Cortez Carr Jr. Cortez Carr Jr. 6'2" | 250 lbs | DL Baylor School | 2028 TN rounds out our top 25, and I feel like I couldn’t talk about him enough this offseason. He is a shorter, strong, powerful player who can enforce his will at the point of attack. His first-step explosiveness and athleticism off the edge is impressive for his size and body type. He is juiced up, active, and is a magnet to the football. He generates chaos plays and is another true “game breaker”.

Since transitioning into a full-time defensive lineman, Carr’s stock has taken another step forward. His rush plans are more cohesive and yield sweet counters. His hands have also drastically improved. He’s shown efficient hand usage in violent disengagements, creating quick separation from blockers. This proven strength at the point of attack, with controlled leverage, makes him a beast on the edge who can enforce his will on most snaps. He constantly uses rips and hand counters to shed blocks and finish plays in the backfield. His recent development suggests his ceiling is still climbing.

Carr has emerged as a personal favorite of mine this offseason and has generated consistent FBS buzz over the last several months. Carr is a shorter, stubbier, but highly athletic and energetic player who projects on the defensive front. He is one of the more juiced-up players in the state at the position, winning with a quick first step, pursuit speed, and the unique ability to bend his stout, strong body. Carr is a magnet to the ball and has the desired play strength to hold up at a high level of ball. I am higher on Carr than others in the industry.

Carr is firmly on the FBS radar and will get plenty of love both today and going forward, but he is still someone out of AL that coaches need to at least talk to. He is truly one of the more active, athletic DL prospects that you will watch on tape in the 2028 class. He hovers around 6’1 and makes up that frame with elite first-step quickness, pursuit speed, and the ability to bend. He plays hard, and he will find the field at the next level quickly as a result. He has all the tools and traits to be an exception for his size.

This isn’t my first look at Carr, but he is worth a second look. He is an athletic, dense athlete on the defensive front at 6’2 250. This kid is as splashy as DL prospect come. He is an athletic player who shows evidence of his ability to roll when he picks up fumbles, can come downhill to block punts, and is generally just an impressively fast and agile player at his size and frame. He will likely stick on the interior, but I think there is money to be made here as a pass rusher. He is explosive, uses his hands well around the arc, can bend, and turns speed to power. He gets after it. If he were 6’5 instead of 6’2, he would be an obvious blue-chipper. Regardless, P4 coaches need to pay close attention here.

Cortez Carr Jr. Cortez Carr Jr. 6'2" | 250 lbs | DL Baylor School | 2028 TN is a talented LB/DL recruit from Buckhorn that we’ve ranked as our #14 overall player in the state.

“Carr is an incredibly versatile defender who has spent time and made plays down on the line of scrimmage as a DE, and off-ball at LB. Carr can wreak havoc in the trenches- he explodes off the snap, is quick and overwhelms the OL across from him, and can create huge stops behind the line of scrimmage.

Although he’s talented as a DL prospect, Carr impresses me even more with his skills at LB- he is terrific in pursuit and can fly around the field to make sideline-to-sideline plays against the run and pass.“

Carr has been unbelievable through his first two seasons. He’s a dominant defender with tons of skill and through-the-roof potential. I’m excited to watch him in his junior year next fall. He has a big season ahead.

Cortez Carr Jr. Cortez Carr Jr. 6'2" | 250 lbs | DL Baylor School | 2028 TN is an athletic, rangy linebacker who thrives in open space and closes ground quickly. He shows natural instincts for reading keys and reacting with precision. Carr is reliable in pursuit, taking disciplined angles and finishing tackles with force. His ability to drop into coverage and match up with athletic tight ends or backs adds tremendous value. He plays with leadership and confidence, elevating the entire defense. With his frame, athleticism, and versatility, Carr projects as an impact linebacker at the next level.

Carr has been one of the most productive and versatile young defenders in the state, posting 64 tackles, 9 TFLs, 12 QB pressures, 5 sacks, and 2 PBUs in his eight games. He combines strength and quickness in a way that allows him to impact the game from multiple alignments. He’s strong enough to hold his own as an interior and quick enough to win off the edge while flashing technical polish with bull rushes, rips, and consistently active hands to keep himself clean.

His closing speed and pursuit motor make him equally dangerous as an off-ball linebacker, where he can chase down plays from sideline to sideline, generate second-effort sacks and hustle plays that demoralize offenses.

Carr’s ability to disrupt from multiple spots gives Buckhorn schematic flexibility — whether collapsing pockets or cleaning up in pursuit, he’s the type of all-around playmaker who can tilt a playoff game in their favor.

Cortez Carr Jr. Cortez Carr Jr. 6'2" | 250 lbs | DL Baylor School | 2028 TN turned in another standout performance, anchoring Buckhorn’s defense in their win over Mae Jemison. Carr racked up 11 tackles, two tackles for loss, and two sacks, consistently collapsing the pocket and stuffing the run. He added a quarterback hurry and a pass breakup, showing his versatility as both a blitzer and coverage defender. Carr’s strength at the point of attack allowed him to control the line of scrimmage and dictate tempo. His relentless pursuit and leadership energized the entire Buckhorn defense. Carr continues to make a strong case as one of the most complete linebackers in North Alabama.

Cortez Carr Jr. Cortez Carr Jr. 6'2" | 250 lbs | DL Baylor School | 2028 TN anchored the Buckhorn defense with an impressive stat line of 11 tackles, a tackle for loss, and a quarterback pressure in a tough matchup with Lee-Huntsville. His sideline-to-sideline pursuit consistently limited big plays and set the tone for the unit. Carr’s ability to read the offense and react quickly allowed him to stuff key runs and disrupt passing lanes. The pressure he applied on the quarterback forced hurried throws and helped his teammates make plays. Carr’s leadership and consistency make him the heart of Buckhorn’s defense.