Freshmen Report: 2028s Producing Early On Varsity

With the season fully in swing, it's a good time to stop and take a look at some youngsters who are producing on varsity to kick off their HS careers.    As it stands now, [player_tooltip player_id='994376' first='Bode' last='Spence'] will be one of the most productive GA signal callers in the 2028 class once the year ends. East Paulding is off to a hot start, and some of that can be credited to the efficient performance of their freshman signal-caller. Spence is still developing athletically and in the arm strength department, but he possesses fine footwork and awareness in the pocket. Even with a smaller frame, he stands tall in the face of pressure and accurately delivers the ball. He compensates for his developing arm strength by getting the ball out quickly and playing in good timing with his WRs. He looks to have a solid grasp of the position at a young age, which will go well for him as his physical traits start to come around.     [player_tooltip player_id='1201242' first='Casey' last='Barner'] has solidified himself as one of the premier GA prospects in the 2028 class. He is all over the field for Douglass, making his mark on both sides of the ball, especially at safety. He plays with outstanding pursuit skills. He is patient in his angles of the football and he possesses the speed profile needed to close space and arrive at the ball quickly. He shows off his playmaking ability with the ball in his hands by running around would-be tacklers. Barner is an elite athlete with good measurables. He plays with energy and violence as well, which is a trait that is often still developing in most freshmen. Barner holds an offer from UGA and is a blue-chipper.     [player_tooltip player_id='950958' first='Xevien' last='Brinson'] has exploded onto the varsity scene through 3 games, averaging nearly 17 YPC with 232 yards and 3 TDs. Brinson has been listed anywhere from 6'4-6'6 and hovers around the 210-215 range. Simply put, his athletic traits and measurables are off the charts for his age. Brinson is a TE projection given his size and speed profile. He isn't a burner, but he is a walking mismatch. DBs will have to battle for leverage constantly during their routes, and he requires several defenders to bring him down once he gets going in space. He is a willing participator as a blocker, which will continue to improve as he gets older. Brinson is already a man amongst boys at a young age. P4 teams have offered, and I have a feeling he will be one of the headliners of the 2028 class in Georgia.     [player_tooltip player_id='1651435' first='Branden' last='Wiley'] is a scrappy freshman who is making things happen on both sides of the ball for Banneker. On offense, his twitch and footwork at RB allow him to bounce around defenders and create his own yards in a phone booth. Once he gets the handoffs, he is a one-cut style runner, instantly firing through the first opening he sees and taking the yards available. He is a very active second-level defender, keeping the offense contained horizontally with his sideline-to-sideline speed. For a smaller guy, he arrives with some pop as a tackler and is not afraid to take on contact.     Tuggle is lowkey as a prospect, but won't be for long. The 6'1 170 S is as impressive as it gets for a youngster when it comes to athletic traits. Tuggle has a basketball background, and the leaping ability absolutely translates. This year, he has consistently shown he can climb the ladder and out-reach receivers for the football. 6'1 is already hard to throw over, and Tuggle's vertical makes it nearly impossible when he is in the picture. He is long and lanky but flashes decent suddenness which allows him to change direction well. He is a grass-scraper, nearly touching the turf thanks to his length when he is in an athletic stance. He uses that length to be pesky around the football. Tuggle will play both ways for Winder-Barrow, but his size, length, and ball skills translate best to DB. I will call my shot now. [player_tooltip player_id='1589339' first='Giovanni' last='Tuggle'] has P4 tools.     Jr Rowland won't scare you off the bus, but he is getting things done through the air and on the ground as a youngster. He mixes up trajectories and touch on the ball to make different throws, but it's his work as a runner that takes his game to another level. He is simply too fast and dominant for his level of competition. If given room to run, he will instantly take the yards available and create his own. He is a touchdown threat on every play and deserves some recognition for that.

With the season fully in swing, it's a good time to stop and take a look at some youngsters who are producing on varsity to kick off their HS careers.