SI99: A look at Prospects Ranked No. 41-50
SI All-American continues ongoing analysis of the top prospects in the class of 2021 after releasing the SI99 Monday.
[Prospects 1-10, 11-20, 21-30, 31-40]
41. S Terrion Arnold, Tallahassee (Fla.) St. John Paul II
6-foot-2, 187 pounds
Considering Alabama, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Notre Dame, LSU, Auburn, Miami and Georgia Tech.
The more you dig into Arnold's athletic profile, and not just on the football field, the more intrigued one becomes as an evaluator. The long and wiry prospect has turned heads as a vertical ride receiver, savvy run-after-catch returner and of course as a balanced safety capable of laying some lumber in addition to playing the apex at an ideal rate. Mix in legitimate bounce as an above-the-rim basketball player and you see why he's risen up just about everybody's board in the last 12 months. As a safety, Arnold flashes instincts and a dynamic impact at the catch point with true lower-body explosion on display. The raw traits for a game-breaking talent exist and it's only a matter of time before singular position focus leads to considerable gains in the polish department.
42. Slot Christian Leary, Orlando (Fla.) Edgewater
5-foot-9, 180 pounds
Committed to Alabama
There's no doubt who the fastest slot talent on this list is. Leary is a blur and it doesn't take him long to ramp up that lower body power all the way to full tilt. While the polish, compared to a guy like Williams, isn't quite as developed, there isn't a bigger home run threat at the position. Only a part-time wideout in high school, his experience in the backfield and in the return game provides stunning showcases of vision, elusiveness and even lateral ability that make the slot position projection an easy call. As his understanding of the route tree expands into the future, Leary's strong hands and natural tools should get him on the field in space early in his college career.
43. CB Nathaniel Wiggins, Atlanta (Ga.) Westlake
6-foot-2, 175 pounds
Considering LSU, Florida, USC, Oregon and others
Wiggins has ideal size and length at 6-foot-2 that could see him potentially develop into a boundary corner at the next level, and he has the confidence to do so. He uses a motor technique in press alignments at the line, and he can copy and mirror well to match receivers’ stems with feel, anticipation and mental processing. Gifted with fluid movement skills, Wiggins also has experience playing receiver, and his ball skills translate over in spades in coverage at catch-points. Along with his knack for undercutting routes, the Georgia native can simply climb ladders with big receivers in the red zone and match their leap timing with his length and challenge high-points. As he continues to add mass to his frame, there’s no reason Wiggins shouldn’t ascend to a starting corner in a few seasons at the collegiate level.
44. TE-Y Cane Berrong, Hartwell (Ga.) Hart County
6-foot-4, 230 pounds
Committed to Notre Dame
While we list him as the top Y-Tight End prospect currently on our positional board, Berrong could just as easily be the top H-tight end as well. The Georgia native has ideal formational flexibility to be productive from many different alignments. Be it as a traditional in-line player, flexed in the slot, on the perimeter or from the wing, the Notre Dame commitment can produce and win his isolation matchups, while also presenting as a fine chess piece in an offensive scheme. Berrong has a plus receiving package, led by his solid hands and ability to catch in a crowd. His speed in the open field shows up on tape, as Berrong can turn shallows, crossers, drags and flats into chunk plays, while stretching the seams. He’s an impressive blocker, who can also be asked to escort runners through alleys in the run game. Berrong’s floor is among the highest in this class, and we feel strongly that he will ascend into a productive player in South Bend.
45. TE-Y Thomas Fidone, Council Bluffs (Iowa) Lewis Central
6-foot-5, 225 pounds
Schools of interest: LSU, Nebraska, Iowa and Michigan, among others
Fidone is the best pure receiver in the country among high-end tight end prospects. He essentially is a big slot receiver right now, often aligning as a flex player. He has the length of a Y-tight end, but the movement skills of an H. Fidone has solid route-running traits, where he can grow gaps on in-breaking routes. He can also put stress on ‘backers and safeties on deep overs and climb the ladder on slot fades and posts. Fidone can also work as a boundary-X receiver and win his isolation matchups. While he’s a willing blocker, Fidone will require some seasoning in this area of his game, though his length and athleticism definitely will be foundational assets to work with. However, he is the ideal tight end prospect for today’s pass-happy game and could make the biggest long-term impact wherever he ends up out of all players on this list.
46. WR Jacorey Brooks, Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy
6-foot-2, 185 pounds
Committed to Alabama
Another very productive bigger target, Brooks has been able to excel against elite competition for years. His polish isn't at the same level as others on this list but his strengths are overwhelming and dominant on Friday nights. The physicality with or without the football jumps off the tape and translates to advantages in tight quarters, with the ball in the air, as a run supporter and especially after the catch. Brooks' instincts and plus athleticism allow him to impact all three levels of the defense and he shows true ball skills and finishing ability thereafter. Alabama has crafted the wideout position as well as any program of late and the Miami native may be the best fit in the next bunch.
47. OT Kingsley Suamataia, Orem (Utah) High
6-foot-4, 278 pounds
Schools of Interest: Oregon, BYU and Georgia, among others
Suamataia can bend well for his size and is a well-balanced athlete with good lower-trunk athleticism. He’s effective both versus the run and pass, as he uses good agility and redirect ability to execute his assignments. He can pull and trap, as well as reach and climb from deuce blocks. Suamataia has good movement skills to mirror in pass-protection and can instinctively counter with his mitts during a rush. While he could be a great guard at the college level, we feel he projects well as a left tackle who excels in zone-blocking concepts in the run game.
48. DE Elijah Jeudy, Philadelphia (Pa.) Northeast
6-foot-3, 240 pounds
Committed to Georgia
Jeudy’s tape is among the most fun to watch in this class. He spent most of his junior season dealing with a hand/wrist injury, thus a cast/club was on him. However, his snap quickness was still evident. Jeudy routinely jumps on top of offensive tackles at the snap, forcing them to open their hips and creating an easy entry point for him as he simultaneously achieves a good bend and dip to corner to passers. Jeudy features a classic speed rush that he can convert to power when he needs to, as well as a spin, 2-hand swipe and a rip, which is his prominent counter versus blockers. He appears to be adding mass to his frame, which should allow him to hold up well on the edge in the run game. The more we study Jeudy on tape, the more obvious it appears he has the skill set of a “Jack” in head coach Kirby Smart’s defensive scheme.
49. CB Ga'Quincy McKinstry, Pinson (Ala.) Pinson Valley
6-foot, 175 pounds
Considering Alabama, Auburn and LSU
Known as 'Kool-Aid' regionally and perhaps nationally by now, the two-sport star is one of the top pure athletes in the class of 2021. With legitimate basketball offers and plans to play at his trio of SEC West finalists, McKinstry combines length, bounce and ball skills like few defensive back projections nationally. Considerable time in hoops and at wide receiver on Friday nights limits the true body of work as a press-man cornerback type, but the limited samples and overall ability is too strong to ignore on this list. If and when he focused on one position, or sport, there isn’t much of an athletic ceiling in his game — the same reason his prospects in the secondary are so intriguing. If there is a prospect on this list who can climb up the ranks rather quickly this fall, we'd bet on McKinstry at this time.
50. LB Julien Simon, Tacoma (Wash.) Lincoln
6-foot-2, 220 pounds
Committed to Southern Cal
If three-down value is as important as it's ever been for the off-ball bunch, Simon belongs on this list as much as any other prospect. He is likely the most complete coverage prospect on the list, both athletically and tangibly as a four-year high school starter in Washington. The future Trojan has a versatile background, including stops at running back and wide receiver, where many of the vision, anticipation and ball skill characteristics translate to defense without a hitch. Physically impressive since he was a middle school football star some five years ago, Simon's fluid movement skills, play recognition and raw speed can help him hold his own as a run defender. He's at his best working from outside in and displays well above average strength at the point of contact, foundational traits that will help his full-time move to defense once at Washington for good.
More SI99 Coverage
Inaugural SI All-American SI99 Released
College Programs Dominating the SI99
SIAA's 2021 Rankings by Position
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