The Runway: 2027 Prospects Ready to Take Off 8/11

<!-- 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_62f50143ff5fb","name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["411721"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"The younger brother of the current No.1 2024 Linebacker in the country [player_tooltip player_id='137488' first='Sammy' last='Brown'], Max is blazing his own path when it comes to football notoriety. While Sammy holds 25+ Division 1 offers, it shouldn't be long until Max is right there with him. In fact, I would be shocked if the the 6-foot-1, 175-pounder didn't have multiple offers before heading to high school next year. Brown is scary athletic for just going into his eighth-grade season, playing Safety, Running Back and Linebacker on the gridiron and also standing out in Track and Field. Plays very fast and attacks like a heat-seeking missile coming down hill against the run. When all is said and done, if he stays the course, he should be a top-10 Linebacker in this class.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"align":"","mode":"preview","anchor":"acf-block-6499fbbae3259"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"id":"block_62f50174ff5fd","name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["228033"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"u003ca href=u0022https://prepredzone.com/2022/08/the-runway-2027-prospects-ready-to-take-off-8-9/u0022u003eEarlier this weeku003c/au003e we looked at Ja'Vion Walker out of Pulaski Academy in Arkansas and while he's a no-brainer stud, he isn't the first Bruin to hold an offer. That distinction goes to Edwards, who received his first offer from Ole Miss, after camping there in June. The writing has been on the wall with Edwards for some time. Last spring he attended the Prep Redzone Next Southeast Showcase in Atlanta and left a big impression on coaches and scouts there. The 5-foot-8, 140-pound Wide Receiver has a tremendous build on him already and possesses excellent straight line speed. It's obvious he puts in hours of work outside of practices and the regular season, as he's very sharp in drills. The future is bright for this young man.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"align":"","mode":"preview","anchor":"acf-block-6499fbbae32a6"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"id":"block_62f5019bff5fe","name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["410035"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"While I have him listed as a Running Back right now, Lumpris could easily split out as a Wide Receiver and nobody would blink an eye. Hovering right around 6-foot-2 and 155-pounds he's an extremely long athlete with a build that will allow him to put on a ton of size once he gets to the next level. As is often the case, he comes from an athletic family with his Dad having played football at Temple in the early-2000's and his brother Ace (who also plays football) is currently committed to John Hopkins for Lacrosse. The younger Lumpris should have his pick of prep schools vying for her services over the next season. Keep an eye out for him.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"align":"","mode":"preview","anchor":"acf-block-6499fbbae32e4"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"id":"block_62f501c2ff5ff","name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["403877"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"At 5-foot-10 and 160-pounds Walker Jr. has the size of a Linebacker, the coverage skills of a Cornerback and the speed of a Wide Receiver. That combination makes him one of the most feared and revered athletes in the country for the class of 2027. Ultimately I'm guessing Walker Jr. projects as a Strong Safety or Nickel, whose versatility will allow him to stay on the field in many different situations because he can cover and crash the box in run support. Speaking of running, that may be one of Walker Jr.'s best attributes, as he was clocked at an 11.36 in the 100M this past June. Then, just a few weeks ago, he was part of a 4x100 relay team that finished second in the country at the AAU Jr. Olympics. Impressive to say the least.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"align":"","mode":"preview","anchor":"acf-block-6499fbbae3324"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"id":"block_62f501f4ff600","name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["410782"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"I've been evaluating seventh and eighth-grade football players for over a decade and Kiengele has some of the best start-and-stop quickness I've seen. Typically the shiftier backs on the youth/middle school level are your smaller Scatback's who need that agility to survive and not get smacked up. With Kiengele, he's an average to above-average sized Running Back at 5-foot-7 and 160-pounds that can also sustain those tough runs between the tackles. It's when he hits the second level that his pinball-like running style drives people crazy. His vision and ability to make jump cuts, and then quickly accelerate again, make him very tough to bring down.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"align":"","mode":"preview","anchor":"acf-block-6499fbbae3361"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"id":"block_62f50263ff601","name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["408306"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"If and when Irvin starts to stretch out a little bit, he has the potential to be a thrill on the outside as a Wide Receiver. Right now he's pretty undersized at 5-foot-6 and 130 pounds but he's also just beginning his eighth-grade year, so there is plenty of time yet. Regardless if he grows another inch, Irvin possesses a great pair of mitts to catch the ball. He's a natural pass-catcher who does anything he can to make a play on the ball when it's in the air. Displays very good body control and has the ability to turn and twist his body in the air to adjust for a ball. I'm also a fan of his route running and acceleration at this point. There's obviously room to sharpen the route tree, but he's on his way.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"align":"","mode":"preview","anchor":"acf-block-6499fbbae339e"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"id":"block_62f50274ff602","name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["409965"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"align":"","mode":"preview","anchor":"acf-block-6499fbbae33c6"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Minnesota is one of those state's that gets overlooked for most sports besides Hockey and Basketball. It's unfortunate, but it is what it is. When it comes to Haywood however, coaches should start to look into what this young man brings to the table. At 6-foot-1 and 220-pounds he has favorable size for an athlete starting his eighth-grade school year. Couple his size with the fact that he has played Tight End, Wide Receiver and even some Running Back on the offensive side of the ball, it's not hard to see why there's optimism for this prospect from The North Star State. For being as big and thick as he is, Haywood moves quite well and while he's a natural on the Defensive Line, he has also played Linebacker on the 7-on-7 scene. Lastly, in my opinion, if someone was to make a movie about NFL All-Everything Defensive Lineman Aaron Donald, I'd hire Haywood to play Donald growing up. There's certainly a resemblance there.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->