AL Pops’ 2028 Offensive Prospect Potpourri – 11.2.23
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Use PROMO CODE: ALPOPS40 for a 40% DISCOUNT on your Prep Redzone Next subscription. I literally check out the film of dozens, if not over 100, different middle prospects every single day. From coast to coast, farm towns to big cities, mountains to the beaches…
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Continue ReadingUse PROMO CODE: ALPOPS40 for a 40% DISCOUNT on your Prep Redzone Next subscription. I literally check out the film of dozens, if not over 100, different middle prospects every single day. From coast to coast, farm towns to big cities, mountains to the beaches and fertile recruiting grounds to needles in a haystack. Here are five offensive prospects that stood out to me today from across the United States on November 2nd, 2023. Please note the date, you’ll want to remember it in the future.
In western Tennessee, Northview Middle School finished the 2023 season with an unblemished record and WTAC Class A District Championship. While the school itself may be smaller in population–roughly 415 total students in 2023-2024–the contributions the Choctaws got from Ja’khai Parr, were anything but small. Parr was a spark of excitement every time the 6-foot, 140-pounder had the ball in his hands. Whether lined up in the backfield or split out wide (which is where I feel he will be long term), he used his elite speed to make a big play happen. On top of his game-changing speed, he also had trustworthy hands and the vision of a running back, which allowed him to pad his YAC stats.
Coming out of Toledo, Ohio, BK Hudson is a really good-looking tight end prospect to start to get familiar with. Already 6-foot-2 and 170 pounds, the St. Francis de Sales student-athlete looks like the new-age tight end’s that everybody loves. He’s an athletic kid that brings versatility to the position. On one play he can line up with his hand in the dirt next to the tackle, and on the very next play he could be lined up in the slot. Off the snap he does an advanced job of maneuvering his way through the mass of humanity on the second level to get into his route, as to not mess of timing. Hudson also does a nice job of adjusting his route depending on if the quarterback is under duress, which tells me he’s got a football IQ. Has room to improve his speed and agility–at times looks like he’s got a bit of baby deer in him when moving in space. He’s only in eighth-grade and that stuff will come with further development and physical maturation. There’s a lot to like here.
The elite public high school powerhouse programs around the country, don’t regroup–they reload. That’s the case with Duncanville High School in Texas, just 14 miles from the heart of Dallas. For current eighth-graders like ATH (athlete) Braylon Brown, they may not graduate high school until 2028, but their contributions on the gridiron have been, and will continue to be, felt well before then. I wish I had verified track times on Brown, because the slot wide receiver/cornerback can absolutely fly. He’s scary in the slot because when he comes in motion for jet sweeps/tosses, he makes dudes miss with ease. Has some very good wiggle to him, specifically in open space. Currently, comes with pretty average size, but he also doesn’t need it because of his mobility. Defensively, is super quick as a cover corner. Covers the receiver like a glove and runs the route almost better than they do. Also has no fear goin after a ball if he think he can pick it off.
Enough with the skill guys listed above! Less than nine miles from The Big House and the Wolverines, sits Dexter, Michigan and 2028 prospect Grant Davis. Listed at 6-foot-2, and I’m assuming 225 pounds or more, he’s a two-way tackle that caught my eye on film. The initial thing that popped out to me, was his apparent strength. He’s a patient offensive tackle that lets the opposition pick their poison and then makes them pay. While some linemen at this level will standout because of their size and sheer domination in the size and strength categories, Davis standouts because he has those traits, plus a natural ease at the position(s). Defensively, he overwhelms guys and fights his way into the backfield on a consistent basis. I’m not ready to stamp him as the next starting tackle for the maize and blue, but with enough work I can see him playing at that level in the future.
Rounding out this write up about offensive prospects is a kid from Mississippi that has proven to play both sides of the ball, beyond his years. Jackson Academy’s Austin Clark is an 8th grade prospect that started on the 9th grade team as a linebacker, which resulted in him only being allowed to play 1-to-2 quarters of running back on the 8th grade team. Standing 5-foot-9 and 160 pounds, there’s unquestionably a lot to like about his game in terms of physical strength and style of play. It doesn’t matter if he has the rock in his hands, or if he’s coming down hill to hit the dude with the rock–he brings it. Clark runs with pretty good speed on film–not elite–but pretty dang good. He’s a Hammerhead Shark essentially looking for contact and if he continues to work on running lower to the ground everything from his speed to his ability to side-step hits, will improve. If he gravitates more towards a linebacker as he progresses, it wouldn’t shock me in the least. However, for now, he’s a tough 2028 prospect at running back.