AL Pops’ Class of 2027 Prospect Evaluations – 3.15

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In the constant search for who the biggest and brightest stars of tomorrow are, PRZ Next stays with a constant eye towards the future of football. Here's a look at 10 class of 2027 prospects, from 10 different states, that I'm high on today.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["705916"],"_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":"There were five eighth-graders listed on the Zarephath Academy varsity football roster this past season and there were none more impressive and jaw-dropping than [player_tooltip player_id='705916' first='Joshua' last='Jones']. The 2027 prospect is every bit of the 6-foot-2 and 195-pounds he's listed at online, and his u003ca href=u0022https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0SU6rfS3_Rku0022u003efilm from this yearu003c/au003e shows a freaky athlete that played both Wide Receiver and Safety for the Jacksonville-based high school. In a u003ca href=u0022https://www.on3.com/news/2027-ath-joshua-jones-has-national-aspirations-as-a-recruit/u0022u003erecent interviewu003c/au003e with On3, the head coach of his 7v7 team (Harrison Smith Jr.) said he's the best middle school football he'd ever seen. That article goes on to say that he's already comparisons to how All-Every NFL Safety Derwin James looked at this age. To frame it a little closer in age, I saw immediate comparisons to class of 2026 Prep Redzone Next Watchlist selection Jabari Brady (also from Florida) who is already closing in on 20 offers before the end of his freshman year in high school. Brady was the most dominant Wide Receiver prospect I saw live as an eighth-grader a year ago. They're the exact same size with nearly identical builds. While he doesn't hold an offer yet, I'd get in line ASAP and be first on what's sure to be a long list of suitors.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_player":["705894"],"_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":"The common misconception out there among the casual football field or Monday Morning Quarterback's, is that Offensive Linemen and Defensive Linemen are just big, unathletic dudes whose only job is to get in the wayu002du002dand that couldn't be further from the truth. A lot of the linemen on the field are incredible athletes, just in big bodies. Case in point of that statement is 2027 prospect [player_tooltip player_id='705894' first='Kaden' last='Buchanan'] out of Watertown, Tennessee. Buchanan is listed on line at 6-foot-5 and 301 poundsu002du002dwhich is elite size for an eighth-graderu002du002dbut the big man is an athlete. While his Mother is a coach, he's the first, and biggest, eighth-grade Offensive Lineman I have ever seen play competitive Volleyball. The big man also has spent time on the diamond as a Pitcher. Watching some game film from early this season, he has some things to work on from a fundamentals standpoint. For example using his hands more instead of simply relying on his overwhelming size and bringing his lower body with him through blocks rather than just leaning. All that said he's young, he's training hard and he has size as an eighth-grader that most would die for. Im excited to see how the Offensive/Defensive Tackle progresses, as he heads into high school.","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_player":["706230"],"_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":"If you're a firm believer in genetics, as I am, then you should go ahead and jot down 2027 Offensive Lineman [player_tooltip player_id='706230' first='Jack' last='Sprague'] as a name to know in Missouri High School football for the next four years. I bring up genetics because Jack is the youngest of three brothersu002du002dwith the older two holding impressive football resumes. Oldest brother [player_tooltip player_id='37210' first='Bo' last='Sprague'] was two-star recruit coming out of high school and is currently an Offensive Linemen/Tight End at the University of Pennsylvania. Middle brother is 6-foot-8, 290-pound [player_tooltip player_id='218447' first='Andrew' last='Sprague'] who is currently ranked the No.7 overall prospect and No.1 Offensive Line prospect in our 2024 Missouri rankings. I haven't seen much of little brother Jack, but the bit I have seen has been impressive. His frame is tremendous and he's just as athletic and mean as his older brothers. Rockhurst High School will have yet another Sprague on its sidelines for the next four years.","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_3_player":["707287"],"_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":"Up in the Pacific Northwest, Washington state is home to a 2027 Offensive Line prospect worth getting familiar with, in [player_tooltip player_id='707287' first='Damian' last='Canfield']. The Mattson Middle School student-athlete is a thick, 6-foot-2, 270-pound big man that is starting to make some noise in the greater Tacoma/Seattle area. Canfield shined this fall while playing for Team FSP (Ford Sports Performance) and caught my eye while watching clips of his teammate and fellow 2027 prospect, Linebacker [player_tooltip player_id='652796' first='Liufau' last='Loumoli']. Plays both Guard and Tackle at this point, but I like him inside a bit more at this point. His footwork is drastically improving with each clip I see; Even showing off a pretty good kick slide in pass pro, which tells me playing Tackle is not out of the question. He's got big mitts and uses those heavy hands to knock the wind out of guys with his initial punch. There's a lot to be excited about with what Canfield is morphing in to.","_player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_4_player":["706163"],"_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":"2027 Pittsburgh prospect [player_tooltip player_id='706163' first='Aaron' last='Strader Jr.'] is a kid people should start to kick the tires on based off pedigree alone.  His father, and namesake, was MAAC Rookie of the Year at DuQuesne University in 2005 before becoming an All-American for the Dukes. His older brother, 2023 prospect [player_tooltip player_id='160523' first='Raion' last='Strader'] is ranked our No.5 Defensive Back in Pennsylvania for 2023 and is signed to The University of Miami (OH), where he will play Defensive Back there in the fall. While his pops and older bro were inclined to pick off passes, Strader Jr. is looking to make a name for himself as the guy u003cemu003ecompleting u003c/emu003ethose passes. Looking at him physically, you can see the long legs and length that his 6-foot-3 dad had. He'll be off to Penn Hills High School next year where the Indians finished up .500 for the second time in the last three years.","_player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_5_player":["707335"],"_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":"[player_tooltip player_id='707335' first='Raymond' last='Gilbert'] is a class of 2027 Illinois prospect worth getting to know early. The 6-foot-1, 170-pound Wide Receiver is one of the more physically impressive kids I've seen in the midwest to this point. A two-sport athlete who also helped lead his eighth-grade basketball team to a Regional crown, and fourth-place finish in class 3A State Tournament. Currently wrapping up his eighth-grade year at Lincoln Junior High, he played this past football season for the Bolingbrook Buccaneers of the UYFL. Dawning jersey number 19, Gilbert made a difference on field all season long. He's muscular and put together very well. Plays with a refreshing physical style of Wide Receiver, including stiff arms, broken tackles and a ton of YAC yards. He's currently playing for the Indiana Blaze 7v7 program and is trending towards being a 2027 Illinois prospect that should make noise early.","_player_evaluations_5_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_6_player":["707407"],"_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":"You can't talk Cincinnati-area high school football without Winton Woods High School being one of the first programs to come out of your mouth. The Warriors are poised to welcome a big time freshman this upcoming fall in 2027 prospect [player_tooltip player_id='707407' first='Isaiah' last='Garrett']. Garrett woke the recruiting world up this past January when he earned a verbal offer from the University of Michigan. The offer from the maize and blue caught some folks off guard, but if you saw any of his eighth-grade seasonu002du002dit's not u003cemu003ethat u003c/emu003esurprising. The rocked up back led Winton Woods Middle School to a 7-0-1 record and Eastern Cincinnati Conference championship. He finished the year with 21 touchdowns and over 2,000 all-purpose yards. The rich get richer, as the Warriors already have a number of future D1 players on their roster, highlighted by 2024 ATH [player_tooltip player_id='410362' first='TraMar' last='Harris'] and 2025's [player_tooltip player_id='514865' first='Justin' last='Hill'] and [player_tooltip player_id='284946' first='Raphael' last='Greene']. Not surprisingly, after the Michigan offer, the Buckeyes took notice. He'll be in Columbus later this month for an unofficial visit.","_player_evaluations_6_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_7_player":["707456"],"_player_evaluations_7_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_7_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_7_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_7_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_7_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_7_evaluation":"Hailing from Macon, Georgia, which is about as middle of the state of Georgia as one can get, Paul is a prospect I see some big potential in. He has a very good frame on him at 6-foot-1 and 170-pounds with rounded shoulders and requisite muscle mass. The three-sport athlete has had quite the eighth-grade school year, winning champions in both football and basketball already. While basketball could be his best sport from what I've seen, he's a menace at Middle Linebacker. On the blitz he was borderline unblockable for Appling Middle School this past season, using great instincts, quickness and well-timed jumps on the snap. Paul played Running Back on the offensive side of the ball and also starred there as well. He's off to Northeast High School in the fall, where the Raiders finished 2022 with an 8-4 record before losing in the Class 2A State Semi-finals to eventual State Champion, Thomson High School.","_player_evaluations_7_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_8_player":["707562"],"_player_evaluations_8_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_8_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_8_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_8_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_8_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_8_evaluation":"As I mentioned above in the writeups of [player_tooltip player_id='706230' first='Jack' last='Sprague'] and [player_tooltip player_id='706163' first='Aaron' last='Strader Jr.'], I'm a firm believer in genetics and how pivotal of a role they play in an athlete's chances of making it to the top level. [player_tooltip player_id='707562' first='Domonic' last='Cook Jr.'] is an upstate New York prospect that benefits from good football genes, as his dad had quite the football career. While Jr. looks to be a Running Back in my eyes, his father (whom he shared a name with) had a tremendous career at the University of Buffalou002du002dincluding leading the Bulls with six interceptions in the 2010 seasonu002du002dbefore being signed by the Buffalo Bills as an undrafted Free Agent. The 2027 Domonic Cook has a very similar build at 5-foot-9 and 160-pounds. He's a solid, muscular Running Back who embraces contact and isn't afraid to lower his shoulder and run over someone. He'll be off to St. Joseph's Collegiate Institute for high school and could be the next Cook to catch fire in Buffalo.","_player_evaluations_8_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_9_player":["707508"],"_player_evaluations_9_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_9_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_9_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_9_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_9_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_9_evaluation":"Jones is your exemplary 2027 prospect getting ready to head off to high school, standing 6-foot and 160-pounds, per his social media. The future Hammond High School Tor (Tornado) athlete played Quarterback on the offensive side of the ball this past season and did a nice job as a dual-threat. However, to me, the future for him starts in the defensive secondary. The Louisiana native is long-limbed and blankets a lot of ground with just a few lateral steps. On the middle school level proved he could play Corner or Safety at a high level. I lean more towards Safety long term, but development and growth will dictate that. Look out for Jones for down in the boot.","_player_evaluations_9_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":10,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6411c05b5565e"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->