Friday Five: "Under The Radar" Prospects To Know
In today’s recruiting update, Dawg Post takes a look at five under-the-radar players who are bound for big seasons next fall. While some of them currently hold offers, the Georgia staff hasn’t currently offered these prospects at this time. With a big season this fall, Dawg Post could certainly see that changing down the road.
The first prospect on today’s list is 2022 OL Tyler Gibson of Johns Creek (GA). One of the top young offensive linemen in the state, the Bulldogs haven’t offered yet, but Gibson does hold offers from LSU, Arkansas, Oregon, Michigan State, among others.
“Tyler is long and athletic,” one Johns Creek staff member told Dawg Post. “He's a pretty good athlete and basketball player. That translates well to the field, especially at tackle, where good feet and hands come into play. One thing that impressed me was his work ethic during the winter. He was playing basketball while increasing his effort and time in the weight room. He went from 240 to about 275 in 4 months. He's still working to improve on his upper body strength, but when that occurs, he's going to be an absolute beast.”
The state is loaded with offensive lineman not only in the 2021 class, but in the 2022 class as well. Gibson is a guy with good athleticism, good length, and the frame to keep growing and put on more muscle.
The 2023 class in Georgia is already making noise, and you can find one of the best at Hart County (GA) in wide receiver Paul Davis. The young receiver has good size already at 6-foot-2 185-pounds with reliable hands. He’s a natural athlete who also plays centerfield on the Hart County baseball team. As a freshman last season, Davis caught 26 passes for 274 yards and two touchdowns in a run-heavy offense.
“His hands are unbelievable,” a Hart County coach told Dawg Post. “Plus, he has nerves of steel. When the game was on the line in Pierce County it didn’t rattle him at all and he helped us win in OT.”
It's still early for Davis as far as his recruitment goes, but Dawg Post believes Davis could be an SEC-caliber prospect down the road. He’s got the athleticism, the ball skills, the personal drive, and the playmaking ability to become one of the state’s top athletes in the near future.
Another 2023 prospect to know it Northeast Georgia is Elbert County (GA) ATH Christian Harris. The 5-foot-10 160-pounder is on Georgia’s radar but the Bulldogs haven’t extended an offer just yet. South Carolina, Arkansas, Georgia Tech, and Nebraska have offered, and more are likely on the way.
“He’s a strong leader and he has the athletic ability to change the game at any given time. He has the break-away speed that all the great ones have. He is going to be a special one,” Former Elbert County coach Brad Waggoner told Dawg Post.
Could Elbert County have another Mecole Hardman on their hands? Like Hardman, Harris is an electric playmaker who is always one of the fastest kids on the field. He’s quick, agile, changes directions well, and is a natural with the ball in his hands. His speed and athleticism could give him an opportunity to play on both sides of the ball at the next level, but he’ll likely stay on offense as a dangerous slot receiver.
If you're looking for a young defensive lineman to know, Taylor County (GA) lineman Christian Towns is your guy. The big 6-foot-2 320-pounder started as a freshman in 2019 and sources say he has SEC-potential down the road.
“As far as his potential, the sky is the limit,” a Taylor County coach told Dawg Post. “ Obviously his size puts him at the D1 level already and he will only get bigger these next 3 years. He busts his butt in the weight room and went up tremendously on every lift throughout the year. This last year he was really trying to transition from middle school ball to varsity so it took him so time to realize he could play with those older kids. The good thing about Christian is he has a good motor on him. He’ll be an absolute monster next 3 years, especially after this year in the weight room. He is still not even 15 yet so he’ll probably grow a couple more inches.”
He might be on the heavy side this second, but he’ll continue to get better as long as he transforms his body and works hard in the weight room. He’s tough for any offensive lineman to handle due to his size and can really close those gaps and running lanes. Look for Towns to have a big sophomore season and make a name for himself after a solid 2020 season.
The Milton Eagles produced one of the top 2020 offensive line prospects in the country last year in Clemson signee Paul Tchio, and the Eagles may have another big-time offensive lineman in 2022 OL Mo Clipper Jr.
“He has the frame you want all of your OL to have, but he also knows how to control and use it,” Milton offensive coordinator Ben Reaves told Dawg Post. “He’s extremely athletic for his size which allows him to give DL trouble. He’s also a problem for second-level defenders because of his ability to move so well laterally. This is also shown on the basketball court. His biggest attribute is his mental capacity for the game. He gets our scheme but also the scheme of the opponent. I have no doubts he can follow in Paul’s footsteps and be the next highly recruited big man from Milton.”
The 6-foot-5 250-pounder was Tchio’s backup last season, so the film on is Clipper is limited, but it's clear the Milton staff is high on him and have big plans for his future. He’s a guy who could see his recruitment take off after a full solid season this fall.