College coaches discuss On3 five-stars

College coaches are not allow to publicly discuss high school prospects until they’ve signed a National Letter of Intent. As a result, we don’t hear the coaches’ opinions on recruits until the ink is dry on National Signing Day.

Thus, Signing Day press conferences and media appearances can give us some new and worthwhile perspective on top prospects from those who will be coaching them at the next level.

Final 2022 On300 Rankings

With that in mind, here are some noteworthy quotes from college coaches about many of On3’s five-star prospects from the 2022 recruiting cycle. Please note that every coach did not publicly comment on every five-star prospect including some who signed after media appearances.

1. QB Devin Brown – Ohio State

Ryan Day on Devin Brown in December: “You can watch the film, his athletic ability, ability to run and ability to throw are tremendous. He did a really good job this past year wherever he has been. The people who worked with him at the Elite 11 have nothing but rave reviews about him.

“Then when you just talk to him you realize what an outgoing personality he is. He has a magnetic way about him. The guys in the class have already grabbed on to him. I was excited during this process. He wanted to come to a place where he could compete at a high level. He wasn’t concerned about who else is in the room. He wanted to come and get after it. We are excited Devin is a part of this class and our future.”

Day also gave in-depth quotes about Brown to On3’s Chad Simmons in January.

2. DL Mykel Williams – Georgia

Kirby Smart on Mykel Williams to On3’s Chad Simmons in January: “Mykel was a special prospect in this class from early on. It became clear he was a kid we not only wanted, but needed to sign, being from our home state. We can all fall in love with his film, his athletic ability, and his size, but the ultimate separator for Mykel was so much more than that. He is a kid that fits what we want in our program in terms of leadership and character. He can bring a lot to the table while also raising the standard of those around him.”

3. EDGE Jihaad Campbell – Alabama

Nick Saban on Jihaad Campbell on 247Sports’ National Signing Day show: “I think he’s an outstanding player. I mean, this guy’s got great twitch. A really good first step. He can run – very explosive player. He probably can play inside or outside (linebacker). And he’s made the right way. This guy loves football, he’s got a great attitude. He’s a hard worker. Very productive, very instinctive. You love to get these kind of guys to play defense. Hopefully, he might be able to help us early on.”

4. ATH Sonny Styles – Ohio State

Ryan Day on Sonny Styles in December: “We will use him everywhere we can. He can do a lot of things. He can cover, he can blitz, he can play zone and he can play man. He’s like a Swiss Army knife out there. Our guys on defense will be excited to have him as he builds roles.”

5. DL Walter Nolen – Texas A&M

Jimbo Fisher on Walter Nolen in December: “That’s the skinniest 335-pound guy I know. Guy is 335 pounds and built like an athlete. It’s scary. I tease him about that all the time. You’re talking about guys when they put their hand in the dirt, they make a difference. Those are key. We have those interior guys now – you see the push of those tackles. (When they don’t) make plays they take up two or three blockers. They push the pocket and change the line of scrimmage.

“He’s a tremendous, tremendous talent and a tremendous player.” 

7. QB Drew Allar – Penn State

James Franklin on Drew Allar in December: “Drew is a guy that kind of did it kind of old school. As he went to camps and as he played in the season, he just continued to do well and his rankings continued to rise and people you were really impressed with him. Big kid who can stand in the pocket and deliver the ball.

“I think people underestimated his athleticism as well. He does a great job making some of the plays that maybe aren’t in the playbook, in terms of extending plays and off-balance throws with unbelievable accuracy. Play-making ability. He was able to make some plays with his feet, too. So another kid that just handled the process extremely well, is embracing the competition, and excited about the future.”

8. ATH Travis Hunter – Jackson State

Deion Sanders on Travis Hunter to ESPN in December: “He’s got that ‘it.’ He’s got that want-to. He’s electric. When he’s in the secondary, he’s aggressive. Good skill set, technique is adequate – you know we’ve got to finetune it. But I can’t wait to see him on grass, so I can really see what he is. He’s (playing) both ways now and doing a superb job and I plan on using him that way, but I can’t really wait to see what he is. When I tell you that ‘he got that it’ … ‘he got that it.’ When he touches that ball, you get up. He’s got that kind of thing.”

9. WR Luther Burden – Missouri

Missouri receivers coach Bush Hamdan on Luther Burden in December: “I remember watching his first game with my wife. We were sitting there following it on the phone. It seemed like every time he touched the ball, something big happened.”

10. CB Domani Jackson – USC

Lincoln Riley on Domani Jackson in December: “Extremely talented football player. One of the most talented players in the country at his position. The combination of speed and size and then the natural confidence Domani has is very impressive.”

11. EDGE James Pearce – Tennessee

Tennessee outside linebackers coach Mike Ekeler on James Pearce in December: “This guy is a very unique player. 6-foot-5, 220 pounds. Just ultra, ultra athletic. He has got incredible speed and incredible ability to set up people and rush off the edge. Just a dynamic, dynamic athlete. He is a guy who could definitely be right up there and lead the nation in sacks. He’s a guy who is going to be disruptive and get after the quarterback. The guy is just a gamer, too. He just wants to play and doesn’t care where you line him up. He has elite speed and elite ability to bend. He’s long, he can jump. He’s got everything you’re looking for. He reminds me of a young man I coached a few years back who was a top 10 draft pick.”

13. DL Shemar Stewart – Texas A&M

Jimbo Fisher on Shemar Stewart: “Another great addition to our class. Big, strong, athletic guy. He’s a guy that can rush, can play the run, he can play the pass, he can overpower you, he can out-speed you. Just a tremendous athlete and tremendous addition to our class. On top of that, he’s a better person than he is a player. Fun to be around, a great personality and intelligent young man. He’s got a great future ahead of him and going to be a huge part of what what we’re doing going forward.”

15. WR Jordan Hudson – TCU

Sonny Dykes on Jordan Hudson in December: “I felt like Jordan Hudson was the best receiver I saw play this year in the state of Texas. I was impressed with the way he dominated and I love his competitive nature. He’s just one of those kids that plays bigger than he is because he’s just so competitive. He fights so hard for the ball and has great ball skills and can run as well.”

16. RB Nick Singleton – Penn State

James Franklin on Nick Singleton in December: “But it’s funny, because people talk about (Singleton and Kaytron Allen) almost like ‘thunder and lightning’ and Nick is like this undersized scat back. Nick is 215 pounds and has the ability to go 80 (yards). Don’t know if there is a better running back class signed in the country and obviously Nick being named Gatorade National Player of the Year is pretty cool.

“We’ve got really good history with keeping running backs in the state of Pennsylvania and those guys playing well. Obviously with Saquon (Barkley) and Miles (Sanders) and so on and so forth. We’ll see how it plays out.”

20. EDGE Dani Dennis-Sutton – Penn State

James Franklin on Dani Dennis-Sutton in December: “You look at his film and also his measurables and he’s a guy that you sit here and say you could pencil him in as a guy that’s going to have an opportunity to compete, even though he is not coming in mid-semester.

“He is 6-foot-5, 255 pounds, physical against the run. He can rush the passer. So he’s not like an undersized defensive end that you’re going to have to develop over time. He’s got the ability to come in and compete from day one, and I think that’s going to be his mentality and approach. He’s also a very mature young man. You go to that high school, everybody is raving about him.”

21. S Malaki Starks – Georgia

Kirby Smart on Malaki Starks in December: “I think Malaki has a bright future. He’s fast. Number one, he’s very intelligent. He’s high-character and you’re going to hear me repeat that over and over because that matters way more than what reputation they’re coming in with.”

26. LB Jaylen Sneed – Notre Dame

Marcus Freeman on Jaylen Sneed to Blue and Gold’s Mike Singer: “Just to me, the genetic makeup he has…whoo, it’s different. It’s special. He has some explosiveness that I haven’t seen in a long time. I wasn’t here when Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah was here, but everything I hear from our guys that were here say it’s very similar to the things you saw ‘Wu’ do. And to me, that’s a great compliment. He’s a guy that is a raw player because he’s played all three levels between playing d-line, playing linebacker and playing safety. Playing quarterback – you’re talking about just a raw football player that to me, the ceiling is extremely high.”

28. LB Lander Barton – Utah

Utah defensive coordinator Morgan Scalley on Lander Barton in December: “When you watch the film – holy cow. He’s just destroying everybody. Love what he brings to the table. Length, size, athleticism. He’s a guy that can play multiple positions. Is going to be a big-time linebacker for us. He is going to be unbelievable.”

Utah linebackers coach Colton Swan on Lander Barton in December: “He’s a big, tall, long, athletic kid. One of the best high school players I’ve ever seen. Fired up to have him playing linebacker for me. I know he’s going to be able to get sideline to sideline.”

29. OT Aamil Wagner – Notre Dame

Marcus Freeman on Aamil Wagner to Blue and Gold’s Mike Singer: “I obviously know a little more about him day-to-day being from that high school. He’s just a tireless worker, which I’m sure is why he struggles to put on weight. When you’re a tireless worker, you’re playing basketball, you’re training, it’s hard to keep that weight on that you need to play at this level. But all he’s going to need is one offseason. What he does have is things you can’t teach. He has the athleticism, the feet. It runs in his family. His dad is an extremely big man. Then you look at his older brother Ahmad, who went to Iowa to play basketball then transferred to Kentucky to play football. That’s a big family, man. There’s no doubt in my mind he’ll put the weight on that it takes to play at this level.”

30. QB Ty Simpson – Alabama

Nick Saban on Ty Simpson in December: “They won the state championship. He won the player of the year in Tennessee. The guy’s got a really good arm. He’s very accurate. He’s smart. He’s kind of one of those guys that loves football, is always asking football questions, wants to learn as much as he can. I think sometimes those guys get referred to as football junkies, but that’s a good thing and certainly a good thing at the quarterback position. I think he’s bright. He’s smart. He’s a good decision-maker. He’s very instinctive as a player. He can make plays with his feet. I just think in every way he was the guy we targeted in this class as being the guy we wanted and we felt very fortunate that we were able to get him.”

32. CB Will Johnson – Michigan

Jim Harbaugh on Will Johnson in December: “He’s a Michigan legacy, and everything you want in a corner in terms of length and movement skills, traits. Fantastic. And I’ll also say that Will’s a signature guy in the class. He’s a 99.00 five-star, and he’s an even better guy. I can’t tell you how much he’s meant to us and this recruiting class. Everybody in the class wants to room with Will. Just a great guy, and Will Johnson’s really been the anchor to this entire class.”