Top 10 2014 Southern Prospects

By Matthew Osborne
SouthernPigskin.com

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As is always the case, the South is loaded with exceptional high school talent in next year’s class.

Now that we have finally put the finishing touches on the 2013 recruiting class, it is time to turn our attention to the class of 2014.

As is always the case, the South is loaded with exceptional high school talent in next year’s class.

Here are the 10 best Southern prospects in the class of 2014.

* Only includes prospects from Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina or Tennessee.

No. 1 – CB Marlon Humphrey (Hoover HS – Hoover, AL)

Hoover has a rich history of producing quality talent, but perhaps none has been more talented than Marlon Humphrey. A legitimate shutdown corner, Humphrey completely takes away half of the field in coverage. He has exceptional feet and outstanding hip flexibility, allowing him to explode out of breaks with tremendous acceleration. Humphrey also has outstanding instincts and an advanced understanding of zone coverage concepts. He is also a dynamic playmaker on special teams, which only increases his value to college programs.

Recruitment Status: Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Mississippi State, South Carolina and Tennessee are some of the schools he is currently considering.

No. 2 – OT Cameron Robinson (West Monroe HS – West Monroe, LA)

Robinson was good enough to start for many college programs by the time he was a sophomore in high school. At 6-6, 315 pounds, Robinson has all of the measurable characteristics that you look for in an elite tackle prospect. What sets him apart from other linemen in this class is his tenacity and physicality. Robinson never stops blocking until the whistle has stopped blowing, and you will frequently find him sprinting downfield to pick up an additional block. He absolutely loves contact, and he is strong enough to put a punishing blow on any defender daring enough to step in his path.

Recruitment Status: Top five of Alabama, Arizona, LSU, Oregon and Texas.

No. 3 – RB Leonard Fournette (St. Augustine HS – New Orleans, LA)

Checking in at 6-2, 225 pounds, Fournette has all of the tools that you look for out of an elite running back prospect. He is a nightmare for defenders in the open field, but he is more than willing to do the dirty work in order to fight for yardage. What separates him from the other big backs in this class is his outstanding speed. If Fournette gets loose in the open field, you can go ahead and put six points on the scoreboard. He is perhaps the top high school running back prospect since Isaiah Crowell back in the class of 2011.

Recruitment Status: Holds more than a dozen scholarship offers from the top schools in the South, although he has yet to trim his list.

No. 4 – RB Bo Scarbrough (Northridge HS – Tuscaloosa, AL)

At the risk of sounding cheesy, Scarbrough just has the look of an Alabama running back. His high school film immediately brings back memories of Crimson Tide greats Mark Ingram and Trent Richardson. At 6-2, 220 pounds, Scarbrough is the complete package coming out of the backfield. He has elite size and power, he has very good top-end speed and he is very adept at making quick, subtle cuts in the hole to elude defenders. Scarbrough can put his head down and pick up the tough yards, but he is also a threat to score every time the ball is in his hands.

Recruitment Status: Committed to Alabama

No. 5 – DT Khairi Clark (Chaminade Madonna College Prep – Hollywood, FL)

Very rarely will you see a prospect of Clark’s stature move with such agility and acceleration. Tipping the scales at over 300 pounds, Clark anticipates the snap count very well and explodes off the ball, penetrating the opposition’s backfield. It is extremely difficult for high school offensive linemen to stay in front of Clark, but even when they do, he simply overwhelms them with his exceptional strength. His technique is not perfect, but it really hasn’t had to be because he is so much better than the competition. He is a rare lineman who will be ready for the college game immediately.

Recruitment Status: Miami is his early leader.

No. 6 – RB Sony Michel (American Heritage School – Plantation, FL)

Trying to name a top running back in the South for the class of 2014 will spark great debate amongst experts, but there is no doubt that Michel is the most explosive of the junior tailbacks. With his impressive combination of lateral agility and straight-ahead speed, Michel is a threat to take it the distance every time he touches the football. He still needs to add some weight and strength, but Michel has natural playmaking abilities which simply can’t be taught. Look for him to make an impact in the return game in college as well.

Recruitment Status: Early offers include Alabama, Florida, Florida State, Georgia and Miami.

No. 7 – LB Raekwon McMillan (Liberty County HS – Hinesville, GA)

McMillan is an attacking, downhill linebacker that wreaks havoc in opposing backfields. He is an outstanding athlete who rarely finds himself out of position due to his football instincts. McMillian diagnoses plays very quickly and once he has the play sniffed out, he immediately accelerates to top speed and attacks the football. If given an opportunity to make a clean hit on the ball-carrier, he will inflict serious damage with a bone-crushing tackle. No inside linebacker in this class can match his blend of football IQ and athleticism.

Recruitment Status: Top five of Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, Ohio State and USC.

No. 8 – S Laurence Jones (Neville HS – Monroe, LA)

Jones plays cornerback for his high school team, but he will almost certainly make the transition to safety at the next level. Standing 6-2, 210 pounds, Jones is very nimble for a larger defensive back prospect. He has outstanding coverage skills and he is very good at catching the football at its highest point. Jones has shown an ability to make plays when defending against the run, although you would like to see him attack the football more consistently. Once he settles in to his new position, it shouldn’t take him much time to become one of the elite safeties in college football.

Recruitment Status: Early offers include Alabama, Arkansas and LSU.

No. 9 – WR Trevion Thompson (Hillside HS – Durham, NC)

Thompson is pretty close to the complete package at wide receiver. He is fast enough to be a threat in the vertical passing game, he is very dangerous with the ball in his hands in the open field and he has the size and jumping ability to be a prime red zone target. Thompson has performed very well when going up against some of the best competition in the country at various camps, and he has proven that he can make difficult catches even when he fails to get separation. He is difficult to defend because he can beat you in a variety of different ways.

Recruitment Status: Early offers include Clemson, Duke, Florida, Georgia Tech, North Carolina, NC State, South Carolina, Vanderbilt and Virginia Tech.

No. 10 – RB Jalen Hurd (Beech HS – Hendersonville, TN)

Hurd is another one of the bigger backs in the class, although he doesn’t quite run with the power of some of the other elite backs. At 6-3 though, he has plenty of room to add additional weight over the next couple of years. The aspects of Hurd’s game which make him so dominant are his excellent vision and his ability to make quick cuts while only losing minimal forward momentum. While it may look like Hurd lacks elite speed, he is really a long-strider with tremendous speed in the open field. Once he adds a little more of the power element to his game, Hurd will be the total package.

Recruitment Status: Early offers include Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi State, Ole Miss, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Vanderbilt.