Mid-South Spotlight: Five best performances seen this offseason
The offseason is in full swing as the spring camp circuit begins to heat up and college programs expand recruiting boards.
With the offseason already having some camps and events under its belt, prospects across the country have risen to national status with more on the way.
Here are the five best prospects I’ve had the chance to see so far this offseason.
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Marsh was the breakout star of the 2022 National Combine last offseason in San Antonio, and he has proven time-and-time again that it wasn’t a fluke performance. At a DR7 7-on-7 tournament in Plano, Texas, in February, Marsh helped pull his BME team from the bottom of the bracket on Sunday into the championship game as a 30 seed behind numerous eye-boggling grabs.
Marsh’s strong hands are what stand out the most, as he usually just needs a couple of fingertips to reel in a reception with his wide catch radius. Another standout trait is his athleticism as he pairs that radius with a vertical ability that helps him go over the top of just about any defensive back that lines up opposite of him.
Texas, Houston, LSU and many more are making the early impression on the Houston-area product.
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Collins made the trip from Arkansas to Dallas last week for the Under Armour regional in Arlington, and he absolutely dominated off the edge in the pass rush 1-on-1 session. Collins popped on our radar after a strong performance at both the Rivals combine and camp in Dallas last spring, and since then he’s added weight in muscle to his 6-foot-4, 260-pound frame, which has made him an absolute hassle to deal with for opposing offense tackles.
Collins matched up with some of the camp’s top talents and found consistent success with his quick get-off and his strong hands that power through the offensive line into the backfield.
Arkansas, LSU and Ole Miss are among the main contenders for one of the top prospects from The Natural State.
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DeBose made the long trip in from Alabama to the Under Armour regional in Dallas last week and won rep-after-rep against the region’s top 2024 and 2025 talents. His build is near perfect for an offensive tackle with his wide but defined upper half combined with his athletic lower half that helps him seal off the edge against athletic pass rushers.
His development and ability as just a sophomore is years (yes plural, years) ahead of his class as he uses his perfectly built frame and his technique to be ready for any type of pass rusher.
DeBose is strong in his commitment to Georgia although a recent offer from Alabama could make things interesting with nearly two years to go until he puts pen to paper.
MORE: DeBose talks UGA, Bama
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Bridges owns a 6-foot-4, 165-pound frame that immediately jumps out as a boundary corner when he steps on the field, but his whopping length doesn’t take sacrifice to his fluid movement in coverage. At the Under Armour regional in Dallas last week, Bridges was swatting passes left-and-right, making it incredibly difficult to get a pass completed over the top of the tentacles he has for arms.
Bridges first popped on the scene last summer as a raw prospect who had every trait one could desire in a skill player, but his training sessions have clearly paid off tenfold as he has shed the “baby giraffe”-like movement he initially had and has instead replaced it with fluid hips and confidence in both zone and man coverage.
Texas, Texas A&M, USC and others are in the mix ahead of an important spring and summer of visits for one of the nation’s top defensive backs.
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Stewart was forced to sit out his freshman season, but the massive 6-foot-6, 280-pound young pass rusher still sees an opening to break the all-time sacks record in the state of Louisiana. At a camp in Broussard, La., in late January, Stewart made a strong impression with his mobility, athleticism and build, especially for his age.
With still so much time left in his recruitment and high school career, Stewart is making national impressions with each camp that he attends which has led to offers from just about every program in the country. When the Rivals 2026 initial top 100 is released later this year, Stewart will almost certainly be a top-10 selection.