2027 Player Rankings Update: Newly Ranked Watchlisters, Part V

<p>For some prospects, the long wait is over. Part of the beauty of Prep Redzone's rankings watchlist is in the name and intention itself – we watch. After watching countless hours of film, here some of the prospects who lived on our watchlist for various periods of time, only to be revealed as top prospects.</p>    <p class="text-gray-700">Down the shore - Central Regional to be exact - is where [player_tooltip player_id='1513550' first='CJ' last='Yates'] calls home. A receiver, we see Yates slow play things along the perimeter before truly unleashing his full speed and cutting defenders up. While he makes these cuts in open space, his hips look very shifty. Back to his receiving skills, Yates is able to come down with the ball through double coverage/traffic - something he has shown time, and time again on tape. Speed is also a part of New Jersey's #64th ranked player too, as he manipulates it to gain angles on defenders and beat his man, showing a true second gear on film. A felt that as a receiver, Yates is still a bit raw and can refine a few things: sharpness of his routes and attacking the ball most notably; however, I feel strongly that Yates is the type of player you look to get the ball to in various ways, as he is very good with the ball in his possession as a runner. </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/CijierY28717 </div></figure>     <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='909397' first='Liam' last='Clifford'] is poised to step into a bigger role this season, his junior, for Don Bosco. Clifford comes in at approximately 6'3" 280lbs and has a rugby background. With this type of size and history as a physical athlete, expect him to be able to bang and be violent off the ball in close quarters. Currently ranked as an offensive lineman, I foresee defense being is forte in the future.</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/LiamClifford_99 </div></figure>     <p class="text-gray-700"></p>   <p>Wildcat; pins and protects ball; can sidestep defenders and make them miss; receiver; can get totally behind the secondary; returner; corner/safety; seds the edge with authority; strong shoulder tackler, wraps and drives; can burn an entire defense running from the wild cat; looks really athletic, raw athlete; asked to do a lot; catches the ball with his hands; type of player you design plays for; follows blockers, wont prematurely bounce; have not seen him make defenders miss all that much; willing blocker on perimeter too, wants his teammates to succeed; a bit smaller, but quick, fast, instinctual</p>     <p class="text-gray-700">A school and program I do not know much about in Kipp Cooper Norcross is home to one of the top 10 best running backs in the class of 2027 in [player_tooltip player_id='1540506' first='Xyere' last='Brooks']. Just when you think his rushing attempt is dead on arrival, Brooks will lower his shoulder head first into a pile, drive his legs, and get something out of nothing. Also used as a target out of the backfield, we see that he can high point the ball well and uses his hands to catch the rock in all scenarios. Blessed with speed, Brooks can beat linebackers to the edge and subsequently turn up the sideline for big gainers. One for creativity, Brooks finds ways to make people miss in open space. Ball security drill should go a long way for Brooks, as I noted that he rocks the ball and carries it low. This said, he is a home run waiting to happen, especially since the entire field is in-play for him with the type of vision he has. </p>      <p class="text-gray-700">Right on Brooks' heels in the rankings is [player_tooltip player_id='1552713' first='Nymir' last='Daily'] from Camden Catholic. Despite being an upright runner, Daily does a great job of absorbing hits and keeping his feet moving in the process, maintaining balance and gaining yardage. For some reason, I thought that this talent looked <em>really </em>athletic with the ball in his hands. I would expect someone who runs like him to be a bit easier to take down; however, it is apparent on tape that Daily has a strong body and defender have a difficult time wrangling him to the ground. Daily is able to reverse the entire field and also has the vision to set up his blockers in the open field. I would like to see him caress the ball closer to him rather than rock it - although he does secure it when contact threatens. For as physical a style of running he has, it seems as though he does not yet run behind his pads. Honestly speaking, Daily's upside will depend on his speed and fast his timed runs are.</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/Nymirtuff </div></figure>     <p class="text-gray-700">The strong football legacy continues in Middletown with [player_tooltip player_id='1476859' first='Justin' last='Rosato']. Rosato, listed as an athlete, does several things well and can likely excel on either side of the ball in college. As an offensive prospect, we see that he runs behind his pads and moves so fast that, at times, it seems as though his feet have to catch up with him. This said, he has balance as a runner and does not get tripped up - even in the trenches. Ball security is a priority for him, as Rosato chins the ball high and tight, almost proudly. Rosato seems to understand that the ball is safest in his hands, attacking it and coming back to it to haul it in, using his hands exclusively. He is also used as a returner. Part of what makes him so dangerous as a ball carrier is that he uses his hands to make defenders miss, executes outstanding pressure cuts, and will spin or leap out of danger. Defensive, out of the secondary Rosato reads the quick game and breaks on the ball almost immediately, jumping slot routes in the process. Rosato has some very good clinic tape on tackling as he form-fits very well, wraps, drives, and can scoop/dump ball carriers in the process. A burst of speed exists when closing in on 'backs in the backfield. All-in-all, Rosato is a nifty, crafty, gritty player that embodies the rich history of Middletown football.</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/JustinRosato11 </div></figure>    <h2 class="wp-block-heading">2027 Player Rankings Update Coverage</h2>   <p><a href="https://prepredzone.com/2025/08/2026-player-rankings-update-breakout-candidates-part-i">Breakout Candidates, Part I</a><br><a href="https://prepredzone.com/2025/08/2027-player-rankings-update-breakout-candidates-part-ii">Breakout Candidates, Part II</a><br><a href="https://prepredzone.com/2025/08/2027-player-rankings-update-newly-ranked-watchlisters-part-i">Newly Ranked Prospects from the Watchlist, Part I</a><br><a href="https://prepredzone.com/2025/08/2027-player-rankings-update-newly-ranked-watchlisters-part-ii">Newly Ranked Prospects from the Watchlist, Part II</a><br><a href="https://prepredzone.com/2025/08/2027-player-rankings-update-newly-ranked-watchlisters-part-iii">Newly Ranked Prospects from the Watchlist, Part III</a><br><a href="https://prepredzone.com/2025/08/2027-player-rankings-update-newly-ranked-watchlisters-part-iv">Newly Ranked Prospects from the Watchlist, Part IV</a><br><a href="https://prepredzone.com/2025/08/2027-player-rankings-update-newly-ranked-watchlisters-part-v">Newly Ranked Prospects from the Watchlist, Part V</a></p>

For some prospects, the long wait is over. Part of the beauty of Prep Redzone's rankings watchlist is in the name and intention itself – we watch. After watching countless hours of film, here some of the prospects who lived on our watchlist for various periods of time, only to be revealed as top prospects.