Class of 2027 - Across The State Edition

We are not far from the start of the 2023 Football Season! And that means another group of freshmen will start their high school careers with dreams of going on to play college football in the future. There are some really talented young men that could make some waves on Varsity in their first year on campus, while some will be destined to be names that we constantly hear over the next few years. This is a two-part series; our first part focused on some impressive players out of the 704 Charlotte Area, and our second look will now be at players across the entire state of North Carolina.   [player_tooltip player_id='254550' first='Ethan' last='Royal'] - QB - Hough   Hough is technically close to Charlotte, but this especially talented young man just decided to play for Hough this upcoming season, so we had to spotlight him as one of the best 2027 prospects out there. Royal has offers from the University of Alabama-Birmingham (UAB) and Arkansas, impressive for such a young prospect. When I take a look at some film from Royal, there are some impressive things that stand out. First off, standing at 6'0 and 170 pounds already, you would have to believe there's another growth spurt to come, and that happening with the talent he displays, it makes sense for schools to pull the trigger early on him. He has excellent ball placement on down-field throws and very good arm strength for his age group to match it. He is able to throw well while on the run from the pocket, and he is a dual-threat capable player, as he can excel in the quarterback run game. I will be excited to see his growth and making plays from the pocket as he matures and faces top-notch talent in the best conference in North Carolina.   [player_tooltip player_id='691243' first='Cash' last='Freeman'] - OL - Christ School   Multiple respected coaches and analysts suggested this young man to me, and given the fact he is 6'3 and 280 pounds already, that will be more than enough to put him on a lot of college coaches' radars immediately. I have him listed as an Offensive Lineman, but he has the ability to be a true two-way player immediately, and then figure out where he will spend most of his time later on in his high school career. Extremely strong at either side of the ball at the point of attack, I will be keeping a close eye on this young man this upcoming season.   [player_tooltip player_id='1395230' first='Baylor' last='Duncan'] OL - Maiden   Another good-looking offensive lineman prospect right here from the western part of the state. Baylor stands at 6'3 and 225 pounds, and projects as a prototypical left tackle already. Seeing him on video, I am excited as he is quick out of his stance, pass sets well, and his feet mirror the defensive linemen at an advanced level for his age group. Baylor also has a nice reach length with his arms, keeping defenders from getting inside and using their hands to work a pass-rush move. Thirdly, I like his punch and lockout technique. He has been coached well up to this point, and should see some playing time if he continues to improve at this rapid rate.   [player_tooltip player_id='378966' first='Savion' last='Lindsay'] - RB - Kings Mountain   Sometimes when you see videos of certain players, you go back to watch them over and over again to believe what you've seen. I did that with Savion because at 5'8 and 175 pounds, he runs with a power and nastiness that reminds me of former #1 recruit Quavaris Crouch at Harding in Charlotte, NC. Now, what I also like is that Savion shows some breakaway speed after running with that power. The other thing is that I like his vision to get in and out of the hole - that will be very important as he transitions to the high school level. Kings Mountain has some players that can run the ball well, but I'd bet they find a way to get him a few touches just to see how advanced he is in, in the right game situations. Get your popcorn ready for this young man.   [player_tooltip player_id='483642' first='Immanuel' last='Collins'] - WR - Shelby   One of the most dedicated and hard-working 2027 players I have seen. Immanuel is always doing something to better himself - running track, lifting weights, doing agility drills - that dedication and focus will take him far. But on top of that, Immanuel is a very good football player as well. I love his speed and game-breaking ability - he simply will not get caught from behind with the ball in his hands. I can see him being a contributor on special teams in the kick return game sooner than later because of that. He also shows some good hands and some good route running - his middle school team seemed to throw it more than you would expect, and he made plays on a variety of routes. Fun player to watch.

We are not far from the start of the 2023 Football Season! And that means another group of freshmen will start their high school careers with dreams of going on to play college football in the future. There are some really talented young men that could make some waves on Varsity in their first year on campus, while some will be destined to be names that we constantly hear over the next few years. This is a two-part series; our first part focused on some impressive players out of the 704 Charlotte Area, and our second look will now be at players across the entire state of North Carolina.