Mid-Atlantic Spotlight: Five prospects poised to emerge
The Spring Evaluation Period opens on April 15 and college coaches will once again be on the road scouting high school prospects at their schools. Here are five class of 2020 prospects from the Mid-Atlantic region who may be under the radar now, but should see their offer lists expand with Power Five offers in the coming weeks.
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It might be odd to see a player with 30 offers on this list, but Beatty only has seven Power Five offers. He has been a hot prospect for Group of Five programs so far, and Power Five programs will be pulling the trigger on him as the evaluation period gets rolling and players from around the country start committing at a higher rate. He's taken a few visits around the country to schools like South Carolina, Penn State, West Virginia and a few others. West Virginia has offered already, but some bigger programs will be following suit soon.
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Joyner is a very intriguing prospect at over 6-foot-4, 220-pounds. He plays defensive end and has film that screams athleticism and explosiveness. Joyner has potential on both sides of the ball, but he seems a bit more natural as a defensive end right now. Rutgers and Arizona State are his only two Power Five offers, and Buffalo and Massachusetts have also pulled the trigger. Expect Joyner to garner a lot more attention during the Spring Evaluation Period as teams make their way into New England.
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Smith is the first of two NC State commits to make this list. We really liked his film and were excited to see him this past weekend at the Charlotte Rivals 3 Stripe Camp presented by adidas. Smith had a lot of success getting into the backfield and advanced to the showcase portion of the camp. His quickness, hand techniques and brute strength - combined with the way he flashes on film - should make him a popular prospect in the Spring Evaluation Period. Don't be surprised when headlines pop up saying rival teams are offering this Wolfpack commit.
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Still has impressed on the offseason camp circuit, and a couple of schools are already showing him more attention. The New Jersey native's recruitment is largely regional right now, but teams from outside of the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast are going to take another look at him in the coming weeks and months. During 7-on-7 tournaments and other skills camps, Still has shown impressive technique and the ability to anticipate throws very well. He also does a great job of disguising his coverage and baiting quarterbacks into bad throws
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White was one of the better defensive backs at the Rivals camp over the weekend and it's very clear why NC State was so excited to get his commitment. He has great size for a defensive back and is stronger than he looks. White’s best assets are his speed and length. White is a blur on film and he does a very good job breaking on passes thrown in front of him. That length in his arms helps him knock down passes that quarterbacks don't think he'll be able to reach. Again, watch for plenty of other schools to take a closer look at this Wolfpack commit.