UA Sport Week: The Garcia-Smith Awards
The 2025 Beneath Armour Subsequent All-America Sport week has come to a detailed and Rivals appears to be like again on among the shining moments with a mock awards presentation from analysts John Garcia Jr. and Greg Smith.
Dr. Dominant – Elijah Griffin
It has been stated at size all week, from analysts to coaches and even from his friends – Griffin had a rating of the highest performances amongst All-Individuals extra instances than not. The Georgia signee not solely appears to be like like the highest inside defender within the class of 2025, however he’s doubtless going to push increased up the general rankings with the kind of energy, quickness and sheer playmaking means Griffin showcased in opposition to fellow blue-chip recruits.
He nonetheless has room so as to add mass and there will probably be extra instruments added to his pass-rushing software equipment on the subsequent degree, so betting on the five-star looks like a no brainer at this level.
Stroll it, Speak it – DaKorien Moore
This goes to the recruit who let others know he was elite and confirmed it. Moore did so all through the follow classes, even scoring a number of instances in a downspout, however he saved among the electrical energy for the sport in breaking the ice on an 83-yard punt return for a landing.
On prime of it, he was capable of showcase simple catch-and-run expertise thereafter, tallying 53 yards on simply three catches.
The Oregon signee has been the No. 1 broad receiver projection for greater than a yr and there aren’t any clear challengers forward of the ultimate rating launch.
Nice Shock – JaReylan McCoy
We knew coming into the occasion that McCoy is an efficient prospect. However what we discovered in the course of the week of follow and in the course of the Beneath Armour All-America Sport is how versatile of a participant he’s.
Standing at 6-foot-7, 250 kilos, the Mississippi native appears to be like the a part of a basic defensive finish. He performs with good leverage and has a heavy punch to knock tackles off-balance.
However his means to face up and rush the passer off the sting will put him in competition to play early and infrequently at LSU. You don’t see a participant his dimension shifting that effectively in house.
Provide Celebration on Deck – J’Vari Flowers
It’s been an excellent 12 months for the junior expertise. He took dwelling the state 100-meter sprint crown in Florida final spring, broke out for Miami Northwestern throughout a state championship run within the fall and made the play of the UA Sport with a diving interception to kick off the New Yr.
Flowers holds appreciable gives and simply added Florida State to the combination, however extra are absolutely on the way in which as applications flip the web page to 2026 and proceed to understand the speedster is a soccer participant first. Actually, he’s newer to trace and discipline over the previous few years, considerably of one other indication of the ceiling he might deliver to the desk.
Flowers’ father stated his cellphone started ringing off the hook for the reason that prime 100 expertise’s large play on nationwide tv. Early within the week Flowers stated he want to add Oregon and Michigan to his rising checklist.
The Madman – Izayia Williams
There have been a number of prospects seeking to splash with large hits in the course of the UA Sport Thursday – Keon Younger, Zech Fort, Jordan Campbell and extra – however Williams was capable of make it depend on a number of events with the total gear on.
The junior had almost double the quantity of tackles of another defender on both group (seven whole), as he was ready all week to unleash downhill with true contact. Williams has nice pace, even maintaining with elite dual-threat QB Keelon Russell on one event, and it interprets to energy upon contact.
There’s additionally a powerful motor current right here and it added as much as sideline-to-sideline tackling samples and flashes of three-down vary for the blue-chip recruit.
Future Faculty Captain – Gavin Nix
It doesn’t take lengthy speaking to Nix to grasp why he’d be a coach’s dream. In an interview setting, he offers considerate and insightful solutions. He’ll be a mainstay on the rostrum as soon as he will get to Eugene.
On the soccer discipline he’s a vocal chief that’s all the time getting gamers into the proper positions. He’s additionally a terrific linebacker prospect that may play sideline-to-sideline, the basic package deal that allowed for the Oregon signee to be a captain for IMG Academy and on the UA Sport alike.
The Brick Wall – Juan Gaston
It was robust sledding all week lengthy for any defender attempting to get by Gaston. The Georgia signee is a dominant blocker within the cellphone sales space as soon as he engages with a defender. His sheer dimension (6-8, 340) makes it robust for opponents to get by him however the stunning factor was how effectively he moved his ft.
Not many defensive linemen had been capable of get the most effective of the Bulldog, who has a case to work at guard or deal with on the subsequent degree.
5-star Stamp – Michael Fasusi
The Oklahoma signee got here into the week with excessive expectations of his play and did nothing to recommend that he isn’t one of many prime offensive linemen within the nation. He’s acquired an excellent body with little or no dangerous weight. He has room to proceed getting greater and stronger within the Sooners’ weight room, too.
Fasusi has candy ft, permitting him to maneuver rapidly to cease defenders or redirect with ease. He’s precisely what a five-star offensive deal with ought to appear to be and he carried out that method, too.
Mr. Dependable – Donovan Olugbode
Blink and also you’ll miss it, however then you definitely’ll in all probability see it once more anyway. The Missouri dedication isn’t the flashiest wideout however he simply continues to make performs in elite settings and in opposition to elite defensive backs whether or not it was through the years at IMG Academy or actually all through UA week.
Olugbode led the sport with 5 catches, racking up 67 yards in DO trend – beneath the radar. One was on a slant the place the defender had no likelihood off the road of scrimmage whereas one other was on a hitch on the line of scrimmage the place he might showcase some run-after-catch physicality.
From the routes to the palms and talent in visitors, Olugbode simply will get the job accomplished and it should not shock anybody when he does so at Missouri.
Workforce Powerful – Will Griffin
The Florida quarterback dedication injured his throwing shoulder on his fourth snap of the sport after which his fellow QB Keelon Russell went down. As the one different passer on the roster, the junior stepped in and made some performs in serving to Workforce Icon maintain off the Workforce Unstoppable comeback try, enduring some large hits from Elijah Griffin, Zion Elee, JaReylan McCoy and a number of other others alongside the way in which.
Although slowed down, Griffin stood tall within the pocket and absorbed the contact earlier than bouncing again time and time once more. The Rivals250 member made some good performs on the run and when he was on time, few might acknowledge the ache he was taking part in by means of.
