaac" last="Hubert"] (2023)- 6’1 195, OLB/ DE <strong>Creekview </strong> Because Hubert is only a 2023, he is not very popular among early rankings either. Despite this, we have him ranked number 14 in our top 50 for the 2023 class. With an impressive sophomore year, Hubert can start receiving multiple offers. He has already shown to get off the ball very well, and to move well laterally. His nose for the football will also continue to put him in the position to make plays, which will gain lots of attention.