East Spotlight: Five 2022 prospects now on the radar
Only a few states in the East Region are playing football this fall and this talent-rich area of the country usually sees a handful of prospects pull in dozens of offers this time of year. There aren’t nearly as many new prospects drawing the eye of college coaches right now, but a few are standing out. Here are five 2022 prospects that are starting to emerge this fall.
RELATED: Southeast prospects on the radar
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CLASS OF 2021 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | Team | State
CLASS OF 2022 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | Team | State
COVERAGE: Rivals Transfer Tracker | Rivals Camp Series
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Only a couple Ivy League teams - along with Massachusetts - have offered Butler so far, but he’s bound for more after his tremendous start to this season. He’s had well over 100 yards rushing in each of his first three games this year and shown his improved catching abilities. In one game he had over 100 yards receiving, too. All of these accomplishments have come against teams in one of the toughest conferences in the nation. Look for more teams to show increased interest in Butler in the not too distant future.
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Fearby has the makings of a national prospect, but only four offers have come his way so far. His junior season has gotten off to an impressive start and his film is clearly helping his stock rise with college programs around the region. Soon, programs from around the country could be calling for the 6-foot-5, 210-pound defensive end. It seems as though moving from Las Vegas to the Pittsburgh area two years ago may have had a hand in slowing the start of his recruitment.
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Count FitzSimmons among the prospects that would have really benefited from a normal spring evaluation period and camp season. The defensive lineman has a handful of Group of Five offers and just pulled in his first Power Five offer from Pittsburgh. The local school has seen him play a few times, but the Panthers surely won’t be his last major offer. FitzSimmons was a standout at last year’s WPIAL Championships and caught the eye of scouts and college coaches alike.
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The pandemic and recruiting dead period has made it almost impossible for recruits to get on the map and pull in their first offers, but Okunlola’s recruitment has thrived. He hasn’t taken a visit since Connecticut hosted East Carolina last season, but his film and constant communication with college coaches has helped his recruitment explode. Arizona State, Colorado, Duke, Indiana, Vanderbilt and West Virginia are just some of the schools that have offered him so far, with many more still to come.
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Dutch Fork has a history of prolific offenses and this year is no different. Williams is putting up some big numbers this year, following in the footsteps of Tennessee freshman Jalin Hyatt. Wake Forest became the first Power Five team to offer Williams recently, joining Coastal Carolina and Charlotte. More offers are coming Williams’ way soon, though. Expect teams like Duke, NC State and maybe Kentucky to end up looking at Williams.