Everyone loves (or likes to debate) an excellent participant comparability, so let’s delve into a few of the greatest within the Southeast relative to NFL gamers they remind us of at this stage of their improvement or with a bit projection.
THIS SERIES: Comparing top 2024 Mid-South standouts to NFL players
MORE GARCIA: Demarcus Riddick, stocks up, Florida battles | Top Southeast WRs
Cam Coleman –Â A.J. Brown
One of the vital bodily spectacular wideouts within the class of 2024 is Coleman, the Texas A&M dedication out of Alabama identified for an above-the-rim basketball recreation and domination on Friday nights. At 6-foot-3, many would assume he wins on the catch level and/or excessive level, and they might be proper, however there are different parts that liken Coleman to Philadelphia Eagles star AJ Brown.
For one, Brown was additionally a two-sport star again within the day, with baseball as his secondary sport, serving to him with response time and simple ball monitoring abilities. Coleman flashes the identical, however every is sneaky sturdy after the catch. We do not consider larger our bodies after the catch as a lot as we should always and every will get it accomplished with the ball of their arms.
Coleman has a viral clip the place he sheds a half-dozen tackles en path to the top zone and Brown has accomplished as a lot on the highest degree, ending second amongst wideouts in yards after the catch in 2022. Certain, each are massive, bodily and may rise up, however every is so dynamic regardless of the scale, one may draw up a slip display and let both rack up the yardage in chunks.
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Eddy Pierre-Louis – Zion Johnson
Pierre-Louis is a four-year varsity starter typically identified for his immense energy and shocking athleticism at greater than 300 kilos. Whether or not at deal with or guard, the place he appears almost definitely to splash in school, his means on the contact level and when requested to maneuver past conference is equally as head-turning.
Zion Johnson turned related late in his school profession at Boston College earlier than changing into a first-round choice for the L.A. Chargers final 12 months. Identified for his putting means and swiftness on the transfer, he turned a key cog for the Chargers as a rookie the identical manner we count on borderline five-star Pierre-Louis to make waves in school soccer in 2024.
Johnson put the traits into the testing setting with ease on the NFL Mix, repping 225 kilos 32 instances whereas registering a 4.47 brief shuttle at 312 kilos. The trendy athletic traits are much more coveted up entrance now-a-days, a part of the rationale Rivals is far greater on Pierre-Louis in comparison with the trade to this point.
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Chauncey Bowens – Dalvin Cook dinner
A pair of south Florida natives on the identical place reminding us of one another is not the most important shock name on this characteristic, however when Dalvin Cook was developing, two parts of his recreation had been constantly talked about first — his construct and his burst. Bowens, the Georgia dedication, presents related in a fair larger package deal at some 220 kilos heading into his senior season.
Blistering observe instances at his measurement coming off of sturdy junior tape enabled his inventory to rise in a rush this 12 months, however it all comes again to that burst. Prime velocity is vital, too, and each of those skills clearly verify the field, however the acceleration towards that high finish mark behind a low airplane and loads of energy is what places probably the most stress on defenses.
On the flip aspect, neither again will get a ton of credit score for his or her means in house and within the passing recreation, however every holds his personal there as nicely.
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Caleb Odom – Darren Waller
That is in all probability probably the most low-hanging fruit on this listing given the basketball background and prolonged frames, however Caleb Odom and Darren Waller have what most offensive coordinators covet. Every has elite size and a simple means to maneuver regardless of the body, to the purpose every has been considered extra as a large receiver than tight finish at numerous phases of their improvement.
The important thing for Odom, which Waller realized, shall be so as to add good weight whereas sustaining the broad receiver traits on the line of scrimmage as a extra balanced menace. Waller did so, checking in at 238 kilos on the mix, so we’ll see how the Alabama dedication develops from a bodily standpoint over the following few years.
Odom is within the 215-pound vary presently, maybe barely forward of the guy Georgia native again in his highschool days. Both manner, the matchup every presents may be very straightforward to see no matter place projection or alignment.
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Jake Merklinger – Derek Carr
The tape the Tennessee dedication has put collectively of his 2022 season has loads of strong-armed throws and well-timed tosses inside it, however what stands out simply as a lot is this mixture of toughness and athleticism that reveals up in spurts. The tight launch and second-level velocity is a basic supply, very like that of Derek Carr and the likeness between the 2 carries over onto that powerful aspect as nicely.
Carr is not generally known as a runner, however he can scramble as wanted and when linear, can out-run front-seven varieties together with his sub 4.7-second 40-yard sprint velocity. We will see Merklinger doing related within the SEC someday, retaining defenses trustworthy together with his legs whereas showcasing good velocity and decision-making together with his proper arm.
From a bodily perspective, the 2 make much more sense with each other, every listed at 6-foot-3, with Carr at the moment at 210 kilos and Merklinger pushing 190-plus heading into his senior season.
