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Blake Baumgartner, ESPN Staff Writer
Before they take the field as college football players on Saturdays, several of the top recruits in the 2024 ESPN 300 are playing underneath the lights on weeknights.
Michigan running back commit Jordan Marshall (No. 148 overall) set a new bar at Ohio power Moeller High School on Friday, breaking Marcus Blanks’ career rushing mark of 4,098 yards amid a 38-7 victory against Elder High School (Ohio).
Blanks went on to play at Toledo after graduating in 2001, and Marshall bypassed the home state Buckeyes when he committed to Jim Harbaugh and the Wolverines in March.
Meanwhile, Belle Vernon High School’s (Pennsylvania) Quinton Martin (No. 46 overall), the third-best running back in the cycle and a Penn State commit, had four first-half touchdowns on Friday during a 57-6 victory against South Allegheny High (Pennsylvania).
Here’s how some of the nation’s other top recruits fared this week.
Jaylen Mbakwe (No. 4 overall), the second-best cornerback in the class, had an absolutely huge night on the ground for Clay-Chalkville High School (Alabama) on Thursday against Thompson High School (Alabama).
He ran for 268 yards and five touchdowns in a 36-33 victory, improving the Cougars to 6-0 on the season.
Mbakwe can’t be stopped 😲
5️⃣ touchdowns THIS GAME @JayMbakwe | @CCHSfootbal pic.twitter.com/53fle7xQ3h
— SportsCenter NEXT (@SCNext) September 29, 2023
Mbakwe is the top defensive prospect in Alabama’s class, which ranks fifth.
Stephenson (No. 200 overall) is one of five ESPN 300 pledges for new Stanford coach Troy Taylor in a class that’s ranked 22nd in the country. Stephenson’s ability to wreak havoc off the edge, as demonstrated by this safety in Miami’s Christopher Columbus High School’s 44-0 victory over Miami High on Thursday, will be a welcome addition on the Farm.
Safety by Columbus!!! By Dylan Stephenson!!! Explorers lead 9-0!!! Let’s go Explorers!!! 🏈 #adelante #cpride pic.twitter.com/N2R1XhYYGy
— CCNN Live (@CCNNLive) September 28, 2023
Through four games this season, Stephenson had 12 tackles (eight solo). As a junior for a team that went 14-1 in 2022, he recorded 22 tackles (20 solo) with four tackles for loss and five sacks.
Stover (No. 113 overall) is one of 14 ESPN 300 prospects in an Ohio State class that ranks second overall, behind only Georgia.
Stover, the seventh-best safety in the cycle, played most of Big Walnut High School’s (Ohio) game against Worthington Kilbourne (Ohio) with a broken thumb but didn’t let that derail him in a 49-7 victory.
Ohio State commit Garrett Stover has been all over the field as Big Walnut leads Worthington Kilbourne 28-0 at halftime.
Unofficially, I counted nine first-half tackles for Stover. He really laid the wood on this one. pic.twitter.com/rfhCHYLUWT
— Dan Hope (@Dan_Hope) September 29, 2023
Stover is accompanied by Seton Hall Prep’s (New Jersey) Jaylen McClain (No. 149 overall) as ESPN 300 safeties for the Buckeyes.
Williams (No. 14 overall) is one of two top-25 defenders, along with defensive tackle Joseph Jonah-Ajonye (No. 21 overall), from Oak Ridge High School (Texas).
The close friends are both headed to Georgia, and Williams dominated in a 48-21 victory over Conroe (Texas) on Thursday.
Williams, the highest-ranked defensive prospect in the Bulldogs’ 2024 haul, could see time early on in Athens, Georgia, because of his ability to find his way into the opposing backfield.
😳 @Justinwilliamz4 #GoDawgs pic.twitter.com/V8x2wn6aCH
— Greg Powers 🏟️ (@GPowersScout) September 29, 2023
Kirby Smart and Georgia have the top-ranked class and nine of its 19 ESPN 300 prospects reside within the top 75.
Patterson (No. 76 overall) has big plans for his hometown school, Miami, and wants to help Mario Cristobal lead it back to prominence. Friday night for Chaminade-Madonna Prep (Florida) against Coconut Creek (Florida), Patterson, who came into the weekend with 35 tackles (17 solo) and an interception this season, flashed some of the instincts that should have the Hurricanes’ defensive staff smiling.
Miami commit Zaquan Patterson with another pick. pic.twitter.com/5bbcSLVrU1
— David Wilson (@DBWilson2) September 29, 2023
Miami’s class is 14th in ESPN’s latest rankings.
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