Al Pops’ Class of 2027 Prospect Evaluations – 12/19

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>'Twas the week before Christmas and the page has officially been turned on youth careers. High School and the football futures of many prospects are getting ready to hit the accelerate button. 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 year 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 {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["529298"],"_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":"-One of the most talented Running Backs coming out of Northern California in recent memory. Versatile back that is doing it with natural talent at this point and could be a significant name to know in the 2027 recruiting cyclernrn-Played for the MEGA BOYZ youth team this year, which is comprised of a lot of very athletic kids who feed into Pittsburg High School. Pittsburg won the state championship this year and is also home to class of 2023 five-star QB and Miami commit, [player_tooltip player_id='25431' first='Jaden' last='Rashada']rnrn-Good build on him and superior explosion at the line of scrimmage. Watching him on film and in person, he hits the hole exactly like every Running Back coach wants it to be done","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_player":["527808"],"_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":"-Super athletic kid at 6-foot-3 and 170-pounds that looks really impressive at multiple positions all over the football fieldrnrn-Offensively is dual-threat kid with extremely good mobility and is honestly a threat to take it the distance if he gets into open field with his accelerationrnrn-Defensively you have to account for him at all times because he moves around. In the same game earlier this year, lined up as an Edge and made a big sack. Later in the game, was back playing Free Safety and hauled in an an interception","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_player":["556692"],"_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":"-A Tight End/Defensive End/Outside Linebacker type with good size at 6-foot-2 and 185-poundsrnrn-Watching him play, I specifically like what he brings to the table as a pass-catching Tight End. He's built more like a Wider Receiver at this point, but should be able to add significant mass to his frame as he transitions into high schoolrnrn-Has gotten it done outside the regular season, too. Whether it be during 7-on-7 or on the camp circuit, he turns head. In fact, he was named Tight End MVP at the All-Poly Camp last summer","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_3_player":["532325"],"_player_evaluations_3_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_3_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_3_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"-One can always count on the state of Georgia to produce talented eighth-grade prospects at every position, this year is no different with Offensive Lineman Gabriel Princernrn-Really favorable size and frame on him, as he stands 6-foot-3 and 255-pounds with a little bit of room for improved body composition. That said, right now looks like a really nice prospectrnrn-Started at Offensive Tackle for the Prince Avenue Christian School this past year and is part of a really nice looking group of incoming freshman prospects for the Wolverines","_player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_4_player":["500073"],"_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":"-Admittedly, when I first evaluated Perez, I was waiting to see a little more when he jumped on my radar last spring. Rest assured, he did some great things as an eighth-grader and he's checking a lot more boxes nowrnrn-Another Offensive Tackle with some great size at 6-foot-3 and 255-pounds, he has stretched out a few inches and worked hard to cut some excess weight and add on some of the muscle needed to bang in those trenchesrnrn-For a bigger 2027 prospect, does a good job bending at the knees instead of the waste. While he has seen a lot of time at Tackle, I don't think it's too farfetched to see him bump inside to play Guard","_player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_5_player":["553199"],"_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":"-A big Quarterback no matter how you cut it, at 6-foot-1 and 195-pounds he looks more like a Defensive End than a Quarterback when you first see him in the fleshrnrn-While he doesn't have the speed that Cam Newton played with, Harris Jr.'s game is very reminiscent of the 2015 NFL MVP. They both can torch you with their arm but also will take off and aren't afraid to lower a shoulder if it means picking up a few more yardsrnrn-Watching him live at AYF Nationals in early December, something that will never show up in the stat sheet, but he was a quiet leader all week long. Didn't do a lot of talking and messing around, but let his play do the talking","_player_evaluations_5_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_6_player":["552747"],"_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":"-One of the most physically gifted eighth-grade prospects I have seen in my 13+ year career of evaluating middle school football prospectsrnrn-Stands 6-foot-3 and 200-pounds and looks like he's completely chiseled out of stone. From his quads and hamstrings to his core and his shoulders, all the major powerful muscle groups are ready to gornrn-In addition to what he does as a Linebacker/Running Back/Quarterback, he's also one of the most elite wrestlers in the state. It seems like whatever he participates in, he wins","_player_evaluations_6_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":7,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-63a08e4ed1600"} /-->