Top Performers From Under Armour Future 50 Camp
Photo: Ayden Williams; Credit: Zach Goodall
AllGators has compiled its nine top performers from Under Armour's 2022 Future 50 camp below, including a couple of Florida Gators recruiting targets in IMG Academy's (Fla.) Jerrick Gibson and Desmond Ricks.
2023 QB JJ Kohl, Ankeny (Iowa)
Iowa State commit
Kohol turned heads with one of the biggest arms among the 20 quarterbacks at the Elite 11 Finals in June, and certainly stood atop that category in Bradenton. Accuracy was spotty at times when Kohl's footwork and tempo was tested, but he shined in both 1-on-1s and the 7-on-7 tournament by throwing darts with ideal placement on a lot of difficult tosses to the intermediate and deep levels of the field.
With a legitimate 6-foot-6 frame, huge hands and some of the best arm strength in his class, the future looks bright for Kohl so long as his accuracy continues to progress with rhythmic passing and in the short-field.
Think of the progress Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen made in the pros following his time at Wyoming — a big-bodied and surprisingly mobile quarterback who can generate immense throwing velocity but struggled with placement in college. If Kohl follows a similar path to Allen from high school to college, he could eventually emerge as one of the most dangerous quarterbacks in the nation.
2024 RB Jerrick Gibson, IMG Academy (Fla.)
Gibson continued to solidify himself as the top-rated running back in the 2024 class, and one of the best players overall. Early on, Gibson couldn’t be guarded — per usual — in the one-on-one coverage drills. He showcased his elite-level route running prowess and speed when working against defenders, furthering the notion that he will be a multifaceted back at the next level.
In 7-on-7, Gibson consistently found a way to squeeze behind defenders. Despite a lack of presence on the stat sheet, he consistently challenged the top linebackers and defensive backs in the nation from the backfield and slot. His day in competition culminated in a beautifully executed wheel route that fell just short of his hands in the end zone.
The IMG Academy transfer continues to take home accolades from these events, adding to an already full trophy case by securing the running back MVP, a deserved award despite being a year younger than most of the field.
2023 RB Dylan Edwards, Derby (Kan.)
Kansas State commit
Potentially the most underrated player at the Future 50 camp, the Kansas State running back commit was one of the most intriguing players to watch at a camp filled with entertaining athletes.
Edwards won the fastest-man challenge late in the drill session on Saturday, posting a 4.39 40-yard dash with a top speed of 22.9 MPH. His speed showed when working in the open field as a pass catcher, making an already difficult task for linebackers even harder. Pairing that blazing straight-line speed with short-area twitch as a ball carrier, Edwards was a close second for best running back on the field from start to finish.
Despite going underrated to this point in his recruitment, Edwards will surely see interest begin to pile up after his impressive showing to give the Wildcats some competition for his commitment down the line.
2023 WR Zachariah Branch, Bishop Gorman (Nev.)
Southern California commit
Branch entered Future 50 with arguably the highest expectations as he's considered the best wide receiver in the nation for 2023. He lived up to that billing in front of a lot of new faces on the east coast watching the talented USC commit for the first time.
Despite being undersized in comparison to the other pass catchers alongside him, Branch’s unparalleled athleticism and quickness resulted in an entertainment-filled outing for those in attendance. He fell just short of the fastest man award, as he was edged out by Edwards in the finals, but showcased his elite play speed when working against any defensive back he lined up across.
With a number of big-time plays, including a reaching one-handed snag and trot into the end zone for Team West followed by a celebratory backflip, helped Branch put his stamp on the Future 50 camp series.
2023 WR Ayden Williams, Ridgeland (Miss.)
Williams was a strong candidate for posting the play of the day with a strong-handed touchdown snag in the 7-on-7 portion of the workout.
Working deep down the near sideline, Williams was guarded by uncommitted DB prospect Malik Muhammad. Despite getting a step on Muhammad — who was in a great position in coverage — Williams had to work back for a slightly underthrown ball. With multiple defenders collapsing into the area, the ball initially fell into the hands of Muhammad before Williams went up and over to rip away the interception or a much-needed Team East score.
Williams' jump ball abilities were on full display at the time, adding to the consistent speed, explosiveness, smooth athleticism and strong hands that he flashed throughout the drills and 7-on-7 period at Future 50. The highlight-reel catch capped off an outstanding outing from the Ridgeland prospect as he proved to be one of the best wideouts in attendance.
2023 WR Jalen Hale, Longview (Texas)
Hale came into the Future 50 event highly touted and with high expectations as one of the top pass catchers in the country and did not disappoint. Off the cuff, Hale boasts good size standing around 6-foot-2, and he used his frame well to shield defenders from the ball in 1-on-1’s.
However, where he showed out the most was during the 7-on-7 portion of the camp. Hale was able to consistently find the soft spot in the defense and make himself available regardless of who the QB was. He made his case for MVP hauling in a total of three touchdowns to go along with several more catches during the evening session. The state of Texas was well represented at the event and Hale made sure to show everyone that he is one of the top prospects in the Lone Star state.
2023 LB Troy Bowles, Jesuit (Fla.)
Georgia commit
Bowles' mid-day pledge to the Bulldogs stole the show as it pertains to his performance, but Bowles flashed in coverage against slots and wideouts and looked like he belonged in the pass-heavy setting, which isn't an easy feat for the typical linebacker.
Bowles picked off a pass deep down the left sideline in 1-on-1s, closing from the trail position and making a leaping grab that was among the highlight plays of that session. He had his share of wins and losses in coverage during the 7-on-7 portion, but memorably broke up an out route intended for one of our top performers, Branch, out of the slot.
2023 CB Dijon Johnson, Wharton (Fla.)
Ohio State commit
Johnson is a prospect that definitely passes the eye test. Standing at 6-foot-1, 189 pounds with long arms, he is the prototype for what you look for in a high-level CB. But once he got on the field, Johnson dazzled with his fluidity going through individual drills and his ability to get out of his breaks.
At his size, Johnson is more adept as a press corner that thrives when getting his hands on a receiver at the line and dictating their route. When given the opportunity to do just that, he impressed, able to reroute several receivers and stay step-for-step with them after his initial jam. He did struggle a bit playing in off-coverage, however, allowing the receiver to break his cushion on occasion and force him to play catch-up, where he showed solid recovery speed.
While non-padded 1-on-1s and off-coverage are not Johnson’s forte, he showed enough throughout the entire weekend to earn a spot on this list.
2024 CB Desmond Ricks, IMG Academy (Fla.)
Ricks was one of the younger participants at Future 50 as a rising junior, but you would never know it by the way he looks and the way he performed. Boasting an impressive 6-foot-2, 180-pound frame with length, he is exactly what you look for in an elite DB and that was backed up by his play on the field.
Ricks is extremely technically advanced for a prospect of his age, fluid in his drops and breaks and physical at the line of scrimmage. While you will never go through an event like Future 50 without getting beat as a DB due to the high-level talent in attendance, Ricks won more reps than he lost. He had several impressive reps in the 1-on-1 portion of practice, one against the aforementioned Hale where he showed great patience and discipline to stay step-for-step against a wheel route, and another on a comeback against Clemson commit Noble Johnson where he got a great break on the ball and nearly came away with an interception.
Through his entire body of work over the weekend, Ricks showed everyone why he is arguably the top prospect in the 2024 class.
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