Young prospects shine at NextGen Elite Atlanta Showcase

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. -- The NextGen Elite Atlanta Showcase took place on Sunday in the Atlanta area and Chad Simmons and Woody Wommack were on hand to take in the action. They provide their thoughts and takeaways on the event.

Jakwon Leverett is what he is listed as on the roster, but he goes by Malik, but whatever his name is — you need to know him. The 6-foot-3, 180 pound wide receiver out of Evans (Ga.) Greenbrier made it look easy Sunday afternoon. He is a big body that can run and he was creating separation all afternoon. We did not see him drop a pass either. It is very quiet on the recruiting front at this time, but expect that to change in the near future. -- Simmons

Locust Grove (Ga.) linebacker Raul Aguirre impressed early in drills. He drew some praise from coaches, his athleticism and frame drew the media’s attention, and his day took off from there. It was his first ever camp, so he was new to drills, he had not done too much one-on-one competition, but he took the coaching, he showed he can run and his recruitment should take off this fall. He said schools like Georgia and Miami stopped by the school to check on him last year. -- Simmons

As the older quarterbacks showed up in the afternoon session, a quartet really stood out. Tanner Bailey, JC French, Dylan Manders and AJ Swann all made some nice throws, and were the most consistent quarterbacks on the day.

Bailey is a four-star out of Gordo (Ala.) with early offers from Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, LSU and others. He looked to have the best day overall, but when working with new receivers, it is always tough to get into a rhythm. He showed arm strength and touch.

French and Swann seem to be together often. We saw them working at another event a couple of weeks ago, and again, they showed their ability Sunday. French’s arm strength has really improved and he looks to be on track for a big season. Swann continues to improve and his ball placement was strong Sunday. Both of these 2022 prospects are under-recruited. French has a Wake Forest offer and Swann has an offer from Troy.

Manders is a new name to Rivals, and he is fighting for a starting job at Oconee County High in Athens (Ga.) He played behind LSU signee Max Johnson last year and the rising sophomore really impressed with the deep ball Sunday. He was not the most consistent overall, but he flashed. -- Simmons

It wasn’t long after Rivals arrived that coaches were pointing out running back Grayson West. As we started to watch him in drills, he showed great balance and a burst. Then we got out to the field and he showed soft hands and the ability to cut and run away from the linebackers. West looks to be around 5-feet, 9-inches tall and around 180 pounds. He has a chance to make big plays at Harrison High in Kennesaw this fall.

Class of 2022 prospect Chase Fambro is still waiting on his first offer, but he showed a nice array of pass rushing moves while working inside and outside. Heading into the back half of his high school career, how much he grows could decide which schools jump into the mix. Either way at his size now, he looks like he could be an intriguing edge rusher.

The day's best offensive lineman was Alabama prospect Richazaire Francisque, who only lost a rep when going head-to-head with Fambro. The pair had a nice day of battles, and Francisque had the day's best wins (see clip below). He's not going to wow with his size, but Fransicque had nice technique and a strong base, perfect for an interior lineman. Coming from a school that produces a lot of talent, it wouldn't be surprising to see him get on the radar of some schools in the coming months. -- Wommack

Unlike most events, the NextGen series features only underclassmen and dips into the middle school ranks as well. While we generally don't see many prospects that early in the process, there were a few 2024 and 2025 prospects that caught our attention. Here's a rundown of the names to file away for the future.

OL Aidan Banfield (2024) -- Banfield will start high school this year and he looks to have the frame and length of future FBS prospect.

DB Jaylen Bell (2025) -- Probably the most impressive young defensive back in attendance, Bell has great length and impressive technique for a player of his age. He's a name to remember for down the line.

LB Ty Brewer (2024) -- One of the best young linebackers at the event, Brewer moved well in coverage and even showed his versatility by flipping over to running back and winning some reps there.

ATH Kingjoseph Edwards (2024) -- Edwards worked at both defensive end and then wide receiver, showing his versatility. He was impressive as a pass rusher and could develop into a nice prospect down the line.

DB Corri Gorney (2025) -- A young defensive back with good technique, Gorney impressed in drill work.

QB Jonathan Harding (2025) -- Harding had the strongest arm of the young quarterbacks in attendance and could have easily blended in with the rising juniors in attendance, both in appearance and skillset.

OL Paul Harrington (2024) -- The incoming freshman reminded me a little bit of former Georgia and now Tennessee offensive lineman Cade Mays, both because of his appearance and his playing style. Harrington plays with an edge and likes to finish reps and impressed while working on both offense and defense.

OL Brayden Jacobs (2025) -- The son of former NFL running back Brandon Jacobs, Brayden also looks like a name to know for the future.

DE Ethan Utley (2025) -- Probably the best young defensive linemen at the event, Utley had some nice battles with Jacobs during one-on-ones. He already has good length and height and could become a Power Five prospect down the line.

WR EJ Utley (2024) -- One of the best young skill position players in attendance, Utley has good length and could grow into a tight end later in his career.

-- Wommack