Recruiting Runway: Class of 2027 Prospects to Know – 11/22
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We are officially into November and middle school football seasons are reaching the later stages, or in some states, has already wrapped up. The prospect landscape is starting to become clearer and below is a look at some class of…
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Continue ReadingWe are officially into November and middle school football seasons are reaching the later stages, or in some states, has already wrapped up. The prospect landscape is starting to become clearer and below is a look at some class of 2027 prospects (athletes in 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.
Darrian is a powerful athlete coming out of the state of Kentucky. Based on what I have seen so far, Darrian seems to have all of the tools necessary to be a monster running back so early on in his career. One of the first things that stood out to me from his tape, Darrian runs with intention. He is definitely not the back that is going to allow one or even two defenders to bring him down. If Darrian is carrying the ball, it is going to take several defenders to get him down if he can help it. Another part of Darrian’s game that sticks out is his breakaway speed. If Darrian is able to break out from the rest of the defense, there is a very good chance he is going to take it to the house, no matter how far he’s having to run. I really like what I have seen from Darrian so far and it’s no surprise why he was named a Kentucky Middle School Football Association’s Regional Player of the Year award winner.
Highlights
Keilan is another speedy running back coming out of the very competitive state of Louisiana. Keilan is a smooth runner with the capability to going the distance every time he touches the ball. His patience coupled with his decision making skills allow him to make quick and easy decisions on where he is going to take the ball, and then from there he lets his speed take him the rest of the way. At 5-foot-10 and 165-pounds, Darrian also shows off his athleticism with his ability to make defenders miss with different cuts and stiff-arms while he is running the ball. Overall, Keilan is one of the top athletes coming out of The Boot State in this this class. He’s also an exceptional baseball player and I am excited to see where his journey as a student-athlete takes him.
Nyeem is a big, powerful quarterback coming out of Maryland, a state that is criminally slept in on terms of athletic talent as a whole. At 6-foot-1 and 180-pounds, he has one of the more impressive arms in the class. Nyeem can hit seemingly any target on the field regardless of the length of the throw. With that being said, Nyeem has a smooth throwing motion that allows him to hit targets accurately with a crispy pass. He’s one of those rare prospects where you can hear the ball coming out of his hand, as he’s releasing it. He also has a strong enough pocket presence that he does not allow pressure or hits on him to mess up his throwing motion. Overall, Nyeem has a very impressive collection of highlights. He’s wrapping up an eighth-grade season with the famed Maryland Heat team where he shared time at the helm with fellow 2027 prospect, Tristan Sabb Tristan Sabb 6’0″ | 185 lbs | QB St. Frances Academy | 2027 State MD . Sabb currently holds a Boston College offer.
Jabin is a very unique two-way player coming out of the state of Michigan that I’m a big fan of. While I don’t have official measurements on him, he looks to be right around the 6-foot to 6-foot-1 range and a solid 170-180-pounds. On the defensive side of the ball, Jabin is a hard hitting second-level defender that packs a punch when he his making a tackle. He clearly has a great concept of leverage as he plays low and wraps up ball carriers to bring them down. Jabin also has the speed to keep up with anyone of the field and has not problem chasing down his opponent in order to tackle them. As a quarterback, Jabin proves to be a dual threat type of player with his ability to beat you through the air or on the. Overall, Jabin has some impressive tape put together and he has a very bright football future. All signs point to him being at Orchard Lake St. Mary’s Prep for high school.
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Haedyn is another running back hailing from the highly sought after state of Mississippi. Just from what I have seen so far, Haedyn is a very smooth runner capable of exploiting defenses every time he touches the ball. One of the best parts of Haedyn’s game is is one-cut decision making. He is not the type of back to make a bunch of different moves before making it to the line of scrimmage, he needs one move and he’s off. Haedyn is also not afraid of contact by any means. At a bowling ball-like 5-foot-7 and 170-pounds, if there is a defender running down hill at him, Haedyn has no problem dropping a shoulder down if it means he can still gain more yards. Overall, Haedyn’s film shows a lot of promise and potential. He’s not fun to bring down because of his build and can also run away from defenders.
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Luke is a two-way player coming out of the state of Oklahoma. At a strong and thick 5-foot-11 and 195-pounds, Luke has documented success on both sides of the ball. At linebacker, which is where I like him best, Luke shows off his good pursuit speed via rushing off the edge towards the quarterback or chasing down a running back. With his speed, however, Luke also has great vision that allows his eyes to take him to where the ball is going. Once the running back has established where he is taking the ball, Luke right there to take the running lane away. On the offensive side of the ball, Luke is a bruising running back who has the capability to gain large chunks of yards on any given play. Luke has shown some exciting things very early on in his career and there is Division 1 potential here if he keeps on the same trajectory he’s been on.
Highlights
Khalil is a speedy athlete coming out of western Pennsylvania near Pittsburgh. Just from what I have seen, Khalil is on a different level compared to his competition, which speaks volume when looking at the talent-rich area he comes from. When it comes to his speed, there are not too many others on the field with him that can keep up. With his speed, Khalil has the athleticism to make a several different cuts to get around the defense and continue on his path to the end zone. Most impressively, Khalil has incredible hands that allow him to catch the ball no matter where it is in relation to his body. He even has a nice Odell Beckham Jr type catch over one of his opponents! Overall, Khalil have proven to have all the tools to be successful on the football field. I’m not sure what position the 5-foot-9, 175-pound athlete will end up playing at, but he’ll be a difference-maker wherever he lines up.