FSP’s Top 20 Potential NFL Prospects: 15-11
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As the preseason finishes and Washington State High School Football kicks off this weekend, we at Ford Sports Performance are counting down the top 20 prospects by the highest standard of potential, answering a simple yet loaded question- who could…
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Continue ReadingAs the preseason finishes and Washington State High School Football kicks off this weekend, we at Ford Sports Performance are counting down the top 20 prospects by the highest standard of potential, answering a simple yet loaded question- who could eventually play in the National Football League?
Although we at Prep RedZone and several other websites rank prospects by projecting them as college football players, I’ve also learned the value in rephrasing the question to project the highest overall potential further down the line. The countdown continues with our number 15-11 players today, featuring a freakishly athletic tackle, the top defensive back, a Top 10 tight end in the nation, two astoundingly gifted defensive backs, a young, promising linebacker, and one of the most explosive wideouts in the nation.
Payton Stewart Payton Stewart 6’7″ | 270 lbs | OL Kelso | 2024 State WA is the future of offensive line prospects. While the average perception is that offensive lineman need to weigh a lot and pack weight on to their frame, these rankings- as well as College and NFL Draft Rankings in the present and future- will prove otherwise. The goal of offensive line prospects is now usually to drop weight if they’re 300 pounds plus, and you’d show them Stewart as an example of what the next levels look for. Speed kills, even on the offensive line- to use basic science, force equals mass times acceleration. You don’t need to simply add mass to block better, though- building muscle is great but takes consistency over time. The far more effective strategy is to add speed, which is physically strenuous for big bodies, but is worth the pain in gold. Stewart’s 6’7″ frame combined with his skills to move give him an incredibly bright future and he has a very good chance of playing on Sundays after Oregon State.
Highlights
The top defensive back prospect in terms of limitless potential is not always the one with the best stats or the best high school performer, but it’s the one with the highest ceiling- and few prospects can stack up to that of D’Aryhian Clemons D’Aryhian Clemons 6’0″ | 170 lbs | ATH Spanaway Lake | 2025 State WA at all. He’s simply the fastest and quickest DB in the state, and adds icing on the cake with good length and size. I liked his tape but was floored by how well he played in person this Spring for FSP’s Club Tackle team, just watching him stay in the hip pocket of wide receivers was a thing of beauty. He’s by no means polished, and needs to continue to grind harder than anyone to squeeze all the potential he has out into reality- but he will play Division 1 football and could be an all-conference player at the Power 5 level. If he can match his athleticism with playing aggressive, cerebral, and consistent, he will play on Sundays someday.
The best wide receiver in the state is Malachi Durant Malachi Durant 6’2″ | 160 lbs | ATH Graham-Kapowsin | 2024 State WA , but it’s not just due to high school production- he could get by being very good at this level on his talent alone. He desires to be great and commits to consistently working on his craft, competing with any chance he gets and becoming better by taking more reps over time. His technical skills are very good but still have more room to grow and unlock past the high school level, and his athleticism is the same story- he has a high baseline but his package is not yet peaking, where it could at even higher levels of football. He has great instincts on the field that many athletes lack, and he can be an incredible deep threat with his size and length working together with willpower. He fits the profile of a starting caliber Division 1 wide receiver, and will need to stay consistent to stand out amongst one of the most loaded positions in the sport- but if he can keep his confident attitude and drive to constantly be better, he can be an NFL Draft pick someday.
Noah Fox Flores has incredible promise at tight end. His frame is great at 6’4″ 230, but you could say the same for all NFL TEs. He’s not as fast as some of the other ones but has shown major athletic improvements while working with FSP, and has an incredible attitude to keep improving. He’s appreciative yet unsatisfied with being a camp performer, getting offers, and being good in high school. This is a young man who looks to be a very mature adult as well as a great football player. He will make the sacrifices and will take advantage of the gifts he has. The only roadblock between him and the NFL is the loaded position of freak athletes he plays, but as long as he takes everything he can, he will have a good shot of making the league someday.
Isaiah Patterson Isaiah Patterson 6’2″ | 235 lbs | LB Yelm | 2024 State WA plays the loaded linebacker position in Washington State, but there should be no question about the level of talent and ceiling that exists. He’s got the frame and the athleticism to play at the highest levels and has already shown immense ability to utilize it, hitting like a monster truck and rushing like a maserati. He’s confident and driven and doesn’t get satisfied by committing to play college ball, because he wants to be the very best at what he does. He will grow at UCLA, and as long as he improves each year, can take his game to the professional level. Comparing him to teammate Platt in ranking is a disservice but if you contrast their skillsets you can appreciate how well each plays their roles, whether they’re good enough to get by or not- they deserve applause for attention to detail. He could go from the second best linebacker on his high school team to the best one on his college team, which would sure put it in perspective. Patterson will be a force on Saturdays and could be a Sunday player with time and work.