Star prospects shine in Alabama state championships
In addition to all the wild news in college coaching recruiting, we still have a lot of pivotal action taking place in high school football. Last week saw the Alabama state championships, known as The Super 7, take place at UAB’s Protective Stadium in Birmingham.
The championships featured teams with a bunch of top prospects over several cycles.
Thompson outmatches Central
Thompson High in Alabaster beat Central from Phenix City in the 7A state title game, 38-22.
The Warriors have one of the more talented defenses in high school football with blue-chip prospects dotted throughout the front and secondary.
Alabama EDGE commit Jeremiah Alexander had an emphatic sack in the second quarter, showcasing his closing speed and ability to break down and finish in space. The five-star prospect finished the game with seven tackles, two tackles for loss and the sack. He continues to be one of the more more productive defenders in the 2022 cycle, finishing his senior season with 93 tackles, 29 tackles for loss and 10 sacks. Alexander ranks as the No. 18 overall prospect in the On300.
We saw Thompson 2023 defensive lineman Peter Woods take his game to a new level this fall and the title game was no different. The 6-foot-2, 280-pounder was very active on the night, tallying eight tackles, two tackles for loss and a sack. Woods often lined up at defensive end and used his strong base to set the edge. He showed effort and athleticism in chasing down plays from the back side. We could see Woods playing a few different spots along the front at the next level, depending on the scheme. Woods ranks as the No. 17 overall prospect in the 2023 On300. He’s taken unofficial visits to Alabama, Auburn and Clemson this fall.
The title game was the best we’ve seen Thompson cornerback Trequon Fegans play. The Alabama commit was active both as a tackler and in coverage. He had strong coverage on several downfield routes, staying in phase with the receiver. The only catch we saw Fegans surrender was a quick comeback. The 6-foot-2, 181-pounder’s highlight play may have been came down with an interception while covering 2023 four-star receiver Karmello English. We also saw Fegans used as a blitzer and he made a tackle for loss after sneaking around the backside of the play. The Tide pledge ranks as the No. 154 overall prospect according to the On3 Consensus.
2023 safety Tony Mitchell was not tested as often as Fegans, but did have a few instances of strong coverage on English. Mitchell broke up a pass intended for English in the first half. The two continued to lock horns, with Mitchell having a good coverage on an underthrown pass later in the game. Mitchell is a big, smooth-moving safety with the cover skills to man up on receivers. He visited Alabama multiple times this season in addition to Auburn and Georgia.
North Carolina quarterback commit Conner Harrell and Utah receiver pledge Ryan Peppins were the offensive stars for Thompson. Harrell briefly left the game with an ankle injury in the first half, but returned after a few series. The On300 signal caller showed off a live arm and hitting Peppins on some nice downfield shots. Harrell also showed some strong pocket movement, stepping up to avoid pressure on several occasions. He finished 10-of-16 for 271 yards two touchdowns and rushed for another short score.
Ryan Peppins finished with seven catches for 203 yards and two touchdowns. The 5-foot-8, 170-pounder showed a versatile skill set, making a few outstanding extended grabs in addition to using his quickness to pick up yards after the catch. He had a huge year in Thompson’s offense, with 1,378 receiving yards and 23 touchdowns.
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2023 Central wide receiver Karmello English was held to two catches for 17 yards. One of the catches was a nine-yard touchdown that came on a fade pass in the corner of the end zone. English showed his sizable catch radius in making the grab. He ranks as the No. 115 overall prospect in the 2023 cycle according to the On3 Consensus.
Thompson did a good job of blocking 2023 defensive lineman Tomarrion Parker for the most part, but the top 100 prospect still found ways to make a few plays. Parker jumped on a fumble in the firs half and stuffed a run at the line of scrimmage. He also showed some pursuit skills in tracking down Harrell. Parker had a very strong junior season with 23 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks. He took in multiple games at Auburn this fall in addition to visiting Alabama, Georgia and North Carolina.
Khurtiss Perry and Pike Road roll
The 5A state championship game saw Pike Road beat Pleansant Grove 51-14. The champions feature several Power Five prospects, led by 2022 top 100 defensive lineman, Khurtiss Perry.
Perry made his presence felt quickly, batting a pass on one of Pleasant Grove’s first plays. The 6-foot-2, 265-pounder has one of the best first steps in the 2022 cycle. He was in the backfield on several occasions, recording three sacks in the first half. We also saw him make an impressive play in pursuit, using his motor and speed to track down a play from the back side. Perry is a unique prospect in that he is highly productive despite lacking ideal measurables relative to stature and length. He wins with his first step and can be a bit of an all-or-nothing type player depending on how he times the snap on a given play. Alabama, Auburn and UCF are among those in contention.
Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin was on hand to watch Rebels running back commit Quinshon Judkins. It’s safe to say Kiffin liked what he saw – Judkins scored on a long touchdown run right in front of Kiffin and Ole Miss running backs coach Kevin Smith. Judkins showed good feet and power, picking up tough yards on inside runs. He runs with good body lean and showed the ability to run through contact. Pike Road employs an offense where multiple backs rotate in receiving direct snaps and the majority of Judkins’ carries came in this fashion. He finished with 173 yards and three touchdowns on 33 carries.
Pike Road running back Anthony Rogers is a name to know for the 2025 cycle. The freshman had several dynamic plays. He scored Pike Road’s first touchdown on a 30-yard run and later scored on a 74-yard kickoff return. He finished with finished with 123 yards and two touchdowns on 17 carries along with the return touchdown. The 5-foot-8, 180-pounder has considerable pace as a runner and has shown the ability to hit on big plays once in the open field.