7 thoughts from live evaluations over the weekend

Football season is in full swing — and action on the recruiting trail is getting red-hot as we dip deeper into the fall.

After another weekend of visits and live evaluations, here is the latest on several blue-chippers in the 2024 and 2025 classes from On3 National Recruiting Analyst Sam Spiegelman:

LSU commit Xavier Atkins has statement effort

Xavier Atkins has been a playmaking havoc-causer in the middle of defenses for three seasons at Jonesboro (La.) Hodge High School, but his move to Houston 6A football Humble (Texas) Summer Creek has offered the On3 four-star LB a larger platform to showcase his talents.

Against one of the state’s best teams Galena Park North Shore, Atkins was a Tasmanian Devil roaming sideline to sideline collecting a sack and nearly returning an interception to the house. Atkins nearly had a second pick, and was equally as dynamic making open-field stops, relentlessly pursuing the ball, and covering an astounding amount of real estate seamlessly. The LSU-committed linebacker is on the smaller size, but the play style and production is off the charts.

Five-star CB Devin Sanchez makes game-changing play on special teams

There are few big cornerbacks that pass the eye test and make great plays at a higher clip than 2025 On3 Industry Ranking five-star CB. Devin Sanchez. The 6-foot-2, 170-pound cornerback has size and moves fluidly in coverage, and is menacing to opposing receivers at the line of scrimmage.

Sanchez didn’t see a pass thrown in his direction until the final moments of the game vs. Humble Summer Creek. He came up with a critical third-down tackle in the open field against a mobile QB capable of picking up chunk yardage at ease. Sanchez also blocked a field-goal attempt to set up points for his offense and tipped a pass late, which turned into a game-sealing interception in the final minute.

It’s rare to find a big corner that can move and cover and is a willing tackler, and Sanchez certainly checks all of those boxes and more.

State championship-winning 2025 QB back in form

On3 top-40 2025 QB Kaleb Bailey is fully back after injuries derailed his sophomore campaign. Healthy again, Bailey is dynamic orchestrating the North Shore offense. He is accurate and efficient passing underneath and has a cannon of a right arm to take shots downfield.

The 6-foot, near-200-pounder is an outstanding runner who can cut as well as any quarterback who has lined up under center for the Mustangs in recent years. When he’s in a rhythm, Bailey can dial up the points in a hurry and on command.

On3 top-50 EDGE Chad Woodfork shines in run defense

It’s been an encouraging offseason for On3 top-50 EDGE Chad Woodfork, who seven games into his junior campaign has continued to add good weight to his frame and is filling out well. At 6-foot-5 and north of 230 pounds, Woodfork is a force setting the edge in the run and is enormously powerful and stout at the point of attack.

Woodfork’s length and power are just a few of the reasons why On3 is high on the Houston-area EDGE defender. He’s a traitsy prospect that is just scratching the surface of his potential up front.

Texas Tech commit adds to state-leading INT total

Peyton Morgan tallied three interceptions, one wiped away by penalty, now up to seven on the season, which is good for the lead in that statistic in the Lone Star State. Will Hammond, another Texas Tech pledge out of the Central Texas area at QB, was leading the state in yardage midway through the regular season. Meanwhile, Five-Star Plus+ WR Micah Hudson has been good for a viral highlight or two on a weekly basis.

Joey McGuire and the Red Raiders are turning a corner, and they are stacking up a very talented group of recruits in their 2024 cycle, including Morgan. He’s super slippery on the backend and consistently finds the football. He is a defensive quarterback aligning his teammates to be in the right spots and calling plays. He’s one of the handful of foundational pieces of Tech’s Big 12-leading 2024 haul.

Oregon WR commit Adrian Wilson shines

Adrian Wilson has tallied four touchdowns twice already this season, and the 2025 playmaking WR put on a show stretching the field and also operating around the end zone vs. Copperas Cove (Texas) High on Friday.

The 6-foot-3, 180-pound Oregon-committed WR is an athletic mismatch. He shined winning over the top and gaining serious competition downfield. Wilson made outstretched grabs away from his body and contested grabs over one and sometimes multiple defenders. He came up big near the goal line on several occasions, offering a spark to the Pflugerville (Texas) Weiss offense as both a big-play threat and also a chain-mover capable of making catches along the perimeter and in the middle of the field.

Georgia-committed Michael Uini plays with an edge

Big On300 OT Michael Uini is a physical force off the edge of the Copperas Cove offensive line. He’s 6-foot-7 and 300 pounds and packs a powerful punch. Uini not only has a massive frame with legitimate length, his mean streak is another trait for Kirby Smart to mold in the trenches

On a few occasions, Uini drove a few defenders out of the picture. On other snaps, he was slow out of his stance in pass pro and couldn’t consistently contain speed off the edge. He’s another traits-y prospect en route to Athens.