On3 Outliers: Football recruits On3 ranks higher than industry

Every set of rankings has certain prospects that check-in higher relative to others across the industry. With that in mind, let’s take a look at some of the prospects within the 2022 On300 that we’re higher on relative to other ranking sets.

With this updated On300, there are probably 50 to 100 prospects we’re higher on than the rest of the industry. We first wrote about several with the initial On300 release two months ago. On Monday, we featured ten prospects who made their On300 debut this week. We also covered significant risers in this update. Many of those prospects would apply here.

For these purposes, we won’t overlap with prospects featured in those stories.. Also, please note that this is not an exhaustive list.

2021 On300 I 2022 On300 I 2023Five-stars I 2022 Quarterback Rankings I 2022 Running back rankings I 2022 Wide Receiver Rankings I 2022 Tight End Rankings I 2022 Interior Offensive Line Rankings I 2022 Offensive Tackle Rankings I 2022 Edge Rankings I 2022 Defensive Line Rankings I 2002 Linebacker Rankings I 2022 Cornerback Rankings I 2022 Safety Rankings I 2022 Athlete Rankings

OT Jake Taylor – Oklahoma

On300 ranking: 46
Next highest ranking: 137 (Rivals)

We continue to be high on Taylor, as he moved up roughly 20 spots in this update. The 6-foot-6, 285-pounder lines up at right tackle for Las Vegas power Bishop Gorman. The Gaels have faced several national opponents and Taylor has played well. He’s a polished, physically developed offensive lineman but still has some room for growth. Taylor moves very well both in pass protection and at the second level. He’s technical and plays with a nasty demeanor. Despite being ranked as an offensive tackle, we could see him lining up at any position along the line. Taylor is a high-floor prospect and we’d be surprised to see him not be a multi-year starter in Norman.

CB Ja’Cari Henderson

On300 ranking: 130
Next highest ranking: Unranked four-star (247Sports)
Henderson and his brother Demari (No. 250) helped their Sanford (Fla.) Seminole team to a state title as juniors. Ja’Cari looks like one of the better corners in the Sunshine State’s 2022 cycle. He’s a long-striding, easy mover with the ability to stay attached to receivers downfield while in man coverage. Henderson also doubles as a talented basketball player with above-the-rim athleticism. The 6-foot, 160-pounder holds offers from the likes of Miami, UCF, Florida and Florida State among others.

RB Demond Claiborne – Wake Forest

On300 ranking: 133
Next highest ranking: Three-star (247Sports, ESPN, Rivals)

Claiborne first caught our eye with a strong junior season at King William (Va.) High during the spring. The 5-foot-11, 180-pounder is one of the more explosive running backs in the cycle. Claiborne is a top sprinter, winning Virginia’s Class 2A 100-meter finals by over 3 tenths of a second. He turned in multiple sub 11.0 second times this year, with a best of 10.61. Most importantly, that speed transfers over to the field. Claiborne has easy juice with the ability to consistently pull away at the second level. He isn’t just a straight-line athlete either. Claiborne has shown high-level change of direction, vision and balance as a runner. He looks even better as a senior with some added mass and continued progression as a runner.

OT Andrew Chamblee – Arkansas

On300 ranking: 136
Next highest ranking: 234 (247Sports)

The Maumelle (Ark.) High product has shown continued improvement as a senior, which probably shouldn’t be a huge surprise given he is younger for the cycle. Chamblee is a long, powerful offensive lineman. He has a strong punch and is showing increased block finishing this fall. We’ve also seen Chamblee make progress in his movements. He’s getting to the second level and making some impressive blocks on linebackers.

EDGE Darren Agu – Vanderbilt

On300 ranking: 171
Next highest ranking: Three-star (247Sports, ESPN, Rivals)

Agu is among a group of high upside pass rushers we like within the top 200. Despite being older than the class, Agu is still relatively new to football. 2020 was his first season of 11-man football after coming to Rabun Gap (Ga.) Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School by way of the United Kingdom. The 6-foot-6, 220-pounder has taken his game up a notch as a senior. The one-time Notre Dame commit is a flexible, active rusher off the edge with the ability to finish with physicality in the backfield.

DL Anthony Smith – Minnesota

On300 ranking: 173
Next highest ranking: Unranked four-star (247Sports)

Smith is a nimble jumbo athlete at 6-foot-6, 280 pounds. He plays defensive end and tight end for his Shippensburg (Pa.) High team and could project at defensive line or offensive tackle long term. The Golden Gopher pledge is flexible, quick and coordinated as a defender. He also doubles as a talented basketball player.

IOL Ashton Craig

On300 ranking: 187
Next highest ranking: Unranked four-star (247Sports)

Craig is a fluid, functional mover who could project at any of the three spots along the interior offensive line. The Lawrenceburg (Ind.) product has some of the better agility and feet we’ve seen among the interior prospects in the 2022 cycle. The 6-foot-3.5, 270 pounder carries little bad weight and has plenty of room to add good mass once he gets in Notre Dame’s strength program. You can also see Craig’s athleticism on the basketball court, where he’s a crafty post player.

OT Alvin Ebosele – Baylor

On300 ranking: 213
Next highest ranking: Three-star (247Sports, ESPN, Rivals)

First off, Ebosele has a plus frame for the position. He’s over 6-foot-6, 295 pounds and has a 7-foot wingspan. The Coppell (Texas) is an above average mover. We see this on both sides of the ball, as Ebosele also plays some defensive line. While he’ll need to continue refining his pass set technique, the physical gifts are apparent in watching Ebosele as a run blocker. He’s pairs his length with some explosive power on contact.

CB Jackson Vick – NC State

On300 ranking: 217
Next highest ranking: Three-star (247Sports, ESPN, Rivals)

Vick is an offensive playmaker at Bailey (N.C.) Southern Nash, starring as a running back in a run-heavy scheme. Despite that, he ultimately projects at cornerback long term. You can see Vick’s considerable quickness, agility and overall athleticism with the ball in his hands. He’s able to redirect, change gears and reach top speed quickly – all skills that translate well to defensive back. Vick also hits some marks physically and athletically. He’s 5-foot-10, 175 pounds but has a 6-foot-2 wing span. Vick also turned in some strong testing numbers on the camp circuit in the spring and looked fluid in defensive back drills.

LB Ernest Hausmann – Nebraska

On300 ranking: 231
Next highest ranking: Three-star (247Sports, ESPN, Rivals)

Hausmann is a natural, explosive athlete. Most highly drafted linebackers play both ways in high school. That’s the case with Hausmann as he stars as a wide receiver and linebacker for his Columbus (Neb.) team. At 6-foot-3, 205 pounds, Hausmann is an effortless, smooth mover who is comfortable playing in space and dropping into coverage. He closes quickly as a cover down defender and finishes with authority. We see the athleticism, ball skills and playmaking ability show up at receiver. Hausmann having a productive start to his senior season, averaging over 8 tackles per game while also catching one touchdown per game thus far.

RB Major Everhart

On300 ranking: 243
Next highest ranking: Three-star (247Sports, ESPN, Rivals)

Everhart is among the more dynamic home-run hitters in the cycle. He is not a heavy usage player at Amarillo (Texas) Tascosa, but is a threat to score every time he touches the ball – literally. The 5-foot-11, 170-pounder is averaging over 14 yards per carry and scoring at a high rate per touch. On Thursday night, Everhart scored twice, on just two touches – one on a 68-yard run and another on a 40 yard reception. He also returned an interception 32 yards for a touchdown. It should not be a big surprise to learn that Everhart is among the faster prospects in the 2022 cycle. He posted multiple 100 meter times under 10.50 seconds this year, with a best of 10.38 seconds. The On300 playmaker has taken official visits to TCU, Baylor and Texas Tech and most recently, Notre Dame.

OT Tony Nelson – Minnesota

On300 ranking: 245
Next highest ranking: Three-star (247Sports, ESPN, Rivals)

Tony Nelson is an intriguing developmental prospect as an offensive tackle. He’s a three-sport athlete at 6-foot-6, 270 pounds and is an elite thrower in track and field with a shot put toss over 59 feet. Nelson also impressed with his movement skills and overall athleticism on the camp circuit. He plays both ways for his Tracy (Minn.) team as a tackle/tight end and defensive end. Nelson will need time to develop and hone his technique as an offensive lineman, but the physical upside is there.

S Malcolm Jones – Virginia Tech

On300 ranking: 328
Next highest ranking: Three-star (247Sports, ESPN, Rivals)

Looking for the hardest hitter in the 2022 cycle? Malcolm Jones might be your guy. Jones is a big-time striker out of south Georgia. He’s a physical, violent safety who has no reservations about throwing his body around. You can see that in the clip below – Jones is the safety who launches his shoulder in to the ball-carrier, causing himself to helicopter onto the sideline.

pic.twitter.com/eGnK0WBwXh

— CP burner (@CharlesGPower) September 30, 2021

The Hokie pledge caught our eye coming out of his junior season as a two-way playmaker at Camilla (Ga.) Mitchell High. He transferred to south Georgia powerhouse Lee County for his senior season and has continued the strong play. Jones is a hair-on-fire defender in the back half and brings ball skills in addition to the noted physicality.