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Man can’t live off of five-star blue-chip prospects alone. Every team has to land a couple of sleepers on their respective recruiting classes, and the teams that continuously get their sleeper recruits to pan out are the ones that stay at the top.
Here is a look at the guys we think can be recruiting gems in the 2016 class.
Alabama — Joshua Perry, S, Amite, La. (3 stars)
One thing Nick Saban, Kirby Smart and Jeremy Pruitt have in common is a love for tall defensive backs who can play safety or corner. Perry is 6-foot-3, 185 pounds but his ball skills have are yet to be determined, so it’s hard to say if he can be a situational cornerback, but Pruitt will get the most out of him.
Arkansas — Deon Edwards, S, Lake Minneola, Fla. (3 stars)
I’ve seen Edwards at prospect camps on two occasions and I was surprised he didn’t have more traction from the in-state schools. Long arms and good speed for this 6-foot-1, 190 pound safety makes him a steal for Arkansas.
Auburn — Nick Coe, DE, Asheboro, N.C. (3 stars)
There is a lot of raw talent in Coe’s 6-foot-5, 255-pound frame and it might take more than a year to get the most out of him, but I like Coe’s tools and his size. If he continues to develop and gains a bit of a mean streak he could be a player we hear a lot about in the future.
LSU — Jakori Savage, OT, Bay Minette, Ala. (3 stars)
Savage has the size of a tackle (6-foot-6, 270 pounds) but he might find more success at guard because he struggles to display the footwork needed for an SEC tackle. That being said there’s truth in his name because Savage isn’t afraid to get nasty and will find his way with the Tigers.
Mississippi State — Greg Eiland, OT, Philadelphia, Miss. (3 stars)
I’m a little surprised that the 6-foot-7, 320-pound prospect didn’t gain a little more traction but it’s mainly because Eiland is underdeveloped in pass blocking. The Bulldogs would be wise to redshirt Eiland and get him up to speed on protection because if they do he could be a multi-year starter at left tackle.
Ole Miss — Myles Hartsfield, S, Parlin, N.J. (3 stars)
Hartsfield is a post-graduate prospect who spent the extra year at a prep school, so he should come into Oxford prepared to contribute on special teams and work his way into the defensive back rotation. Hartsfield (6-foot, 190 pounds) has above-average ball skills and if he can clean up his coverage issues he will be after to play anywhere in the secondary.
Texas A&M — Kendrick Rogers, WR, Frankston, Texas (3 stars)
Remember when Mike Evans was a three-star prospect? Rogers has a lot of similarities, namely freakish athletic ability in a big body (6-foot-4, 180). Rogers isn’t a burner, but he has a lot of run and catch ability and knows how to use his size advantage when being tightly covered.
Corey Long is a freelance writer for SaturdayDownSouth.com. Follow Corey on Twitter @CoreyLong.
