The Runway: 2027 Prospects Ready to Take Off 8/5
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As we head into a new season of youth and middle school football around the country, below is a look at some class of 2027 prospects (athletes beginning their eighth-grade school year) that have come across my desk. As football…
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Continue ReadingAs we head into a new season of youth and middle school football around the country, below is a look at some class of 2027 prospects (athletes beginning their eighth-grade school year) that have come across my desk. As football recruiting and evaluating continues to change, the eighth-grade season is becoming a pivotal time for young athletes to garner early attention from Universities. Here’s a look at some prospects that are on the trajectory to be playing a high level of football for years to come.
Earlier this week we featured fellow 2027 Quarterback, Sladen Shack. Hasquin is a nearly identical player in terms of build and skill set. Setting up shop about 25 minutes east of St. Louis, Mo., the 6-foot, 175-pound field general is one of Illinois’ top signal callers in the 2027 class. Lining up at Defensive End on defense, he’s a strong prospect who has the ability to take over a game. As a Quarterback he’s a dual-threat prospect. While he doesn’t have the game-changing speed most associate with a dual-threat QB, he’s a grinder who wears defenses down with constant tough runs to move the chains. Development will go a long way, but there’s certainly something to his game.
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If you follow college football recruiting or Texas prep football in any capacity, you’d have to live under a rock to not have heard of the kid they call “Boobie.” Heading into his eighth-grade season, Feaster already has eight offers under his belt: Arkansas State, Ole Miss, Louisville, TCU, Texas Tech, Austin Peay, Incarnate Word and Morgan State. The 6-foot, 165-pound athlete is flat out different right now. He’s physically dominant as a Wide Receiver and Defensive Back, but is gifted enough to play a variation of Rover Linebacker as well. There’s a lot of time between today and when he starts high school, but he could be the next great one at DeSoto.
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I’m not sure what it is in Kentucky, but the Bluegrass State turns out big linemen earlier than most other states in the country. Vanover is no exception to that precedent, at 6-foot-2 and 230-pounds about to being his eighth-grade season. He’s a two-way lineman that excels on both sides of the ball, but I like him as a Defensive Lineman more. Right now he’s a bit of a tweener, which isn’t a bad thing, because he’s long and lean enough to play Defensive End/Edge, but also has enough bulk to be an athletic Defensive Tackle. I look forward to seeing what he does at Farristown Middle School this season.
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Earlier this summer at the Georgia Future Stars game, there wasn’t a more dominant Offensive Linemen than Peeks. At 6-foot-2 and a well-carried 245-pounds, Peeks is the type of Tackle/Guard that teams can build around and run behind on any down. For being as big as he is, he’s super athletic and can move well in open-field. He can climb to the next level as good as anyone is a terror on the second level, picking off scraping Linebackers and even Defensive Backs with ease. His versatility is also second to none. Biggest thing I love about Peeks is his mean streak. He plays with the perfect amount of nastiness, that can set the tone for the whole team.
At 5-foot-9 and 160-pounds, there’s not much the Louisiana prospect can’t do on the football field right now. About to begin his eighth-grade school year, look for him to see Varsity time at Ascension Christian this fall. He’s extremely well-put together and is already throwing up impressive weight room numbers, including a 400-pound dead lift. Offensively he lines up in the backfield and is a threat to take it to the house on every touch. Defensively, he’s an aggressive Outside Linebacker right now but could grow into a Strong Safety type. He plays a little stiff right now, but as he continues to advance, he should become more twitchy and loose.
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An impressive multi-sport athlete from south Florida, Gamble looks the part of a next-level athlete. He’s put together like a Running Back, but has the capability to play nearly every skill position. Currently 5-foot-10 and 140-pounds, Gamble appears set to make the biggest splash in the secondary right away. Coming off a stellar seventh grade year in football and basketball, he also wow’d on the track winning Most Outstanding Athlete at Calvary Christian. On nearly every play, no matter what position, he displays impressive body control and adjustment ability when the ball is in the air. Like all 2027’s, he has some time before high school, but he should have his pick of schools next year.