Al Pops’ Class of 2027 Prospect Evaluations – 11/14

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We are somehow at the midway point November and middle school football seasons are reaching the later stages, or in some states, has already wrapped up. The prospect landscape is starting to become clearer and below is a look at some class of 2027 prospects (athletes in 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:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/cannon-benzio/"></a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["470287"],"_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":"Standing 6-foot-3 and 190-pounds, the future look bright for 2027 Athlete, [player_tooltip player_id='470287' first='Major' last='Moorer']. After wrapping up a pre-school career at Homewood Middle School that saw a ton of growth (figuratively and literally), Moorer will get set to enter high school with a ton of promise. Up through this season I thought he'd be a shoo-in as a Defensive End given his frame and length. However, this year he showed a lot of promise as a Wide Receiver/Tight End that could really stretch the field vertically and win battles for balls in the air with his height. Ultimately I still think he ends up as somewhere along the Defensive front, after all, his father Carey is an Offensive Line coach at McAdory High School. Moorer has the gift of size, the benefit of a coach as a parent and a ton of potential/upside. Stay tuned here.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_player":["512765"],"_player_evaluations_1_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"Another prospect that looks to have a good amount of promise, [player_tooltip player_id='512765' first='Davis' last='Carruth'] of Parklane Academy in McComb, Mississippi is an athlete to know. Played JV this year as an eighth-grader and showed some significant flashes, despite playing against some older athletes. He looks the part at (unofficially) 6-foot and 155-pounds with good muscle definition and is a four-sport athlete, also competing in basketball, baseball and track and field. In his film from this season he shows dependable hands and the ability to make people miss in short proximity, specifically on wide receiver screen and the quick passing game. At this point, based off his film, straight-line speed is an area that Carruth can improve and use to separate himself. He's quicker and more agile, than he is fast...if he ties it together, here's a kid that can make big plays happen. In addition, Carruth has promising bloodlines, as his older brother Brewer Carruth is a 6-foot-5, 2024 multi-sport athlete who is getting next-level attention on the basketball court from schools like Southern Miss, Mississippi State and others.","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_player":["512884"],"_player_evaluations_2_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"Billed at 5-foot-10 and 165-pounds, Kline is really intriguing prospect to take some stock in as he gets ready to move on to the high school. Has played a little bit of everything during his pre-high school career including Running Back, Defensive Back and Wide Receiveru002du002dwith the latter two being the bulk of where he played. Most recently, despite playing through a very rough flu bug, Kline excelled on both sides of the ball and walked away with the MVP of the championship game for the Fort Zumwalt Junior Jaguars. In addition to the ability on the field, Kline has really started to make the weightroom a priority and it clearly translated the success on the field. Projecting an athlete like Kline is a little more difficult because he's gotten significantly thicker when comparing recent pictures and film to previous ones. I say that, meaning I wouldn't rule out at a change to Outside Linebacker or Strong Safety, given his ability to move and ever-changing build. Lastly, he's the first cousin of current Ball State Defensive Back Schonhorst and it wouldn't shock me to see Kline follow his older cousin's path, and attend Christian Brothers College High School in St. Louis next season. A lot will happen over the next four years here, keep the name handy.","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_3_player":["489023"],"_player_evaluations_3_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_3_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_3_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_3_player_featured_image":489099,"_player_evaluations_3_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"Unless you are from, or live in New Jersey, it's difficult to describe how territorial people are about North Jersey vs. South Jersey. One 2027 prospect putting on for South Jersey is 6-foot-2, 160-pound signal caller, [player_tooltip player_id='489023' first='Robbie' last='O'Connor'] of the Gloucester City Mustangs. Just 20 minutes from Philadelphia and nearly two hours from New York City, O'Connor is putting together what he hopes will be his second straight league championship. In their first round playoff victory, O'Connor accounted for four touchdown's with three coming via his legs and one coming in the air. He certainly looks the part of a Quarterback that is getting ready to take off as he ties a bow on this season and gets ready for high school ball. He stands tall in the pocket and has some very good foot work for being a taller, longer kid. While he can hit the long ball with accuracy, getting into a high school weight room routine will do a long ways for him. I think of him as a pocket passer but can certainly call his own number and create on the run too.","_player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_4_player":["482804"],"_player_evaluations_4_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_4_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_4_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"A Wide Receiver I really find myself liking the more I watch of him, Aaron Slayden of North Carolina looks like he's ready to take off as a prospect. Standing 6-foot-1 and 155-pounds, Slayden is a tall option on the outside that competes for every ball thrown in his direction. Physically he's in very good shape and comes from a family of competitors, which is never a bad thing. Slaydon has played this season with the 14u NC Elite Darkhorses and helped them win both a State and Regional Championship. With those victories, they also punched their ticket to the AYF National Championship week in Florida in December.","_player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_5_player":["513067"],"_player_evaluations_5_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_5_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_5_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_5_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_5_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_5_evaluation":"Massey is one of those kids that make you hold your breath every time you see him get the ball in his hands. Whether it's in the return game or on the parameter as a Wide Receiver, Massey possesses the type of game-changing speed that all want, but few actually have. Massey is in the feeder program for South Pointe High School in South Carolina and should become one of the future standouts in u0022Football City U.S.A.u0022. Taking a finer look at this game, he's an electrifying prospect that could see playing time early in special teams. He's a one cut and go type of kid who doesn't need to waste time dancing. Does a nice job of stacking Defensive Backs and getting them to cross their feet and bite on double moves. Once he adds significant size to his speed, he'll become the complete package.","_player_evaluations_5_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_6_player":["506678"],"_player_evaluations_6_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_6_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_6_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_6_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_6_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_6_evaluation":"The size and power of a thunder and lightning backfield for Kate Bond Middle School in Memphis, Tennessee, Cooper is an absolute load to bring down at Running Back. If defenses were able to get through the massive Offensive Line Kate Bond had this year, they then encountered the chore of bringing down 5-foot-7, 205-pound [player_tooltip player_id='506678' first='Keon' last='Cooper']. I'm aware the NFL comparisons are farfetched, but his running style is extremely reminiscent of NFL Hall of Famer, Jerome Bettis. He's a big, wide kid who drives his legs like pistons when running in the open field and has been clocked at a 4.7 in the forty yard dash. While the Jerome Bettis comparison is more than fair, there's also an argument to say he runs much like current Maryland Running Back Antwain Littleton II. When not scoring touchdowns, Cooper doubles as a devastating lead blocker for the lightning part of the tandem Kate Bond backfield, [player_tooltip player_id='378893' first='Larry' last='Johnson']. He's also a menace as Mike Linebacker or even a Defensive Tackle if the situation calls for it.","_player_evaluations_6_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":7,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","anchor":"acf-block-649a04b1c9baf"} /-->