2027 Rankings: Ascending Prospects Making the Biggest Jump Part 2
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After milling through countless hours of Hudl (and Qwickcut) film, the 2027 Prep Redzone New Jersey player rankings were in a dire need for a serious update. After rolling up my sleeves and getting to work, here are the prospects…
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Continue ReadingAfter milling through countless hours of Hudl (and Qwickcut) film, the 2027 Prep Redzone New Jersey player rankings were in a dire need for a serious update. After rolling up my sleeves and getting to work, here are the prospects who performed at an extremely high level last fall, and thus, made the biggest jump in our official rankings.
Starting varsity as a freshman, Terry Cook Terry Cook 5’10” | 170 lbs | DB Eastern Regional | 2027 State NJ is a twitchy freak; however, for as twitchy as he is, Cook absolutely explodes with every movement he makes. Never one to give up on plays, no ball carrier anywhere on the field is safe from him. Playing like a grown man, as an offensive weapon Cook can absorb hits while being ready to take on another. Should those efforts not take him down, Cook only is downed when the entire squad gets involved. No ball carrier is safe from Cook as he prowls the secondary, for the relentless defender hustles and pursues, as well as times the ball’s arrival to intended targets extremely well to break up pass attempts. For as much as I love his game, Cook’s area to grow would probably be zeroing in on his run/pass keys from safety. Doing so will make an elite two-way defender even better.
Prior Rank: 25
Current Rank: 2
With more wiggle than jiggle and more bounce than an ounce, Nehki Martin Nehki Martin 5’9″ | 150 lbs | WR Paramus Catholic | 2027 State NJ is currently 2027’s most shifty prospect. His loose hips combined with great vision in the open field have Martin running circles around defenders; however, once they secure Martin in their clutches, he is also very difficult to bring down – likely due to his pad level and how he keeps his feet churning at all times. Getting very good releases off the line adds an element of fear to defenses, especially considering that Martin has the ability to also out-leap double coverage, in the back of the end zone, while managing to stay in bounds. Should Martin develop truly elite speed, he could be one of the nation’s top playmakers for 2027.
Prior Rank: 28
Current Rank: 3
It is inexplicable how Arique Fleming Arique Fleming 6’2″ | 205 lbs | QB Elizabeth | 2027 State NJ was only ranked 43rd in the state prior to our last update. Having his size verified at 6’2″ 205lbs during his unofficial visit to Rutgers over spring break, Fleming has added about 25lbs this offseason. On tape we see that, starting varsity as a 14 year old, he steps up in the pocket well to get in sync with his throws and also evade the rush. A maestro in some ways, Fleming has the ball on a string, routinely placing it in positions where his receivers can rack up serious YAC. Additionally, he has the arm strength to throw roughly 65 yards through the air and also drive the ball into tight windows. Fleming also moves east-west in the pocket equally as proficiently and is capable of delivering a ball to a receiver streaking to his right as Fleming scrambles to his left. Fleming’s stock can continue to rise as he cleans up his footwork and mechanics in his lower half. Doing so might enable him to throw the football through a brick wall.
Prior Rank: 43
Current Rank: 6
Kobe St. Hilaire Kobe St. Hilaire 5’9″ | 175 lbs | RB Don Bosco Prep | 2027 State NJ is about as instinctual a runner as there is. With a clearly defined second gear, it seems as though St. Hilaire is shot out of a cannon at times, easily beating linebackers to the edge. His fluid hips allow him to make men miss in space without losing much at all. This shiftiness is also present behind the line of scrimmage, where he is able to make quick, sudden cuts to find alternative holes to rush through. Improving his pad level when rushing will allow St. Hilaire to break more tackles, and thus, reach top speed again as his big gainers evolve to game-defining plays.
Prior Rank: 40
Current Rank: 15