Breaking Down How Georgia Tech Targets Performed At 2024 Under Armour Camp in Atlanta
Camp season is underway and one of the big ones each year is the Under Armour Camps. A lot of the top prospects in the state convened at Carrolton High School on Sunday and showcased their talent. Among the crowd, there were quite a few Georgia Tech targets.
Here is who stood out among that group.
1. DB Jaylen Bell (Grayson High School)
Bell is a great defensive back who plays at a high level against great competition. He played the ball well on Sunday and had several notable pass breakups. He has great closing speed on routes and displayed that throughout 1-on-1s. He made easy work on the defensive back drills. One of his best reps came in 1 on 1s. Bell backpedaled and stayed with the receiver the whole time. Once the receiver broke inside, Bell adjusted and closed the window between him and the receiver and had a pass breakup. His ball skills are phenomenal. He is just a kid you want in your program.
He received high praise from priority target Travis Smith Jr
“There a lot of talent out there. It was good reps and bad reps and everything in the middle. I tried my hardest but it is definitely some good guys out here that I am going to be competing with for the next decade. “I am going to have to say for today it was #16 from Grayson (Jaylen Bell). I liked his energy. The energy he brought in was great," said Smith.
QB Antwann Hill (Houston County High School)
Hill was recognized as one of the top players at the event despite not taking home the MVP. Hill is committed to the Under Armour game that is televised on ESPN. I think what’s most impressive about Hill is that he balls out at big-time events. He was at the 7 on 7 Battle of Miami last month and was recognized as one of the top performers there by multiple media outlets. At Carrollton, he looked calm and and routine in his throws. It looks like no stage is going to affect the star quarterback from Houston County. Hill was seen wearing a Georgia Tech towel while Armour Camp.
Per Arvon Bacon:
"I can see myself staying home, playing in Atlanta at Georgia Tech."
“A major deciding factor for a hard commitment going forward for Hill will be positioning for playing time. Hill placed a lot of value on playing early in college; either as a freshman or as a second-year starter. First and foremost Hill has genuine relationships with coaches as the ultimate deciding factor.”
Antwann Hill Wearing Georgia Tech Towel/Photo By Najeh Wilkins
QB Charlie Johnston (Moody High School)
Johnston looked poised and confident going through drills on Sunday. He had very good movement with his feet and hips which allowed him to create that zip and torque with the football. Johnston has a good frame at 6’5 and a great throwing motion. He throws a tight spiral with a lot of velocity. The best attribute of his game is the deep ball. He can throw it with some of the best of them. During 1-on-1s, he threw a beauty to a wide receiver who had got past the defensive back and it landed right in his hands.
"I love throwing deep ball. It is one of my favorite throws. I enjoy working on it. I spend a lot of time working with my receivers. It is one of those things where you have to know your guy and give him a chance to go get it. That is one of the things I mainly work on with my receivers and I love throwing it," said Johnston.
Here is what he had to say about going against stellar completion.
“These guys got me better. Iron sharpens iron. Seeing these other quarterbacks and this talent out here made me a better player. These DBs put some pressure on the receivers. We got it done and it was a good day. Got a lot of stuff to improve on but felt pretty good about it and got better,” said Johnston.
Johnston had a great season for the Moody Blue Devils leading them to a 10-3 record and throwing for 2,710 yards and 32 touchdowns.
Charlie Johnston Moody Alabama/Photo By Najeh Wilkins
EDGE Ba’Roc Willis (Moody High School Alabama)
Despite only being a freshman, you can tell the potential is there. Willis looked good in his 40-yard dash. He had good speed coming out and finished the 40-strong. In 1 on 1s, he flashed that quick first step making it difficult for linemen to adjust. I think Willis will unlock another part of his game when he becomes even more adept at using his hands. He did a good job of knocking the lineman's hands off him initially in 1 on 1 reps but the lineman was able to recover and make it difficult to get to the cone after reworking his hands. I think if he adds an inside rip move or potential swim move to his arsenal he will be deadly. The great thing is he is so young, so he hasn’t even developed into what he could become yet. He received an offer from Georgia Tech in January.
DB Julius Lane (Pike Road)
Lane showed potential at the event. Going up against any good competition, you are going to have reps you win and lose. He lost one rep to Jonah Winston (Jameis Winston's brother), but he recovered well in his next 1 on 1 rep. One of the reps was a go-ball to Alexander Sanchez. Sanchez did a good job with his release the ball, but towards the back end of the play, Lane recovered and turned his head around. He knocked the ball loose and prevented the catch. One thing about Lane is he is never going to lose his confidence and he has great ball skills which makes him a heavily sought-after prospect.
LB Kenyon Rivera (Buford)
It seems like Buford has a linebacker factory. In addition to having some of the top linebackers in the country in Jadon Perlotte (Georgia commit) and four-star Mantrez Walker, they have another stud in Rivera. Rivera had a strong showing making the linebacker drills look easy out there. He was also very good in coverage in the camp and showed he could be an every-down linebacker on the next level. He won co-defensive MVP at the Under Armour Camp along with five-star Tyler Atkinson. Rivera visited the Flats in late January and has offers from top programs.
WR Christian Ward (Carrollton)
Ward is another hot name on the recruiting trail in the early spring cycle. At the Under Armour camp, a lot of defensive backs were very physical with him. They jammed him on the line of scrimmage and also played through his hands on the go balls. He flashed with creating some separation from defensive backs and also some great catches. There is one rep where he completely turns the defensive back around for an easy catch on a comeback route. I think the potential is there and he will only get better but at times the press was giving him a hard time. Still, Ward will be a rising junior next year and has great upside.
WR Alexander Sanchez (Grayson)
Sanchez is elite in the short and intermediate routes. He can create separation easily defensive backs. It doesn't matter if he gets pressed or they play off coverage because he gets open. In one of his reps, he had the defender beat off the line and was able to inside with ease making a routine catch. I got a chance to see him run different routes in the wide receiver drills, and he looks very fluid coming in and out of breaks. As far as catching the football, he does a good job of locating and reeling it in. Sanchez will be a player to watch in the Grayson Rams offense in 2024.
WR Gabe Daniels (Greater Atlanta Christian)
Daniels received a lot of praise at the camp for his elite speed. He was turning around defenders and winning 1-on-1s very easily I think the most impressive part of his game was his feet. Daniels does a great job of not telegraphing what route he is going to run. In a 1 on 1 rep, he torched the defensive back making him think he was going to go inside but instead went outside. He looks like a refined player heading into his senior season. He is coming off a 31-reception, 700-yard all-purpose season for Greater Atlanta Christian.
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