Recruiting Runway: Class of 2027 Prospects to Know – 11/1
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Interested in reading this and more? Use the code AlPops30 for 30% off a Prep Redzone Next Subscription We are officially into November and middle school football seasons are reaching the later stages, or in some states, has already wrapped up. The prospect…
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We are officially into 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.
Coming out of the talent-factory state of Texas, Trenton is proving early on that he is going to be a force on the grid iron in the future. Following a strong bloodline of elite athletes, Trenton is already filling the shoes of his father Derrick, a seven-year NFL vet and his older brother Tory Blaylock Tory Blaylock 5’10” | 175 lbs | RB Atastocita | 2025 State TX , currently a four-star 2025 prospect with nearly 20 offers at Atascosita High School. The younger Blaylock is a special talent at Defensive Back. His quick-twitch and ability to match Wide Receivers stride for stride with ease, is uncanny. Offensively, playing out of the backfield, one of the things that stands out to me the most about Trenton’s game is his unquestioned speed. When he is on the field, it seems like no one can touch Trenton. Along with that, he has unmatched agility and balance. Trenton has no problem getting around defenders on the field and will run through arm tackles and avoid being tripped with his impressive balance. It won’t be long before Trenton is one of the most sought after athletes in the country and I am excited to watch his career develop.
DJ is one of the better quarterbacks that I have watched coming out of this class. In fact, the eighth-graders already has varsity time under his belt. Hailing from the state of Tennessee, DJ seems to have a very natural and smooth throwing motion when he is throwing out of the pocket. With that, DJ has no problem coupling range with accuracy. With his down field throws, DJ shows to do a very good job placing the ball for his receivers to make a play on it. With DJ’s short to intermediate throws, he does a very good job letting the routes develop, making reads, and allowing his receivers to get open. His ball placement on his throws also allows the wideouts to not only get the ball, but continue to run after the catch has been made. DJ is showing that he could find himself on recruiting boards as a quarterback, very soon. I am excited to watch DJ grow and progress through his career.
Brayden is another quarterback coming out of the state of South Carolina. Throughout his tape, Brayden proves to have a cannon for an arm and has the accuracy for those deep middle-field throws. Another impressive aspect of Brayden’s game is that he is very calm and smooth in the pocket. He does not seem to feel the need to force a ball into a bad situation, instead he allows everything to develop and drop the ball in to a place for his receiver to make a play. Brayden also has no problem making plays with his legs. When he is called to run the ball, he has the speed to out run almost everyone on the field, making him very difficult for defenses to account for in both the pass game and the run game. Brayden already seems to have a very impressive skill set at this level. I am excited to watch him progress and see where his football career takes him.
Highlights
Rylei is a shifty two-way player coming out of the greater Philadelphia area in Pennsylvania. As one of the more agile running backs that I have seen, Rylei is able to make moves to get around defenders as he makes his way to the edge. After that, Rylei uses his very good speed to do the rest of the work. In his tape, Rylei also proves that he is able to play out of the slot as well. As a route runner, Rylei runs strong and crispy routes that allow him to find windows in the defense and get open. On defense, Rylei can be found making plays as a defensive back. He does a very good job of dropping into his zone and watching the quarterback’s eyes to lead him to the ball. As a defensive back, Rylei has no problem high pointing passes to intercept the ball coming his way. Rylei is truly a stand out in the class no matter where he is on the field. It will be interesting to see how he continues to develop, and how much size he adds.
Davion is a speedy wideout coming out of the state of North Carolina. The one thing that stands out to me is his ability to blow the top off of defenses. Davion is a downfield threat with his speed and is capable of running past anyone on any route. Davion is also incredibly athletic with his routes as well. For Davion, It doesn’t matter where the ball is on the field, if the pass is remotely close to him, he is going to go and get it. Lastly, and most importantly, Davion is sure handed. When he is target, Davion is not going to drop the ball. Davion has one of the more impressive receiver highlight tapes that I have seen out of this class, and I am excited to watch him develop in the coming years.
Highlights
Gabriel is another quarterback coming out of the highly sought after state of Maryland. Throughout his tape Gabriel shows off arm talent that is advanced for this level. Though it’s a bit long, he has a very smooth throwing motion that allows him to place his passes in tight windows. Gabriel also has very strong feet in the pocket. At a long, lanky 6-foot-3, No matter the kind of ball is going to throw, Gabriel keeps his feet in rhythm to deliver a perfectly placed and perfectly timed ball. With that, Gabriel also moves encouragingly outside of the the pocket. If he is sprinting out of the pocket, Gabriel has no problem throwing on the run and not having to compensate timing or accuracy at the same time. Gabriel clearly has potential and could become something to be excited about on the next level.
Jaden is another big, rangy receiver coming out of the highly competitive and prospect-heavy state of Georgia. Already 6-foot-1 and growing, with his size and speed, Jaden has the capability to fly past defensive backs and run free down the field. With that, Jaden can also stretch the field horizontally with quick slant routes. No matter where Jaden is on the field, he is not afraid to catch the ball and keep running as he makes his way to the end zone. Just from watching some of his highlights, it is clear that he is a nightmare for any defensive back he faces. Jaden has been gifted early on with his size and talent, and I am excited to see where he goes from here.