The very latest surrounding top football talent in the Southern footprint following a Sunday showcase
ALPHARETTA, Ga. -- Despite cool temperatures and consistent rain Sunday, some of the top college football recruits in the south pulled up on Denmark High School for the latest sample of their athleticism and competitiveness against one another at the Under Armour Next All-America Game camp.
In addition to weighing in on the competition itself, there was a buzz about where some of the talent may suit up when it comes to their college football.
Sports Illustrated compiles notes on some of the top talent interviewed at the event, with the very latest in their recruitment included.
2022 DE Lebbeus Overton
The surprise reclassification from the 2023 class to 2022 earlier this month, Overton has a top five with plenty of trips ahead on the official visit front. Among the contenders for the Milton (Ga.) High School star and now-senior include Texas A&M, Georgia, Ohio State, Oklahoma and Oregon. A trio will get the pass rusher and accomplished basketball player on campus in March.
"I've got a few dates with Oregon, Georgia and A&M," Overton said Sunday. "I know I'm going down to Oregon on the 13th and Georgia on the 15th. I'll try to get to A&M, too."
A decision is expected sometime before the summer, where Overton will enroll at his school of choice. His older brother, Micaiah, recently entered the transfer portal and would like to pair with his younger brother at their college of choice in 2022.
2023 DB Caleb Downs
One of the most coveted rising-senior recruits in the country regardless of position, Downs will be busy in the month of March as he sets up visits across his contending programs. On March 1, he will be in town with he reigning national champions in Athens. Four days later he will be in Chapel Hill for his latest look at North Carolina, where his brother Josh Downs plays. Oklahoma may get him on campus the last week of March for a fresh experience with the new coaching staff in town. Downs is considering April visits to Notre Dame, potentially for its spring game on April 23, as well as Alabama and Ohio State.
2023 OT Bo Hughley
The massive Georgia commitment, who has been committed to the national champions since September, remains locked in on the Bulldogs despite the advances of other programs. UGA will get him back on campus Tuesday for an in-state visit, in a town that "feels like home," but others still courting him will also get a March visit. Hughley says Auburn, Florida and LSU are still consistent with him and both the Tigers (March 19 visit planned) and Gators will get a trip out of him soon. The trip to Gainesville, set for March 5, will be a first impression for 6'7" tackle talent.
2023 OT Monroe Freeling
The South Carolina prospect, who has roots on the west coast in the state of Oregon, picked up an Ohio State offer during the week as his recruitment heats up ahead of a busy spring visit schedule. Freeling will be at Clemson on March 5, Miami March 25 and Notre Dame's spring football game on April 23. The in-state CU Tigers could be in position to get him back on campus for an official visit later in the process. A decision timeline isn't outlined but cutting his list of two dozen extensions in the spring and summer months seems likely. Among new programs in the mix, Alabama has established contact under new offensive line coach Eric Wolford.
2023 WR Ayden Williams
The Ridgeland (Miss.) wide receiver has eight offers to his name, thanks to admirable length and athleticism at 6’3”, 195 pounds. Williams has flashed potential as a game breaking weapon for the offense he operates in at the next level. His recruitment mainly resides within his home state lines of Mississippi, where Ole Miss and Mississippi State continue to pursue him the hardest. However, a well-developed relationship with new Oklahoma offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby during his time with the Rebels has slated Williams to visit Norman in the coming months. He currently has no visits on his schedule for March, but is looking to get on the road to narrow down his options for an eventual commitment. He hopes to make that before his senior season.
2023 OT Shamurad Umarov
Umarov, who competed in the comfort of his own high school stadium for the Under Armour Atlanta camp, has added a plethora of offers to his résumé over the last month and some change. Five SEC programs have entered the mix for Umarov’s services since the new year began, six if you include his re-offer from Florida and the Gators’ new coaching staff. The Denmark (Ga.) product eagerly awaits an offer from Clemson after recently coming in contact with the Tigers’ coaching staff, and he plans to visit Georgia on March 19 as well as Michigan State on April 1-3.
2023 LB CJ Allen
The Barnesville (Ga.) High School standout has offers from the likes of Georgia, Penn State and droves of others . He attended the national championship parade and of course has a strong relationship with linebackers coach Glen Schuman. USC, Florida, Tennessee and Vanderbilt are among those trying to pull Allen beyond state lines. A trip to Florida is set for March 19 as spring trips could also materialize at USC and UT down the line. Allen has a goal of being committed before his senior football season begins.
2023 DL Jamaal Jarrett
The Greensboro (N.C.) Grimsley talent has a longstanding relationship with Jay Bateman dating back to his North Carolina days, so the offer extended at Florida has his attention among others. But March will be about visiting programs elsewhere in the SEC, Jarrett says. He will be on campus at Tennessee on March 5 and Georgia on March 25. Clemson will get him back on campus some time in April, before official visit stretches begin. When official visits come to light, a trio of programs in good position to receive the trips include Georgia, Clemson and Michigan. A top group is also to be released soon, per Jarrett.
2023 DB Jayden Davis
The Suwanee (Ga.) Collins Hill standout took home DB MVP honors despite the conditions, making the most impressive back-of-the-end zone interception of the day in the process. Davis committed to Louisville to kick off the month of February and feels solid when reflecting on the decision so much so that no other program will get him on campus this spring. The only visit on his calendar moving forward is a return trip to Louisville for his official visit in the summer months. Tennessee is the program keeping its closest eye Davis despite his decision, he says.
2023 RB Dontavius 'DJ' Braswell
The Sandersonville (Ga.) Washington County running back flashed with his speed down the field despite the wet conditions, and his recruitment is beginning to pick up. "Boston College, Florida State, and Alabama" have continued to show interest and Braswell already has an offer in hand from the ACC pair. With Alabama, the contact has picked up and a visit is soon to come on March 5. Oregon and Nebraska could eventually get the speedy back on campus — who has a desire to be verbally committed by the time the 2022 football season begins.
2023 OL Wilkin Formby
A legitimate tackle prospect with serious height and length (standing at 6'7"), Formby has received plenty of SEC interest in recent weeks, as well as intrigue from top programs outside of the Southeastern Conference. The Northridge (Ala.) recruit intends to visit Alabama, Clemson, Ole Miss, Auburn, Oklahoma and Tennessee during the spring. Florida’s coaching staff has begun contacting Formby as of late, and he’d like to visit Gainesville should the Gators extend an offer.
2023 IDL Connor Knight
The Pinson (Ala.) Pinson Valley High School standout has seen his recruitment blow up in recent weeks with new scholarship offers, including Miami, Missouri, Houston, Syracuse and others. Kentucky, which has his attention, also recently offered. Miami is the other program rising in value with Knight and a visit to Coral Gables is set for the end of March. A relationship with defensive coordinator Kevin Steele, who has long recruited the Yellowhammer State, has helped UM vault up his list in short order. Additional unofficial visits include Mississippi State March 5 and Jackson State in April.
2023 RB Jeremiah Cobb
The Montgomery (Ala.) Catholic standout, who grew up an Alabama fan, picked up a Penn State offer earlier this week as the number of suitors for his services grows well beyond two dozen. Many of those already on board will soon get Cobb on campus, including Tennessee March 5, Clemson March 11 and Auburn the following weekend on March 19. The ACC's Tigers have yet to offer but could very well be next up. Cobb would like to come to a verbal commitment late in the summer months, though the timeline isn't set in stone relative to the options potentially still to come in.
2023 DB Avieon Terrell
The Atlanta (Ga.) Westlake High School cornerback prospect and younger brother of Atlanta Falcons defensive back standout A.J. Terrell has received considerable interest from Clemson and a bevy of schools around the nation. However, the teams at the top has shifted drastically following a hectic cycle of coaching changes in college football. Previously regarding Florida and LSU highly as potential destinations in the summer of 2020, the turnover on each staff in Gainesville and Baton Rouge has led to sparse communication. Auburn, Michigan State and Cincinnati are schools that have catapulted themselves into contention alongside the Clemson Tigers, of course where A.J. starred, for the talented coverage man with strong and consistent pushes as of late.
2023 WR Keyon Brown
A tall, physical pass catcher out of Tallahassee (Fla.) Rickards, Brown will make his spring visit debut March 5 at nearby Florida State. After that, he will likely check out Tennessee the following weekend and South Carolina on March 27. Brown says his recruitment is wide open both from a contender standpoint as well as it relates to a timeline for a commitment decision. More programs are likely to join the race for his services before any favorites emerge.
2023 WR Davion Dozier
The Moody (Ala.) High School standout, who says he is up to 6'4", 190 pounds, sports offers from Tennessee, Georgia Tech, Arkansas State and several others. The Vols will get Dozier on campus on March 5 for a spring visit and other trips could materialize in the coming weeks. Clemson, Auburn and other programs are beginning to show more interest in the big pass catcher.
2024 DB KJ Bolden
Already one of the most coveted rising-junior recruits in the country, the Buford (Ga.) High School standout will hit the road this spring in seeing some of the programs heavy on his trail. Bolden will be at Oklahoma on March 5, Clemson on March 12 and trips to Penn State, Michigan State, Ole Miss and others could also soon get him on campus. Programs are courting him as a two-way player, at wide receiver and/or defensive back at this time.
2024 DL T.A. Cunningham
Regarded as one of the most talented prospects in the 2024 recruiting class as a whole, the Alpharetta (Ga.) High School defensive lineman has received remarkable attention from nearly 60 programs across the nation. Without a decision imminent — given the fact the high interest levels of the nation’s top schools with two years remaining in his recruitment — Cunningham intends to go with the flow before narrowing down his options and committing. He looks to take trips to Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Texas, Oklahoma, Penn State and others during the spring and summer before his junior year commences.
2024 DL KingJoseph Edwards
The fast-rising defensive end prospect from Buford (Ga.) High School put together a strong outing on Sunday that will only aid a recruitment that is set to explode as we move closer to the 2024 cycle. Slated to endure a busy spring and summer of visits, Edwards has trips to Texas, Arkansas and LSU scheduled in the near future. He announced additional visits for March on Tuesday via Twitter, including Louisville on March 5 and Florida State March 12. The Longhorns and Tigers align as the two schools standing out to Edwards currently.
Brian Smith, Zach Goodall and Brandon Carroll contributed to this report.