GA Future Stars: 2026 Defensive Skill Practice Standouts

The Future Stars Game features many of the nation's top talent. The 2022 version of this game features athletes in the 8th grade (2026), 7th grade (2027) and 6th grade (class of 2028) in the states from Georgia, Florida, North Carolina and South Carolina. Below, here's a look at the defensive skill position athletes that stood out from the Georgia eighth-grade team during the practices. <strong><img class="alignleft wp-image-363612 size-thumbnail" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2022/06/JeremiahRoux-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" />Jeremiah Roux | Athlete</strong> Roux did a little bit of everything during the practices for the Future Stars. With two pro-style Quarterbacks on the roster, Roux took a good amount of reps at Quarterback in case there was a need for a more dynamic offensive approach, come game time. Defensively he moved around the secondary and saw practice time at Safety and Corner. I think I can definitively say he won't be playing Quarterback as he continues, but at 6-foot-1 and 181 pounds, where he ends up is TBD. <strong><img class="alignleft wp-image-363623 size-thumbnail" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2022/06/CharlesHarris-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" />[player_tooltip player_id="212296" first="CJ" last="Harris"] | Linebacker</strong> Not shy about his ability nor his confidence on the football field, Harris had a great couple days of practice with the Georgia Future Stars. I spent a decent amount of time with Harris and a few others, as I rode the team bus to practice with them. Harris was confident in his ability and was talking over concepts and plays with me, as he knew much of the defense his team was going to run. Had the added benefit of having his future head coach at Cedar Grove High School (John Adams), also serve as head coach of the eighth-grade Georgia Future Stars. Physical kid who lives for contact. <strong><img class="alignleft wp-image-363626 size-thumbnail" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2022/06/JaquezIvey-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" />[player_tooltip player_id="283853" first="JaQuez" last="Ivey"] | Defensive Back</strong> After watching practices, I would have hated being any team that had to throw into the secondary of the eighth-grade Georgia Future Stars. Ivey was another prospect that looked like a grown man back in the two-high safety defense. He looked a lot bigger then the 6-foot-1 and 155 pounds he's listed at on the roster. He was the bigger of the two safeties playing center field.  I was really encouraged to see, not only his willingness to come up in run support, but his mindset of looking for the big hit. <strong><img class="alignleft wp-image-363627 size-thumbnail" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2022/06/JaidenColeman-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" />[player_tooltip player_id="212299" first="Jaiden" last="Coleman"] | Linebacker</strong> Such an athletic player, Coleman was a treat to watch play Outside Linebacker during the week of practices. At 5-foot-9 and 185 pounds, he's not overly long but has a good frame to continue to put on good size. Often plays on the edge but is athletic enough to play off the ball as well. Consistently showed back-side chase-down ability, if plays were going away from him. Personally, I really liked my interactions with him as a young man. Quiet, humble and respectful. Even when giving him praise for a play, it was met with a smile and a thank you. I hope he can stretch out a few inches to avoid being a tweener with his size. <strong><img class="alignleft wp-image-363628 size-thumbnail" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2022/06/WestenArd-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" />Westen Ard | Linebacker</strong> On a team full of alpha males, Ard came to practice with a lunch pail and a hard hat mentality each day. The 6-foot-1 and 186-pounder didn't talk much in person but let his play do his talking for him. Loved the way this athletic Outside Linebacker came screaming down hill to make plays all week long. Would like to see him get a bit quicker and a little more twitchy in pass drops to balance out his play. Against the run, he shed blocks better than any other Linebacker I saw. <strong><img class="alignleft wp-image-363638 size-thumbnail" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2022/06/NassirMcCoy-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" />[player_tooltip player_id="283888" first="Nassir" last="McCoy"] | Defensive Back</strong> Talk about a kid with a magnetic personality, I don't think a smile left McCoy's face the entire week at the Future Stars event. He genuinely loves playing the game of football and it translated into his play. He was one of two starting safeties for Georgia, serving more as the Free Safety of the two. He covered a ton of ground with his 4.78 speed in the forty and had some of the best ball skills of anyone on the team. Adding an exclamation point to his stellar week, he earned his first offer from the University of Arkansas ahead of the game day(s). <strong><img class="alignleft wp-image-363639 size-thumbnail" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2022/06/Carsyn-Baker-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" />[player_tooltip player_id="908951" first="Carsyn" last="Baker"] | Athlete</strong> Baker is on the roster as a Defensive Back and I liked watching bounce around at practice between Defensive Back and Running Back. The 6-foot and 179-pound bruiser was very-well put together and from a purely athletic build standpoint, was arguably the most high school-ready prospect on this team. He isn't necessarily a burner when it comes to in-game speed at this point, but did run a 4.72 in the forty yard dash during tryouts. In my limited time of watching Baker in practices, I can see him becoming an All-Purpose Running Back or an Outside Linebacker due to his size and strength. <strong><img class="alignleft wp-image-363641 size-thumbnail" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2022/06/ZamarianWilliams-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" />Zamarian Williams | Linebacker</strong> Williams was a very active Inside Linebacker during the week. He was built very similar to [player_tooltip player_id="212299" first="Jaiden" last="Coleman"], but unlike Coleman, Williams played the traditional Mike Linebacker spot all week. Was a menace in the tackle box, showing the power to plug A-gaps and the ability to maneuver around bodies to get in the right position. Athletically, showed a sudden burst to get to the ball carrier, relentless pursuit effort and was a sure-tackler once he arrived. Despite all those positives, his best asset could have been his blitzing. If he timed the snap right, no lineman was quick or strong enough to stop him.