East Coast Spotlight: Five who deserve more attention

The loss of many off-season camps has kept many prospects under the radar who otherwise would have emerged in the last few months. Further uncertainty around the upcoming high school football season means some may continue to be overlooked. Here are five prospects from the East Coast who deserve more recognition than they are currently receiving.

MORE IN THIS SERIES: Five Midwest prospects | Five Southeast prospects

CLASS OF 2021 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | Team | State

CLASS OF 2022: Top 100

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Rutgers landed an outstanding prospect in Banton, and he hasn’t gotten enough attention since he committed in March. The outside linebacker has played with his hand in the ground a lot, but this season he is expected to spend more time playing in space. On film and in the camp setting, Banton has shown great athleticism in space and is much rangier than expected. It looks like there will be a fall football season in New Jersey, and Banton will be an exciting prospect to watch.

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Another linebacker in the Garden State, Graham is an explosive inside linebacker. The 2022 prospect isn’t huge, but he really packs a punch. Graham’s film is pretty good, and he has really impressed in camps and 7-on-7 tournaments. He looked good in zone and man coverage and his length made it hard for quarterbacks to get the ball to their receiver. With the exception of Georgia Tech, Miami, Michigan State and Texas A&M, most of Graham’s offers are regional. Penn State figures to be a big player for Graham, but he is in no rush to commit. Most teams will turn their attention to Graham this fall.

There are a lot of schools that like Jones, but he lacks a true position. He can play all over the field and has done so for Highland Springs, Va., for the last few years. It’s too bad the state of Virginia has postponed the football season until the spring, because Jones - who is now a rock-solid 6-foot-1, 190-pounds - has been working hard to improve his game. He impressed at a recent 7-on-7 tournament as a receiver, making some tough catches in traffic and speeding passed defensive backs. Teams like Boston College, West Virginia and a few others are in contention for his mid-August commitment.

Many were surprised when Tennessee and Boston College offered the Madison (Va.) Madison County lineman. The 2022 prospect broke his leg three games into his sophomore season and had limited film. He ended up healing in time for wrestling season and won the Virginia state championship in the 285-pound weight class. After seeing Sacra at a recent camp, it was impossible to tell he had broken his leg. He has a very strong punch, can quickly slide to stay in front of defensive linemen and has a great understanding of how to play with leverage. Maryland has since offered Sacra and many more offers should be on the way.

When people talk about some of the best outside linebackers in the 2022 class, very few mention Walker. That needs to change. Walker isn’t engrossed in the recruiting process despite holding offers from LSU, Miami, Penn State, Tennessee, Texas A&M, USC and others. The rangy, explosive linebacker has a lot of room to fill out his frame, but he still can pack a punch. He does a great job chasing down quarterbacks and ball carriers, but it can be hard for a football player in Brooklyn to make noise on a national level.