CARROLLTON, Ga. — As per usual, a national camp tour’s stop in Atlanta drew not only elite talent from multiple states, but top-end performances against strong competition that should play plenty into the next batch of rankings updates.
Rivals.com national recruiting analyst John Garcia was on hand for the Under Armour camp and shares 10 takeaways to consider from some of the head-turners in attendance.
The top sophomore in Georgia after Julian Lewis reclassified, Atkinson took a ton of reps on Sunday as he worked with both the defensive line and linebacker groups. Atkinson met drills and competitive situations with a ferocious effort, the type of motor that made attaining triple-digit tackles at a powerhouse program like Loganville (Ga.) Grayson look like light work in 2023. Atkinson has all the tools to be an edge or off-ball prospect at the next level, with plenty of room to continue to fill out over the next few years. Great length on top of the twitch, quick gear and instincts make him among the most intriguing football players regardless of position or class. Georgia won’t be easy for anyone to beat in this race, which could come to a close this year despite Atkinson’s youth.
*****
In a loaded defensive line field, Autry had as good of a showing as any prospect up front. The four-star prospect carries 300 pounds very well and he moved swiftly, winning with power but more impressively with a sly spin move when the blocker anticipated leverage and power. Autry’s stock is rising and he should see a rankings bump in the coming weeks. He committed to Auburn last February and has visited the Tigers more than any other program, but Georgia, Alabama, Miami and others are still trying to make things interesting here.
The in-state Georgia commitment was ultra productive in 2023 and looked so comfortable working the middle of the field on Sunday. Barbour isn’t the biggest, fastest or strongest tight end but he has a balanced skill set built for space. The great feel he has for positioning is complimented by strong route-running skills and excellent hands on the back end. Barbour has also appeared to have trimmed up his frame in looking more like a jumbo wide receiver or basketball player than conventional tight end. Other programs continue to contest, but Georgia’s tight end history will likely help the program hold on even as the junior’s stock rises.
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The MVP among pass rushers per the staff on-hand, Carter showed up bigger and better than expected with a wide array of moves worked into his pass rushing skill set. He has the frame to continue to put on great mass, but looked comfortable on the inside as well, winning with polished moves using his extension and even a hesitation move that drew a response from the crowd. Carter is becoming a high priority recruit this offseason, with Auburn, Texas A&M and Mississippi State all joining the offer party in the last few weeks.
We’re not sure a top-five athlete and Rivals250 prospect can “break out” at a camp with so many offers in hand, but if it’s possible Sunday was that day for Johnson. The two-way stay lines up all over the field on Friday nights but on Sunday he worked at linebacker and took home MVP honors despite stiff competition. One of the onlookers counted six different reps in which Johnson was able to get his hands on the football, showcasing a complete three-down skill set. Hybrid safety, nickel linebacker or traditional linebacker, Johnson has the frame and game to be able to assimilate with relative ease. Just as fascinating as his on-field prowess will be his recruitment, where Florida State, Alabama, Tennessee and UCF are in the best shape though in-state Georgia has picked up the communication of late.
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Rivals has seen Lacey work live countless times, yet he continues to showcase easy touch and consistency within his game. The Texas commitment, who is still being pursued by Auburn, Ole Miss and others, had a hop in his step throughout the workout and delivered catchable balls to his targets. Lacey has a quick motion and is comfortable working off-platform, essential in the modern game and part of the reason he continues to be so coveted nationally. The junior is in total control from an execution standpoint and he showed another layer of competitiveness along the way Sunday in throwing alongside Julian Lewis for most of the workout. There are more similarities than differences between the pair of top-five passers.
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Lewis was working on his home turf in front of a massive crowd of credentialed media — so anything less than a stellar workout would have created some chatter. Lewis didn’t let it happen despite plenty of rock-solid arms in attendance. Everything looked easy, routine and precise for the USC commitment, who sprayed the ball to all three levels with audible reaction. The timing, touch and accuracy are all easy boxes Lewis checks, which is also why Georgia, Alabama and many others aren’t giving up in their pursuit of the generational talent.
*****
A sleeper no more, there has been a lot of buzz for the two-way talent out of Montgomery (Ala.) Carver, but he worked at wide receiver and looked incredibly natural in Atlanta. Norman hauled in 10 touchdowns and more than 700 yards worth of passes as a junior and on Sunday he continued the momentum with strong route-running, body control and top-end speed that created easy separation. He made one of the plays of the afternoon session in making a nasty double-move and finishing well at the catch point just as the audience went ‘ooh’ and ‘ahh.’ Norman has fluid hips and can get to top speed in a hurry, too, so as he fills out his game should be enhanced that much more. Arkansas and Ole Miss kicked off a strong run of offers in late January, but more are likely on deck.
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Few offensive tackle types are built like the long, lean and broad Payne, but he played even better than he looked on Sunday. Not only was he stout enough for bigger prospects, but the smaller, speedy edge types at the event couldn’t out-leverage Payne with speed either. The North Carolina commitment was able to give ground in large volume and redirect inside-out against prospects with second-level offers at the Power Four level. In the modern, pass-first era of the sport, prospects like Payne are not only the body type all colleges are looking for, it’s the type of athletic profile that excels even as the typical pass rusher gets smaller and more specialized. It looks like the Tar Heels found a gem.
*****
The longtime Georgia commitment and five-star came in with a lot of hype and more than backed it up. Terry is just college-ready, it’s hard to say otherwise as the last few times we’ve seen him work he continues to look better and better each time — not only technically as a balanced interior rusher, but also physically. Terry says he came in at 263 pounds fresh off of a season in which he played both ways for Manchester (Ga.) High and helped the program make a state title run. He is borderline chiseled despite being an interior progression and he dominates on the field as much as anyone could ask. It’s no wonder plenty of programs are trying to sway Terry off of Georgia, though any flip won’t be an easy feat.
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John Garcia Jr., National Recruiting Analyst
