Florida spotlight: Five prospects in the headlines
New 2018 rankings are out, but this recruiting cycle is a long way from home. Players will have the ability to shift perception (in either direction) as they play their senior seasons. Below is a look at five Florida-based prospects that will find themselves under the spotlight this fall.
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Schwartz’ speed is well-documented. A bona fide track superstar, he’s likely the fastest prospect in this class. Still, it’s clear that he’s still learning how to become a football player. His speed gets him a long way on Friday nights. Still, his stats have never been eye-popping and his hands aren’t always reliable. Schwartz’s upside is obvious and his ranking will vault forward should he take a couple steps in development this year. Right now, he’s an extremely raw wide receiver with one defining characteristic. Schwartz, who will also run track on college, is seen as a Florida lean.
A Georgia commit, Moore is entering a proving ground of sorts in 2017, as his potential and camp performances outshined his modest junior-year statistics . Moore plays for a loaded high school that sent a handful of wide receivers to major FBS programs a year ago, so his looks were limited. This season, Moore will be one of the focal points of an offense that should put up a ton of points. Moore had a massively successful offseason, but he still needs to prove he’s up to the task in pads.
Blades, who seems to have spent his entire high school career under the ranking spotlight, continues to flirt with five-star status. He has the tools and the length. That much has been clear for years. Blades’ struggle has been with consistency. A dominant senior year would certainly help his cause, but he may go into All-Star season still teetering on the line between four and five-star status. The good outweighs the bad with Blades, but the lapses he shows have held him back just enough to keep him listed as one of America’s top four-stars. Crunch time starts now for the Miami commit, as he’s entering the home stretch of this recruiting cycle,
Hodges is an interesting case because his past success can’t be argued. His issue is that he seems to be caught in the grey area between wide receiver and tight end. He’s being recruited at both position but it’s unclear whether or not he’ll be able to grow into an FBS tight end. He’ll need to take off weight and add acceleration should he decide to pursue a career at wide receiver. Thing is, Hodges’ athleticism can’t be questioned. He has the hands to become a major offensive weapon as well. It’s his body that will decide his career trajectory.
The newest five-star and the last five-star in the rankings, Pope is going to have to prove his new status on the field. The fact that he lacks elite height for a wide receiver makes the burden of proof a bit higher. Because of this, Pope will probably be under the spotlight rankings-wise until Signing Day. The upcoming season combined with All-Star week will do a lot to determine Pope’s final ranking. There’s certainly still work to be done.