UTR Series and Community Film Room: 2023 & 2024 MS Prospects

The goal of the Under the Radar (UTR) Series is to highlight hidden gems at different positions in Mississippi football. The UTR Series will illuminate a path by introducing prospects whom have had little to no exposure, or who may have just simply, flown under the radar. This Under the Radar article will feature submissions from prospects in our Community Film Room Series. This article will be highlighting recent submissions from student-athletes that reached out via Twitter, email, etc. Check out some of these student-athletes who will surely become sought after prospects here in the near future! Kayden Miller Ι 2023 Ι WR/RB Ι Greene County HS Ht: 5’10 Wt: 170 40: 4.4u , Averaged 9.3 yards per carry & 11.5 yards per reception over his career KJ Miller is a talented 2023 student-athlete out of Greene County HS. Prospects like Miller are those whom I feel are slept on as reliable skilled assets. The kid is natural born runner who does not have eye-popping vitals, but his tape and skill-set are both very impressive. KJ has quick feet to go along with his exceptional speed, so his decisive cuts speak to how well he actually can move. His speed, explosiveness, and fluidity are qualities that are apparent at both the wide receiver position and out of the backfield. At running back, KJ shows great vision and burst. He has a stealthy lower half and he runs behind his pads seamlessly well. He does not need a lot of space or time to find daylight in order to break. I’m sure his offensive coordinator has no problem finding plays to call for him. Whether it is at slot receiver or running back, KJ often uses the smallest seams to knife through any secondary for several 20+ yard carries. His prowess as a pass catcher is not an attribute of his to scoff at by any means. The reliable pass catcher is a decent route runner who excels in finding open space. On the next level, his skill-set would result in him being a three down back who is also a threat out of the backfield. Kayden Miller is undoubtedly trouble with the ball in his hands. As stated before, he is a natural born runner who has the innate ability to flat out just out run people. He will have a stellar season this fall, and continue to turn the heads of recruiters in the process. [player_tooltip player_id='346397' first='Corey' last='Fuller'] Ι 2024 Ι OG Ι Kosciusko HS Bench Press: 295 Squat: 470 ; Member of the 2024 Prep Redzone Offensive All-Trench Team [player_tooltip player_id='346397' first='Corey' last='Fuller'] is a young prospect at the left-guard position that has a lot of potential and upside as a 2024 student-athlete. He has a pretty decent frame that allows him to move defenders, and a motor to match it as well. His hands and punch are both strong; his feet are not to shabby. Fuller works well in combination blocks to be a 2024. He has displayed physicality at the point of attack on the first and second level. Corey has the capability of attacking defenders on the second level in order to create space for his ball-carriers. His pass sets are less effective than his contributions in the ground game, but it is because he is solely reliant on sure force and strength to complete blocks, rather than technique. This kid has a ways to go, but overall I like what I have seen from his so far in his career. This off-season will be important in the trajectory of Corey’s overall development as a prospect. Corey needs to focus in on perfecting his technique to ensure a more sustainable level of success. It will be vital for him to view his own film and correct what he sees with his position coach. I look forward to seeing the type of player that Corey will blossom into in the future. BJ Johnson Ι 2024 Ι ATH Ι Greene County HS Ht: 6’0 Wt: 170 40: 4.5u ; Accounted for 8 INTs, 102 tackles, & 10 PBUs defensively. [player_tooltip player_id="314467" first="Brycen" last="Johnson"] is a smart and savvy ball-hawking 2024 defensive back out of Green County HS. The prospective 3 sport student-athlete will soon be known for his talents on the football field. Mr. Johnson has exceptional speed, and is surely an athletically inclined football player. He played both sides of the football for Greene County as a sophomore. Offensively, he is gifted at the receiver position, but he moves and engages more fluidly playing on the defensive side of the football. BJ has intriguing film at both safety and corner back. The ball skills and play-making that BJ’s tape reveals are very advanced in relation to his classification. While in coverage, his eye discipline and ability to play the football in the air consistently serve to his aid. Once he has spotted the ball, his long arms and physical nature often allow him to make a play on the football. He covers receivers well when outside at corner, and he is cognizant in how he disguises his coverages. Johnson’s ability to cover and make plays in the secondary is matched by his stellar ability to tackle and assist in defensive run support. He reads and reacts well, without pondering or hesitation. BJ has the innate ability to assess whether a play is pass or run almost immediately after the ball is snapped. This awareness allows him to make plays in run support around the line of scrimmage. After the experience this kid is getting awarded at such a young age, he is sure to blossom into a great player on both sides of the ball. [player_tooltip player_id="286476" first="Elijah" last="Spratt"] Ι 2024 Ι ATH Ι Amory HS Ht: 5’10 Wt: 160 ; 1st Team All-Division at Defensive Back, 6 Non-offensive TDS, Clarion Ledger Player of the Week [player_tooltip player_id="286476" first="Elijah" last="Spratt"] is a 2024 student-athlete with a bright future and numerous capabilities on the football field. As a Sophomore, the sprouting prospect out of Amory filled roles as DB, WR, KR, and PR for the Panthers last fall. Due to the bevy of positions he has assumed, I listed Elijah positionally as an ATH (Athlete). Elijah has a great deal of quickness and athleticism in his movements while making plays. He has displayed a bit quick-twitch ability, and his explosiveness is apparent on plays he has made in scenarios offensively, defensively, and on special teams. Spratt is a prospect poised to be a big time player; he seldom shys away from big moments within the game. Elijah had multiple interceptions that turned into pick sixes down the stretch in Amory’s state title run last year. As a defensive back, the kid is a raw talent with naturally loose hips that allow him to seamlessly change direction and make plays. His athleticism allows him to quickly cover an abundant amount of ground in the secondary. His technique is not always necessarily sound on every play, but Elijah’s effort, football IQ, and glaring raw talent allows him to make difficult plays. Plays that would be otherwise strenuous for many other 2024 defensive prospects. He uses his athleticism to contribute in a similar manner offensively and on special teams. Be on the look out for Elijah as he fills out as a touted prospect on both sides of the ball. [player_tooltip player_id="314797" first="Keenan" last="Franks"] Ι 2024 Ι ATH Ι Greene County HS Ht: 5’9 Wt: 170 40: 4.5u ; Averaged 5.7 yards per carry, 11 TDs, 8 KR/ 30 yards per return, #3 2024 RB in MS This young man [player_tooltip player_id="314797" first="Keenan" last="Franks"] is going to be a problem for many defenses; it was a pleasure to watch his tape. He is a running back that has a great deal of athleticism and grit to go along with it! He carries the ball with ferocity and great forward lean. When hitting the hole, Keenan displays his vision, quick feet, and the great burst of speed he has for a 2024 guy. His cuts are decisive and he gets in and out of them swiftly to evade defenders with ease. Franks is a multi-dimensional football player who assumes a few roles for Greene County. He splits out wide at slot receiver, returns kicks, catches screens or dump-offs out of the backfield, and he has taken snaps as a QB in a wildcat role. With that being said, Keenan is yet another athlete from Greene County that simply needs the football in his hands with space to be productive. I was mostly impressed with Keenan’s balance and athleticism as a ball-carrier. Franks has the innate ability to contort his body and grow a third leg while slipping tackles from defenders. This is a direct product of strong legs, and an even stronger core. On multiple occasions, Keenan breaks through the first level of defenders, becoming a headache to tackle. One defender will not impede him from breaking or completing an impressive gain with his admirable forward lean. The 2024 prospect did a lot for his squad as a sophomore. I’m eager to see what he has been working on this off-season, and what else he will bring to the table as a junior. [player_tooltip player_id="281786" first="Hayden" last="Dozier"] Ι 2023 Ι OL Ι Amory HS Ht: 6’2 Wt: 280 GPA: 3.5 , 1st Team All Division, Offensive Line MVP - VTO Sports and Catapult Combine Mr.Dozier out of Amory HS is a kid that shows flashes of being a great offensive lineman. He is a smart football player that plays the game with a sense of clarity and composure. At 6’2 280lbs, [player_tooltip player_id="281786" first="Hayden" last="Dozier"] moves considerably well for his size. His feet get a bit lethargic at times, but he makes up for his shortcomings athletically with his well sharpened technique. Hayden fires off of the ball with good leverage to move defenders, and then he duck walks them as he gains ground moving forward. He plays with tight hands and has a fairly decent punch when contacting defenders. Hayden is purposeful with a lot of his movements, which tells me that he is a coach-able kid. His play displays the understanding that he has for blocking schemes and how to effectively execute them. Hayden’s savvy playing style allows him to physically dominate opponents when he wants to. The motor is there, no question. He needs to hone into playing with that motor every single snap and he will be turning heads for sure this fall. This key adjustment, along with him gaining strength and speed, will prove to be exponentially vital to Dozier’s overall success this fall.