FILM STUDY: New 2025 Prospects On The Rise

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Who are some up and coming 2025 prospects seeing their recruitment pick up?</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Prep Redzone has the details...</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Christian Winston - Kennesaw Mountain</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>An under the radar defensive end on the rise in Cobb County, Winston is an active defender who is lightning-quick off the snap. He's put together physically at 6-foot-3 220-pounds and runs extremely well for that position. A stand up outside linebacker who can play with his hand on the ground, Winston is coming off a strong junior season last year where he made 37 tackles, seven sacks, 17 TFLs, two pass deflections, and one forced fumble. His best football is ahead of him, and college coaches are starting to notice his raw potential, promising frame, and quick first step. He earned a respectable D1 offer recently from Western Kentucky and more are on the way. He's one of the top returning pass-rushers in the Kennesaw area and is bound for a really productive senior season this fall. He's likely set to earn a new ranking in the next 2025 Prep Redzone update.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Gavin Askew - DE - Hillgrove</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Another Cobb County defensive end who reeled in an offer from Western Kentucky, Askew is a strong defender with a muscular 6-foot-3 240-pound frame that allows him to play with good leverage, lower body strength, and enough length that helps him drive opposing offensive linemen into the backfield. He closes running lanes and can be tough to latch onto and drive backward. He plays sound gap assignment and makes things difficult for running backs looking for lanes between the tackles. He fights off blocks and knows how to find the ball-carrier and get him to the ground. As a junior last fall, Askew made 50 total takes, 12 TFLs, and five sacks. He's a reliable run defender, but he showed last year that he can rush the quarterback as well. Now, look for more offers to come his way over the next few weeks.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1315939' first='Rae' last='Sykes Jr.'] - ATH - Rome</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>An impressive defensive back prospect in Northwest Georgia with [plenty of length and ball skills, Sykes Jr. is an athletic, rangy safety who covers a lot of ground down the field. If you want to throw it deep, you better have enough arm strength, because Sykes Jr. can run it down. A dependable run defender and a sure-tackler in the open field, his cover skills and ability to play the ball in the air make him one of the top returning safety prospects in the area. He's earned new offers this week from West Virginia, and Middle Tennessee State with more likely coming his way sooner than later. The playmaking 6-foot-2 190-pound defender has natural instincts and turns into a ball-hawk in coverage. As a junior last year, Sykes Jr. made 38 tackles, three TFLs, three INTs, and four pass breakups. As good as he was last year, look for this fast-rising defensive back to be even better as a senior in 2024. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->