Stock Watch: 2024 WR’s Trending Upwards
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As Sophomores in high school, every player within each position group has plenty of growth potential. What makes a player good, and others great, is the distinction between how much a player is able to take strides forward in their…
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Continue ReadingAs Sophomores in high school, every player within each position group has plenty of growth potential. What makes a player good, and others great, is the distinction between how much a player is able to take strides forward in their progression. While receivers tend to see playing time much earlier than other position groups, we still feel that out of these prospects, there still happens to be plenty of players that are trending upwards, or downwards.
Azarel Juste- Calvary Christian
One of the things that stands out most about Juste, is his ability to make plays after the catch, and compete with players that are bigger than him. He does a good job of high-pointing the football, and making contested plays when needed. While Juste may not be overly fast or technical and his route running, he has decent enough footwork to make plays for his offense when his number is called. He also shows that he consistently catches with clean hands and he also appears to have a solid catch radius as well. Going into next season, we would like to see him improve in his feel for the game, as well as his understanding of the defenses he plays against.
Mike Matthews Mike Matthews 6'2" | 180 lbs | WR Parkview | 2024 State GA – Parkview
One thing that stands out right away is that Matthews does a decent job of running routes, and his frame allows him to separate from Defenders. We also love his ability to run cleanly and smoothly, which is more rare to find within his age range than you would think. Matthews does a good job of using his hands and arms in his routes, and when the ball is in his hands, he catches it cleanly and does not use his body to cradle the football. While we would like to see more explosive ability from him after the catch, we feel that because he is a natural hands catcher, he will find his niche and become one of the more reliable pass catchers in the state. Look for him to continue to refine his game in this way.
Michael Smith- Calvary Day
Out of all the players on this list, Smith has one of the most advanced frames for his age. His length, and height are far beyond players his age and it is already helping him to outmatch his competition. We love the way that he stacks defenders on his routes, and he has decent footwork that allows him to get open on more complex routes. Smith also does a good job of boxing out defenders and highpointing the football, and he appears to catch with clean hands. We like his body control as well, but would like to see him improve in his overall speed, in the way he changes direction, and explodes out of his breaks.
Malcolm Simmons- Jonesboro
One of the things that leaps off of Simmons film is his ability to stack defenders and use his speed to get open on routes, no matter where he is lined up on the field. His top speed is incredible, and this will more than likely be a big factor for colleges recruiting him. He does a good job of avoiding false steps, and he also does a solid job of getting in and out of his breaks. Overall, we love his change of direction and his overall explosion and burst with the football in his hands. This not only translates to the next level, but it helps college stars excel. Expect for him to further develop out of his raw talent into a more refined version of himself this season.
Landon Thomas- Colquitt County
Thomas is already getting plenty of attention due to his enormous size, length, and frame. He is not only going to be a great receiver in the future, but he also has the ability to develop into a great TE. What’s not to like about him? His size helps him to outmatch the fenders on jump balls, and his silky smooth running style allows him to get open out of his breaks, and change direction on a dime. Thomas also does a good job of catching the ball with clean hands, while simultaneously out-leveraging defenders. In addition to this, he also uses his hands and arms appropriately, and we believe that his ability to play technically sound football will help him to become one of the best players in the state when it is all said and done