Big Commitment Week in the Magnolia State

<strong>Get 25% off your subscription by entering AJ30 in the coupon code area. Enjoy!</strong> As the college recruitment camp season comes to a hold, many of the state’s top prospects have started to pull the trigger on their future schools. This week, many prospects have claimed their ticket to the next level to their university of their choice. Although the first signing day is a ways away, it is always a proud moment for all that hard work to pay off. [player_tooltip player_id="108938" first="Bray" last="Hubbard"] | Ocean Springs | QB Stud QB [player_tooltip player_id="108938" first="Bray" last="Hubbard"] saw a huge rise in his recruitment through the camp circuit this June. Hubbard started off this month as a future Southern Miss baseball commit with a few football opportunities at various schools. After being patient and waiting his turn, Hubbard attended the Alabama football camp and earned an offer to the university after his stellar performance. A week later, in-state program Mississippi State took notice and offered him as well. Hubbard decided to end his recruitment this week, committing to the Crimson Tide to play defensive back at the next level. While Hubbard has been a quarterback throughout his high school career, his athleticism and his intangibles are undeniable. Look for the Ocean Springs standout to contribute at Alabama at the safety position for years to come. [player_tooltip player_id="106769" first="Alex" last="Sanford"] | Oxford | LB The top rated linebacker in the 2023 class has made his decision, committing to the University of Arkansas this week. Sanford has been a standout player since his freshman year, earning offers from all of the in-state universities and producing at a high level on defense. Arkansas has done a great job at rebuilding their program over the last two seasons, adding players with great size and athleticism to both sides of the ball. The linebacker group has been in need of a big overall and Sanford will fit right in. At 6’3" 225, Sanford adds a massive presence to the front seven. He is a dominant inside backer that can cover in space and play the run at a very high level. Would not be surprised to see this guy playing early in his career for the Razorbacks. [player_tooltip player_id="107045" first="John" last="Slaughter"] | Southaven | DB The top defensive back in the state and the 6th overall player in the 2023 class, [player_tooltip player_id="107045" first="John" last="Slaughter"] has committed to the University of Tennessee this week. Slaughter blew up onto the recruiting scene last summer and has had no shortage of college opportunities. The 6’3" 190 pound safety prospect has been critically undervalued by big time programs, so to us it seems like the Vols are getting a steal here in Slaughter. Slaughter has exceptional coverage and ball skills and is a force against the run. The aggressive and instinctual safety will be a great fit in Tennessee’s new defense either at the strong safety position or at the nickel spot. The Vols are in need of defensive backs that can come in and play earlier due to the current depth chart, and Slaughter’s skillset and football IQ will make him an early contender to get on the field quickly. [player_tooltip player_id="108979" first="Isaiah" last="Spencer"] | Madison Central | WR The No. 3 wide out in the 2023 class has decided to stay home this week, committing to the Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles. Spencer comes off back to back huge seasons as a sophomore and junior, Spencer’s talent is undeniable. He is a tall and fluid wide receiver capable of playing outside or slot at the next level. His speed and ball tracking are some of the best in the entire class, making him one of the most complete wide outs in the state. Spencer has been highly pursued by Group of Five coaching staffs around the Southeast, so this is a huge win for Coach Hall and his staff. The Madison Central product is set to have another massive year as a senior before making the short drive down to Hattiesburg for the 2023 season. Love Spencer’s tape and expect big things from him for a Southern Miss team that is showing a lot of future promise. [player_tooltip player_id="107036" first="Lester" last="Miller"] | Brandon | ATH Previously playing defensive back, [player_tooltip player_id="107036" first="Lester" last="Miller"] switched sides and put on a wide receiver clinic last season as a junior. He totaled over 1000 yards for Brandon and programs around the country began to take notice of his versatility on both sides of the ball. Recently, Miller was offered and subsequently committed to the University of Akron. An interesting note here, it appears that former Mississippi State head coach and current Akron head coach Joe Moorhead wanted to come all the way down to Mississippi to get Miller -  a true compliment to Miller’s talents. Miller looks to be set to playing wide out for the Zips and will be a big time contributor on the outside for an offensive system that has featured many stud wide outs over the years. Great get for Akron; expect big things early from the Brandon standout. [player_tooltip player_id="340825" first="Kennon" last="Loftin"] | West Jones | LB The 7th ranked linebacker in the 2023 class, West Jones’ [player_tooltip player_id="340825" first="Kennon" last="Loftin"] has made his commitment to the University of Memphis. Loftin is a player that blew up onto the scene after his junior year. Visiting Memphis on an official visit earlier this past weekend, it appears that the rising star linebacker felt at home and became part of Memphis’ 2023 class. Loftin stands at 6’2" 225 and has the athleticism and frame to make a serious impact for the Tigers defense. He runs well sideline to sideline and hits like a freight train. Loftin has a great understanding of the game and is rarely in the wrong place to make a big time tackle for loss. With his athleticism and skill set, watch for Loftin to get involved with one of the best Group of Five teams in the country year in and year out. Memphis has done a great job historically at developing Mississippi high school football players into big time NFL guys. [player_tooltip player_id="340823" first="Jaquerrius" last="Gray"] | Oak Grove | WR A quick 10 minute drive from his high school at Oak Grove, WR [player_tooltip player_id="340823" first="Jaquerrius" last="Gray"] committed to Southern Miss following a great camp this past week. Gray stands at 5’8" 165, but has electric speed to set him apart from other wide outs in the state. Gray will likely play in the slot for the Golden Eagles due to his size, but adds some much needed explosiveness to the 2023 class. Gray is a precise route runner who does well with the ball in his hands. He is a vertical threat that defenses must respect at all times, but can also be used effectively in the screen game or jet sweep run game. In addition, Gray will add special teams value as a returner. Really good get close to home for Southern Miss. [player_tooltip player_id="344088" first="John" last="White"] | Madison Ridgeland Academy | QB The 8th overall player in the 2024 class, [player_tooltip player_id="344088" first="John" last="White"] became the first commitment to Southern Mississippi’s 2024 class this past week. The stand out quarterback has been a known commodity for some time now, holding D1 offers since early in his freshman year. The hype has been warranted as well, as White threw for over 3,900 yards and 39 TDs on his way to a MAIS state championship last season. White has a great arm with a ton of accuracy to it and is capable of making any throw in the route tree. The rising junior is bound to add more interest as time goes on, but looks to be solid with staying home for the Golden Eagles right now. Expecting a big remaining two seasons from him and for White to be a key recruiting factor for both the 2023 and 2024 classes for Southern Miss. [player_tooltip player_id="108964" first="Jarvis" last="Durr"] | Brandon | RB The 6th ranked back in the 2023 class, [player_tooltip player_id="108964" first="Jarvis" last="Durr"] made his commitment to Louisiana Tech this past week. With new head coach Sonny Cumbie, Louisiana Tech has been recruiting explosive offensive playmakers that will fit in well with the new offense being installed in Ruston. Durr stands at 5’11" 190 and holds a documented sub 4.50 40 time to him. As a running back, Durr is an extremely agile back who can cut and make defenders miss in space. His speed is great in the open field and he can change gears once he hits the second level to go all the way to the end zone. Durr also holds value as a pass catcher out the backfield, which will be big for his future in the Louisiana Tech offense. Talented player who should see some early time on the field at the next level. [player_tooltip player_id="340861" first="Jake" last="Norris"] | Madison Central | TE The top ranked TE of the 2023 class, Madison Central’s [player_tooltip player_id="340861" first="Jake" last="Norris"] has committed to the Naval Academy this week. While Norris has plenty of football skills to him, this is a true testament to his work in the classroom and off the field. The academies are some of the toughest schools in the country to get in to and attend, and Norris has already found his way there as a rising senior in high school. As a football player, Norris is an athletic tight end with great hands and the ability to separate from defenders. When used as an inline blocker, Norris displays quick feet and great hand positioning to execute blocks against big time defensive ends and outside backers. As Navy doesn’t throw the ball around too much, Norris’ strong suit in the run game will be extremely valuable at the next level. <strong>DJ Cloyd</strong> | Columbia | LB A big time riser this summer out of Columbia, DJ Cloyd was offered and then committed to Tulane University this week. Cloyd stands at 6’2" 190 and adds a big and long presence to the box for Columbia. The rising senior linebacker has seen his recruitment blow up this summer, adding many offers from local JuCos, Group of Five schools, and FCS programs around the southeast. Ultimately, Cloyd found home in Tulane and will make the move down to New Orleans for the 2023 season. Cloyd has great speed off the edge and will most likely be utilized as a versatile outside linebacker at the next level. His pass rushing skills and blitz tempo are quite impressive, but he can also cover shallow zones in space vs the pass. Really talented player who will be included in our next rankings update.