National Runway: 2027’s Ready to Take Off 8/2

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As we head into a new season of youth and middle school football around the country, below is a look at some class of 2027 prospects (athletes beginning their eighth-grade school year) that have come across my desk. As football recruiting and evaluating continues to change, the eighth-grade season is becoming a pivotal time for young athletes to garner early attention from Universities. Here's a look at some prospects that are on the trajectory to be playing a high level of football for years to come.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"id":"block_62e906fde3598","name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["378345"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Easily one of the early favorites for the top 2027 prospects in Alabama, Willis is a very good looking prospect. Camped at Alabama this summer and measured in at 6-foot-3 and 207 pounds. Was an All-Metro selection last year as a seventh grader, a very coveted honor in the greater Birmingham area. Has played Linebacker and Running Back throughout his middle school years, but appears headed to out-grow that position.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_player":["400854"],"_player_evaluations_1_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"Inferrera looks like he could suit up on Friday nights, right now. Headed into his final season of youth season of football, the Nevada prospect will be Quarterbacking the O.G. Ducks out of California. The 6-foot-3, 183-pound signal caller is the newest Ducks Quarterback and he'll be following the likes of Tate Martell, Bryce Young, DJ Uiagalelei and others. Possesses elite arm strength at this level. Already holds offers from Pitt and Utah Tech.","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_player":["400867"],"_player_evaluations_2_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"The last of an incredible football lineage, [player_tooltip player_id='400867' first='David' last='Rushing'] looks to be right on track. His father played Tight End at Florida in the 90's, while his oldest brother Cruz accepted a PWO from the Gators and is in Gainesville now. The middle brother, Elijah, is currently the No.1 Edge in the 2024 class and is a five-star recruit with nearly 30 offers. Getting back to David, he's a long kid at 5-foot-10, having grown 2+ inches since spring. After his final year of youth ball, he'll be headed to Salpointe Catholic in Arizona for high school.","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_3_player":["400876"],"_player_evaluations_3_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"Big men that are athletic can be difficult to come bye on the middle school level. However, for Gibbs, that is certainly not a problem. At 6-foot-3 and 225 pounds he carries his weight very well, looking like a Power Forward in Basketball, instead of a Defensive Lineman. He gets off the ball very quickly and has a fantastic frame that will allow him to add a lot of size. His versatility allows him to play interior or on the edge across the defensive front. Ideally I see him as a 3-4 Defensive End, but time will tell in Virginia.","_player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_4_player":["378978"],"_player_evaluations_4_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"When it comes to Bartee, speed is the name of the game. A 200M and 400M burner on the track, his work directly translates to the football field. At 5-foot-8 and 145 pounds, the Texas prospect is an ideal Middle School Defensive Back. He's put together quite well with lean muscle and does a nice job of walking the line between physical and smart play on the outside. He's confident and quick enough at this point, to put him in man coverage with no help over top.","_player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_5_player":["400890"],"_player_evaluations_5_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_5_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_5_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_5_evaluation":"One of the most dynamic 2027 prospects in the country, Kentuck's Kamara is the ultimate X-factor in youth football. The 5-foot-10, 145-pounder causes sleepless nights for Defensive Coordinators with his ability to take over the game from the Running Back and Wide Receiver position on Offense, the Returner position on Special Teams and as a Free Safety on defense. At this point, he relies a lot on his speed and it gets him where he wants to go. I'm looking forward to seeing what changes the weight room will bring to his game.","_player_evaluations_5_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_6_player":["400917"],"_player_evaluations_6_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_6_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_6_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_6_evaluation":"Already 6-foot-3 and 325-pounds, Herman-Dawson is a man amongst boys on most gridirons across the nation, at this point. At this stage, his size is an obvious advantage but he can actually play too. He's one of the more powerful kids I've seen in the class thus far. While I don't have any weight room numbers, I can testify that he is extremely strong and deliberate with his punches on the Offensive Line. Right now I see him as more of a Guard, until his feet come along a bit more. That said, he has the potential to be a stalwart on the interior line in Missouri for years to come.","_player_evaluations_6_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":7,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"align":"","mode":"edit"} /-->