Mid-Atlantic Spotlight: Names to know in deep 2020 class

The general consensus is that the 2019 class, nationally, isn’t as talented or as deep as the previous few classes. So, with that in mind, let’s turn our eye to the next year’s class. The 2020 recruiting class is already highly regarded, and the Mid-Atlantic region is especially talented. Here is an early look at what to expect from the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast.

MORE: Will there be a five-star QB in the 2019 class?

CLASS OF 2019 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | State | Position | Team

Signal-caller Drew Pyne is already one of the most heavily recruited quarterbacks on the East Coast, regardless of class. Pyne has visits to Oklahoma, Penn State, and Notre Dame coming up and more are in the works. Michael Alaimo out of Montvale (N.J.) St. Joseph’s Regional has a few offers and Tyler Van Dyke, from Suffield (Conn.) Academy, isn’t far off Alaimo’s total, and both should have lengthy offer sheets by the time they sign on the dotted line.

This is deep group of quality prospects. New Jersey’s Jalen Berger, Virginia’s Chris Tyree and Maryland’s MarShawn Lloyd and Blake Corum have all been well-known in recruiting circles for some time. Berger is a big back with better-than-advertised hands. Tyree and Lloyd are super-explosive backs that also excel in the passing game. Corum is a bruising, between-the-tackles runner with good vision and a physical running style. All of these prospects already have some of the nation’s best programs recruiting them.

This position has a few prospects that should be considered among the nation’s best. Charlotte (N.C.) Providence Day’s Porter Rooks and Catawissa (Pa.) Southern Columbia’s Julian Fleming are game-changing prospects that have very few weaknesses. Washington (D.C.) St. John’s College High’s Rakim Jarrett and Charlotte (N.C.) Myers Park’s Muhsin Muhammad aren’t the biggest receivers, but they are very explosive, have great hands and run excellent routes. Curtis Jacobs, Jaden Dottin, KeAndre Lambert and Michael Wyman are all at least 6-foot-2 and have the ability to dominate in any setting.

The Mid-Atlantic has had some very good tight ends over the last few recruiting classes, and the 2020 class is no different. The group is led by Mosley (Va.) Cosby’s Ethan West, Red Bank (N.J.) Red Bank Catholic’s Kevin Bauman and Michael Carmody out of Mars, Pa. All three of these prospects are closing in on double-digit offers, and Carmody is also getting some looks as a defensive end. Pittsburgh (Pa.) Woodland Hills standout Josh Rawlings is getting looked at as a tight end and defensive end, just like Carmody, but his recruitment has yet to really take off.

There is a very impressive group of offensive tackles in the Mid-Atlantic’s 2020 class, led by the 6-foot-8 Kevin Pyne. The Millis, Mass., star has elite athleticism for an offensive lineman and is very advanced from a technical standpoint. Anton Harrison from Washington, D.C., Luke Wypler from New Jersey, Aaryn Parks from Maryland and Altrique Barlow from Virginia all have pretty impressive offer sheets so far and figure to be some of the most heavily recruited prospects in the country. Guard prospects Bryan Felter and Chris Mayo, both from New Jersey, are well-known in recruiting circles and their recruitments will ramp up in the spring and summer.

Easily the Mid-Atlantic’s most impressive position group in the 2020 class, there are multiple defensive linemen that should be highly coveted college prospects. The first and most well-known of the group is Bryan Bresee. The Damascus, Md., star is an impressive physical specimen with exceptional quickness and a motor that won’t quit. He is among a few that could be named the nation’s top prospect.

If Bresee keeps getting bigger, he could turn into a defensive tackle prospect, joining big-time playmakers like Connecticut’s Tre’ Williams and Maryland’s Dominic Bailey. Charlotte (N.C.) Providence Day’s Jacolbe Cowan is in a similar situation as Bresee. He is an impressive athlete, but he keeps getting bigger, so a move to defensive tackle could be in his future.

Some other defensive ends that will be highly regarded are Chris Braswell and Demon Clowney out of Baltimore (Md.) St. Frances, Desmond Evans from Sanford (N.C.) Lee County, Greg Hudgins from Washington (D.C.) St. John’s College High, and Kedrick Bigley-Jones from Kannapolis (N.C.) Brown. All of these prospects already do or will have lengthy offer sheets.

The Mid-Atlantic’s top outside and inside linebackers should be able to hang with the best in the country. Washington (D.C.) St. John’s College High’s outside linebacker Mekhail Sherman leads the group. His athleticism, nose for the ball and playmaking abilities make him a special prospect. Baltimore (Md.) St. Frances’ Osman Savage and Laurel (Md.) St. Vincent Pallotti’s Cosiah Izzard are a few other outside linebackers to watch.

As far as inside linebackers go, there are few that can hold a candle to Antoine Sampah out of Woodbridge (Va.) Woodbridge Senior. A truly devastating hitter, Sampah flies to the ball carrier and does a good job of shedding his blockers. Milton (Mass.) Academy’s Kalel Mullings and Hightstown (N.J.) Peddie School’s Korey Smith will be national names soon enough.

Oradell (N.J.) Bergen Catholic’s Jordan Morant and Fort Washington (Md.) National Christian Academy’s Josh Moten lead what could be a very special group of cornerbacks. Both have very good size, quickness, instincts and technique. Virginia Beach (Va.) Bishop Sullivan’s Keontae Jenkins has great length and speed. He should be a turnover machine at the next level. Luke Hill, out of Washington (D.C.) St. John’s College High, has a skill set that college coaches will love.

The group of safeties is very good, as well. Jordan Toles, from Baltimore (Md.) St. Frances, is still learning the finer points of the game but he is an elite athlete that should turn out to be one of the best at his position. Virginia Beach (Va.) Bishop Sullivan’s Nehki Meredith and Charlotte (N.C.) Myers Park’s Cameron Roseman-Sinclair have the potential to be some of the best safeties in this class, and Charlotte (N.C.) Harding University’s Maleik Faust is just scratching the surface of his skill set.

There is a lot to like about this group of prospects that can impact the game on both sides of the ball. Sofian Massoud, from Bronx (N.Y.) Cardinal Hayes, is a devastating weapon as a dual-threat quarterback, but he is also an excellent safety prospect. Philadelphia (Pa.) St. Joseph’s Kolbe Burrell does a great job breaking off big runs with the ball in his hands as a running back, but he also blankets receivers as a defensive back. Nikhai Hill-Green is a major weapon at receiver for Pittsburgh (Pa.) North Catholic, but he might be even better as a safety or linebacker. Solomon DeShields is a very sure tackler for Millville, N.J., as a linebacker, and his toughness has also served him well as a running back.