Prospect Sheet Deep Dive: Jonesboro Cardinals

Jonesboro is placed right in one of the more underrated recruiting hotbeds in the country, south Atlanta. Everyone knows their star-studded 2026 class, but they have some youngsters who are next in line and already have offers under their belt.   2026 Standouts    [player_tooltip player_id='1090774' first='Cortez' last='Redding'] is one of the best players in Georgia in the 2026 class, and for excellent reason. He makes the field look small with his combination of size and speed. He flips his hips well at the top of routes, matching receivers and beating them to a spot. What stuck out to me watching him in person was his striking ability. He hits with good pad level and explodes through contact, buckling ball carriers and generating loud contact. He checks the measurables and athletic boxes, but his violence and eagerness to seek contact is what sticks out to me, especially from the safety spot. He is an elite prospect who some schools might consider "can't miss".     [player_tooltip player_id='283829' first='Decari' last='Farley'] is a slightly overshadowed impact player on the Jonesboro defense, but he is a good prospect in his own right and has a few D1 offers under his belt. Farley is listed as a LB, but projects best as a S or N given his size around 6'0 180. Farley is an explosive pursuer of the football. He opens up his stride and finds his top speed in a hurry, often making him the first hat to rally to the football. He is athletic enough to roam large portions of the field in coverage, but he is best coming downhill to strike and create chaos around the football. Farley is an energetic run-and-chase defender who should get a crack at the D1 level.     Frank Jackson is a tall, traitsy WR prospect with a few D1 offers under his belt. His ability to climb the ladder and play above the rim translates from the basketball court. He forces defenders to be in perfect position, and his long strides prove challenging to match up with as he generates momentum downfield. Jackson is cut, but lanky. He has room to reach 200 pounds. Jackson is a deep ball, above the rim threat who will get better as he develops more nuance.     [player_tooltip player_id='1672723' first='Jerimia' last='Collier'], a Cincy commit, has been one of my favorite LBs in Georgia for well over a year now and has well over a dozen offers to his name. Collier has grass-scraping length and uses it to keep his chest clean while taking on contact. He has impressive range and rallies to the ball in a hurry. He will have to get bigger to hold his own from C gap to C gap, but he offers optimal room to add more weight. Given his height, length, and range, he will cloud throwing lanes over the middle of the field and force perfect intermediate throws to layer the ball over him. Collier is a prototype size/length/speed combo at LB who still offers plenty of upside given his thinner, untapped frame.     [player_tooltip player_id='1092187' first='Jontavius' last='Wyman'] is a bonafide elite prospect who has been committed to UGA since July 2024. He plays both ways for Jonesboro, but likely projects as a DB long-term. His ball skills are excellent and he can jump out of the gym. He is one of the most fluid athletes in the country and has long strides, helping him turn and run with receivers when he lines up at corner. His length will prove tough to battle with at the point of attack. You can't help but like his upside as a playmaker, too. As a receiver and a returner, he pairs his long and fluid movement skills with the ability to dart and dance around contact. He tracks the ball well through contact and is an elite jump-ball threat. Wyman could play either WR or CB in college and be a playmaker at both spots.     [player_tooltip player_id='283878' first='Lucious' last='Murray'] is an underrated RB prospect with a few D1 offers under his belt. He is a stout 5'8 180 with a muscled-up frame. He pinballs off defenders and does a good job keeping his balance while scampering through a crowd. He is strong and leans in his cuts, allowing him to jump across the face of defenders and get himself out of tough situations. Murray is a verified track athlete with quick feet and the speed in the open field to turn a short gain into a big one. Murray is a reliable back with clear D1 traits.     I saw Barnes this past postseason against Blessed Trinity. Here is my eval of him following his performance:   "Quadra Barnes caught my eye in pregame warmups and I had eyes on him every offensive snap for Jonesboro. He certainly sticks out physically, listed at 6'4 270. He has a strong upper body with plenty of room for growth waiting in his lower body. He drew tough matchups thanks to BT's potent pass rush, but for the most part, I thought he handled himself well. He was difficult to run around thanks to his length and worked hard to flush rushers past the QB if he got beat initially. When you turn on his tape from this year, he flashes a mean streak and can finish blocks through the dirt. Barnes is a major sleeper right now and sounds D1 alarms."    2027 Standouts    Boyd plays some QB for Jonesboro, but projects long-term as a WR. Long and lanky at 6'0 175 with plenty of space to add some weight. Has limited reps at WR, but flashes good hands and the ability to contour his body in the air. Boyd has long strides and sinks his hips well at the top of the routes, doing a good job of getting DBs vertical then working back to the QB. Flashes some YAC potential with his reps at QB. He has the speed to out-angle defenders to the edge. He is a weaver in space, constantly getting defenders twisted around as he trots toward the endzone. Boyd has tacked on a few offers and I expect some P4 buzz in the future.     Osby has been one of the more popular players at Jonesboro for college coaches this offseason having added some FBS offers under his belt. He looks to be next in line for Jonesboro. He is a lightweight prospect with plenty of mass to be added to his frame. He comes downhill aggressively, does a good job settling down, and attacks the trunk of ball carriers to upend bigger playmakers. Smooth operator who glides into his backpedal. Flips his hips effortlessly, allowing him to match receivers and remain in stride. Osby is light on his feet and changes direction well, allowing him to handle double moves and match talented receivers. He is only going to get better as he grows.     Jaylen McWilson is a puppy, but he is already ringing FBS alarms with a few offers under his belt. He is long and untapped physically at 6'0 190. He has the motor to pursue the ball sideline to sideline and has the strides to cover a lot of ground with fewer steps. He is a willing tackler, and that area of his game will flash more as he develops the confidence to explode through contact. Bottom line, McWilson is a long strider who can cover a lot of ground and still has a lot of room to grow, which is why he is generating early FBS buzz.    Other Names to Watch   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>2026 RB Isaiah Davis - 5'11 200</li> </ul>   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>2026 DL Michael McGhee - 6'1 230</li> </ul>   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>2026 RB Na'Quoye Govan - 6'0 170</li> </ul>   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>2027 LB/RB Marc Manigault - 5'8 200</li> </ul>

Jonesboro is placed right in one of the more underrated recruiting hotbeds in the country, south Atlanta. Everyone knows their star-studded 2026 class, but they have some youngsters who are next in line and already have offers under their belt.