Underclassmen Steal the Show at Under Armour Atlanta
ALPHARETTA, Ga. — During the 2021 Atlanta Under Armour camp, numerous underclassmen shined bright despite the immense rising-senior level talent showcasing ability at Denmark High School.
The underclassmen heavily contributed to the overall talent pool. From quarterback to defensive back, this was an incredible group of young players.
SI All-American could have listed 30 or more underclassmen of note, so keep in mind this is just some of the top underclassmen who caught our collective attention.
Jaiden Ausberry, LB, 6-2, 200, Baton Rouge (La.) University Lab - Class of 2023
Ausberry’s defensive playmaking ability stood out despite a plethora of speedy running backs playing against him. He showed the hips to turn and run without giving up much ground, the speed to keep up, and good length to deflect passes. Bottom line, the Louisiana product is a modern linebacker that plays well in space.
Adam Hopkins, WR, 6-0, 170, Thomasville (Ga.) Thomas County Central - 2023
As smooth as any wide receiver in attendance, Hopkins embodies the definition of the word competitor. Whether it was the wide receiver gauntlet where Hopkins would catch a pass and move to the next pass with ease, or cutting out of his break and making a catch, Hopkins shined. Overall, Hopkins did three essential items well: catch the ball away from his body, change direction against man coverage, and excelerate to run past defenders.
Kayin Lee, CB, 6-0, 160, Ellenwood (Ga.) Cedar Grove - 2023
One of the best pure cover cornerbacks at Under Armour, Lee can turn and run with just about any wide receiver in the country. The long and lean frame of Lee allows him to contort his body in the air to make a play, and he’s capable of breaking on the football with fantastic acceleration. Overall, Lee creates very little space for the quarterback to throw the football to a wide receiver. Lee is one of the nation’s top cornerbacks for 2023.
AJ Harris, CB, 6-2, 184, Phenix City (Ala.) Glenwood
It’s rare for a player that’s physically suited to play boundary cornerback to also be able to change direction and run like a field cornerback, but that certainly defines Harris. A big-time athlete first and foremost, Harris is really hard to throw passes beyond his reach and he’s really fast as well. Even when trailing a wide receiver, Harris flashed the speed to not only make the distance, but also make an interception. For the day, Harris recorded two interceptions and a pass deflection during one-on-ones.
Kamari McClellan, QB, 6-3, 170, Oxford, (Ala.) High School - 2024
McClellan has an easy over-the-top motion, provides touch on the deep ball, and throws with really good timing. While possessing three additional years of high school to improve, this young man already has a savviness to his game. He allowed his wide receivers space to make catches, and threw very few passes that were not catchable during one-on-ones. McClellan was awarded quarterback MVP by the Under Armour
RJ Hamilton, WR, 5-10, 170, Hoover (Ala.) High School - 2023
While committed to Vanderbilt for baseball and planning to stick with baseball, Hamilton was a beast during one-on-one drills. He had the catch of the day during an underthrown pass down the right sideline. During the play, Hamilton leaped high in the air, and reached his hands over the defensive back for the grab despite crashing down in the end zone. Overall, he’s extremely quick, possesses elite hands, and his second gear left several defensive backs in his wake. If he decides to go football instead of baseball…
Keldric Faulk, DE, 6-5, 243, Highland Home (Ala.) High School - 2023
If you like length, Faulk is your guy. With a self-reported 85-inch wing span, Faulk showed the ability to fire out of his stance, bend well, change direction, and keep his feet churning after engaging with an offensive tackle. His frame is very lean and there’s room for another 30 pounds without any question. Very few defensive ends possess the long-term upside of Faulk.
Lebbeus Overton, DE, 6-4, 268, Milton (Ga.) High School - 2023
There was quite a bit of hype regarding Overton coming into Under Armour, and he’s certainly a great prospect that’s earned his reputation. On the hoof, he surpasses the eye test with ease. In drills, he changed direction extremely well, and showed good flexibility. During his one-on-one reps, Overton proved he’s an intelligent player. He made a great underneath club-rip move during the first match up. Immediately after, he countered his first move by going outside the offensive tackle by using a slap move to knock down the offensive tackle’s hands. There’s a bright future ahead for young Mr. Overton.
Jace Arnold, CB, 5-11, 180, Marietta (Ga.) High School - 2023
An extremely well developed and physical cornerback, Arnold provides more than just the usual speed and quickness associated with a cornerback. He’s timely when he reaches for the football, mirrors wide receivers well beyond five yards from the line of scrimmage, and plays with a physical nature. Yes, Arnold does possess the makeup speed needed to be a really good college defensive back, but he’s most notably a savvy cornerback that understands how and when to break up a pass with his hand-eye coordination and understanding for the game of football.
TJ Searcy, DE, 6-5, 250, Thomaston (Ga.) Upson Lee - 2023
A player that played standing up at outside linebacker as a sophomore, Searcy could play multiple college positions. At Under Armour, Searcy presented tremendous power in his hips to defeat blocks with power moves. Also a good sign of Searcy’s future is how he would redirect his pass rush and keep moving his feet if he faced resistance from an offensive linemen. Good effort player with a high upside.
RyQueze McElderry, OG, 6-3, 345, Anniston (Ala.) High School - 2023
McElderry was arguably the most aggressive offensive lineman at Sunday’s Under Armour camp. The massive interior offensive lineman flexed his muscle during pass rush drills, and he also showed he can move his feet. Agile and quick despite his natural size, McEldeery also moves well enough to pass set and redirect much smaller defensive ends
Dee Crayton, ILB, 6-2, 212, Alpharetta (Ga.) Denmark - 2023
During the regular season, Crayton already showed he’s a linebacker that can play in the box against power football teams. Sunday, however, Crayton showed definitively he can cover like a big safety. Physical and quick, Crayton turned his body very well in space. Time and again, Crayton stayed with much smaller running backs and disrupted passes that looked like they would be sure catches.
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