Ballard maintains status as our No. 1 TE prospect, but skyrockets into our top 10 overall. He is a truly impressive specimen who is a traits winner right now. He is a towering, lean, athletic basketball prospect who is nearly impossible to match strides with down the field, and it helps that he has a massive catch radius. He will have to develop some nuance to win against P4 DBs consistently, but you can’t teach size and speed, especially in conjunction with each other. He is the biggest project in the top 10, but similar to Snipes, if his upside hits, he is NFL-bound.

Ballard is one of the more truly ridiculous players in the state from an athletic traits perspective. He is a true create-a-player, standing on a 6’5 235 frame with the vertical that carries over from basketball and more than functional speed. He is the definition of a mismatch in contested catch situations, but it’s his speed off the line and with the ball that intrigues me. He will be listed as a TE thanks to his size, but make no mistake, he has WR-level juice. Ballard is receiving love as the best TE prospect in the country, and it’s clear to see why.

Kaleb Ballard Kaleb Ballard 6'5" | 225 lbs | TE Wetumpka | 2028 State AL is a talented TE/WR from Wetumpka who’s really catching his stride this offseason

“It’s seriously hard to believe Ballard is only a sophomore. He towers over defenders with his 6’5 210 frame and can make some wildly impressive plays out wide. Ballard is quick, precise, and has a great set of hands that he uses to haul in catches all over the field.

It’s really impressive seeing how Ballard can move in open space. He’s seriously fast at his size and presents a ton of challenges for defenders after the catch. We’ll have to keep a closer eye on him going forward.“

Ballard has had a huge week in the recruiting world, picking up two SEC offers from Auburn and Kentucky!

If you haven’t seen any of Ballard’s tape, you’ve got to check it out below. He’s one of the top talents in the 2028 class and is only going to keep picking up more attention!

Kaleb Ballard Kaleb Ballard 6'5" | 225 lbs | TE Wetumpka | 2028 State AL is a talented pass catcher from Wetumpka who’s making his debut as the #35 overall prospect in the class.

“It’s seriously hard to believe Ballard is only a sophomore. He towers over defenders with his 6’5 210 frame and can make some wildly impressive plays out wide. Ballard is quick, precise, and has a great set of hands that he uses to haul in catches all over the field.

It’s really impressive seeing how Ballard can move in open space. He’s seriously fast at his size and presents a ton of challenges for defenders after the catch. We’ll have to keep a closer eye on him going forward.“

Ballard has been steadily picking up collegiate attention, and it makes sense why. He put together a bunch of great film from this past year that you can check out below:

Ballard is one of the more productive sophomore pass catchers in the state and will likely garner buzz as both a receiver and a tight end. He is a mismatch threat on the outside, but his natural development might project him to TE. Regardless, he is a towering basketball prospect with natural mismatch ability. With little effort, he can outstride and out-reach DBs. There is plenty of upside in the tank here, especially as his nuance comes along.

Ballard is an intriguing rare-trait prospect with blue-chipper potential. He is a fluid athlete at 6’5 210, skating across the field and bringing over verticality from the hardwood. He might project out long-term as a tight end since he is already 210 with room to get even bigger. Right now, he is a clear X prototype and a mismatch on the outside. He isn’t just big, he is fluid and an impressive athlete vertically with a basketball background. He holds early FBS offers and should generate future P4 buzz.

Kaleb Ballard Kaleb Ballard 6'5" | 225 lbs | TE Wetumpka | 2028 State AL is a talented WR/TE out of Wetumpka who has emerged as a playmaker in his team’s offense this season.

“It’s seriously hard to believe Ballard is only a sophomore. He towers over defenders with his 6’5 210 frame and can make some wildly impressive plays out wide. Ballard is quick, precise, and has a great set of hands that he uses to haul in catches all over the field.

It’s really impressive seeing how Ballard can move in open space. He’s seriously fast at his size and presents a ton of challenges for defenders after the catch. We’ll have to keep a closer eye on him going forward.“

Currently, Ballard lists offers from Georgia State and Troy. With how well he’s playing, I’m sure we will see more sent his way soon!

Ballard has been making a huge impact on Wetumpka’s passing attack this season. Do yourself a favor and check out some of his clips below; you’ll be impressed!