Why EDGE LaDamion Guyton is On3's No. 1 prospect in initial 2027 rankings

On3 has released its initial top 100 ranking for the 2027 cycle, with Savannah (Ga.) Christian Prep EDGE LaDamion Guyton debuting as the No. 1 overall prospect.

Guyton wasted no time emerging as one of the top defensive prospects in the state of Georgia as a freshman in 2023, tallying 82 tackles and 10 sacks. Top college programs are already lining up for his services, too.

In-state Georgia became the first to offer last June. Since then, the likes of South Carolina, Florida State, Tennessee, Miami, Oregon, LSU, Alabama and Auburn have all followed suit. Guyton will be one of the most coveted prospects in the nation at any level for the foreseeable future.

On3’s Charles Power and Steve Wiltfong dive in on what makes LaDamion Guyton On3’s initial No. 1 recruit in the 2027 cycle.

Guyton stood out on film as a freshman

Just looking at Guyton’s stats as a freshman, it’s easy to see that he’s ahead of schedule for his age on the gridiron. According to Power, though, looking at Guyton’s game on film takes things to a whole other level.

“In evaluating top prospects in the 2027 cycle, we came away feeling that LaDamion Guyton is worthy of holding the pole position in this initial top-100 list heading into his sophomore year,” Power said. “We really love the pass-rush skillset with Guyton. He’s around 6-foot-3, 230 pounds, looks to have good length and was really electric off the edges as a freshman for Savannah Christian.

Going through his freshman film, we came away feeling that he made the highest-level plays among the pass-rushers that we watched — and we feel that this group of pass-rushers in the 2027 cycle is probably the strongest at the top. Guyton’s effort level is eye-catching, he shows great play speed and can run down ball carriers from the back side. He’s also a very active run defender.”

Guyton possesses explosive athleticism in spades

When it comes to analyzing Guyton’s film, it’s clear that his game isn’t just built upon brute strength. There’s plenty of skill to be seen as he fires off the edges, making life difficult for opposing offensive linemen. Guyton, paired with senior Five-Star Plus+ DL Elijah Griffin, makes for a truly dynamic duo at Savannah Christian.

“Love the explosive athleticism he shows. Good first-step quickness, has the ability to bend around the edge and has very advanced hand usage, coordination and understanding of his hand movement and how to use his body positioning at a very young age,” Power said. “You can tell he’s been coached well, but he clearly has a natural knack for rushing the passer. Guyton is strong in the weight room and that transfers over to his ability to set the edge. It looks like he’s made significant strides in the weight room, adding good mass, so we’re eager to see how he looks as a sophomore playing alongside senior Five-Star Plus+ defensive lineman Elijah Griffin.”

The offer list already speaks for itself

Watching Guyton on the field, it doesn’t take long to understand why nearly half the SEC has already offered as he begins his sophomore season, according to Wiltfong.

“Prior to his freshman season, Georgia offered LaDamion Guyton and it’s easy to see why,” he said. “Many other SEC and national powerhouses weren’t far behind once film started coming out from his first varsity season. It’s pretty easy to see right away Guyton has special pass rush traits. In addition to being a unique blend of quickness and relentless play style, Guyton has special physical gifts and the strength of a high school senior.

“When you’re thinking about the No. 1 player in the country in the initial rankings, you want a prospect that has gifts that will translate for years to come. Guyton certainly checks those boxes at a premium position. As others around him blossom he’ll be right there among the best for the entire cycle.”

There’s still plenty of football to be played until the 2027 class rankings become solidified and pens get put to paper. Prospects will emerge and things will change, but the initial top 100 helps lay the ground work for future rankings down the road. Entering the fall, Guyton sits atop his class.

“It’s worth noting that this is an extremely early ranking. A lot of these top prospects in the 2027 cycle have yet to emerge as we’re primarily going off varsity contribution, so we’re going to see a ton of top prospects develop and surface over the course of the next couple years,” Power said. “This should be viewed as an initial early snapshot of the top prospects in the nation heading into their sophomore year, knowing that these rankings will change as these prospects continue to develop.”