Next Up: Underclassmen To Watch Next Fall

Welcome back!   Today we're kicking off a new offseason series called Next Up! In this series, we'll be watching some of the up-and-coming talent across the state that everyone needs to look out for.   As always, make sure you take a look at their film below. You won't want to miss out on this group of talent!    [player_tooltip player_id='1420635' first='Jaymon' last='Knight'] is a powerful DL from Hoover who dominates the line of scrimmage every time he takes the field.   "Only a freshman, Knight already sizes up well in the trenches at 6'1 280. He's big, quick on his feet, and has an impressive burst off the line of scrimmage that'll take him very far over the next few years.   On top of that, you can already tell Knight is instinctive and highly reactive. He always keeps eyes on the ball, and can fly in to recover fumbles and make tackles far from where he initially lined up pre-snap."   Knight has put together some impressive tape from last season. Do yourself a favor and check it out below:      [player_tooltip player_id='1398272' first='Courtland' last='Norman'] is one of our top OL in the 2029 class after he dominated the line of scrimmage for Wetumpka last season.   "Norman is a dominant run blocker who consistently opens up huge lanes and paves the way for his teammates to create big gains. He explodes off the LOS, plays with impressive leverage and strength, and does a fantastic job playing through the whistle every snap.   I'm really impressed with Norman's aggression and physicality. He plays extremely hard and will consistently drive defenders back several yards off the ball. I think he has a seriously high ceiling as an OL. We're all going to have to pay attention to him over the next few years."   I think Norman is set up for a huge second year this upcoming fall. We'll all need to tune in, and until then, make sure you watch some of his film below:      [player_tooltip player_id='1287535' first='Daniel' last='Williams'] is an explosive RB who found a ton of success on the ground in his freshman season.   "Williams is a massive threat out of the backfield. He's incredibly quick, highly elusive, and can use his speed and acceleration to massive advantage in the open field. There are few, if any, defenders opposite of him that can pursue and take him down- he's a really athletic ballcarrier that defenses will have to watch out for.   On top of that, Williams has shown he can withstand and play through contact as well. He runs hard, can step out of tackles, and remains on his feet to create huge gains on the ground. I'm really excited to see Williams progress even more in year two; he has a ton to offer."   Williams could be the next big-time player to come out of Hewitt-Trussville. He's already put together some impressive tape from this past year. Be sure to give it a watch below:      [player_tooltip player_id='1398119' first='Ian' last='Franklin'] is another productive back who made some impressive plays for Saraland's ground attack last season.   "Franklin is a versatile back who can create explosive plays both inside and outside the tackles. He's quick on his feet and has terrific vision that he uses to make the most out of every carry on the ground.   I'm really impressed with Franklin's patience and ability to follow his blockers. He's great at waiting for lanes to develop, and always strikes at the perfect time, leading to some really productive runs."   Franklin can make a huge impact on the ground. We're going to have to closely pay attention to him over the next few years. See for yourself below:      [player_tooltip player_id='2132090' first='Kamron' last='Givan'] is an exciting up-and-coming DB from Minor who's made a huge impact at safety.   "I am only two plays into Givan's tape, and my goodness, he's a DAWG. I'm already seriously impressed with his ball tracking and hands in the secondary- he flies around the field to make plays on the ball, reeling in some incredibly impressive PBUs and INTs. Givan's ball skills alone are going to take him far; he's so great at getting his hands on passes.   On top of that, Givan is highly reactive and a huge factor in his team's run defense. He's a heat-seeking missile to the ball carrier who consistently flies in from deep downfield to deliver huge hits and tackles close to the line of scrimmage. We're seriously going to have to watch him and this Minor defense in 2026; they're loaded up with talent this year."   Givan has some really impressive clips from last fall. Make sure you give them a watch below. He's a player we all need to look out for moving forward.   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2fc0Zu1Tfo </div></figure>

Welcome back!