The list of who was registered for the Rivals Camp stop at Lakewood Stadium in Atlanta on Sunday and didn't show up is a long one.
Still, though, the talent that did show up and compete was insane, especially compared to years past when there was no camp whatsoever due to COVID-19.
Rather than going position-by-position with my thoughts, I am going to break this up in two parts based off the two sessions: OL/DL and skills players...
OL/DL
Recently offered defensive lineman Trashun Griffin really impressed throughout both drills and 1v1's. Griffin is still rather new to the recruiting scene, but his power and technique were both plus with more room for growth in both. Griffin visited GT right after the camp, and was extremely impressed by coach (Marco) Coleman and the campus. Look for Griffin to have his rating re-assessed, while still likely staying out of four-star discussion.
New Wake Forest DL commit Ameir Glenn came out to compete decked out in Wake gear, and I really liked what i was able to see. The hope is to get to Langston Hughes sometime this spring, but the thing about that is that Glenn is not your typical LH kid. Especially compared to the way they have been handling business the last couple of years, Glenn appears to be more focused on the academic side of things and the ability to play in big games.
Savannah-area EDGE target Lorenzo Cowan has a really good frame, but is more raw than many of his fellow classmates, especially the other ones currently being recruited by Coleman and the rest of the staff. Cowan loves GT and the idea of staying close to home if possible. He is one to keep an eye on this summer. GT will also likely be out to see him and his 2026 OL (new offer) teammate. He's worthy of a spot in a class of 20+, imo.
South Carolina lineman Marcus Downs, another prospect that went and visited GT after the conclusion of the camp, had a day full of highs and lows. That's a good way to describe his play style as well. At times on Sunday he got himself in trouble in 1v1's and even in drills by playing too high. When he plays at the right pad level, he's dangerous.
Speaking of pad level and an up and down day, Rivals100 Fla. DL D'Antre Robinson didn't even know about the Rivals Camp until Saturday afternoon when his friend mentioned it to him. D'Antre, not afraid to compete, went to the nearest store after leaving GT, bought a pair of cleats, ate some dinner, and woke up and competed. Robinson is far from a finished product and is not anywhere near his listed height of 6-foot-5, but the reps where he went 100%, he won with ease. His explosiveness off the ball is disruptive, to say the least. Robinson has schools all over the country recruiting him for good reason so maybe this is just nitpicking. If GT wants a hat at the table when it comes time for him to commit, they need to secure an OV.
Moving onto one of the more fascinating storylines of the day, Simeon Boulware is at a school that Georgia Tech has had a good amount of success at. Dacula High School, home of both Kaleb Edwards and LB Kyle Efford, has been good to Georgia Tech in the last few years. Despite that, and the in-state ties, Boulware from what JOL has been told as of Monday is not being recruited by Georgia Tech. Clemson, Vanderbilt, and a handful of others are in the mix. My thought after watching him compete is that he is someone that could camp at GT this summer and leave with an offer. He could do that same thing at Clemson, too, which is why GT may want to be proactive as he blows up in the coming weeks.
Closing out the 2024 class breakdowns, Donovan Thompson of Meadowcreek has quite a large frame. He isn't Juan Gaston Jr. or anything (more on him soon) but Thompson stood out in his GT hoodie and GT wristbands following Sunday's camp. He is a bit off the radar in terms of the national recruiting scene, but impressed at times in 1v1's. He's a name to keep in the back of your mind as time goes on.
Kicking off my 2025 class breakdowns, I couldn't help but be fascinated by Roswell OL Kobby Saky-Ptah. He had a solid day going against some of the best in the Southeast, but where he really impressed was when you had a conversation. In a recruiting landscape where everything is moving in the opposite direction, Kobby impressed all reporters who spent time talking with him. He could start gaining momentum in the world of recruiting this spring as coaches get to his school and see him move.
Ala. defensive lineman Zion Grady is going to be a long-shot for GT, but he really impressed as an EDGE guy on Sunday. He has a quality assortment of different moves, and wasn't afraid to gamble in an attempt to win a rep. His recruitment will likely come down to Alabama and Auburn, but GT at the very least will get a visit from him out of respect to his relationship with coach Marco Coleman.
Going back to Langston Hughes, they've got a 2025 OL by the name of Tavaris Dice that has the chance to be a big-time, Rivals250 recruit this time next year. Great lateral quicks, strength, and an overall upward trajectory describe his game. Look for him to be a 20+ offer guy in the near future. GT has not been able to break through Langston Hughes the last two cycles, but this is one they'd ought to get in on shortly before it is too late.
Massive Westlake OL Juan Gaston Jr. is someone that, no matter what happens on the field this season, GT fans need to keep an eye on and watch as he continue to progress. Gaston Jr. is already huge, but he's got to continue to grow with his technique and footwork to truly be the ELITE talent that his ceiling has him ranked as highly as he is currently. He is "80 percent interested" in GT, but they should be "All In" on him.
Closing things out is the curious case of Brayden Jacobs. I hear all the questions, read all the messages about him. Yes, his dad is Brandon Jacobs. Yes, he has a very large frame. The thing is, the game of football isn't played strictly on measurables. You've got to line up and go head-to-head with defenders each snap, and be able to stack winning reps. On Sunday, Brayden struggled at times, particularly with his footwork and being able to get off the ball quick enough to not get beat. He's got NFL-talent in his blood so that will certainly help him, but from watching him for a third or fourth time live, the question about how different his recruitment would be if his dad was Zach Jacobs and not Brandon Jacobs has begun to heavily weigh on my mind. This one has UCF written all over it.
Part two coming tomorrow.
- RJ
Still, though, the talent that did show up and compete was insane, especially compared to years past when there was no camp whatsoever due to COVID-19.
Rather than going position-by-position with my thoughts, I am going to break this up in two parts based off the two sessions: OL/DL and skills players...
OL/DL
Recently offered defensive lineman Trashun Griffin really impressed throughout both drills and 1v1's. Griffin is still rather new to the recruiting scene, but his power and technique were both plus with more room for growth in both. Griffin visited GT right after the camp, and was extremely impressed by coach (Marco) Coleman and the campus. Look for Griffin to have his rating re-assessed, while still likely staying out of four-star discussion.
New Wake Forest DL commit Ameir Glenn came out to compete decked out in Wake gear, and I really liked what i was able to see. The hope is to get to Langston Hughes sometime this spring, but the thing about that is that Glenn is not your typical LH kid. Especially compared to the way they have been handling business the last couple of years, Glenn appears to be more focused on the academic side of things and the ability to play in big games.
Savannah-area EDGE target Lorenzo Cowan has a really good frame, but is more raw than many of his fellow classmates, especially the other ones currently being recruited by Coleman and the rest of the staff. Cowan loves GT and the idea of staying close to home if possible. He is one to keep an eye on this summer. GT will also likely be out to see him and his 2026 OL (new offer) teammate. He's worthy of a spot in a class of 20+, imo.
South Carolina lineman Marcus Downs, another prospect that went and visited GT after the conclusion of the camp, had a day full of highs and lows. That's a good way to describe his play style as well. At times on Sunday he got himself in trouble in 1v1's and even in drills by playing too high. When he plays at the right pad level, he's dangerous.
Speaking of pad level and an up and down day, Rivals100 Fla. DL D'Antre Robinson didn't even know about the Rivals Camp until Saturday afternoon when his friend mentioned it to him. D'Antre, not afraid to compete, went to the nearest store after leaving GT, bought a pair of cleats, ate some dinner, and woke up and competed. Robinson is far from a finished product and is not anywhere near his listed height of 6-foot-5, but the reps where he went 100%, he won with ease. His explosiveness off the ball is disruptive, to say the least. Robinson has schools all over the country recruiting him for good reason so maybe this is just nitpicking. If GT wants a hat at the table when it comes time for him to commit, they need to secure an OV.
Moving onto one of the more fascinating storylines of the day, Simeon Boulware is at a school that Georgia Tech has had a good amount of success at. Dacula High School, home of both Kaleb Edwards and LB Kyle Efford, has been good to Georgia Tech in the last few years. Despite that, and the in-state ties, Boulware from what JOL has been told as of Monday is not being recruited by Georgia Tech. Clemson, Vanderbilt, and a handful of others are in the mix. My thought after watching him compete is that he is someone that could camp at GT this summer and leave with an offer. He could do that same thing at Clemson, too, which is why GT may want to be proactive as he blows up in the coming weeks.
Closing out the 2024 class breakdowns, Donovan Thompson of Meadowcreek has quite a large frame. He isn't Juan Gaston Jr. or anything (more on him soon) but Thompson stood out in his GT hoodie and GT wristbands following Sunday's camp. He is a bit off the radar in terms of the national recruiting scene, but impressed at times in 1v1's. He's a name to keep in the back of your mind as time goes on.
Kicking off my 2025 class breakdowns, I couldn't help but be fascinated by Roswell OL Kobby Saky-Ptah. He had a solid day going against some of the best in the Southeast, but where he really impressed was when you had a conversation. In a recruiting landscape where everything is moving in the opposite direction, Kobby impressed all reporters who spent time talking with him. He could start gaining momentum in the world of recruiting this spring as coaches get to his school and see him move.
Ala. defensive lineman Zion Grady is going to be a long-shot for GT, but he really impressed as an EDGE guy on Sunday. He has a quality assortment of different moves, and wasn't afraid to gamble in an attempt to win a rep. His recruitment will likely come down to Alabama and Auburn, but GT at the very least will get a visit from him out of respect to his relationship with coach Marco Coleman.
Going back to Langston Hughes, they've got a 2025 OL by the name of Tavaris Dice that has the chance to be a big-time, Rivals250 recruit this time next year. Great lateral quicks, strength, and an overall upward trajectory describe his game. Look for him to be a 20+ offer guy in the near future. GT has not been able to break through Langston Hughes the last two cycles, but this is one they'd ought to get in on shortly before it is too late.
Massive Westlake OL Juan Gaston Jr. is someone that, no matter what happens on the field this season, GT fans need to keep an eye on and watch as he continue to progress. Gaston Jr. is already huge, but he's got to continue to grow with his technique and footwork to truly be the ELITE talent that his ceiling has him ranked as highly as he is currently. He is "80 percent interested" in GT, but they should be "All In" on him.
Closing things out is the curious case of Brayden Jacobs. I hear all the questions, read all the messages about him. Yes, his dad is Brandon Jacobs. Yes, he has a very large frame. The thing is, the game of football isn't played strictly on measurables. You've got to line up and go head-to-head with defenders each snap, and be able to stack winning reps. On Sunday, Brayden struggled at times, particularly with his footwork and being able to get off the ball quick enough to not get beat. He's got NFL-talent in his blood so that will certainly help him, but from watching him for a third or fourth time live, the question about how different his recruitment would be if his dad was Zach Jacobs and not Brandon Jacobs has begun to heavily weigh on my mind. This one has UCF written all over it.
Part two coming tomorrow.
- RJ
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