5 Birmingham Area Sleepers
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Each year, programs across all levels flock to the Birmingham area to fill out their rosters. Birmingham and the surrounding areas are home to some of the best high school football talent in the south. There is plenty of talent…
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Continue ReadingEach year, programs across all levels flock to the Birmingham area to fill out their rosters. Birmingham and the surrounding areas are home to some of the best high school football talent in the south. There is plenty of talent to go around. Here, we try to uncover some of the best-hidden gems in the area.
Steve Brown – 2024 – QB – Shades Valley
Dynamic QB prospect that is still beneath the radar as a prospect. At first look, you’ll fall under the impression that Brown is just a really good athlete that is playing QB out of necessity. The more you watch, the more you become impressed with his marksmanship. He has an uncanny ability to escape and keep the play alive all while keeping his eyes downfield and climbing the pocket. He has a clean delivery, layers the ball well, and throws a catchable ball with good touch and timing. When on the run, he does a good job of setting his feet and throwing off a firm base. He does all of this while being dangerous as a runner. I like what I see from Brown and believe he could be a steal at the next level.
Matthew Yafondo – 2024 – LB – Clay Chalkville
Highly productive LB prospect that really shines on tape. Yafondo is a reactionary defender that can change direction and break on the football on a dime. He takes good angles to the ball carrier and delivers some serious power at impact. His lateral quickness is perhaps one of his most impressive attributes. He keeps his feet active, maintains balance, and keeps the action in front of him until he decides to pursue the ball carrier. Yofondo is the definition of a prospect that plays with controlled aggression and will add a lot of value to a LB room.
Nicholas Brown – 2024 – DL – Leeds
Truly underrated DL prospect. I believe someone is going to get a massive steal here. Brown is super explosive, creating instant penetration off the snap and knocking the offensive lineman off-balance. He has very heavy hands and quick arms, which allows him to fight off blockers. Brown chops his feet and has good lateral movement. He often baits the blocker to the outside then breaks to the inside, and vice versa. To go along with all of his tools and disciplined approach, he has a high motor and plays with tremendous effort which only brings his game to another level. His 6’1 260 size might be why some D1 schools are hesitant to pursue, but he plays bigger than his size and is worthy of a look.
Malik Brown Malik Brown 6'2" | 225 lbs | LB Center Point | 2024 AL – 2024 – ATH – Center Point
Productive player in the front 7 that plays numerous different positions and flies to the football. He has good size at 6’2 225 with some long arms. Plays mainly at LB, where his physical presence alone sitting in the gaps is valuable for the defense. Brown reacts quickly to the offense, breaking on the ball with no hesitation and taking good angles to the ball carrier. As a tackler, he shows good mechanics, fully wraps up the defender, and brings him to the ground. Projects really well at LB, but he is big enough to play on the DL. He can slip by blockers and uses his long arms to fend off his opposition. Brown is productive, big, and plays with good instincts and awareness.
Caiden Combs Caiden Combs 6'4" | 265 lbs | DL Gardendale | 2025 State AL – 2025 – DL – Gardendale
Combs is certainly no sleeper on the diamond, as he is committed to play baseball at Auburn. However, I believe he could play at the P5 level for football. I believe Combs is a very impressive prospect at first look. He has good size at 6’4 250 and has very long arms. There is a lot of room for him to add more weight and become even more dominant physically. Combs is quick off the snap and has plenty of moves under his belt. He uses his arms to attack the outside shoulder of the blocker and also shows the ability to get skinny and slip off the inside shoulder. He is one of the more athletic defensive line prospects I have seen in the 2025 class and I believe his best football is still ahead of him. Whether it’s in baseball, football, or both, expect to hear plenty about Combs in the future.