Seven Georgia LB’s In The Class of 2027 To Be Excited About
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The state of Georgia is one of the “big four” when it comes to prospects each year, joining Texas, Florida and California as the states that traditionally produce the most football talent. In such a football-hungry state, the talent shows…
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Continue ReadingThe state of Georgia is one of the “big four” when it comes to prospects each year, joining Texas, Florida and California as the states that traditionally produce the most football talent. In such a football-hungry state, the talent shows itself early in top middle school prospects. Here’s a look at seven Georgia Linebackers to Know in the class of 2027.
Whether it be on the baseball diamond or the football gridiron, Caden Dawson Caden Dawson 6’0″ | 185 lbs | LB Blessed Trinity | 2027 GA is an athlete to get familiar with, and get excited about. At 6-foot and 185-pounds he has All-American potential in both sports at this point. The lefty is a nice blend of speed and power playing both Linebacker and Running Back, heading into his eighth-grade season. As a Running Back he’s a tough, downhill back who runs harder the more touches he gets, as he wears the opposing defense down. As a Linebacker, he’s a great fit as a Same. He is athletic enough to run with backs out of the backfield and strong enough to bang with Tight Ends running up the seem. Also has good hands and is capable of deflecting or intercepting passes.
Had the opportunity to see Harris live for a week this summer and I became a big fan almost instantly. At 6-foot and 190 pounds, he’s a big, thick Mike Linebacker that plays the position at an advanced level right now. Has a high school-ready body right now and carries his weight proportionally. Thick lower body allows for him to have power and burst at the point of contact. Understands the importance of taking on blocks and filling holes, which may not always result in him making the tackle, but allows for his teammates to make a stop. Won’t show up in the stat sheets, but certainly a quiet leader that leads by example on the field.
Trending very close to that 6-foot mark, Nix is another Linebacker I saw multiple times last year as a seventh-grader. Physically he’s right there with many of the top Linebacker prospects in the state at this level. Has improved flexibility and overall quickness a ton over the last few months. Is also starting to get significantly stronger, boasting a squat of 345-pounds heading into his eighth-grade season. He’s also the son of a high school coach, so he possesses a lot of knowledge about the game and situational play. On top of his football ability, also one of the best baseball prospects in the state of Georgia. He’s a power-hitter that can play Outfield, Third Base, Catcher and even Pitcher if called upon.
Highlights
Originally had Echols listed as an “Athlete” but having watched his most recent clips of some early scrimmages, I like what I see in Echols as an Outside Linebacker/Edge player. He has really transformed his body from boy-to-man over the last calendar year and has packed on a ton of muscle and overall size. Echols excels getting after the Quarterback and causing havoc in the backfield. Athletically is just further along than majority of the Offensive Tackles tasked with blocking him. That said, also does a good job dropping back into pass coverage and making a play on the ball, too. Look for him to be one of the brightest stars for the Buford 8th Grade team this season.
Highlights
I wrote about Mark Brown Mark Brown 6’1″ | 190 lbs | LB Jefferson | 2027 GA about a week ago, and despite that, I’d be remiss if I didn’t include him in this group write up too. As I said in that write-up, Brown is in a class of his own when it comes to overall athleticism for Georgia Linebacker’s in the class of 2027. While I don’t have any verified numbers to back it up, I’d be willing to be Brown is the fastest/most agile of the group. He’s the younger brother of Sammy Brown Sammy Brown 6’2″ | 225 lbs | ATH Jefferson | 2024 State GA , the No.1 2024 Linebacker in Georgia, and it appears that Jefferson High School will have a bonafide superstar at Linebacker with the last name Brown, for years to come. I can’t say enough good things about Brown’s ability at this point.
A third member of the 2022 Georgia Future Stars to make this short list, Neal showed me a lot during that week in June this summer. Fast, aggressive and instinctual are three words that come to mind when discussing his style of play. Neal is definitely an Outside Linebacker, but he plays the position in an attacking style. He trusts his speed and crashes hard on run plays to aid in the box. His speed is fun to watch, as he’s a sprinter in track. Furthermore, during the regular season he has lined up at Wildcat Quarterback and takes direct snaps to the edge with ease. He simply plays the game at a different tempo than anyone else on the field.
In a class of his own when it comes to overall strength and potential for prospects in the class of 2027. Last year as a seventh-grader was featured on MaxPrep squatting over 275-pounds. Another year has seen him to glow up to 6-foot-1 and closing in on 185-pounds quickly. He’s everything you want in a Middle Linebacker prospect right now. Obviously big and strong enough to stand down in between the tackles, but can also flip his hips and run if teams try to go vertical against him. In addition to football ability, he’s also another kid that is a stud on the baseball diamond. Plays Catcher, First Base and Pitches. He, like Dawson and Nix, have a chance to be two-sport athletes at the next level. He is, and should continue to be, a special one.