Stars shine at the Rivals Camp Series in South Florida

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - Top prospects from the Southeast region showed up for the Rivals Camp Series on Sunday at St. Thomas Aquinas High School. At day’s end, a long list of players earned recognition for outstanding performances. Here’s a look at the MVPs and other standouts from the event.

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Jackson has not been shy about showcasing his cannon this offseason, which has helped raise the recruiting status of the West Orange High School prospect. All the skills were on display on Sunday, wowing coaches, campers, and the fans in the stands. His footwork, release, arm strength and accuracy were all on point, culminating in an impressive performance during 1-on-1s.

Jackson's recruitment is wide open but programs like Indiana and Pittsburgh are firmly in the mix. Dozens of college coaches are planning to go see him this offseason so expect his list of options to grow.

The running back MVP race was very difficult to sort out but Thurman secured the win during the showcase portion of 1-on-1s. At 5-foot-10, Thurman looked solid going through drills early in the camp but seemed to get better as the day went on. His quickness in the open field was too much for linebackers to handle so quarterbacks had plenty of room to get him the ball. Thurman showed great route running techniques and consistently caught the ball away from his body throughout the day. With only an offer from Kansas so far, this 2025 prospect should see his stock rise throughout the spring.

Watkins very nearly won the receiver MVP at this camp last year and came back to finish the job this year. The Colorado commit isn't ranked so highly in the 2025 class by accident. Watkins showed great overall speed and moved with a sense of urgency in drills and during 1-on-1s. When in his route, Watkins can create separation through small, subtle movements or pure speed and explosiveness out of his breaks. He has very reliable hands and quarterbacks loved getting paired up with him because he hauled in almost everything thrown in his direction. Even though Watkins is on the smaller side (just under 5-foot-10), he has surprising playing strength. Watkins didn't get pushed around and didn't have a problem staying in sync with his quarterback.

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Pierre-Louis wasn’t 100-percent coming into the camp, but he still took a lot of reps and was dominant throughout the day. He knocked almost every defensive lineman backwards when his initial punch landed. Pierre-Louis did a great job getting his hands on the defensive lineman and controlling where they went. His brute strength was just simply too much for the defensive lineman to handle but it was even more impressive to see his lateral agility. At 6-foot-3, 333-pounds, Pierre-Louis took reps at tackle and center in addition to his normal spot at guard. He held up well against speed rushers thanks to his 81-inch wingspan and quick feet, which helped him change directions like a much smaller prospect. Miami, Oregon, Oklahoma, Alabama and Tennessee are just a few of the teams to watch closely in his recruitment. Pierre-Louis will visit Tennessee this coming weekend.

Offensive linemen may have wanted a crack at Stone before and during the camp, but that all dissipated once they lined up against him. The five-star showed why he earned the accolade, lining up at end and his natural tackle position and winning every rep in multiple series. Stone's burst and aggression were too much for offensive linemen to handle. If a lineman got his hands on Stone, his secondary moves and hand fighting skills helped him find his way to the quarterback for the sack.

When his time comes to pick a college program, Stone can go wherever he wants. Miami, Oklahoma, Michigan State and Ohio State have been heavily involved and a return trip to Miami is already planned for this coming weekend.

The four-star linebacker was on fire throughout the camp on Sunday, impressing with five picks and numerous pass breakups during 1-on-1s. Going through position drills, Nix stood out going through each rep at full speed and showcasing his footwork, change of direction, and burst.

Along the recruiting trail, Nix continues to add offers with Alabama, Oregon and Texas among his latest. Florida and Florida State have hosted in the new year thus far.

The defensive back MVP was another very difficult decision but Knight proved to be the most consistent and the most difficult matchup for the receivers. His 6-foot frame and 6-foot-2 wingspan helped him handle the bigger receivers who like to play physically and the small receivers who tried to blow by him. Knight showed scheme versatility by playing press coverage and playing from depth. His quickness, physicality, and ability to anticipate the throw were some of his best attributes on Sunday and his skill set could allow him to play safety at the level too.