On the Road: Simmons/Wommack thoughts from Alabama Week 2
While high school football season in some states across the country is either delayed or sidelined until the spring, the state of Alabama had its second week of regular season action over the weekend. Rivals.com's Chad Simmons and Woody Wommack each took in games on Friday night and give their thoughts on what they saw.
RELATED: Week 1 of high school FB in Alabama
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CLASS OF 2021 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | Team | State
CLASS OF 2022 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | Team | State
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THE HEADLINERS
Brooks performed at a high level when he wasn’t cramping Friday night. It was a very wet, sloppy surface, but he played hard and made a big impact in the Roanoke (Ala.) Handley win. On defense, his main position, he had a couple of sacks, he was in the backfield often and he chased a few plays down from the backside. On offense, he made an outstanding sliding catch as well.
The Tennessee commit had on Alabama gloves (because they match), but he continues to say he is strong in his commitment and locked in with the Vols. He is up around 25 pounds from a year ago and is taking on blocks better and playing with more power in the trenches. He is a versatile player that showed he can be effective standing up or with his hand down.
The West Virginia commit led his team to a win on Friday night, even if it wasn't pretty. Severe weather rolled in just before the game was set to kick off and after a half hour of hard rain, the teams took the field. That led to a wet ball, a soggy natural grass field and plenty of dropped passes. Nevertheless, Crowder did what he needed to do and didn't make many mistakes and had his team with a big enough lead that he sat for most of the fourth quarter.
THE UNDERCLASSMEN
Brown was so off the radar prior to the game that he wasn't even listed on Gardendale's roster. But he impressed during pre-game warmups and carried it over into the game, making several tackles and getting after the quarterback as well. Based on the size listed on his HUDL account, Brown will need to grow in order to get on Power Five radars, but to the naked eye he looks like he could be an FBS player down the line.
Collins is one of the most sought-after 2023 prospects in the Southeast and after watching him play on Friday it's easy to see why Georgia, Auburn, Florida State and several others have already offered. Collins has terrific size and is very athletic and he showed a pretty consistent motor, something that can be rare for a player of his size and age. He ran down several plays across the field and was a constant presence in the backfield. It will be interesting to see how Collins continues to grow and develop as his career moves along.
It is extremely early, but when you have an older brother that's a junior already picking up major Power 5 offers with the size of this freshman, you are going to pop up on many radars. Harris is only a freshman, and he has great length, he could project as a stand-up linebacker or rush end, and he is one that you need to know about moving forward. He looked athletic Friday in the rain and mud, next spring could be a big time for him when schools are able to get out and see recruits live again.
Harris is a 2022 defensive lineman out of Opelika (Ala.) Beauregard with offers from Florida State, Georgia, Iowa, Nebraska, Tennessee and Texas A&M early on. He is a very lean 255-poundere with plenty of room to add to his long frame. Harris is a player who could project as a five or three-technique on the next level depending on the scheme the school runs. He plays with good energy and showed good ability to move and re-direct in the trenches.
It's not often that we include longsnappers in these type of stories, but Odom earned a spot in the article after impressing while playing tight end. He's considered to be one of the nation's best longsnappers in his class and showed nice athleticism while catching passes as well.
THE SLEEPERS
Carter has offers from some of the Southeast's best FCS programs and it's easy to see why he's on the radar after an impressive showing on Friday night. He played both ways, made an interception and also had a few key tackles while showing the type of swagger that you expect to see from a lockdown corner. He could use to add some weight to his frame, but Carter could play his way into some more offers as the season moves along.
Jones is a new name to keep an eye on. He is a senior at Beauregard who plays all over the field. On Friday night, he lined up at running back, wide receiver and linebacker. He also is a return man on special teams. He may be best longterm on defense, but he is a versatile athlete with good size. After game one, Auburn showed interest. He is talking most with Georgia Southern and South Florida at this time.
A two-star prospect that committed to Navy over the summer, McShan showed good range and instincts while making several tackles for Gardendale. McShan is a little undersized, but he's a big-hitter who has a nose for the ball. McShan had his share of options, including the Ivy League, but Navy is getting what could be a very productive player at the next level.
A two-sport athlete that also excels in track, Morgan was the most active member of the Smiths Station defense, making several tackles and harassing Crowder in the backfield on several different occasions. It's pretty late in the game for him to get on the radar of schools, but with a big senior season it wouldn't be surprising to see some schools take a look.
It's sort of odd to put Parks in the 'sleepers' section of this article, especially since he's a three-star and already committed to Arkansas State. But despite piling up more than 10 offers, Parks has yet to receiver one from a Power Five program. On Friday he lined up at both wide receiver and defensive back, and while he was rarely tested by the Smiths Station offense, he impressed with his ball skills on offense. Parks has good length and is exactly what college defensive backs coach look for in the modern game. He should fit very nicely with the Red Wolves.