Recruiting Runway: Class of 2027 Prospects to Know – 1/13

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>What better way to start off 2023 then by looking at some of the top eighth-graders in the country. 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":["557618"],"_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":"Andrew is a tight end coming out of the state of Massachusetts that deserves some looks. With one of the more impressive tapes that I have seen from tight ends in this class, it is evident that Andrew could become one of the premier tight ends in the Northeast. As a route runner, Andrew has the speed and athleticism to get open at a high clip. With that, Andrew has phenomenal ball skills and has no problem making a play on the ball. With is sure-handed catching ability, it would be no surprise if he was the quarterbacks favorite target. As a former Offensive Lineman, Andrew has the strength and tenacity to move his opponents all over the football field. With that, he has no problem creating space for the ball carrier to run through. Overall, Andrew is one of the more complete tight ends that I have seen so far.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_player":["572941"],"_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":"Evan is a big body Wideout coming out of the state of Massachusetts. From what I have seen so far from Evan, it is clear that he's an athlete that every team needs on the field. With his speed, Evan can stretch the field vertically and force corners and safeties into a mismatch as he blows the top off of any coverage. Coupled with his speed, Evan is extremely athletic and has no problem adjusting to the ball and finding space to haul the ball in. Most importantly, Evan is a sure-handed receiver that has no problem hauling the ball in and making it look easy. Evan was clearly his quarterback's favorite target on the field and has the capacity to stack receptions up in games and throughout the season. It won't be long until Evan burst on to the scene as an elite prospect in New England for this recruiting class, and it will be exciting to see where his career takes him.","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_player":["310712"],"_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":"David is a 6-foot, 160 pound primetime defensive back coming out of the state of Florida, that already has some varsity experience under his belt. David is the type of kid that everyone wants on their team with his outstanding work ethic both on and off the field. On the football field, David excels as a defensive backs due to his physical nature. He has no problem getting down hill and making a play on the ball carrier in the run game. In the pass game, David has a nose for the football, which allows him to track the quarterback and predict where the ball is going to be thrown. With that, David also has no problem driving down on passes thrown beneath him in an attempt to break up the pass. Overall, David is showing glimpses as to why he could become a sought-after next level recruit.","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_3_player":["488328"],"_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":"Messiah is a 5-foot-11, 160-pound athlete who can seemingly do it all on the football field. Coming out of the state of Georgia, Messiah has been competing against some of the best competition in the country very early on in his career. A Running Back on the offensive side of the ball and a chess piece on defense, there's a lot to be excited about here. Messiah seems to be more of the defensive hybrid type who plays both the run and the pass at an elite level. In pass coverage, Messiah's strong suit is having the ball skills and the athleticism to break passes up and track wideouts in coverage. In the run game, Messiah has the speed and the awareness to track where the ball is going and make a play on the ball carrier while he is in pursuit. Overall, Messiah is the type of athlete who can fit into any scheme and play almost any position at a high level. There is a very high ceiling for Messiah and his continued development will be exciting to watch.","_player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_4_player":["560890"],"_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":"Rocco is a big 6'2 offensive and defensive linemen coming out of Hawaii. Rocco's explosive nature makes him an absolute force on the football field on both sides of the ball. Defensively, he is often found breaking into the backfield before the play ever gets a chance to get going. Rocco does a phenomenal job of using his hands to destruct blocks and make plays on the ball carrier, with one of this favorite moves being the shock and shed technique. With good speed in the trenches, Rocco also is capable of rushing the passer at an elite level. Rocco has no problem pressuring the quarterback and forcing him to make decisions much sooner than he is comfortable with and leads to poor or disrupted passes. Offensively, he move very well and shows off quick/active feet in pass protection. His longer arms also help him keep speedy, and rushing Edge defenders at bay.","_player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_5_player":["563281"],"_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":"Garrett is promising quarterback coming out of the state of Kansas. With solid arm strength, Garrett has no problem slinging the ball downfield and has the precision to put the ball on his targets with amazing accuracy. Garrett also makes throwing on the run look effortless. Whenever he is sprinting out of the pocket in his progression, Garrett does a good job of keeping his guys downfield and finding his open man. Another key aspect to Garrett's game is that he can improvise. When there is pressure in his face, he has no problem staying calm and finding a way to get away from the defenders and find an open target downfield. Overall, Garrett put together a very impressive middle school career as a signal caller. If he continues to grow taller and keeps sharpening his craft, there should be schools looking for him to play on Saturdays in the future.","_player_evaluations_5_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_6_player":["503576"],"_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":"Kemon is a 5'9 athlete coming out of the state of McKeesport, Pennsylvaniau002du002donly a half our from Pittsburgh. As a kid who can seemingly do it all on the field, Kemon excels at an elite level at the running back position. He is a rare breed with the combination of speed, strength, and agility that he ties together perfectly on the football field. Kemon's break away speed makes it almost impossible for anyone to catch him while he has the ball in his hands. Kemon also has the strength to shed and stiff arm defenders who are trying to bring him down. Lastly, he possesses the athleticism to make people miss and stay in bounds while he is making his way to the end zone. Just from what I have seen from Kemon, it is clear that he has the potential to be an elite running back, however, I believe he could be a fit at Defensive Back, Wide Receiver or even Outside Linebacker with athleticism that he brings to the game. Stay tuned in western PA!","_player_evaluations_6_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":7,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-63b45cc4c9096"} /-->