2024 Newcomers: December Update

Because the 2024 class is so young, there is plenty of room for development in this new set of rankings as time goes by. For now, the players themselves have taken time to show how much they have grown since their freshman year of football, and some of them have awarded themselves the chance to make our Newcomers List for the first time. While there are plenty more newcomers than what is listed in this piece, we feel that these newly added prospects stand out among the rest. To start, when evaluating their ceiling, as well as the jump they made in the past year, it was not only evident that they were worth being noted, but that they have a special set of skill, and talent for their age. As these prospects continue to grow, and mold into juniors, than seniors, it will be interesting to see how they continue to compete against each other, as well as players within their same position bracket on a national level. [player_tooltip player_id="220727" first="Jerrick" last="Gibson"] (RB)- Mundy’s Mill It is exciting for us to add Gibson as one of our best newcomers, especially since we have added him, and placed him 3rd overall in our new rankings. Gibson is not only a very well rounded player, but he is also a very consistent player as well. He not only has quick feet, but he has the vision, burst, and ability to change direction on a dime that you typically look for in a player of his stature. The burst that Gibson displays is also very impressive, and the way he runs behind his pads can be viewed as rare for his age, especially due to the confidence that he totes the ball with before contact. This level of balance, ball security, and footwork can only continue to improve. As Gibson gets older and continues to add on to his high school experience, we will only be able to see if he can live up to the expectations that we have for him. Before it is all said and done, we think that he will be one of the best backs in the state, and will receive the attention that he deserves from major colleges across the country, even though he is already committed to The University of Florida. [player_tooltip player_id="220728" first="TA" last="Cunningham"] (DL)- John’s Creek After taking a few peeks at John’s Creek’s star DE, [player_tooltip player_id="220728" first="TA" last="Cunningham"], many high school football fans can understand why we have him ranked number 4 in our rankings overall, even as a newcomer. It would be easier to ask what he doesn’t possess as a prospect, compared to what skillset he possesses. Cunningham is not only very strong, but he is also very quick off the ball, and he does a good job of playing with burst, and bend. His fluid movement skills for his size are very impressive, and the way that he is able to flawlessly move sideline to sideline is great when it comes to projecting how he will develop in the coming years. In pursuit, he is very efficient, and he does a good job of using his hands, and length at all times to create opportunities to both separate when needed, and grab hold of ball carriers as well. Easily, Cunningham can become one of the best prospects in his entire class. To maintain this expectation, as well as his current ranking on this list, he will need to continue to prove that he is a game changer, and that he can eliminate some of the loafing that he displays from time to time. [player_tooltip player_id="220729" first="Landen" last="Thomas"] (TE)- Colquitt County Thomas, who has made our list for the first time, is beautifully placed at number 5 on our list overall. This is due to plenty of reasons, including the way he stands out as a young TE in the state of Georgia, especially for the powerhouse Colquitt County High School. His 6’4, 210 pound developmental frame, paired with his aggressive style of football, also makes it easy for us to recognize his high level of success, and the reasons in which he has already accumulated 15 offers so far in this point of his high school career. When on the field, his long frame helps him to box out defenders well and to be able to catch the ball from awkward positions. Thomas also plays very balanced, and allows for his quick feet to help him gain separation as well as plenty of WR’s do. With the ball in his hands, he also uses his speed, and the way he runs behind his pads to help him finish plays, and create big time plays for his team. As Thomas continues to develop, look for him to continue to climb up this list and to arguably be one of the best TE’s in the country when it is all said and done. [player_tooltip player_id="220732" first="Jadan" last="Baugh"] (WR)- Columbia Upon evaluating Baugh’s film, it is no shocker that he has made our list for the first time, and checks in at number 12 on our new rankings. When looking at his tape, and his body of work this season, he, as a young player, does a good job of bending well, and moving very fluidly on the football field. When moving around the field, he is able to separate well from defenders, and he is also able to get in and out of his breaks cleanly. Not only is this very uncommon for his age, but it does not come very naturally for plenty of high school wide receivers as a whole. With this, Baugh also attacks the ball very well, and he catches it with his hands, even if it means looking it into his hands from unconventional angles. These skills, paired with his ability to read the field well when carrying the football, all make him a very talented prospect for his age. Moving forward, it will be interesting to see if he can continue to maintain as high of a ranking on the list as he is currently placed at.