Five Freaky Peach State 8th Grade (c/o 2029) Prospects

There are really good football players, and then there are kids who warrant the designation of being called "Freaks". The five prospects below check the box when it comes to having the size and ability to be called a freak. Here are five Peach State freaks to know.    Great looking athlete for only being in the 8th grade (class of 2029) this year. He's listed as an Athlete because of his physical stature and ability on both sides of the ball, but based off film from 7th grade and early this year in 8th grade, he looks like a defensive player to me. Best translates to somewhere between an Edge/Outside Linebacker/Defensive End because of his length. He's raw but makes plays behind the LOS regularly. Offensively he plays RB but he seemingly may have already outgrown the position.     They don't make 'em like [player_tooltip player_id='1431868' first='Lance' last='Grant Jr.'] every day. Well, maybe they do in Georgia. The Tift County prospects lists himself at 6-foot-4 and 195-pounds as of September 2024, and looks every bit of a future P4 Defensive End. He fits the mold of the tall, long freaky middle school edge rushers out of Georgia that have come before him in recent years--2027's [player_tooltip player_id='561578' first='LaDamion' last='Guyton'] and [player_tooltip player_id='378430' first='David' last='Jacobs'] & 2028s [player_tooltip player_id='403133' first='Christian' last='Webb-Scott'], [player_tooltip player_id='952489' first='Luke' last='Nabors'] and Chase Foster. Everything from the forward lean in his stance, to the ground he gets with his first steps off the snap, to the quickness and angles he takes are all impressive.     Standing at just under 6-foot-3 and 185-pounds, Shockley is a prospect that many programs around the country will be checking in on, as he moves up through the ranks. In fact, it's already started. He reported his first verbal offer from Purdue in January 2024 and since then has visited UCF and Colorado. Shockley suits up for the Rarebreeds travel program and has showed out against many of the top pre-high school prospects in the country. He's listed as an Athlete because his skill set and size make him unique at this standpoint. He's putting the work in at Wide Receiver and Defensive Back this year, but with his frame and speed he could easily play Tight End and Edge.     Quite literally, I only learned of Johnson this morning for the first time (9/12/24), while I was watching film of his QB at Feagin Mill Middle School, Keirion Tate. Now, that could be because Johnson strapped the pads back on this 2024-2025 season/cycle for the first time in three years. At 6-foot-2 and 170-pounds, the kid looks like a special athlete. He's a presence on both sides of the ball, using his length and physicality for positive outcomes. Offensively he's a stretch-the-field type of Wide Receiver that should win most jump balls. Defensively, he has been playing Cornerback with Safety and Outside Linebacker (at this point) size. Also a factor in the return game. On top of him not playing in three years, the scariest part about Johnson is that he's already a well-known basketball prospect.     Some kids are just naturally gifted and simply look "different" from other athletes. Even lined up on the same field with some of the nation's best pre-high school prospects, [player_tooltip player_id='866483' first='Kaiden' last='Graves'] sticks out. In June 2024 he was listed at 6-foot-2 and 200-pounds on the dot. Looking at recent pictures and film, he appears to be heavier than than with some added thickness. Watching him for two straight years as a member of the Georgia Future Stars team, he's been nothing short of completely dominant. As a Defensive End, he's the apex predator. Mixes his size with quickness and power. Athletic and intelligent enough to feel where pressure is (or isn't) and can get to the flat to make a play if offenses attempt a screen. I can't say enough good things here.

There are really good football players, and then there are kids who warrant the designation of being called "Freaks". The five prospects below check the box when it comes to having the size and ability to be called a freak. Here are five Peach State freaks to know.