Gainesville Padded Camp Recap: Top Performers

*Use code "jackson30" for 30% off your PRZ subscription*   Last Thursday, Gainesville, Grayson, Peachtree Ridge, Lovejoy, River Ridge, and Cambridge all collided to put on an energetic, talent-packed padded camp. I had boots on the ground, and these guys walked away from camp as top performers.    Coming off my first look at Barnes, it's evident why he has generated such buzz early on in his recruiting process. He is a towering prospect around 6'6 190 with plenty of space to pack on weight. He already has a massive catch radius, but he is a slick athlete with good body control as well, so he has the traits to support a future projection as a receiver, even as he bulks up. Getting eyes on him so early in the process just adds another level of context to the caliber of athlete he can be.     This was my first true impression of [player_tooltip player_id='1611001' first='Konner' last='Hall'], and it was a good one. He is a long, thin player who hovers closer to 6'2 175. He consistently separated at the top of the routes, and by a lot. He had the hands and body control to execute on the ball in the air, too. Hall got open and got open by a large margin. He has a frame that supports a lot of future physical development.     A pair of young QBs got to compete for Gainesville, and Papka specifically was someone coaches wanted to brag about. He is a baseball athlete with functional arm strength and arm talent, with plenty of space to develop and get better. His ball placement and feel really came through on Thursday, which gives him a good launching point for his development.     Even if he is a few years away, Cooley is absolutely someone to monitor closely in the 2030 class. He is a long, lean player with a frame far beyond his years. He has a loose, natural release with the ability to zip the ball around the yard. His basketball background adds more context to his multi-sport skills. Many in attendance were impressed with Cooley, and I think it's a decent expectation to say he could develop into an FBS QB prospect.     Beazer is a thicker, stout back listed closer to 225 pounds now. He is a true power back, a grinding-style runner who created his own yards with his toughness. For a bigger prospect, he flashed some big play ability in space, which is what impressed his coaches. Lovejoy should be able to run the ball this fall, and Beazer will be one of the bell cows.     Staying on topic with the run game, Beasley had a good afternoon in his own right. The rising senior was more of a playmaker in space, using his burst to create his own yards and find space. According to his coaches, he will serve as a great complement to Beazer and the rest of the Lovejoy RBs, which is a great launching point offensively for Lovejoy in year 1 of a new staff.     Taiwo, a recent UGA commit, was one of the more popular players in attendance and drew my eye. His comments from coaches were simple. "Sure fire SEC player, " " single-handedly shut down offenses" were some of the statements to describe his performance. He is a long, lean, cut player with true sideline-to-sideline speed. He will only get better, and his performance against talented teams last week only raises his floor.     Anderson was another top performer on defense whom coaches wanted to highlight. In my opinion, I think this is a pretty intriguing prospect for some small schools to get in the loop with here. He is listed at 5'11, and PR'd at 11.10 in the 100M, so he is a solid prospect from a size-speed perspective. He was disruptive downfield against the ball and flashed his range. "He has been trending upwards all summer" was the comment I heard from coaches.     I actually got a hit on Gurley prior to the event, so naturally, my eyes found him early. There's a lot to like here, and good reason to believe he can develop into a D1 QB prospect. He is a stout, strong player at 6'2 215 who flashed creativity as an athlete, which will translate more in a traditional setting. He has quick, explosive arm action with natural life on the ball. The combination of traits are there. Now, he just has to get the job done over the next two years. Lovejoy coaches are really fired up here.     Lockerman is the returning starter for River Ridge, looking to make another jump as a senior. On tape, he has good feel in the pocket and flashes impressive anticipation as a passer. He is reined in enough as a passer to move the ball up and down, helping him attack each level. Coaches believe he made major strides at camp, especially with his ability to move and make plays on the run.     Thompson will work both ways and be a contributor on both sides of the ball for River Ridge this fall. His coaches rave about his ability to lead by example and make others around him better. He is a strong, physical player who will probably project best as an LB given his size. He is a functional athlete, but it's his ability to hang in against blockers and make physical plays in the gaps that draws my attention the most.     River Ridge coaches wanted to make note of [player_tooltip player_id='2238539' first='Jude' last='Hunter'], who has the size and athletic evidence to support high upside. He will have to fully break onto the scene to get a proper evaluation, but there is still intrigue in what you can see. He is a tall, well-built player who plays with physicality on defense. He will work both sides of the ball and is expected to be a contributor this fall for River Ridge.     Biermann is a popular rising 10th grader coming off an all-region season as a freshman on varsity, which yielded way to some recruiting attention this spring. He is a well-developed, physical player who fought hard all afternoon against good tackles and plays stout against the run. He is a broad-shouldered player who will make his money as an edge setter, now up to 6'3 240. However, he is a more than functional athlete who can work pass-rush moves to free himself and get after the QB. He should be a fun player to watch over the next few years.     Clark is another youngster with P4 offers who flashed. He played both in-line as a blocker and out wide as a receiver, and he is built to handle both responsibilities well. He has a true prototype TE build with plenty of room to add more mass. He is a long strider who can act as a space eater, with the reach to act as a mismatch. He checks a lot of boxes, especially for his age, and I am expecting him to develop into a premier 2029 TE in Georgia.     Powell has spent the majority of his career playing on the OL, but is getting more work as a TE headed into his senior season. The TE spot is where he is getting the most recruiting attention. He is a big body who is best used as an extension of the OL, proving capable of getting movement in the run game. However, he has solid hands and has improved as a route runner all offseason. It sounds like his senior year will be his most complete year to date as a player.     Higdon, committed to Georgia State, is the tone setter and leader up front for Cambridge. His coaches said it best, "he is the anchor of the offensive line". He gets his action at LT and held his own against strong competition all afternoon. Having watched him before, he continues to grow into himself and get better at each exposure point. He has a basketball background and is a flexible athlete with good foot speed, so he can develop heavier and still maintain movement skills. Higdon has always trended up, and that should carry over into his college days.     It was a really good camp for Gray, who proved to be the most explosive back in attendance. He is a short, stout, explosive player with impressive foot speed and burst. He hit holes hard and with little hesitation, resulting in several big plays, including a long TD run. Gray played himself onto the radar as a sophomore, and he should only continue taking strides forward and carving out a name for himself on the recruiting trail.     This was my first look at Deuce Smith, and he exceeded my expectations with this performance. He was thrown into the fire last year and took it in stride, gaining seemingly valuable experience for his development. He is a smaller, athletic prospect, but he has better arm strength than I initially expected, especially on the drive balls. He spun it well and could fit it into tight spots. I imagine Grayson is confident with him at the helm as a senior.     Jackson caught my eye early up front for Peachtree Ridge and is someone I continued to watch as the afternoon progressed. He is listed at 6'1 200, but looks and plays even bigger with his long, cut frame. He flashed impressive pursuit skills and range from the EDGE spot, as well as a physical edge and will that translated seemingly snap to snap. The entire Peachtree Ridge defense played hard all afternoon, and Jackson's ability to pursue caught my attention.

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