Mid-South Spotlight: Prospects under the summer microscope
This week, Rivals is taking a look at specific recruits from each region who we want to see this summer to help determine how the rankings should play out. Today we start with five players from the Mid-South.
THIS SERIES: Midwest prospects under the summer microscope
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Lagway is one of the more intriguing prospects in all of the Mid-South region. Featuring a 6-foot-3 and 225-pound frame, Lagway looks the part and is a big-time playmaker behind center. He can win with his arm and is dynamic with his legs.
The Florida commit is a high four-star and he has the chance to move up even higher with a big summer. The Baylor legacy has an opportunity to follow in the footsteps of first-round draft pick Anthony Richardson if everything clicks in Gainesville.
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Waller is arguably the hottest prospect in the region. Since debuting in the Rivals250 at the last rankings update, Waller has continued to add power offers to his sheet. Waller has some the best pass-rushing film in the class and is a priority for much of the SEC.
The Picayune (Miss.) Memorial standout may be considered a bit of a tweener due to his size, but he is a difference-making talent. He has a chance to skyrocket in the next rankings update.
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Beavers is another prospect inside the state of Mississippi that has an extremely impressive offer sheet. Out of Bay Springs, Beavers is a small-town player that is a bit under the radar in comparison to many of his peers. However, his film flashes high upside in the trenches at defensive tackle.
Both Mississippi State and Ole Miss are fighting to keep him in state, but Alabama and LSU are among the out-of-state programs in contention and have hosted him on campus.
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Bridges has one of the more rare profiles in the entire 2024 cycle. Bridges is a lengthy defensive back at 6-foot-4 and 170 pounds that saw his recruitment spike with a big junior campaign at Temple (Texas) Lake Belton. Bridges more than passes the eye test, and he turned in a strong performance at the Under Armor Camp in Dallas earlier this offseason.
His blend of size and coverage ability, combined with his multi-sport background, makes him one to watch moving forward in the Lone Star State.
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Okoye is a homeschooled prospect, something that you don’t see all too often. However, his potential is off the charts. Out of Oklahoma, Okoye is a pass-rushing force that showcases some exciting developmental upside in that department as he refines his game. It’s no surprise that nearly 30 programs have extended an offer to the 6-foot-5, 225-pound weakside defensive end.