Pennsylvania Going National, Notes on Elite Prospects, Weeks 1-2

<ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>6'6, 230 pounds. Saw him play a bit of TE this past weekend, a first at least while I was present. In contention for the #1 spot on our 2027 rankings, currently sits at the four spot. </li> </ul>   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>Biggest takeaway was seeing how far along Sesay has come from a body transformation perspective. I have been to a Downingtown East game each of the last four years, seeing him look as filled out and chiseled as he way makes me that much more comfortable about his potential at Notre Dame. Ton of pure speed to burn around the edge, Sesay spent time up against a Division One caliber tackle in [player_tooltip player_id='1871634' first='Rodney' last='Gray'], someone who fits the body type Sesay is expected to play against while at Notre Dame. Sesay succeeded. His get-off remained effective despite Northeast's offense changing cadences and snap timing. Love Sesay post-winning at the LOS, can flatten his path in a hurry to chase down mobile QBs, is a willing helper in run support, not a one-trick pony in the sense of solely searching for sacks. Closing speed is easily some of the best I've ever seen while scouting the Northeast for past 6 years. Can convert his initial burst into a pass-rush plan rather than simply rely on speed around less-athletic tackles. What I witnessed this past weekend was Sesay at his best, plain and simple. The best version of him is yet to come. </li> </ul>   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>The argument could be had that St. Peter's Prep's OT Olu Olu could be the crown jewel of Notre Dame's 2027 recruiting class, yet I have to pound the table for Sesay being the best prospect amongst 2027 ND commits. Committed back in June, Sesay is accompanied by standout EDGE rushers Aidan O'Neil (NJ) and Jackson Vaughn (FL), both of which have equal opportunity to flourish in the coming years at ND. </li> </ul>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-x wp-block-embed-x"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/PRZVicCastillo/status/2093872803103555695?s=20 </div></figure>     <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>committed to Syracuse University on June 20th. 6'8, 345 pounds. Currently ranks four spots out of the Top 50 seniors in Pennsylvania, might be a bit too low after watching him throughout the first two weeks of the season. 3.4 GPA. Tackle prospect, contributes on defense better than I expected, but is solely perceived as a future P4 tackle project. </li> </ul>   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>Saw him work against Central Bucks South and Germantown Academy. Archbishop Wood went on to score 35+ points in both outings, I think a majority of the fanfare should be directed toward Sakyiama and this Wood offensive line. Sakyiama isn't the lone talented OL in this offensive huddle, yet this young man sets the tone early and consistently. If Wood wants to throw the football 25+ times, they can and nearly did against GA. If Wood wants to run the football for 300+ yards on the ground, they can, and did against CB South. Yes, Webb Jr. and Drakeley move the football, yet it's large in part due to the versatility Sakyiama and company upfront provide. Wood is capable of so much because of the consistent stability provided for both facets of the offense. Tone-setter when out in front of running plays, turns into a wall for pass pro sets, easily to understand why this young man is a take at the Power Four level.</li> </ul>     <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>6'6, 300 pounds. The far and away best player/prospect in all of Pennsylvania. Always a pleasure to see him suit up in person. Currently committed to Florida. Currently viewed as a future draft pick, specifically at the IOL, which is a bit surprising personally. I might be a bit biased, seeing Hiller's full skillset as interchangeable, IOL and/or OT. Stationed at left guard for Coatesville last week against Northeast.</li> </ul>   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>There are very few 2027 prospects at any position with a higher ceiling, I mean across the Nation by the way. He has the body control to consistently win underneath opponents despite carrying exceptional mass. His hands arrive with purpose, allowing him to take charge of blocks immediately rather than wrestling for control after contact. Defenders spend a lot of snaps either displaced from their gap or finishing the play on the turf. The movement ability is unusual for a player this large, particularly when redirecting, closing space or operating defensively. His future could be at guard, tackle or even defensive tackle, and the complete physical package gives him legitimate early round NFL Draft potential. Northeast deployed several Division One caliber front-seven members, yet pancakes were given out left and right, to no fault of Northeast prospects. This is, of personal opinion, the best football prospect in all of America, and he looked that way this past week. </li> </ul>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-x wp-block-embed-x"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/PRZVicCastillo/status/2095662577300709696?s=20 </div></figure>     <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>A New Jersey prospect who I had the chance to see briefly at the Pigskin Classic down at Salesianum (DE). A legit 6'5, 230 pound slim build. A UConn commit, I am of the belief Lane should have been loaded up with more offers outside of the Northeast region of the country. Currently unranked on our NJ site which is an oversight. I will help correct that in the future. I'll keep my in-game evaluation brief, as I only had the chance to see him throughout the second half of the bout against St. Augustine Prep. </li> </ul>   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>Built with plenty of mass for the edge, but the explosiveness is what makes him difficult to handle. He gets out of his stance in a hurry and turns those first few steps into real force before blockers have much time to settle in. Rather than dancing around contact, he attacks the chest, puts linemen on their heels and uses that initial collision to create multiple ways into the backfield. He can press through the outside shoulder, cross a blocker's face or redirect inside once he feels resistance leaning too heavily in one direction. There is some real intelligence to his run defense as well, particularly when working through pulling linemen or recognizing an attempt to cut him off from the backside. He understands where the play is headed and finds ways to stay clean instead of blindly taking on every block presented to him. His effort carries well beyond the initial exchange, with the range and urgency to hunt down runners after they have already cleared his immediate area. The hands are already a legitimate weapon and give him more answers than a typical power based edge prospect, although there is another level available once the finer details of his rush become more consistent. Playing with a lower base will be important, especially when offenses send two bodies at him and try to remove him from the point of attack. Most of this is derived from checking out past tape, not directly from in-person evaluation as stated above. </li> </ul>     <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>6'8, 280 pounds, currently ranks as the second-best prospect among all PA 2028s, sits as the top OL prospect in his class as well. Had the chance to see him work in pads finally, this against Archbishop Ryan, down Ocean City, NJ. </li> </ul>   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>The amount of physical growth here is hard to ignore, as he has packed considerable weight onto a nearly 6 foot 8 frame and is now comfortably north of 270 pounds. Guard could eventually maximize his power, although there is enough ability in pass protection to continue giving him opportunities at tackle. There were several occasions when Bonner quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='953528' first='Noel' last='Campbell'] had 4+ seconds of stationary pocket time, largely due to Winn and his pass pro prowess. Once his hands land inside, his sheer mass and strength can take defenders completely out of the rep, particularly when he is asked to collapse space in the run game. He is surprisingly sudden getting out of his stance for someone carrying that much size and can generate immediate movement at contact. His tendency to fold forward needs cleaning up, but he can still win the leverage battle and has shown the ability to settle his weight and drop his hips when protecting the quarterback. The bigger concern is what happens after he loses the initial exchange, as his recovery ability and success against rushers closing around the edge both need improvement. Whether he remains outside or eventually kicks inside, his combination of massive dimensions, developing movement skills and raw power gives an offensive line coach plenty to work with. Want to see him set the tone as a run-blocker a bit more often, easy to get overshadowed in this aspect considering the other Bonner OL who are legitimate bulldozers in the run game. </li> </ul>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-x wp-block-embed-x"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/PRZVicCastillo/status/2096967872203382831?s=20 </div></figure>     <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>A UCLA commit, currently sits as a top 20 senior among all Pennsylvania 2027s. Top three defensive back. Iron sharpened iron with Hopkins matching up primarily against Malvern Prep's [player_tooltip player_id='671906' first='Cade' last='Cooper'] this past weekend. I think Hopkins did a terrific job making everything hard on Cooper, as the majority of the LSU-commits production came with Malvern scheming him away from Hopkins. Incredible build, suitable for UCLA football. Registered two fantastic PBUs against Cooper in this one, was better than advertised IMO. </li> </ul>   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>His length immediately gives him something to build around at corner, especially if the physical development starts to catch up with the frame. There is also real value in how willingly he handles work near the line of scrimmage, as screens and perimeter runs rarely catch him avoiding contact. Short area movement is more impressive than his pure long speed, which could eventually make a coverage system built around zone concepts the cleaner fit. He sees the field well from the secondary and reacts quickly when the quarterback or route combination gives him a chance to attack the football. When matched directly with a receiver, he can open his hips to stay connected while using his hands to disrupt timing and make the route less comfortable. Continued work in the weight room will matter, but the combination of size, reach, awareness and toughness gives a college staff plenty to develop.</li> </ul>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-x wp-block-embed-x"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/PRZVicCastillo/status/2096964131425300594?s=20 </div></figure>     <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>6'2, 175 pounds. Currently ranked as the fifth best senior wideout in Maryland via my colleague Todd Haldis. 10.98 100M time, showed off said speed in person. </li> </ul>   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>Witnessed a few observable traits out of Wake Forest commit and Bishop McNamara senior [player_tooltip player_id='1629917' first='Xavier' last='Brown']. First thing that immediately jumped out at me was his ability to create space early and late, without being dependent on scheme or sets to get him open. Fantastic strider who can eat up space with a few strides and separate the same way. On the smooth end of the wideout spectrum, nothing he does on the field looks like it takes any effort. This was my first time watching him work in person, I saw no route tree limitations. He's equally convincing before the break, even when he isn't supposed to be getting the football. Instinctively works back toward the QB, can thrive in tandem with a QB who is extending the play. Unreal awareness, not just of the ball and his own body, but awareness of the sidelines, defensive alignment, this is a college-football ready prospect from that perspective. </li> </ul>   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>Wake Forest currently has 5 wide out commits as of day of writing, Brown joining North Carolina seniors Fletcher and Ross, with Brown arguably standing as the crown jewel for Dickert's program. </li> </ul>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-x wp-block-embed-x"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/PRZVicCastillo/status/2093431332873408661?s=20 </div></figure>     <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>Was seeing a pre-snap double-team as a wideout, not often do I see this at this level. Malvern Prep made [player_tooltip player_id='1089745' first='Owen' last='Johnson'] the top priority in terms of ways to stop the La Salle attack. It worked. I still managed to lock in on Johnson with each passing rep, this is an elite competitor who didn't pout or give up solely because of a pre-snap rotation to slow him down both over top and underneath. Johnson still came out of his release with full intention of getting the football regardless of coverage. More than a 200-yard game, this performance was equally impressive to me. Managing being the focal point of an offensive is difficult. Currently ranks as a top five 2028 in Pennsylvania. One of the elite separators across the Northeast region of the country. </li> </ul>   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>Finding different ways to get him the football should be a priority because he can change a possession without needing much space. His build points toward the slot, but limiting him to one role would waste much of his value, as he can motion into the backfield, work through condensed formations and handle manufactured touches from several locations. He has already shown that his game extends beyond quick throws, with enough vertical ability to separate and threaten coverage farther downfield. Once possession is secured, the acceleration comes immediately and his ability to change direction makes clean tackling a challenge in the open field. Routine completions around the line of scrimmage can quickly become explosive plays, and any crease gives him a realistic chance to score. That same combination of speed, vision and elusiveness should translate naturally to the return game. He has the skill set to become a featured run and catch weapon while handling primary return duties for a Big Ten or SEC program.</li> </ul>     <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>Arguably the best performance of any single prospect in this list from a production perspective. Was in the face of La Salle's QB nearly 10+ times, that's at least what it felt like. Registered 2 sacks on the night from what I can recall. Consistently saw double-teams and OL shifts his way, no avail, I might be drastically underrating Parkinson despite his elite ranking on our site. 6'4, 240 pounds, 4.15 GPA, currently one of the best EDGE rushers in all of Pennsylvania, sits atop his class, too. </li> </ul>   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>There is more to his run defense than simply overpowering whoever lines up across from him. He processes blocking action well, slips traffic before it can square him up and has a knack for keeping himself available when offenses pull bodies in his direction. The effort is equally valuable, as he will chase plays down from the backside and erase space quickly once a runner breaks into daylight. At the line of scrimmage, he prefers to bring the fight to the blocker, attacking immediately with heavy contact before working off that engagement in either direction. His first step gives that approach even more juice, allowing a thickly built defender to generate speed quickly and turn it into legitimate disruption. He already shows variety and confidence with his hands, although playing with better pad level and becoming sturdier against two blockers are the clearest areas for growth. More refinement there could make an already powerful, explosive and high effort edge defender considerably more productive as a pass rusher.</li> </ul>     <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>Can see the majority of Cooper's catches in the video below. Love the attention to detail paid with each rep. Didn't take a rep off, even if he wasn't the primary target in progression, or when tasked with stalk blocking in run sets. Demands complete attention at all times, looked great in terms of stride. Has filled out his build well, this looks like an SEC-ready prospect from a build perspective, especially at his current age, there's a ton of positives to draw. Scored a touchdown against La Salle that was called back due to a penalty. </li> </ul>   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>There is legitimate SEC value in a receiver who consistently makes the quarterback right when the ball is put in a difficult spot. He is especially dangerous near the goal line, where his length, body control and ability to elevate give defensive backs very little margin for error. At nearly 6 foot 3 with a long build, he also brings that size into the less glamorous parts of the position, fighting through contact after the catch and getting involved as a blocker. He understands how to manipulate coverage before the route fully develops, using his release and subtle head movement to create an early advantage even though the finer details of his route running remain a work in progress. Throws toward the boundary rarely feel wasted because he tracks the football well, adjusts late and gives himself room to finish along the sideline. Pure speed testing may never separate him from the pack, and he is older than most prospects in his class, but neither concern takes away from how frequently he converts contested opportunities into meaningful gains. His best trait is simple: when coverage is tight and somebody has to win the football, he usually does.</li> </ul>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-x wp-block-embed-x"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/PRZVicCastillo/status/2096973571037831213?s=20 </div></figure>     <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>Boasts one of the best frames of any prospect I saw throughout the first two weeks of the season. 6'6, 290 pounds. 3.8 GPA. Committed to LSU back in mid-June. The second LSU commit in this article, they are recruiting Pennsylvania well. </li> </ul>   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>LSU is betting on the long term with a tackle prospect whose best football should come after significant physical development. His movement ability is already a major selling point, with quick feet and sharp lateral reactions that allow him to cover ground in the run game and stay connected with rushers in protection. There is plenty of room to add weight throughout a long, lean build that currently lacks ideal width. He moves naturally through his hips, knees and ankles, giving him the flexibility to play from good positions without sacrificing mobility. More size should bring considerably more force into his initial strike while helping him become a more authoritative finisher. The verified athletic profile is not complete yet, but the combination of movement skills, growth potential makes him an intriguing developmental tackle with a very high ceiling. Saw him play well against Father Judge specifically at DE/EDGE. LC struggled to move the football offensively, not entirely on the shoulders of Smith, but he was certainly felt defensively. Forced a fumble, was in on several TFLs and a few sacks. I appreciate him bringing his motor and talent to both sides of the ball, something several OT-specific prospects simply don't care to do. Happy to see him work in person again. He looked like the best version of himself from my sideline perspective.</li> </ul>     <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>6'4, 210 pounds. A Rutgers commit. Currently ranks as a top 10 player out of Maryland, despite Taylor being stationed at Salesianum HS in Delaware. Couldn't be a better compliment from my colleague and Maryland ranker Todd Haldis. </li> </ul>   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>Taylor likely wasn't recruited because of his YAC ability, yet I was impressed by his ability to break through arm tackles. Can continue through contact at the LOS, doesn't need clean space to operate, that's a given, yet Taylor needed 2-3 defenders to bring him down each time he caught the football within 15 yards of the LOS. Huge prospect with an even bigger presence on the field than his H/W combination suggests. Possesses enough body control to finish catches along the sideline, his touchdown proves he has both body awareness and real ball tracking ability. Taylor could have reeled in a few easy balls that ended up on the turf, I think it points to Taylor's ability to thrive in the toughest and most contested of situations. When he needs to become Superman, he can. He'll thrive at Rutgers if he can be Superman play-in and play-out, not only when he's most needed. I think Rutgers will get that out from him. Interested in learning if Taylor's skill set will require a specific alignment, or if he'll be an interchangeable piece within Rutgers' offense. I wish I had the luxury of watching a player this caliber on a weekly basis, was fun seeing him work in person for the first time. Solid first-time evaluation. </li> </ul>   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>Rutgers currently has three wideouts committed, with Taylor being the earliest of commits to Greg Schiano. PA native [player_tooltip player_id='671915' first='Arnold' last='Mugerwa'] and Don Bosco Prep senior Isaiah Alvarez are both committed to Rutgers as well at time of writing, with Mugerwa serving as a very similar build/type as Taylor. I wouldn't be surprised to learn that Taylor sits at the top of the incoming class in terms of hype and potential. </li> </ul>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-x wp-block-embed-x"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/PRZVicCastillo/status/2092760005095162118?s=20 </div></figure>