The Watch List: Standout 2026 Prospects Who Caught Our Eyes

Welcome to The Watch List! We have some talented 2026s to focus on this week, and we can't wait to show you them.   Today we are focusing on some seriously gifted defenders and two-way players- every week I'm more impressed with the talent we have here in Alabama.   As always, be sure to watch these prospects tape below- they have huge seasons ahead of them and should be on everyone's list.    [player_tooltip player_id='1633399' first='Jakari' last='Brown'] is an explosive DL/EDGE prospect out of B.B Comer who has made tons of plays on their defensive front the last few seasons, especially last fall. Brown played at DE and EDGE last fall and found ways to make tons of big plays wherever he lined up. He's incredibly quick off the snap- he completely overwhelms offensive linemen with his speed off the line of scrimmage and consistently flies into the backfield to create huge stops against the run. Brown is just as productive as a pass rusher- he generates tons of pressure and has terrific closing speed he uses to go after the quarterback, forcing them into bad decisions and taking them down for sacks on nearly every passing down. One of the most impressive parts of Brown's tape was seeing how well he sheds off blocks- he has quick, violent hands, plays with great leverage, and has the speed and strength to completely outmatch anyone he lines across from in the trenches. Brown was terrific last fall, ending the season with 64 total tackles (21 for loss) and 4 sacks. Brown picked up his first offer from Eastern Kentucky a little over a week ago- and since then he has planned out his camp schedule for the rest of this offseason. Keep an eye on him going forward, he's got tons of talent and will only keep adding more schools to his list as the year continues.      [player_tooltip player_id='1633400' first='Isaiah' last='Owens'] is an incredibly impressive WR/DB out of Mars Hill coming off a huge junior season last fall where he made huge plays all over the field on both sides of the ball. Owens is an electric playmaker at WR- he plays with so much speed, twitch, and elusiveness out wide, it's incredibly impressive to watch. Owen is quick, runs precise routes, and gains tons of separation against a wide variety of DBs- he is constantly finding ways to get open, hauls in passes all around the field, and is incredibly hard to stop after the catch. Owens brings the same level of play to Mars Hill's secondary as a DB- he's terrific at identifying plays and flies around the field to stop the run, break up passes, and haul in interceptions. Even on special teams, Owens is a contributor- when returning kicks, he finds open lanes and consistently puts his team in great starting field position. I'm extremely impressed with Owens' tape- he's incredibly versatile and can make plays in all three phases of the game, it's rare to see a prospect with such plug-and-play ability at his age. Owens picked up an offer from Samford last week, and will definitely have more heading his way soon. He's a talented prospect with a huge year ahead of him, just watch.      [player_tooltip player_id='1633402' first='Christopher' last='Leatherwood Jr.'] is a really talented CB out of Blount who's coming off a big season last fall where he flew around the field and made tons of plays against the run and pass. Standing at 6'1 175, Leatherwood has great size, plays with tons of speed and instincts, and is incredibly tough to throw against. Leatherwood is a productive run defender- he's quick to react and great at locating the ball carrier, fights off blocks, and is a talented tackler who doesn't allow for any additional yardage after making first contact. Leatherwood is just as good in coverage, he's great in man, wins at the line of scrimmage, and wears down WRs downfield with his physicality. Leatherwood has great ball skills out in coverage, he's great at using his length to get his hands on the ball and break up passes. I was super impressed with Leatherwood's tape, he's a versatile DB capable of impacting the run and pass who put together a really good season last fall. Leatherwood finished his junior season with some impressive numbers, ending the year with 28 total tackles and 2 PBUs. Leatherwood picked up an offer from Illinois State and is sure to have more headed his way soon.      JT Barlow is a hybrid safety out of Hillcrest who had a breakout season and made huge plays against some talented offenses all of last fall. Barlow is incredibly reliable over the top of Hillcrest's secondary- he's great at identifying plays, flies around the field, and doesn't give up any big plays downfield. Barlow has great ball skills and is a threat to pick off passes anywhere on the field- he's great at watching opposing QB's eyes, tracks the ball well, and has a reliable set of hands. Barlow is also a force against the run- he plays with great pursuit, flies down from the secondary, fills in rushing lanes, and takes down the ball carrier- no matter where he starts the play. Barlow is also incredibly productive on special teams, he has great vision, finds open lanes, and outs his team in great starting field position. Barlow has had a wildly productive offseason, picking up offers from big-time programs all over. Throughout last month he picked up offers from Kentucky, Louisville, Wake Forest, and plenty more.      Andrevius Smith is a fascinating prospect out of Dale County who is coming off a massive junior season last fall at both LB and WR. At 6'6 200, Smith is unbelievably athletic and can make huge plays on both sides of the ball with his speed, instincts, and vision. At WR, Smith is incredibly physical and dominates every DB he lines up against- he mosses defenders all around the field (especially in the red zone), consistently high-pointing and ripping the ball straight from their hands for huge gains. Smith brings the same level of impact to Dale County's defense- he's incredibly productive both inside and off the edge. Smith is terrific at defending the run- he flies around the field, fills in rushing lanes, and fights off blocks to wrap up the ball carrier. Smith is equally as productive as a pass rusher- he does a great job using his size and length to beat OTs and get to the quarterback, generating tons of pressure and placing hits on the QB. I'm extremely impressed with Smith's tape- he's a dominant prospect with a huge year ahead of him, everyone should have eyes on this kid. Smith totaled up 43 receptions for 839 yards and 13 touchdowns. Smith has picked up offers from North Alabama, Liberty, and more this offseason. I'm extremely impressed with Smith and think he has enormous potential, be sure to watch out for him this fall- he's set for a huge year!

Welcome to The Watch List! We have some talented 2026s to focus on this week, and we can't wait to show you them.