5 Alabama 2027’s With P4 Upside
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Which 2027s in Alabama are part of the future crop of P4 talent in the state? I found 5 that aren’t being talked about enough, despite flashing tons of potential as freshmen. Fisher Brinegar HEIGHT 6'5" WEIGHT 280 POS OL…
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Continue ReadingWhich 2027s in Alabama are part of the future crop of P4 talent in the state? I found 5 that aren’t being talked about enough, despite flashing tons of potential as freshmen.
Brinegar transfers to Moody from Kentucky and gifts the Blue Devils with good size and high upside. He comes in at 6’5 290 and is more than equipped in the length category. He is still thin and has room to grow. As an athlete, he can lumber a bit in the open field and is still growing into his frame, as we often see in younger guys at his size. Still, he plays with good discipline in his eyes and always appears to ID his assignments well, even when leaking out to the second level. When battling for leverage against defenders, he plays with good effort and will drive through the whistle. While he is still growing mechanically, his effort and strength should allow him to see the field while he grows. He already holds an offer from Eastern Kentucky and should continue to generate D1 buzz as he grows into his frame and gets better mechanically.
Highlights
Fleming is an athletic second level-defender that can handle a plethora of responsibilities. He comes in around 6’1 190 and is listed as an EDGE, but will likely project as a traditional stand-up LB. Fleming is a hot pursuer of the football. He has outstanding speed and range, which allows him to roam sideline to sideline and chase after the football. For the most part, he is a sound, face-up tackler that does a good job of settling down, mirroring movements, and wrap tackling ball carriers when needed. At times, he lines up in pass coverage and does a solid job. He moves similarly to a safety and can play underneath routes against TEs and bigger receivers well. He has the speed profile to find and stick with WRs out of the backfield too. He is a productive pass rusher, flashing the speed and bend needed to catch the edge and close in on the QB. Again, he projects as a traditional LB, but he can absolutely get after the QB on 3rd downs and blitz packages. Fleming is an obvious P4 evaluation as a LB and still has his best ball ahead of him.
Jayden Aparicio-Bailey
Jayden Aparicio-Bailey
Aparicio-Bailey is a smooth, instinctual two-way player that gained a lot of valuable experience as a freshman for Oak Mountain. He held his own at WR and showed some snapiness in his routes, but I project him to play DB. He is versatile in coverage, playing outside CB and lining up at safety at times. At CB, he showcases the ability to click downhill from his back pedal and efficiently engage/dodge blockers. He does a good job of tackling from the ground up, striking with good pad level and up-ending receivers on the outside. Might not possess elite burst and speed at this stage of development, but he flashes the ability to match footwork at the line and at the top of routes, allowing him to stick with WRs during critical parts of the route. At safety, he is active in his eyes and calmly switches from one WR to another when they pass through his zone. From the S spot, he takes good angles to the ball and helps maintain outside leverage on offenses. Thanks to his 6’1 frame, footwork, and the ball skill potential he brings from playing WR, Aparicio-Bailey could project as a savvy corner that relies on his instincts to disrupt the timing of WRs.
DJ Verges
DJ Verges
Verges is a stout, bruiser LB prospect that possesses true Mike potential. Verges plays with good instincts and awareness between the tackles, patiently navigating chaos and getting to the football. He doesn’t have a whole lot of range or speed, but he takes good angles to the football and efficiently shuffles to maintain outside leverage in the run game. Verges could benefit from developing more balance when he takes on blockers, but his large, strong frame allows him to absorb contact and stay balanced while bouncing off blocks. As a tackler, he is difficult to escape from. Once he makes contact with ball carriers, he immediately stops their momentum and begins wrestling them to the turf. When he does open up his stride, he possesses the motor to flag down the football across the field. Verges looks the part of a future MLB prospect who can stuff gaps in the run game.
Jalijah Rutledge
Jalijah Rutledge
Jalijah Rutledge is an athletic, rangey S prospect with his best football ahead of him. He looks the part and checks plenty of physical boxes, coming in listed at 6’0 185 with physical definition that jumps off tape. Rutledge is a fiery safety prospect with striking ability. At the top of his backpedal, he flashes fluid hips and can quickly click to his sprint. Once he keys downhill, he approaches the football with violent intentions, launching himself into ball carriers. He patrols center field with the best of them, making tackles all over the field, out angling ball carriers to the outside, and keeping a lid on the offense. He doesn’t look or play like your typical freshman DB. He plays with an edge and is a gifted athlete. All he needs now is more experience and eyes on him.