2027 Player Rankings: Must-See Prospect Film, Part V

<p>One of my guilty pleasures from watching film is that I get to find prospects that I <em>really</em> like. After being glued to Hudl for countless hours, here are the prospects that I thought had outstanding film and have the opportunity to be outstanding college players.</p>   <p>Be sure to follow me on <a href="https://x.com/BrendanScoutsNJ">Twitter</a> for the latest New Jersey high school football prospect news and not miss a beat!</p>   <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />    <p class="text-gray-700">As the old adage goes, <em>"you win in the trenches." </em>This understanding is just what Donovan Catholic believed in when they recruited [player_tooltip player_id='835250' first='Carter' last='Smith'] to their squad. A nose tackle by trade, he does an excellent job of maintaining a good base and attacking half-a-man. His good get off allows Smith to jolt defenders backwards or, at his best, get into the backfield causing massive disruptions for offensive backs. I also noticed him hit a forklift move when he is engaged with defenders. A good move, yes, but getting to it a bit earlier would be to his benefit. As a two-way lineman, I, personally, prefer Smith's defensive game a bit more.</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/cartersmith_52 </div></figure>     <p>It is any coincidence that good programs produce good prospects? Old Tappan's [player_tooltip player_id='1568372' first='Christakis' last='Nicolaou'] is a disciplined, quality defensive back who had an impact on their championship run last fall. Nicolaou keeps his eyes on the quarterback all throughout zone phases when defending, trusting his ability to run and cover. Despite this, opponents seem to want to test him deep frequently to no avail. The approach Nicolaou has is indicative of him buying in and playing very good team defense. He also does an exceptional job of high pointing the ball, putting opponents on blast that anything on the air is his. On short-to-intermediate routes, Nicolaou does a good job of playing the ball for those routes ran in front of him. I feel as though Nicolaou can have an immediate role on a college program; I do, however, encourage him to identify himself pre-snap on his film.</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/christakisn17 </div></figure>     <p class="text-gray-700">An edge player out of Seneca, [player_tooltip player_id='1551257' first='Christian' last='Alexander'] has a very good get off that allows him to win many matchups off the rip. A strong and stout defender, we see him with hitting power absolutely dump ball carriers at moments. This tackling level can waiver at time, but he wraps ball carriers extremely well. Something I am sure his coaches hammer home, we see Alexander play with appropriate backfield depth and squeeze well when backside; however, when fighting reaches he will get a little more depth in order to create a bubble along the offensive line. The arm-over move seems to be his go-to block shed move. My lasting impression of Alexander is that he is a physical player and really athletic for his size and position.</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/Chrisjalex053 </div></figure>     <p class="text-gray-700">Back to the South Jersey parochial circuit we go to take a look at St. Augustine's [player_tooltip player_id='1602528' first='Christian' last='Dunoff']. Dunoff is a prospect I like just a bit more at defensive back than receiver. Film shows us that Dunoff runs stride-for-stride with his matchups and, as his receiver skills translate to defensive back, can adjust to the ball in flight - often plucking it out of the air from the intended receiver. I thought that on the quick game, Dunoff breaks on the ball quickly and does a good job of wrapping and driving through the body of the target. Unlike most cornerbacks, Dunoff does not shy away in run support. When power is ran his way and sprung to the perimeter, we see him get low and wrap for a textbook tackle. What is most impressive in this situation, however, is the fact that Dunoff maintains his force leverage and allows his help to rally. Lastly, in moments where he finds himself in sub-optimal position, very astutely, Dunoff will match the receivers hands to give himself a shot and making the play without drawing a penalty.</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/christiand1noff </div></figure>     <p class="text-gray-700">Central Regional has a good one in receiver [player_tooltip player_id='1513550' first='CJ' last='Yates']. The first thing I noticed about Yates on tape was that he will slow play things, setting up angles and creases, before he turns up to top speed and makes cuts. He is apt at doing this because it appears he has looser hips than your average player, allowing him to bob-and-weave effectively. Also able to win up-top, Yates manages to come down with the ball both in traffic and in double coverage - several times - on tape. Defending him 1on1 can be a difficult task, as he shows a second gear on deeper routes. Yes, he is probably a receiver at the next level; but I feel that Yates is one of those players who is simply at his best when the ball is in his hands. He is relatively raw and with a high ceiling.</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">I am not exactly where where he will play in college, but I do know this much: if [player_tooltip player_id='910824' first='Cole' last='Garrison'] elects to play college football, he will be playing somewhere of his choosing. Garrison has a wide breadth of skills and shows them in a wide array. First, Garrison prioritizes ball security as we see him pin and protect it consistently on film. A simple sidestep from him makes defenders miss with ease. As a receiver, Garrison has shown capable of taking the top off of the defense and blow by secondaries. Like any athlete, we see him catch the ball with his hands. These skills allow him to be the Mariners primary returner. His vision allows him to make big plays in the open field, as he will not prematurely bounce and is disciplined enough to follow his blockers. A selfless player, Garrison blocks for his teammates on the perimeter, knowing they will get him back. Playing as a slot corner/safety, we see Garrison set edges with authority. Not lost upon all these "finesse" skills is the physical side of his game. Garrison is a strong shoulder tackler that wraps and drives his legs. Garrison is a really raw, really athletic player who is the type of prospect you instal and design plays for. His speed, quickness, and instincts make him an outstanding player.</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/colegarrison07 </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><br><a href="https://prepredzone.com/2025/08/2027-player-rankings-update-newly-ranked-watchlisters-part-vi">Newly Ranked Prospects from the Watchlist, Part VI</a><br><a href="https://prepredzone.com/2025/08/2027-player-rankings-update-newly-ranked-watchlisters-part-vii">Newly Ranked Prospects from the Watchlist, Part VII</a><br><a href="https://prepredzone.com/2025/08/2027-player-rankings-update-newly-ranked-watchlisters-part-viii">Newly Ranked Prospects from the Watchlist, Part VIII</a><br><a href="https://prepredzone.com/2025/08/2027-player-rankings-update-evaluation-scouting-notes-part-i">Scouting Evaluation Notes, Part I</a><br><a href="https://prepredzone.com/2025/08/2027-player-rankings-update-evaluation-scouting-notes-part-ii">Scouting Evaluation Notes, Part II</a><br><a href="https://prepredzone.com/2025/08/2027-player-rankings-update-evaluation-scouting-notes-part-iii">Scouting Evaluation Notes, Part III</a><br><a href="https://prepredzone.com/2025/08/2027-player-rankings-update-evaluation-scouting-notes-part-iv">Scouting Evaluation Notes, Part IV</a><br><a href="https://prepredzone.com/2025/08/2027-player-rankings-update-evaluation-scouting-notes-part-v">Scouting Evaluation Notes, Part V</a><br><a href="https://prepredzone.com/2025/08/2027-player-rankings-update-evaluation-scouting-notes-part-vi">Scouting Evaluation Notes, Part VI</a><br><a href="https://prepredzone.com/2025/08/2027-player-rankings-update-evaluation-scouting-notes-part-vii">Scouting Evaluation Notes, Part VII</a><br><a href="https://prepredzone.com/2025/09/2027-player-rankings-update-evaluation-scouting-notes-part-viii">Scouting Evaluation Notes, Part VIII</a><br><a href="https://prepredzone.com/2025/09/2027-player-rankings-update-evaluation-scouting-notes-part-ix">Scouting Evaluation Notes, Part IX</a><br><a href="https://prepredzone.com/2025/09/2027-player-rankings-update-evaluation-scouting-notes-part-x">Scouting Evaluation Notes, Part X</a><br><a href="https://prepredzone.com/2025/09/2027-player-rankings-update-evaluation-scouting-notes-part-xi">Scouting Evaluation Notes, Part XI</a><br><a href="https://prepredzone.com/2025/08/2027-player-rankings-must-see-prospect-film-part-i">Must-See Prospect Film, Part I</a><br><a href="https://prepredzone.com/2025/08/2027-player-rankings-must-see-prospect-film-part-ii">Must-See Prospect Film, Part II</a><br><a href="https://prepredzone.com/2025/09/2027-player-rankings-must-see-prospect-film-part-iii">Must-See Prospect Film, Part III</a><br><a href="https://prepredzone.com/2025/09/2027-player-rankings-must-see-prospect-film-part-iv">Must-See Prospect Film, Part IV</a><br><a href="https://prepredzone.com/2025/09/2027-player-rankings-must-see-prospect-film-part-v">Must-See Prospect Film, Part V</a></p>

One of my guilty pleasures from watching film is that I get to find prospects that I really like. After being glued to Hudl for countless hours, here are the prospects that I thought had outstanding film and have the opportunity to be outstanding college players.