Southeast Spotlight: Five prospects on the rise
RELATED: Five Midwest prospects on the rise
Recruiting at the Power Five level slows way down in a prospect’s senior season as most programs are looking to put the finishing touches on their classes with targets already identified. But that doesn’t mean the evaluation process from a rankings perspective stops. Here are five players from the Southeast (outside of Florida) who are on the rise.
Cross does not get out much on the camp circuit, so he is not someone that we have seen compete a lot over the past year or two. We saw the Florida State commit play recently and he really stood out. His play this season helped him add a recent offer from LSU, and Mississippi State is on him hard as well. Florida State looks to be in good position to keep Cross in this class, but the Seminoles will have to continue to recruit him.
Cross is all about upside. He is a lean, athletic offensive tackle that will only get better on the next level. His stock is definitely up after seeing him live.
A standout baseball player who is likely to be selected very high in next year’s MLB Draft, Hampton is also showing this season that he’s also a star on the gridiron. We have been a little slower than others when it comes to his ranking, mainly because he’s always been viewed as a cornerback at the next level. This year, Hampton has excelled on offense and he’s likely to get a bump once he’s ranked as an athlete instead of just a pure defensive back. It remains to be seen if the LSU commit will ever make it to Baton Rouge, especially if the MLB comes calling, but for our purposes it’s clear he belongs higher in the rankings.
Kadum is a quarterback many in Georgia have been talking about for a couple of years. He is a two-time state champion at Rome and has put up good numbers, but his offer list doesn't reflect his talent.
That could be on the verge of changing. LSU had him in for camp over the summer and the Tigers were on the verge to offering then. Things never slowed down between the two and they have remained in communication since. LSU had Kadum on campus for the Georgia game and an offer may not be far behind. Georgia also called to check on him late last week. The Bulldogs also are looking to take a second quarterback this cycle, so expect to hear a lot more about Kadum in the coming weeks.
His top offers now are from Coastal Carolina, Georgia Southern and Tulane at this time.
Warren committed to TCU in May, but backed off that pledge earlier this month. Warren got off to a strong start this season and the senior defensive end out of Many (La.) has started to add some big offers. Oregon, Tennessee and Texas have all pulled the trigger and numerous other programs have started to show interest.
Warren said he has reached double-digit sacks already this season and that has led to a lot of new schools showing interest. His team is playing well too, and a lot of eyes will be on him the remainder of the season as they play in big games.
The 6-foot-4, 235-pounder is a prospect on the rise in the Boot State. He has size, speed and athleticism. It appears to all be coming together this season and college coaches have taken notice.
The versatile athlete and Alabama legacy is already a Rivals100 prospect, but after watching him play live, it’s clear he should be ranked even higher. Grimes plays both defensive end and running back for his high school team, despite being 6-foot-5 and more than 200 pounds. Most schools view him as a future stand-up outside linebacker and his athleticism will serve him very well at the next level. His all-around versatility shows just how special he is as a player and once his energy is focused on one position, he will likely improve by leaps and bounds.