Underrated Underclassmen: A Dive into the 2027 and 2028 class

<p>Mississippi is currently a hotbed for talent as the story has been for years, however, the talent levels in the upcoming classes seem expedited to produce elite, deep classes. Here's an early look at nine players coaches need to highlight this camp season.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading"> [player_tooltip player_id='1399002' first='Dru' last='Gleese'] | Defensive Back | 2028 | St. Aloysius</h2>   <p>Carlton “Dru” Gleese (6-1, 150) has a quick back pedal with impressive footwork, allowing him to stay in phase with receivers. His hip rotations are swift, and his reactions to WR cuts are well-timed and instinctive. He showcases great body control while the ball is in the air, maintaining a positioning advantage over receivers. Gleese plays with physical hands, producing a plethora of impressive pass breakups. His length and closing speed out of his back pedal release make him a strong presence in coverage.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='1122096' first='Brandon' last='Haines'] | Running Back | 2028 | Hazlehurst</h2>   <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1122096' first='Brandon' last='Haines'] a 5-10, 180-pound running, has already made a significant impact on the field. Haines is known for his powerful running style between the tackles, consistently engaging linebackers with excellent pad level and a strong burst. He demonstrates keen awareness in choosing between powering through contact to secure necessary yardage and exhibiting patience to exploit cutback lanes for substantial gains. His route-running abilities out of the backfield are notable, showcasing quick, twitchy movements that make him a formidable presence in the open field.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Khaiden Gholar | Defensive Back | 2027 | Lawrence County</h2>   <p>Khaiden Gholar is a 6-1, 155-pound defensive back who excels at run support from his safety position, quickly engaging in the box and effectively shooting gaps similar to a linebacker. He demonstrates strong tackling abilities, making him a formidable presence against the run. In pass coverage, he showcases good closing speed on deep balls, leading to timely pass breakups. His awareness allows him to identify flat and arrow routes promptly, enabling him to make decisive plays before receivers can gain additional yardage.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='1723346' first='Kethan' last='Harris'] | ATH | 2027 | Jefferson Davis</h2>   <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1723346' first='Kethan' last='Harris'] (6-3) is an athletic, hard-nosed defender with a knack for delivering big hits and making plays in the run game. His quickness and elusiveness allow him to shoot gaps effectively, resulting in multiple tackles for loss and limiting opponents to minimal gains. Offensively, he is a dangerous weapon on speed sweeps, using his agility and open-field vision to create explosive plays. His versatility and physicality make him a valuable asset on both sides of the ball.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='1257115' first='Keontae' last='Griffis'] | ATH | 2027 | Pontotoc</h2>   <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1257115' first='Keontae' last='Griffis'] (6-0, 165) is a dynamic playmaker with a strong presence coming off the edge of the defense. His speed and awareness, especially against an offensive tackles outside shoulder, make him a constant threat to disrupt plays. In addition to his defensive prowess, he excels in special teams, showcasing strong abilities as a punt and kick returner. Griffis sets a solid tone for the defense with his relentless motor and brings an added speed component to the offense, making him a versatile and impactful player.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Walt Andrews | Wide Receiver | 2027 | St. Aloysius</h2>   <p>Walt Andrews (5-11, 160) showcases impressive footwork and elusiveness after the catch, making him a dangerous playmaker in space. He possesses strong hands and the ability to high-point balls downfield, often outworking defenders to make contested catches. His sideline awareness is elite, with the ability to make one-footed grabs in bounds. Andrews also has an impressive catch radius and timing, using his skills to deceive defensive backs and make plays on balls in the air.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Caden Herklotz | Linebacker | 2027 | Choctaw County</h2>   <p>Caden Herklotz (6-0, 185) is a powerhouse linebacker with impressive intangibles for a 2027. His lateral movements are clean, and he demonstrates excellent awareness in read-option schemes, using patience and lateral quickness to shut down ball carriers. His acceleration and explosiveness in changing directions are elite, allowing him to quickly react to plays. Additionally, Herklotz has strong instincts in the passing game, showcasing spatial awareness and the ability to affect passing lanes in the middle of the field.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='1602028' first='Javeon' last='Johnson'] | Wide Receiver | 2028 | Ridgeland</h2>   <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1602028' first='Javeon' last='Johnson'] (5-11, 145) displays an impressive blend of speed, vision, and elusiveness. His quick-twitch running style is complemented by a mix of hard-nosed contact when needed, maintaining leg activity through contact. Johnson possesses good open-field speed, swift footwork, and stable body control, allowing him to make defenders miss with quick jab steps.</p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/canth01d/status/1829015093767459060?s=61 </div></figure>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='1091509' first='Xavier' last='Waters'] | Running Back | 2027 | Itawamba</h2>   <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1091509' first='Xavier' last='Waters'] is a 6-0, 175-pound running back who boasts a 4.46-second 40-yard dash, a 35-inch vertical jump, and has achieved a 220-pound bench press and a 385-pound squat. Waters exhibits impressive patience behind the line, resembling a senior ball carrier. He has a great burst following his gap read, quickly reaching top-end speed. His elusiveness in the box and open-field speed become evident once he finds daylight. He is a light-footed runner with quick change-of-direction skills.</p>

Mississippi is currently a hotbed for talent as the story has been for years, however, the talent levels in the upcoming classes seem expedited to produce elite, deep classes. Here's an early look at nine players coaches need to highlight this camp season.