First and 10: Mid-Atlantic prospects on the rise

This time of year, it is easy to pick out players that might be a little underrated or underclassmen that deserve more attention than some of their other classmates. Here are 10 prospects in the Mid-Atlantic that are on the rise.

West Forsyth has been a must-stop for college coaches over the past few years and K.J. Henry is well worth the trip. The 2018 Rivals100 defensive end has seen his offer sheet explode over the past few weeks and, with great camp performances sprinkled in, the Henry's hype is building. His great frame, quickness, and relentlessness are going to take him far.

Gaddy’s recruitment has been in flux for the past year or so while he transitioned to Bishop Sullivan from Norfolk (Va.) Booker T. Washington. Since that transfer, he has gotten in better shape, is stronger, and better understands he can be successful as an interior defensive lineman. Gaddy’s progress was on full display at Rivals Camp Series Charlotte where he seemed to easily push around most offensive linemen and his quickness at that size really impressed.

More experience against elite pass rushers is the only thing that keeps Becton from being one of the highest rated offensive tackles on the east coast. He is extremely athletic for his massive frame and is an aggressive lineman with an edge. Becton’s offer sheet is long, but some heavy hitters have been waiting on pulling the trigger. To them I say, wait no longer.

Williams already has a long list of scholarship offers and has narrowed his list to a top 10, but the way he played at RCS Charlotte was well above expectations. His technique is still a bit raw, but his strength, power, and quickness caught a lot of the offensive linemen and spectators off guard. Williams is currently a Rivals250 prospect and he will retain that honor, but he may have outplayed his ranking.

Butler is another prospect that has taken massive strides since last year. He has added muscle and is very agile. At RCS Charlotte, it was good to see his speed at the snap and how he stayed low to maintain leverage throughout the rep. N.C. State, Duke, South Carolina, and Penn State are currently Butler’s top schools.

Having watched Ruckert’s film after last season, it isn’t surprising that he’s starting to accumulate offers. This 2018 tight end prospect has a lot going for him and many more teams will soon catch on. He has great size, excellent ball skills, and is very much faster than defenders realize. Boston College, Syracuse, Pittsburgh, Rutgers, and Wake Forest are the few smart schools to get on Ruckert early.

Asiedu is still learning the game but is improving at an exponential rate. He has added a lot of upper body strength and has really refined his technique as an offensive lineman. Asiedu has no problem handling the outside rush, but he must work on inside rushes and increase his strength. Tennessee, Rutgers, and Clemson are the latest offers for him with many more to come.

Western Pennsylvania is coming back in a major way in 2017 class. The 2018 class looks very good as well and Raines is one of the best it has to offer. At 6-foot-3, Raines is a big safety with great feet and ball skills that’s not afraid to lay a big hit on the ball carrier. He has regional offers from Pittsburgh, Penn State, West Virginia right now but he is primed for a big summer and junior campaign.

The weather at RCS Columbus made life difficult for the prospects in attendance, but Gregory made the most of his opportunity. He was one of the strongest players that participated and has really improved his technique. Gregory has an offer from Maryland, but as soon as teams see what he’s capable of this season, the offers will really start following.

Tisdale had a very good sophomore campaign at a school college coaches always stop at and has great physical attributes, so it’s puzzling why the offers haven’t come sooner for him. Wake Forest was the first to pull the trigger and Virginia Tech offered after Tisdale won Linebacker MVP honors at RCS Charlotte. As he continues to develop physically, schools will have no choice but to offer this big-time playmaker.