re: Class of 2018 Recruiting MEGATHREAD: So Long Old Friend Edition

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At the close of the high school football season, and with all-star games and All-American games to observe, there will be heavy overhauls to the national rankings on 247Sports in the class of 2018. But already, with most teams nearing the midway point of the season, there are some players that have caught our eyes. These are a few players that have gotten Top247 bumps based in large part on what we’ve seen this fall.

Trevor Lawrence – Lawrence, the Clemson commit, remains No. 2 in the country behind Justin Fields but we’ve upgraded his rating to be on par with Field’s with a franchise grade of 100. Both have an opportunity to finish with the highest grade we’ve ever given a quarterback. In five games, Lawrence has more than 1,500 yards passing and 15 touchdowns to one interception.

Quay Walker – An Alabama commit out of south Georgia, Walker shows impressive athleticism on the basketball court, he’s got the ability to split out and play receiver on the football field but he’s most impressive as a space, edge defender, an area that he’s excelled this fall. Walker has moved up inside the Top100 because of his 6-4 frame and ability to impact the game as a pass rusher.

Tyler Manoa – Turn on one game’s worth of film from his senior year and Manoa’s physicality jumps off the screen. He’s also one of the more athletic interior defenders in this class. Manoa has jumped from a three-star rating into the Top100 and is considering Arizona, Cal, UCLA and Utah.

Rodrick Fisher – Fisher is off to another great start to his season after really emerging last year out of nowhere as a big-time talent. He’s committed to Washington State and at 6-foot-2, 200-pounds with 10.4 speed in the 100-meters and outstanding explosiveness, Fisher is one of the best pure athletes in this entire class. He’s an Army All-American that could see his stock climb even higher but he’s currently ranked right outside of the Top100.

Abdul-Malik McClain – The most athletic edge defender in California, McClain has been dominating the Trinity League and he’s a player our friends at Scout.com have been high on. After taking a closer look, we agree. McClain is a UCLA commit that has a chance to continue the tradition of scary pass rushers in Westwood. He’s up to right outside the Top100 after picking up 8 sacks in his first four games.

Kyler Gordon – He’s likely a cornerback on the next level but his ability to make plays everywhere on the football field is what impresses us about Gordon. He lines up at running back, wide receiver, safety or corner. He showcases big play ability with the ball in his hands, ball skills to make a play in the air and physicality in run support. Notre Dame, Washington and Stanford are the schools to watch. Gordon is up to the Top150 range nationally.

D'Marcus Adams – Adams is a player that was somewhat overlooked last season but us but he has tested off the charts this offseason in terms of speed and athleticism. He’s also a guy that impressed us in reviewing his junior film. We just wanted to see him follow that up with a strong start to his senior season and he has. The Florida State commit is up inside the Top200 nationally and is an Army All-American Bowl invite.

DaShaun White – This is all about the film. Turn on the senior film for White and it’s hard not to like what you see. The kid plays the linebacker position with his hair on fire, he’s a violent tackler and he’s got the athleticism to make plays on the perimeter and behind the line of scrimmage. White is a Texas A&M commit and also been moved up inside the Top200.

Jeffrey Jenkins – Jenkins has seen his stock really rise as a senior based on what he’s put on film. His name is buzzing in college recruiting offices but he’s committed to Iowa. He’s strong, tough, blue-collar interior player that plays both sides of the ball in high school and will fit in well in Iowa City.

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