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Mid-Atlantic stock report

Many prospects in the Mid-Atlantic have completed their 2016 campaigns, and the postseason update to the classes of 2017 and 2018 rankings are near. Here is an early look at several regional prospects whose stocks are moving either up or down.

MORE CONFERENCE BREAKDOWNS: Big Ten | SEC

STOCK UP

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Recruitment: Ashley says he is firmly committed to Auburn despite multiple visits to Maryland and upcoming official visits to College Park and Florida.

Analysis: There was a lot of talk about Ashley losing his fifth star earlier this season, but he has quietly been playing very well this year. He is absolutely massive and exceptionally athletic, but the knocks on him have been his ability to stay healthy and he is not overly physical. St. John’s has played very good competition this year and it will be interesting to see if his consistently good performances carry over to the Under Armour All-America Game. Ashley probably won’t be getting his fifth star back in this rankings update, but he is in line for a slight bump up.

Recruitment: Young is solidly committed to Ohio State.

Analysis: Young has been used in a variety of ways this year, and he has really imposed his will over his opponents. His speed around the edge, willingness to take an inside route to the quarterback and improved toughness against the run have helped him to a special season. What’s been really impressive is seeing Young play in space and even lining up at wide receiver at times. Ohio State is loaded on the defensive line, but Young’s physical abilities could help him see the field quickly.

Recruitment: Rutgers held Taylor’s verbal commitment up until recently when he flipped to Wisconsin.

Analysis: Taylor has had a phenomenal season. A back of his size, speed, and running style fits into Wisconsin’s offense almost perfectly. Taylor has the agility to make defenders miss or run over them while out-running any defenders giving chase. It will be fun to see how quickly he can gain a foothold in Wisconsin’s backfield.

Recruitment: Maryland recently picked up Bennett’s commitment, but he has said he would like to take official visits.

Analysis: The Philadelphia defensive back has great length and does a good job of taking away options for opposing quarterbacks. Bennett is a big play waiting to happen if he can get the ball in his hands. His ability to bait quarterbacks into bad throws is above average. Bennett’s footwork isn’t especially crisp, but he has good instincts and uses that length to make a lot of plays on the ball. Maryland and head coach D.J. Durkin have been focused on adding defensive backs that can cover a lot of ground and Bennett fits that mold perfectly.

Recruitment: Maryland, Syracuse, West Virginia, and a few others offered Anoma a couple weeks ago.

Analysis: Anoma burst onto the scene earlier this season after some huge performances. His speed and relentlessness are exceptional and his ceiling is sky high because he has a huge frame that is barely filled out. Anoma does a good job of finding the ball and being in the right place at the right time. Some teams have tried to use his speed against him by throwing quick wide receiver screens near the sideline, but Anoma is so fast that he gets to the wide receiver just after the ball.

MORE STOCK UP

Kwity Paye

Camaron Spence

Jayden Borders

Kofi Wardlow

Tyran Hunt

Jeremiah Owusu

Kingsley Ifedi

Shayne Simon

Jayson Ademilola

STOCK DOWN

Recruitment: Jones was committed to North Carolina until late September.

Analysis: Jones has a ton of talent but hasn’t been very impactful this season. There was a period earlier this year when Jones was kicked off his team before being brought back a few weeks later. A strong run through the playoffs is needed to get him back on track.

Recruitment: Florida State will host Wade-Perry for an official visit on Nov. 25. He will then take official visits to UCLA on Dec. 9 and Stanford, his perceived leader, on Jan. 13. Penn State and Rutgers remain in the mix as well.

Analysis: College defenses value big bodies they can put in the middle of the defensive line, and Wade-Perry definitely fits that mold. He hasn’t put up great numbers this year and the physicality that had him flirting with four-star status isn’t there either. Wade-Perry has a high ceiling and could really benefit from the structure and training a college program provides.

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