The National Film Room: 2028 Prospect Film Takeaways

Personally, I love the way Tyson competes on the football field. Feels weird saying it, but he plays both the quarterback and safety position fearlessly, for Henderson Middle School in Jackson, Georgia. Long term I don’t know what the fit will be for Tyson, who also plays guard on the basketball court. Offensively he plays quarterback and I’d consider him a dual-threat, but he certainly looks to pass first. In the pocket he steps into his throws and doesn’t throw a bad ball at all. Defensively, where long term I think this ATH (athlete) has his biggest opportunity to shine, he’s a stud as a safety. Listed at 5-foot-9 (unverified) he high points the heck out of the football and can make some spectacular interceptions. He’s an athlete and trusts himself to make big plays.

Big kid for an eighth-grader is unofficially playing at 6-foot-2 and 245 pounds this season. On film plays a stand up defensive end in a 4-3 front but also says he can play on the interior. Watching him move and looking at his frame, I think it’s a no-brainer that he ends up on the interior defensive line as he progresses through his football career. He does have decent quickness for a big man, but he’d be able to better-display that quickness as an interior defensive tackle who is responsible for two gaps.

Quarterback with good size at 5-foot-10 and 180 pounds (unofficially) right now. Has a big right arm and can sling the rock a country mile when he steps into a throw. Surrounded by some pretty good athletes on the outside. Needs to work on his throwing motion to reach potential. Get his elbow up high, but has an elongated motion which takes him a while to release the ball and sometimes the ball can sail on him a bit. On film, looks like can sling it out there with the best of ’em in the greater Dallas, Texas area–big time arm strength, but as the speed of the competition picks up, he may take some hits if not able to get it out quicker and more succinctly.

After leading the Fellowship Paladins to an undefeated GMSAA Regional Championship a year ago, Ben Haelvi reclassed to 2028 in the off-season, and is attempting to duplicate previous success with Milton this year. When watching last year’s film compared to this year’s, he has grown a ton in the last calendar year. He lists himself at 5-foot-10 and around 150 pounds, which looks like a bit of a stretch on height, but without official measurements it’s hard to tell. Regardless of which grad year, the skill set remains really good. Mobile enough to keep plays alive but is a pocket passer with a live arm. Looks unbelievably cool and calm operating out of the shotgun.

All Saints Episcopal quarterback Jaxon Knapp Jaxon Knapp 6’0″ | 160 lbs | QB All Saints Episcopal | 2028 TX is signal caller that college coaches should start to take a look at, in my opinion. Knapp is reclassed prospect that is starting to scratch the surface of how good he could potentially become. Previously was at Cross Timbers Middle School where he was a member of a 4×100 team on the tack, which broke a 20-year school record. Listed at 6-foot and 155 pounds (unverified), he’s an exciting dual-threat kid that looks to be the king of improv when plays break down around him. He’s an athletic kid has impressive feet in the pocket, and the athleticism to hurdle would-be tacklers when running out of it. His older brother Dalton Knapp is a 6-foot-5, 2025 Edge prospect who recently picked up his first offer from Texas State. Ability and genetics are a great combination.

Returning to Henderson Middle School in Georgia for a teammate of Ashton Tyson, in terms of long term potential, what Kaiden Respress flashes on film bodes well for what he could eventually turn in to. Respress, a future Jackson High School prospect, is a long and lean 2028 prospect at 6-foot and in the neighborhood of 140 pounds (unofficial). Offensively he lines up as a wide receiver but nearly all of his recent film is of him blocking on run plays–which at the minimum shows off that he’s not afraid to get physical, since he blocks well. On the opposite side of the ball he uses those long limbs as a D-End and I like how he keeps blockers disengaged from him. Also a hooper, there’s not a ton of substantial muscle on his frame yet. I think he could become something on the gridiron with continued physical maturation.

Heading to Arkansas, where “The Natural State” has a natural athlete that has caught my attention on the both side of the ball. At 5-foot-10 and 160 pounds (unverified) Jamir Lee is quickly making a name for himself in both football and basketball for North Little Rock Middle School. At first glance it doesn’t look like it, but Lee checks the box in terms of hands, speed and physicality as a wide receiver on the outside. He can catch a quick slant going across the middle and make the defense pay if they come in for the big hit, rather than wrapping up for a tackle.  Plays with really impressive spacial awareness, evident by his play as a safety in the deep third. Trusts his athletic ability and goes all in if he thinks he can make a play on the ball.