YAA Birmingham Top Performers

By Brandon Howard

The You Are Athlete Regional Exposure Camp Series made a stop in Birmingham, Alabama on Feb.21. Some of the top high school prospects from the southeast (Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, Mississippi, and Louisiana) were in attendance. Prospects from across these regions came out to compete and show why they deserve an invite to the All-American Showcase in Houston.

This showcase always produces major fruit, with players who receive attention following the event. This group is no different with multipe standouts and high-end producers who are set to see their recruitment rise.

The prospects below earned an invitation to the You Are Athlete All American Showcase on May 22-24 in Houston, TX. Several players stood out but these guys took the cake demonstrating upside, skill and catching the attention of our staff.

Top Defensive Line

2028 Edge Keoni Snipes out of Saraland HS (AL.)

Frame and length are elite. Can easily carry 250 pounds. Offers position versatility as a weak-side defensive end or outside linebacker. Freakish athleticism. Possesses elite burst at the snap, and he has the speed to consistently get around the edge. Holds 25+ offers.

2027 Edge Elijah Scott out of Auburn HS (AL.)

Good height and length with college-ready size for an edge role, but ample frame space to add significant mass as a true defensive lineman if desired. Could continue that role or play a variety of spots depending on personnel looks. High upside prospect with multiple D1 offers.

2028 DL Frederick Sanders out of Briarcrest Christian HS (TN.)

Big-bodied interior defender with broad build and above-average length. Big already, but still owns more bulking capacity if desired. Can play either end position in a four-down front or play the 4-technique in an odd-front defense.

2029 DL Jakari Haynes out of Homewood (AL.)

Impressive physical size for a junior checking at 6'0, 240 pounds with range and room to fill out over time. Long athletic build, along with impressive arm length and wingspan, puts him in good standing with those traits. One to watch. 

2029 DL Trenton Gibbs out of Oakland (TN.)

Gibbs possesses the prototypical size and frame to develop into an interior lineman at the next level. Displays good athletic ability and position versatility, showing the ability to line up in multiple positions across the defensive line.

Top O-Lineman

2027 OL Courtney Maxwell out of Daphne HS (AL.)

As an offensive lineman, he is athletic and aggressive. He keeps his feet while driving and finishing blocks, and also has the coordination and comfort in space to get out in front of plays and make blocks in the open field.

2029 OL Brayden Jones out of Saraland (AL.)

Shows quickness off the snap and gets to his blocks easily because of his physical gifts. Still needs more experience and technical training as a tackle, particularly in pass blocking. The frame can be cut down a bit to reduce weight, and when he does, Jones will get much stronger. 

2027 OL Jaden Peterson out of Hillcrest HS (AL.)

Will latch onto a defender and pump his legs as he steers them out of the way. Not one to give up on a block and is going to do whatever he can to put a pass rusher’s face mask in the dirt.  

2028 OL Jayden Cunningham out of Greenwood HS (SC.)

Quick to establish a firm, wide base in pass protection as he sets up for combat. Likes to use a heavy punch to fend off defenders and buy time for his quarterback. 

2028 OL Karter Grace out of James Clemens HS (AL.)

Plays physically and aggressively. Is violent with quick hands and able to overpower high school defenders. Fires off fast and low at snap and explodes up and into defensive lineman. 

2026 OL Noah Peterson out of Central HS (AL.)

Athleticism and body control shine when lining up across the line and blocking in space. Able to engage and stay on block while driving legs to create running lanes. Sinks hips to win leverage battles. 

Top WR's

2028 WR Larry Pettway out of Saraland HS (AL.)

He fires out of his stance with purpose and creates separation with his quick feet, sharp cuts, and head fakes. Sure-handed and likes to attack the football by catching balls out the air. 

2026 WR Bryson Glover out of Fort Myers (FL.)

Quick feet might be the best aspect of his game at this stage, as he can shake and lose defensive backs with sharp cuts. Also, a reliable pass-catcher. 

2027 WR Tymori Player out of Montgomery Catholic (AL.)

Smooth pass catcher who can line up and simply make plays. Good frame with plenty of room to add good weight and strength. Gets off the line well and shows the short area quickness to separate.

2027 WR Cameron Wilkerson out of Aquinas HS (GA.)

Solid route runner, very polished. Smart and understands how to set up a corner, when to settle in to a zone and doesn’t run himself out of being open. 

2028 WR Davie Hoover out of Chattanooga Christian School (TN.)

Natural pass catcher with good jump ball skills. Does a nice job winning 50-50 balls and catches the ball well through contact. A player you can trust to move the chains. 114 

2027 WR Frankese Winston out A.H. Parker HS (AL.)

Well-rounded pass-catcher with a knack for getting open. Fluid route runner who sets up defenders to generate space. Instinctive and creative in possession. 

Top RB's

2028 RB Tayler Smith out of Fultondale HS (AL.)

Runs hard. Best when hitting alleys downhill. Bit of an open-field galloper with above-average top end relative to physical profile. 

2027 RB Courtland Pass out of Pontotoc HS (MS.)

Not one to string jukes together at the second level, but displays a good first move in the hole when necessary. Good one-cut burst with clear accelerating juice. 

2027 RB Michael Polite Summerville HS (SC.)

The type of ball carrier who loves contact, as he keeps his legs pumping and is always trying to fall forward. Efficient with his cuts and usually one that hits the whole with a full head of steam. 

2027 RB Braylon Lawson out of Harvest HS (AL.)

Panelli has solid first-level agility. He can deliver a move to make a defender miss & find open space. 

2028 RB Braylen Hundley out of Baconton Charter (GA.)

Shows impressive initial burst. Accelerates naturally with urgency. At his best as a linear slasher or in one-cut situations. Can more consistently finish runs, but generally runs hard and with conviction.

2026 RB Chardarius Hutchins Tuscaloosa County HS (AL.)

Good start/stop burst opens up lanes and frequently gets him out of trouble. Keeps legs pumping through contact. His solid balance and low center of gravity make him even more difficult to bring down. 

2026 RB Jordan Hill out Wetumpka HS (AL.)

Quick out of the chute. Good vision at the line of scrimmage allows him to identify blocks and weave through traffic. Well-Rounded back. 

Top QB's

2027 QB Elijah Fudge out of Spencer HS (GA.)

Ball gets out fast despite long-levered build. Displays big-armed vertical juice with terrific velocity in short-to-intermediate situations. Knows how and when to vary zip and does so from various angles with good playmaking creativity 

2027 QB Gunner Mobley out of Richmond Hill HS (GA.)

Throw power transfers to off-schedule, off-platform opportunities. Strong enough to make timely, accurate cross-body throws on the move. Consistent passer. 

2028 QB Charley Skipper out of Wetumpka HS (AL.)

Consistent, accurate passer to all levels. Steps into throws and gets great zip on balls to the short-to-intermediate range. Posted stellar production in breakout junior campaign. 

Impressive-looking

2027 QB Nate O’Neal out of Fannin County HS (GA.)

Impressive-looking athlete with the desired height to play the position. Owns a leaner build now, but could eventually get up in size based on his work in the weight room. Has no issues getting the ball to all different levels of the field. Likes to use trajectory to his advantage, especially on his deep shots. 

2028 QB RaKaveon Goldsmith out of Hoover HS (AL.)

Simple delivery motion, releasing over-the-top. Puts plenty of pace on the ball, but also understands how to use touch. Can make a variety of different throws. 

Top DB's

2028 DB Zaydrean Jackson out of Douglas County HS (GA.)

Fluid mover shows the ability to transition smoothly in and out of his back pedal. Displays above-average short-area quickness and change-of-direction ability to get in and out of breaks. 

2028 DB Ajay Benjamin out of Ocean Springs HS (MS.)

Shows the ability to play multiple positions in the secondary. Flashes some natural press-man ability and ability to play in zone coverage or the deep hash at the safety position. 

2027 DB Brycen Perdue out of Pike Road (AL.)

Exhibits good ball awareness and production on both sides of the ball. Receiver skills and ball tracking ability translate to his ability as a cover defender. Willing tackler at the point of attack, will strike you. 

2027 DB Vindarius Criston out of Ramsay HS (AL.)

Shows the ability to play in space and make plays in the open field. Possesses above-average play speed, tends to overcompensate with length and instincts at the position. 

2028 DB Brayden Colbert out of Battle Ground Academy (TN.)

Good ball skills. Dexterous, skilled athlete. Flashes some close-quarters pop as a defender. An instinctive player who shows encouraging coverage awareness. 

2027 DB Tyler Duren out of Carrollton HS (MS.)

As a corner, he flashes very good quickness and burst. Will need to work on refining technique when playing off coverage. Does a good job mirroring the receiver and staying in phase in man coverage. 

2027 DB Kvaughn Peters out of Petal HS (MS.)

Relatively fluid hips allow him to mirror those same wideouts as they try to work their way down the field. Does a nice job of anticipating throws and timing his breaks.

Top LB's

2027 LB Issac Jeffery out of Sparkman HS (AL.)

Position projection will be dependent on verified weight and growth potential. Displays good athletic ability and willingness to fly to the football making plays on the opposition.

2027 OLB Zen Williams out of Buford HS (GA.)

A face-up tackler with good leg drive that doesn’t let many slip ball carriers out of his hands. Comfortable in zone coverage and is quick to anticipate throws 

2028 LB Kaden Peoples out of Selma HS (AL.)

Ability to close gaps is, without a doubt, a strength at this point in his career. Not only does it get downhill in a hurry, but it will quickly sift through traffic and get outside the hashes to wrangle a ball carrier. 

2029 LB Amarian Johnson out of Tupelo HS (MS.)

Naturally low center of gravity and impressive core balance allow him to change directions without wasting much, if any, motion. Likes to lead with his weight and will explode through his hips in hopes of getting ball carriers to get them to the ground. 

2027 LB Khi Harris Luverne HS (AL.)

Rather effective in pursuit and has also shown that he can get the job done as a face-up tackler. Can hang with most mid-skilled players in 1-on-1 situations and does a nice job of finding the football once it's airborne.  

2028 LB Trevaughn Robinson

Excellent closing ability on defense. Flashes chase-down speed with an exceptionally broad pursuit range. Athletic enough to compensate for occasional less-than-ideal angles.