Freshmen Week: 16 2027s from Missouri Making Noise this Fall pt.2
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The Great State of Missouri is so absolutely overflowing with 2027 talent that we had to split this special PrepRedzone “Freshmen Week” feature into two parts! I’ve linked Part 1 below, and if you haven’t read it yet make sure…
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Continue ReadingThe Great State of Missouri is so absolutely overflowing with 2027 talent that we had to split this special PrepRedzone “Freshmen Week” feature into two parts! I’ve linked Part 1 below, and if you haven’t read it yet make sure you check it out, as both of these articles are filled with the future superstars, blue-chippers, and high-profile recruits and performers of the Show-Me State’s high school football scene. Recruiting fanatics and Missouri high school football superfans, this one is made for you! Trench warfare specialists, dynamic and explosive athletes, lockdown defensive backs, and even 10 extra freshmen prospects you need to know, no one gives you a more comprehensive, detailed, and early look at Must-Know high school football recruits than PrepRedzone. Let’s get to it; the future is now!
More “Freshmen Week” features:
Indiana –> https://prepredzone.com/2023/10/freshmen-week-15-2027s-from-indiana-making-noise-this-fall/
Wisconsin –> https://prepredzone.com/2023/10/freshmen-week-11-2027s-from-wisconsin-making-noise-this-fall/
Missouri Part 1 –> https://prepredzone.com/2023/10/freshmen-week-20-2027s-from-missouri-making-noise-this-fall-pt-1/
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Amir Tillman
Amir Tillman
Although freshman RB Amir Tillman attends East St. Louis High School and is technically an Illinois high school football competitor, he’s a product of St. Louis, and ESL threads the line of an IL/MO program so much anyway that I don’t mind including him in this PrepRedzoneMO feature. The Flyers currently have a dynamic duo at RB and are set to reload at the position with standout first-year Tillman, who has earned varsity reps this fall despite his age and high school experience. You can already tell he’s athletic and naturally elusive, and is powerful laterally and times his cuts out beautifully, I’m impressed with how his running style is patient, how he utilizes space and angles very well and does a good job of using his quickness to cloud where he’s eventually cutting to. Tillman is a solid blocker, explosive kick returner, strong enough to run through arm and weaker tackle attempts, and overall sudden and elusive. I like watching him tote the rock and I have to think that the Flyers coaching staff is excited about his future. So are we. Only studs come out of the East St. Louis program.
Marcus Allen Marcus Allen 5'8" | 160 lbs | RB Chaminade | 2027 MO Jr.
Marcus Allen Marcus Allen 5'8" | 160 lbs | RB Chaminade | 2027 MO Jr.
Representing the talent-rich Chaminade High School program, 5’8, 150 lb. DB/RB/ATH Marcus Allen Marcus Allen 5’8″ | 160 lbs | RB Chaminade | 2027 MO Jr. is making noise for the Red Devils and has tallied varsity minutes and varsity starts in his first year of high school. He is already seasoned and comfortable in the physical aspects of the game and is effective in pass pro as a RB and a solid and confident tackler who closes quickly and excels in 1-on-1 situations in space. Additionally, he’s got a shifty running style offensively, is positionally versatile, and understands holding the edge on the perimeter. Allen is slippery against blocking attempts and has put some impressive tackles on tape as a freshman, and in coverage, I like his smooth backpedal, loose hips, and ability to transition. He’s not scared of man coverage and can lock it down on the perimeter or from the slot. He’s making the most of his varsity reps in 2023 and with high-quality competition and success already under his belt, plus the versatility and physicality, spells out good things for his future.
A freshman still shrouded in mystery, Francis Howell Central’s 6’4, 185 lb. TE/OLB Jack Brown Jack Brown 6’5″ | 195 lbs | LB Francis Howell Central | 2027 IL is earning a ton of notoriety and attention from his first-year campaign that is featuring heavy varsity minutes, reps, and a ton of impact. However, there isn’t any available film right now, so our loyal PRzMO readers will have to wait a bit longer to get the full picture on Brown and his potential. However, we can already share that Brown’s frame shows off length and a ton of room to fill in, he can play on either side of the ball, and obviously has the wherewithal, means, physicality, and talent to not only play varsity, but find success on a Class 6, big school competitor. I’ll be eagerly awaiting an update on Brown as we head into the offseason.
Resurgent or accomplished seasons generally have an infusion of youthful talent, and Independence-based William Chrisman High School is reaping some of the rewards of giving 6′ freshman DB Ethan Parrish Ethan Parrish 6’0″ | 165 lbs | DB William Chrisman | 2027 MO varsity tick this fall. The Bears are fresh off their first playoff win in 5 years after a 36-28 win over North Kansas City on Friday night, which should be exciting enough, but with some of the ability the Bears are displaying in their 2027 class you can expect more future playoff wins going forward. Parrish is a safety who can work out of the slot and put some solid reps on tape of both run and pass support, but especially against the run. He’s got good pursuit speed and knows how to hold the edge, adjust to ball carriers’ paths, and shows good tackling technique. He’s strong enough to make tough 1-on-1 cut tackles in the hole but can also tackle in space. He’s also patient in his read steps, smooth in his backpedal, and capable of playing man-coverage with success. A balanced skillset with physicality above that of a typical freshman, you have to be excited to see how Parrish continues to progress, especially as a big-school product.
Raylen White Raylen White LB MO
Raylen White Raylen White LB MO
Lots of youth in the St. Mary’s High School football right now, and the Dragons should be particularly excited about freshman LB Raylen White Raylen White LB MO , who is putting together a productive first-year season and is very much worth keeping an eye on going forward. At 5’9, 165, there’s still a lot of growing to do, but in terms of on-field performance, the LB is already looking qualified. White is a stuffing tackler who hits harder than one would expect from his size/age, has a nose for the football, reads/reacts well, and finds gaps through traffic and bodies when triggering on the football. I like how the young buck doesn’t get tied up in blocking attempts and is slippery when bigger linemen get ahold of him, he gets his hat on the football, displays a good motor, and disguises his assignment with pre-snap motion, which helps White find penetration and disruption while lining up all over the first and second level of the defense. The instincts, physicality, and effort boxes are all checked. Now, it’s going to be a big offseason in the weight room for the growing Dragon LB.
Barrett Armbruster Barrett Armbruster 6'2" | 230 lbs | OL Rock Bridge | 2027 MO
Barrett Armbruster Barrett Armbruster 6'2" | 230 lbs | OL Rock Bridge | 2027 MO
You need size? Rock Bridge High School in Columbia can help you there. That sentiment extends to their freshman class as well, where PrepRedzoneMO has covered a couple of must-know 2027s, including our now-highlighted OL Barrett Armbruster. The 6’2, 230 lber. is slated to both replace and slot into an OL filled with behemoths, and as a freshman he’s showed off some dominance as a LT against non-varsity competition in 2023. Possessing strength and technique, Armbruster is always looking to win inside hand placement, looks flexible in his stance and is laterally agile and balanced, and shows a solid first punch. What I really enjoy is his nasty edge and how he’s always looking to finish a block, as the 230 lber. understands how to get opponents off-balanced and use their momentum against them, and he’s also got visible leg drive to get opponents to the turf once he smells the chance for a pancake. Looks like a good athlete with solid size at this time at a premium position on the gridiron. Next season will be a big one for Armbruster.
Noah McCollum Noah McCollum 6'3" | 220 lbs | DL Eureka | 2027 MO
Noah McCollum Noah McCollum 6'3" | 220 lbs | DL Eureka | 2027 MO
With a herd of college coaches set to roam the halls of Eureka High School in the hopes of finding a commitment from the massive and massively talented 2025 OT Jack Lange Jack Lange 6’8″ | 280 lbs | OL Eureka | 2025 State MO , word may get out early about 2027 DL Noah McCollum Noah McCollum 6’3″ | 220 lbs | DL Eureka | 2027 MO . A varsity contributor as a first-year 6’2, 200 lb. DL, McCollum has some power for his age and size and entered the fall as a member of the Wildcats‘ 225 lb. hang clean club. The midseason highlights show an undersized – albeit still growing – DE who plays with high effort, a spring-loaded get-off that can win reps at the snap of the ball, and laterally juke cut block attempts (something you don’t see very often). Possessing long arms and already present and obvious technical savvy, McCollum can bend the edge and is hard to handle at the top of the arch, plays OTs hands well, has a budding pass-rush repertoire, shows a little bit of twitch, and can get skinny through a gap and use quickness to beat OTs to their inside shoulder. If he can add some good weight and hit the offseason hard he’s going to be quite the handful as a sophomore and beyond.
Justin Bishop Justin Bishop 5'9" | 165 lbs | RB MICDS | 2027 MO
Justin Bishop Justin Bishop 5'9" | 165 lbs | RB MICDS | 2027 MO
Even early on in this maturing Show-Me State 2027 RB class, things are looking outstanding at the top end. One of the freshman making the most impact in his first year of high school easily goes to Mary Institute and Saint Louis Country Day School RB Justin Bishop Justin Bishop 5’9″ | 165 lbs | RB MICDS | 2027 MO , a 5’8, 160 lb. playmaker who is the Rams‘ second-leading rusher from this 2023 season. Sitting at a pretty 53 carries for 325 yards (6.1 YPC, 40.6 YPG) and 2 TDs, Bishop has provided some much needed juice to a retooled Rams offense and has taken some of the weight off their junior RB1. No film yet, but the impact and production as a first year and yard per carry average combine for an interesting foundation as a prep RB and prospect. Can’t wait to get my hands on some tape.
Of all the must-know freshmen studs on this talent-ridden PRzMO feature, 6’3, 250 lb. St. Pius X lineman Kyler Kuhn is the surest bet of one of these 2027s turning into a top-ranked, highly-touted P5er and potentially blue-chipper. Possessing ready-made, varsity-worthy size for the trenches as a freshman and 81″ wingspan, Kuhn also holds one of my favorite traits in prep, front-seven prospects: a decorated wrestling background. Kuhn is a 7x youth wrestling state champ in Missouri and proficient in all three styles, particularly Greco Roman, and is both a Freestyle and Greco Cadet National Team member. He’s also a 14U heavyweight AAU national champ, 15U 285 3rd place winner down at Tulsa nationals, 1st place 14U 235 Tournament of Champions winner, and went undefeated at the Battle of the Belt tourney. That’s a heckuva impressive resume, and the wrestling resume lends itself extremely well to the hand-to-hand combat and trench warfare strategies employed by high-level prep OL. As a freshman with St. Pius X, Kuhn already took unofficial visits to Oklahoma and Kansas for a gameday experience and is showing off a skillset of power, athleticism, and effort as a varsity RT starting in his first year of high school. It’s hard not to think he’ll be one of the highest-rated OLs in the Midwest in his class after turning on the tape. With a powerful build and an imposing lower body, Kuhn’s start/stop, COD, and adjustment skills are especially impressive. Watching him mirror, adjust to, and stay in front of second and third-level defenders is a thing of beauty and he can corral smaller opponents with rare ease. Especially for his age. He’s also violent at the point of attack, quick and controlled when comboing and working to the second level, and looks good and has an athletic gait when he gets up to top speed and is lead-blocking or at a full sprint out in space. His pass set is also formidable, as he shows active feet, balance, the ability to stay square, stay patient in his first strike, and the flexibility and hips to drop his anchor. It’s an overall concise and skillful pass set. To top it off, Kuhn has a rep where he drives a helpless DL 30 yards backward and diagonally for an extended rep of The Blindside movie’s caliber. I’d expect to see him playing big-time college football on Saturdays in a few years.
Highlights
Jonathan Moore Jonathan Moore 6'0" | 200 lbs | ATH Lutheran North | 2027 MO
Jonathan Moore Jonathan Moore 6'0" | 200 lbs | ATH Lutheran North | 2027 MO
If you read the first half of this two part feature highlighting the best and brightest of Missouri’s 2027 class, you already know that the Lutheran North freshman class is something special. In fact, even if you didn’t read Part I, you may have already heard, as the group is making a ton of noise both on the gridiron and recruiting trail that has been echoing through the Show-Me State’s high school football scene. After highlighting a handful of their top notch freshmen in Part I, we’re back for more, as 6′, 190 lb. QB/ATH Jonathan Moore Jonathan Moore 6’0″ | 200 lbs | ATH Lutheran North | 2027 MO has been a very promising and dynamic addition to the Crusaders 2023 varsity campaign. A tough runner with patience, vision, and lateral quickness, Moore allows the hole and blocking to develop before bursting through to daylight and is strong enough to easily run through arm tackles and weaker tackle attempts at his upper and lower body. He does a good job of not drawing attention to where he will eventually cut to, and he’s also a terrific scrambler who can always net positive yardage with his legs. Also shows a big arm that can stretch the field, but as a freshman he’s more comfortable making plays with his legs. Already possessing good size, Moore’s natural and dynamic playmaking ability has me interested to see where his primary position will end up, but I get the feeling that Moore is the type of player who can line up anywhere and he’ll make things happen. Bright future for Moore and the Crusaders 2027 class.
Cameron Sherman Cameron Sherman WR MO
Cameron Sherman Cameron Sherman WR MO
We’re heading back to the fertile O’Fallon area and the talent-rich Fort Zumwalt school system for our next standout freshman. FZ North’s 5’6, 140 lb. RB/slot Cameron Sherman Cameron Sherman WR MO brings legit speed to the table as a prospect and was tearing it this summer in padded, preseason action with the Panthers. He kept things rolling on into the fall, where the speedster showed off an explosive skillset of speed, quickness, vision, and balance. Sherman can easily take the edge of a defense, possesses good vision, utilizes his quickness when making effective cuts, and can take the top off the defense as a wideout. He’s elusive, balanced, and can stay upright through weaker tackle attempts impressively for his size as well. Sherman has made the most of his opportunities and created big plays in the run and pass game as a freshman against much larger and more experienced competition. He’s going to be electric these next few years.
Evan Via
Evan Via
Ladue Horton Watkins High School has a must-know DB in their 2027 class who is making a big impact on the varsity scene. 5’8, 145 lber. Evan Via came to play in his first year of high school action and has made an impact in all three phases of the game for the Rams. Via demonstrates good speed that can hawk down loose ball carriers, stay on top of WRs going deep, and pop off big gains offensively. He’s also slippery after the catch, a good tackler, and comfortable in man coverage while showing off ball skills when the rock is in the air. Pass defense, tackling in space or kickoff coverage, and offensive capability, Via is having a strong freshman season and showing a lot of the traits possessed by a future lockdown CB prospect.
Jaylon Hampton Jaylon Hampton 5'7" | 165 lbs | RB Jackson | 2027 MO
Jaylon Hampton Jaylon Hampton 5'7" | 165 lbs | RB Jackson | 2027 MO
The trend of exemplary Show-Me State RB prospects is in good hands with this upcoming 2027 graduating class, and Jackson’s explosive tailback Jaylon Hampton Jaylon Hampton 5’7″ | 165 lbs | RB Jackson | 2027 MO is a must-know name in an already productive and exciting crop of solidified RBs. With good weight room numbers that include a 225 lb. bench, 415 lb. squat, and 215 lb. clean, Hampton has been on a tear against varsity competition this fall, and at the midway point of the 2023 season was sitting at a healthy 597 rushing yards and 11 TDs. He’s kept it rolling into the second half of the season as well, as he posted 17 carries for 116 yards and 2 TDs in a week 8 matchup with Holt High School a couple of weeks ago. Hampton looks like the real deal and possesses a smooth, fluid, and impressive running style that cruises by defenders and would-be tacklers like he’s on an afternoon jog. He’s got great vision, sees the cutback well, is patient, bounces the ball out with perfect timing, and wades through traffic smoothly and effectively. He’s got quick, elusive footwork that leaves defenders grasping at air and utilizes the given space as effectively as possible, especially when working towards the sideline and has the top-end speed to finish big runs and burn pursuit angles. Hampton’s got burst, is sudden in his cuts and decision making, balanced through contact, and generally exciting, elusive, and makes it look easy. He’s been more than a handful this fall and is only going to be more of a nightmare these next three years for helpless Missouri defenders. Hampton’s going to be a good one!
Kaiden Eleby Kaiden Eleby 6'1" | 280 lbs | OL SLUH | 2027 MO
Kaiden Eleby Kaiden Eleby 6'1" | 280 lbs | OL SLUH | 2027 MO
A varsity starter for powerhouse SLUH is no joke and quite an accomplishment, but to make it even more impressive, freshman LG Kaiden Eleby Kaiden Eleby 6’1″ | 280 lbs | OL SLUH | 2027 MO is doing it along the offensive line. The 6’1, 280 lb. mauler is positionally versatile and has lined up at both guard and tackle in 2023, and I love how he uses opponents’ leverage against them, particularly if they begin to lean or get even slightly off balance. Eleby has a heavy punch, plays opponents’ hands extremely effectively, shows a clean, functional, and smooth pass set that can handle speed and/or power, and is a crushing finisher always looking for work between the whistles. He can also complete a variety of more difficult blocks that you don’t often see from a freshman and can pull, combo, and use his footwork, balance, and coordination to take out defenders in space, at the second level, and all around the LOS. Eleby can successfully execute reach blocks, combo blocks, traps, and pulls, and is a heckuva impressive athlete for his age and size. Everything is pointing to him being highly sought after when it’s all said and done.
Makhi Walker Makhi Walker ATH MO
Makhi Walker Makhi Walker ATH MO
Our final Lutheran North Crusader out of their incredibly exciting 2027 class, 6′, 175 lb. three-sport athlete Makhi Walker Makhi Walker ATH MO is a standout football, basketball, and baseball competitor and has found a ton of success in his freshman year of football. At the end of the regular season, Walker is sitting at 26 tackles, 2 TFLs, 3 sacks, and a punt block for a TD, as well as 10 carries for 144 yards and a TD. Not bad for a 14-year-old going against high-powered Show-Me State competition, and has been dynamic on both sides of the ball for the Crusaders. Offensively, he tracks the ball well, is quick at the top of the route, runs behind his pads, is balanced with the ball in hand and can stay upright through trips and weaker tackle attempts at his lower body, and possesses good speed at the top end. As a LB, he was extremely effective as a blitzer, where he flies out of his stance off the edge and is a hammer at the contact point, which also helped him block that punt as well. Walker does a good job of staying tight off blockers hips and uses good angles to bend around the edge to not waste steps or movement, and can flip his hips in coverage before sticking his foot in the ground and bursting out of his breaks smoothly. There’s a lot to like, and he can do whatever is asked of him on the gridiron and do it well. I really like his freshman tape and can’t wait to see how he builds on his game going forward.
Caleb Brown
Caleb Brown
We’re heading back to East St. Louis, and as mentioned in our first eval of this feature, a lot of these kids are products of St. Louis, so I think it’s fair to include some of these standout freshmen in this PRzMO special. The Flyers are one of my favorite programs in the entire United States, and among the excellent high school prospects to come out of that program, it’s always worth paying attention to their DL room. The Flyers have an up-and-coming hammer in 6’1, 220 lb. DE Caleb Brown, who has started multiple games for heavyweight ESL as a freshman, a heckuva achievement that not any 14-year-old can pull off. Brown, who was also a beast of a youth football player, has quite an impressive skillset for a young buck, and it’s hard not to get excited about his future and potential as a college recruit after watching the tape. With a great get-off, Brown is noticeably, obviously, and impressively twitched up, which has given quality OL fits in 2023. I really like the twitch, and additionally, he can beat blockers with power. He displays the strength and pad level to split double teams, a powerful stab that can put linemen on their butts, and can shock and shed OL efficiently with his strong and active hands. He’s simply a natural at beating blocks and getting to the QB, and also displays the instincts to stick his hands up into passing lanes if he can’t get into the QB in time and the effort and motor to hawk down loose ball carriers far downfield. He’s overall extremely impressive, and I think he’ll make another P5 trench warfare specialist coming out of East St. Louis, especially if he can add a couple of inches. Love what we’re seeing so far.
More Freshmen to Know:
Josiah Robinson Josiah Robinson 5'11" | 175 lbs | DB Lee's Summit North | 2027 MO (Lee’s Summit North) DB/WR. 5’10, 150 lbs. @_JosiahRobinson
Robert Eatherton Robert Eatherton RB MO (Vianney) RB.
Logan Mayfield Logan Mayfield 5'11" | 165 lbs | WR Lee's Summit North | 2027 MO (Lee Summit North) WR/DB. 5’11, 140 lbs. @Loganmayfield17
Tyler Bishop Tyler Bishop 5'11" | 175 lbs | LB Ft Zumwalt West | 2027 MO (Fort Zumwalt West) LB/DE. 5’11, 165 lbs. @Tyler_Bishop57
Tyler Stockard Tyler Stockard 6'4" | 195 lbs | DL Vashon | 2027 MO – 6’4, 195 lbs. @stockard_t23992
Matthew Lindsey Matthew Lindsey 5'11" | 175 lbs | QB Oak Grove | 2027 MO (Oak Grove) QB/FS. 5’11, 150 lbs. @matt_lindsey07
Kindall Young (Rockwood Summit) RB.
Kyren Evans Kyren Evans 6'0" | 160 lbs | WR Lutheran North | 2027 MO (Lutheran North) WR. 5’10, 160 lbs.
Royce Searcy Royce Searcy 5'8" | 150 lbs | WR MO (East. St. Louis) ATH. 5’8, 150 lbs. @cantguardroycee
Reece Shanklin (East St. Louis) QB. 5’11, 170 lbs. @ReeceShanklin11