Thomas Johnston (Photo: Shea Dixon, 247Sports)
Prospect of the Week
There has been another record broken in 2016 and the new record holder is Thomas Johnston. The linebacker out of Spanish Fort (Ala.) had 17 tackles against Tuscaloosa (Ala.) Hillcrest Friday night and he now has 661 tackles for his career. The record in Alabama for tackles was 622, so he has surpassed that by 39. The four star is looking hard at Arkansas and LSU right now, and he has already visited each school once this fall. Johnston is a machine on the football field. He is football tough, he has great instincts, he wraps up well and he is a natural leader.
Underclassman of the Week
K.J. Henry is a 2018 6-foot-5, 230 pound athlete out of Clemmons (N.C.) West Forsth. He is the No. 75 junior in the country and he has already been selected to play in the Army All-American game next year. He has scholarship offers from schools across the country and he just visited Alabama over the weekend and he has also visited Clemson, Georgia, Pittsburgh, South Carolina and Virginia Tech. In one game this season against High Point (N.C.) Central, Henry had a pick six (26 yards), six tackles, three hurries, a sack and a receiving touchdown on offense of 30 yards.
Prospect on the Rise
Scout has evaluated plenty of prospects this season, and one in the South that is drawing a lot interest from SEC schools is Myles Sims. The defensive back out of Atlanta (Ga.) Westlake is 6-2, 175 pounds with great length, good ball skills and he could like up at corner or free safety. He recently added offers from Alabama and Georgia giving him close to 20 total. He has been a four star for months, but his numerical ranking of No. 275 in the country is going to change soon. He is going to make a move up the rankings due to his play this season combined with his size, skill set and potential. He is on track to be one of the top 2018 prospects in Georgia and one of the top defensive backs in his class.
Visit of the Week
Mississippi State will host one of the top offensive linemen in the state of Florida for an official visit this weekend. Jerry Drake Jr. of Palm Beach Gardens (Fla.) is set to trip to Starkville (Miss.) and he may not be too far from making a decision. The No. 5 offensive guard in Florida has taken official visits to South Carolina and Tennessee so far. A decision is likely coming soon. He has said all along that he would like to commit late in November or early in December. Other schools like North Carolina, Oklahoma and West Virginia are involved here too. This one could come down to two in the SEC, the Gamecocks and the Volunteers, but the Bulldogs could change that with their chance to impress this weekend.
Commitment Watch
Garner (N.C.) defensive tackle Matthew Butler took his fourth official visit over the weekend to Texas A&M. Along with the Aggies he has officially visited Duke, NC State and Penn State. His final trip, which should be scheduled in the near future, will either go to South Carolina or Tennessee. Following that visit, look for the South’s No. 10 defensive tackle to make a decision shortly thereafter. The ACC schools led early, but it appears the SEC programs have momentum now.
