There was no lack of drama on the IMG Academy and Auburn (Ala.) Excessive Faculty sport on Friday evening.
It was a cool evening with regular rain all through the second half of a contest that noticed the No. 2 prep group within the nation trailing within the second half. It might rally, due to Penn State working again dedication Kaytron Allen, who stamped the 27-17 victory with a signature show of persistence, energy and even emotion.
Main as much as that time there was loads of back-and-forth to go together with standout moments from each applications. Sports activities Illustrated appears to be like again at 10 upperclassmen who made noise in between the white traces.
Prospects listed in alphabetical order. Every is within the class of 2022 except in any other case famous.
DB Joenel Aguero, IMG Academy (2023)
Contents
- 1 DB Joenel Aguero, IMG Academy (2023)
- 2 RB Kaytron Allen, IMG Academy
- 3 OL Tyler Booker, IMG Academy
- 4 DE Jihaad Campbell, IMG Academy
- 5 DE Powell Gordon, Auburn
- 6 LB Jordan Corridor, IMG Academy, (2023)
- 7 LB Brad Harper, Auburn
- 8 OL Eston Harris, Auburn
- 9 DL Nick James, IMG Academy
- 10 DB Nasir Pogue, Auburn
Whereas a lot of the dialog surrounding the highest junior relies on the place he’ll play in faculty, as his resolution approaches, the on-field product is ever spectacular. Aguero has nice measurement and size at 6’1”, 195 kilos and tasks as an instant-impact security, however he occupied the nook spot as soon as once more for the Ascenders. We didn’t see the junior hand over a play in go protection and simply as importantly, he was elite in run assist. The Boston native has nice play diagnostic ability and may end extra like a linebacker than secondary participant, together with a terrific cease within the open discipline close to the road of scrimmage. Aguero navigates blockers nicely and closes in a rush, a part of the explanation Georgia, Alabama, Ohio State and nearly each different main program is in on his recruitment.
RB Kaytron Allen, IMG Academy
We have mentioned it for years with the longer term Penn State Nittany Lion. It isn’t the prettiest, most fleet of foot or explosive working model, but it surely has been efficient for the Virginia native for years regardless of taking part in towards the highest competitors within the nation. Friday was no completely different, evident in his general sport, working with persistence and thru arm tackles on routine, however even when it’s closing time when all the stadium is aware of the ball will probably be handed to No. 13. Allen was tattered by a extremely good Class 7A protection in Alabama and he nonetheless seemingly obtained stronger as the sport wore on, closing it the sport out with a memorable rating to place the sport out of attain for good. Allen additionally confirmed some quickness and ball abilities within the passing sport to arrange an earlier rating, too, displaying he could also be extra balanced as a working again than his vast body suggests.
OL Tyler Booker, IMG Academy
Working at left sort out like he has all season lengthy, the Alabama dedication was examined by a future Auburn Tiger in Powell Gordon. Some 100 kilos lighter than Booker, the longer term Iron Bowl opponent was in a position to contend across the edge with the bend that made Booker’s size and footwork stand out throughout the reps he received because the duo seemingly break up their go reps towards each other. Within the working sport, although, Booker was in a position to drive many of the opponents he confronted towards their will, and few within the nation end like the previous defensive lineman does. It will likely be intriguing to see the place Booker traces up on the subsequent stage, the place he might doubtlessly play up and down the Alabama offensive entrance along with his body and ability set.
DE Jihaad Campbell, IMG Academy
Auburn’s strategy was heavy with the run sport and did not function the kind of drop-back passes Campbell often thrives towards off the sting, however the Clemson dedication discovered a solution to make an influence anyway. Step one continues to show heads but it surely’s not reckless to the purpose that he performs vast of the formation no matter play name. Campbell confirmed the flexibility to play beneath, come down the road and end towards the run in a sport by which IMG wanted to play nicely up entrance to outlive. He did and it did with the assistance of a key fourth quarter turnover, by which the longer term Tiger confirmed consciousness, too, recovering a sudden strip by a teammate to assist maintain the Ascenders up for good.
DE Powell Gordon, Auburn
It is no small job to contend towards Booker for 4 quarters, however Gordon made his mark proper from the outset. When he received the passing reps towards the highest expertise, it stood out, noticeable from the primary play of the sport. Gordon received with a powerful first step, fast bend and arm extension on the sport’s first snap — popping the soccer up from quarterback AJ Duffy’s arm and proper into the arms of a teammate for a game-changing turnover. Gordon labored nicely on the sting towards the go all evening lengthy, logging no less than another sack on the night, and confirmed good self-discipline within the run sport when working up entrance or from the standard second stage. As he provides weight to his body at Auburn, it received’t take quite a lot of creativeness to see the native expertise doubtlessly play all through Derek Mason’s protection. Gordon additionally obtained in some work on offense, not solely blocking nicely within the run sport, however capping the primary Auburn drive with a powerful landing seize of his personal with the ball barely off track.
LB Jordan Corridor, IMG Academy, (2023)
The participant making us get again to google following the efficiency Friday was Corridor. An uncommitted junior initially from Virginia, the chances could also be infinite for the entrance seven defender by way of the place he traces up on the subsequent stage. At 6’3”, 225 kilos with true closing potential and ending energy, we are able to see him screaming off the sting or taking part in typical off-ball linebacker relying on the scheme he elects to play in. The junior was everywhere in the discipline Friday, making performs towards the run and the go at as excessive a clip as any defender we tracked. Corridor navigates site visitors nicely and has a nostril for the soccer, traits any faculty defensive coordinator can make the most of. Corridor is extraordinarily coveted on the recruiting path, having taken in latest sport visits to Penn State and Virginia Tech.
LB Brad Harper, Auburn
Few prospects performed each methods on this one on the charge Harper needed to for the hometown Tigers. He labored at working again towards that daunting IMG entrance seven and held his personal, but it surely was his play on protection that actually stood out. The Tigers have been in entrance for many of the contest, thanks partly to limiting the Ascenders from breaking off chunk performs, which Harper and his again seven teammates did nicely. Rallying to the soccer, he and Gordon might have mixed for greater than 20 tackles on this evening, together with a couple of one-on-one within the open discipline towards Energy 5 prospects. Harper is hard, versatile and performs nicely inside his duty, although his recruitment has but to take form. He instructed SI some applications, together with native Auburn, are upping their communication.
OL Eston Harris, Auburn
For less than having performed offensive line for a 12 months and a few change, one would not understand it watching Harris work. Already a member of the SI99 rankings for his potential on the sting, the senior reminded us why towards stellar competitors. There are nonetheless loads of areas “EJ” has to work on, particularly in his approach and mechanics within the decrease half, however the athleticism, size and grit stays current. Harris performs by the whistle and it affected a few of the inside IMG defenders he was combatting, in each passing and working conditions. His energetic mentality allowed for him to get a chunk of a number of defenders on choose run performs, burying a pair to the bottom alongside the way in which. Harris has some old skool trench mentality to his sport with excessive sort out athletic upside in his future, a terrific mixture for the Bryan Harsin period at Auburn.
DL Nick James, IMG Academy
No Ascender was extra hyped to get the sport going that the Alabama native, who was audibly blissful to be close to his dwelling city of Prattville for one in all his last highschool video games. James turned the thrill into manufacturing in a rush, too, making performs behind the road of scrimmage with nice arms, alternative ability and energy. James was additionally opportune, taking part in down the road to string out a fourth-quarter working play earlier than popping the ball out of the again’s hand to power a well timed turnover. Then on the sport’s last drive, James put an exclamation level on the efficiency, registering back-to-back sacks when Auburn Excessive was in desperation passing mode. A school program will get a great one comparatively quickly, because the senior hinted at a dedication coming comparatively quickly when chatting with SI after the win. South Carolina and Indiana are amongst these in rivalry.
DB Nasir Pogue, Auburn
With nice size at 6’2”, onlookers (and a few faculty coaches) on the sidelines Friday evening have been interested by Pogue’s dedication standing, and so have been we. The son of Troy cornerbacks coach Al Pogue, there’s an anticipated maturity to his sport out on the island, however there’s manufacturing to his title as nicely. The senior made one of many early performs of the sport, turning IMG over on downs after an image excellent break on the soccer with nice timing on the catch level, breaking apart a go meant for his project, proper on the sticks. Pogue confirmed a willingness to play the run sport as nicely on the chilly and wet night. Troy, Georgia Southern, Alabama State and Arkansas-Pine Bluff have provided and SEC applications Mississippi State and Vanderbilt are in communication late within the sport. Austin Peay will get Pogue on campus subsequent weekend.