Notes From the Trail: Spring Practice Roundup

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As some schools are starting to wrap up spring ball, it's a good time to pause and dish some observations from a few of my stops in the last week. Here is everything I found on a wide range of prospects. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong><em>Cambridge</em></strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>'25 OL [player_tooltip player_id='1080795' first='Gabe' last='Smith'] is an absolute monster on the offensive front for Cambridge and has generated college attention all spring. In fact, he picked up a P4 offer from Indiana this past week. He is not the most fleet of foot prospect with his thick legs and massive upper body. However, he is the definition of a people-mover. His brute strength alone is enough for coaches to gamble on. </li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>'25 EDGE/DE [player_tooltip player_id='1562238' first='Jordan' last='Johnson'] is the breakout prospect this spring for Cambridge. Johnson is listed at 6'3 250 with an 80 inch wingspan and picked up an FBS offer from Western Kentucky on April 29th. Johnson is raw and still has his best football ahead of him, but he is strong and has edge setter potential thanks to his combination of length and power. </li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>A sleeper I was impressed with at practice was '25 DB Willie Stewart III. Stewart has yet to fully break onto the varsity scene, but is a candidate to do so this fall. He is a featherweight 5'10 150, but he is a fluid athlete with some speed and impressive fluidity. He isn't one of the more well-known players on the team as a recruit, but he caught my eye at practice. </li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong><em>Milton</em></strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>There were numerous high-level P4 coaches huddled around the WR room, which featured elite WR [player_tooltip player_id='339644' first='CJ' last='Wiley'] and UGA TE commit [player_tooltip player_id='338633' first='Ethan' last='Barbour']. These two are well-covered and elite athletes, but getting eyes on them super up close is eye-opening. Wiley makes the field and everyone on it look small, and Barbour is as impressive of an athlete that you will find at TE in the country. </li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>There were also coaches impressed with '27 WR [player_tooltip player_id='662267' first='Jordan' last='Carrasquillo']. He is a youngster, but he is listed at 6'2 185 and showed some upside as a route runner. His hands looked good as well, reaching across his frame to reel in passes and catch throws in a crowd. He is more of a stout, explosive mover than a strider. </li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>'25 [player_tooltip player_id='1572559' first='Tristen' last='Payne'] doesn't get the same recruiting love that some of his teammates get, but he is productive and has a crucial role on the Milton squad. He is a smaller slot guy at 6'0 165, but he can battle for leverage to make physical catches. He is an aggressive route runner, making hard cuts to shake off defenders and get his head around. He is vocal and competitive as well. </li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong><em>North Forsyth</em></strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>College coaches were huddled around '25 OL [player_tooltip player_id='1313887' first='Dylan' last='Villarouel'] all afternoon. Some even extending him an offer. Villarouel stands in at 6'4 310 and likely projects at guard or RT. He is a people mover with enough suddenness to step in front of rushers from different alignments and can play into the second level. He is immune to bull rushers, playing with good pad level, good hand placement, and anchoring down to stall defenders. </li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>'25 DB [player_tooltip player_id='1158142' first='Zachary' last='Alvarez'] was also a favorite among college coaches. From an athletic standpoint, there is a lot to like about Alvarez, especially as an FCS projection. He is a long, lean 6'2 180 and possesses impressive short area explosiveness. He is still refining his coverage skills, but he is not afraid at all to step up to the line and play the physical game against receivers. On the taller side of 6'2 with his muscular build, he can physically manipulate receivers in press coverage. Alvarez should get a shot at the D1 level. </li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Last year, North Forsyth coaches told me to keep an eye on 2027 OLB [player_tooltip player_id='1586586' first='Adriel' last='Rojas']. At that time, he was just a big freshman swimming up stream. Now, he looks like a completely different player. He is still a puppy, but he is 6'3 200 with a completely revamped frame and muscular build. He can win off the edge with his length and speed. He also gunned down the field on special teams. There is plenty of upside and a lot of room for growth here. Coaches at the P4 level should get a look at him in person.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong><em>Alpharetta</em></strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>I couldn't stay at Alpharetta for long, but I really wanted to get eyes on '25 EDGE/DE [player_tooltip player_id='416957' first='Julius' last='Holly'] in person. Even with him being 6'4 235, he looks even bigger than I thought he was. He is a fluid athlete as well, showcasing the ability to set up blockers with his footwork while operating with more than substantial play strength. </li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Alpharetta wasn't in pads and was just doing walkthroughs, so getting names was tough. However, they have an impressive set of skill players that can wiggle in space, and a few that look like they can play above the rim. </li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong><em>Denmark</em></strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>'25 OT Finley Kruchten and '26 OL Jackson Wofford will anchor the offensive front for Denmark. According to coaches, Kruchten has made huge strides this offseason. He is creeping above 6'3 and plays at 250 with plenty of room to grow. He is thin in the ankles and can quickly get into his pass set. He is vastly under the radar, but could be a sneaky steal for some smaller schools. Wofford is a clear D1 guy, playing with a good base and moving 6'3 275 well. He has the athletic profile needed to play at several spots along the offensive front. </li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Get ready to learn the name of '25 TE Brendan Hester. He is a bit of a late bloomer, but he is a D1 caliber TE prospect and stood out physically at practice. He has enough strength right now to play attached to the line, but he is still super thin in the ankles and can split out. He plays with good spatial awareness and uses his body to shield off the catch point from DBs. After the catch, he gets vertical and is hard to tackle when he gets rolling. I recommend college coaches take a look at him when filling out their 2025 class at TE. </li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>'26 DB Rashaun Boyer is a new prospect to me that caught my eye. He is an impressive athlete at 5'11 185 and plays low to the ground. He is transitioning to nickel this year, and he looks good there. He plays with patience and doesn't overpursue when firing off the edge. Now, he just needs to prove that he can tackle at a consistent level on friday nights. Either way, he is a good looking prospect with impressive athleticism. </li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list -->