2024 Atlanta Area Spring Breakout Team

The Atlanta area is one of the most fertile recruiting territories in the country. Every year, this area produces future college and NFL talent. Here, we evaluate the top talent in the area that broke onto the recruiting scene this spring.   Note: This list will consist of the 5 Metro-ATL counties. Fulton, DeKalb, Cobb, Gwinnett, and Clayton.    There's not a whole lot of film out there on Mbatchou, but it doesn't take an expert to know why he has completely blown up this spring, picking up FBS offers left and right. Mbatchou, who has Cameroon ties, is 6'6 295 of pure athleticism and power. When coaches have got eyes on him this spring, they couldn't leave without extending an offer. He will have to translate it to the field, but he is a naturally gifted freak athlete and is reaping the rewards of it on the recruiting trail right now.     [player_tooltip player_id='1672723' first='Jerimia' last='Collier'] is a highly athletic LB prospect with the ability to impact the game all over the field. He is an athletic 6'2 190 and still has plenty of room left to add more muscle. Might not have the play strength to consistently play on the edge, but he plays with plenty of finesse and bend as a pass rusher. He attacks both shoulders of the tackle, jumping across their face to shoot into the backfield. From the second level, he plays with outstanding pursuit skills, making energetic plays on the ball carrier. In coverage, he has comparable range to that of a safety. With his length and range, he clouds passing lanes over the MOF and is difficult to layer over. I am a massive fan of Collier, who has picked up several FBS offers this spring. In my eyes, this is an obvious P4 LB evaluation.     Since transferring to Kell this offseason, Jalen Williams has exploded onto the recruiting scene and has added major P4 offers to his name. Williams is extremely disruptive in man coverage, possessing the footwork to match WRs at the line and the length/physicality to compete throughout the route process. On his sophomore tape, he showcased the ability to track the ball well, sticking on the hip of WRs, crowding the catch point, and playing through the football. Thanks to his downhill tackling ability, he can stay on the field on every down. Williams checks the athleticism boxes, but he is also disruptive in press coverage and thrives on competition.     Synkwan Smith is an absolute burner, clocking 10.56 speed in the 100M. He is a change-of-pace option at RB, coming in at 5'9 168. As a junior, he played a lot more WR. He is a cloud of dust runner with the ball in his hands, pinballing off tacklers and overwhelming defenses with his erratic, yet effective footwork. He possesses the speed to outrun angles and catch the corner once he breaks into the open field. At WR, he can easily get DBs off platform and jump across their face, creating plenty of separation. He is a dynamic and experienced returner as well, which will help him find the field early at the next level. Smith already possesses elite speed, but it looks like he could become even faster.     For me, OT prospects with plenty of physical and technical development left in the tank get a few ticks up. Canales checks those boxes. He is listed at 6'4 275 and carries his weight well while still having room to grow from head to toe. He is a good athlete, getting to the second level quickly and can turn and run with pass rushers trying to get the edge. His pass set is raw, but he can get back there quickly to cut off angles and he has the length to keep his chest free. He plays with good hand placement and is quick off the ball, but will need to develop more play strength before he gets to the next level. Canales is a moldable OT prospect with plenty of upside. He is an obvious D1-caliber player.     Since he picked up his first P4 offer in December 2023 from Georgia Tech, Edmonds has completely blown up as a recruit. He adds FBS and P4 offers to his name seemingly every day, and it is a heavyweight battle for his signature. He gets most of his buzz as a DB prospect, which is understandable when you factor in his 6'3 175 frame and range factor. However, I believe there is a lot to like about him at WR. He flashes spectacular ball skills, maximizing his massive catch radius by spearing the ball above his head and making impressive circus catches. He is a fluid athlete, allowing him to weave and maneuver with the ball in his hand.   Edmonds check the multi-sport box as well, playing basketball and running track for Sprayberry. To go along with his already impressive physical traits, he has room to easily add another 20 pounds of good weight.   Whether it's at DB or WR, Edmonds is one of the best athletes in the country and is getting well-deserved buzz this spring as a result.     Deion Thomas has yet to fully break onto the varsity radar, but he has drawn plenty of eyes this spring and has emerged as one of the premier 2026 WR prospects in Georgia. His measurables are off the charts, possessing natural mismatch size at 6'3 195. He is an explosive athlete, quickly getting out of his stance and creating separation at release points. At the very least, Thomas is a massive WR prospect who can generate some explosive plays above the rim at the next level.     Justin Murphy is still a puppy, but early offers from UCF, Umass, and Kentucky have sounded the P4 alarms. First off, he is a good athlete, impacting the run game with his legs and pinballing off tacklers thanks to his stout frame. He has the breakaway speed in space to turn a 5-yard again into a TD. He has good arm strength for his age, but his quick release and ability to fire the ball from his ear, even while on the move is his most impressive attribute as a passer. Murphy is still in the infant stages of his development, but he is a very impressive athlete and has good mechanics as a passer. He will only continue to generate FBS buzz over the next few years.

The Atlanta area is one of the most fertile recruiting territories in the country. Every year, this area produces future college and NFL talent. Here, we evaluate the top talent in the area that broke onto the recruiting scene this spring.