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Blake Baumgartner, ESPN Staff Writer
Before they take the field as college football players on Saturdays, some of the top recruits in the 2024 ESPN 300 and 2025 ESPN 300 are playing underneath the lights on weeknights.
Penn State’s defense enters play Saturday ranked second in the FBS both in total defense and scoring defense and is a big reason the Nittany Lions are off to a 6-1 start.
Mandarin High School (Florida) cornerback Jon Mitchell (No. 137 overall) will join that defense next year as one of 12 ESPN 300 pledges in the Nittany Lions’ 10th-ranked recruiting class. Mitchell had a pair of interceptions, including a pick-six, Thursday night in Mandarin’s 43-0 shutout victory over Sandalwood High School (Florida) — which clinched a 4M District 1 championship for the Mustangs in the process.
Mandarin outscored its two district opponents by a combined margin of 73-0.
Here’s how some other of the nation’s top recruits looked this week.
WR Jaime Ffrench Jr. (committed to Alabama)
Nick Saban and Alabama have commitments from two of the top three wide receivers in the junior class: Ryan Williams (No. 3 overall in 2025) and Ffrench (No. 15 overall in 2025).
Ffrench’s acrobatics were on display in Mandarin High School’s (Florida) 43-0 shutout of Sandalwood High School (Florida) on Thursday night.
🗒️Just like they designed it 🗒️
The ball just seems to find Jaime Ffrench Jr.
(@jaimeffrenchjr)
🎯Tramell Jones Jr. (@TramellJonesJr)
🙌🙌@Mandarin_HS_FB I @sports4jax I #News4jaxVarsity pic.twitter.com/go71eel7Q6
— Jamal St. Cyr (@JStCyrTV) October 27, 2023
In nine games this season, he has 36 catches for 816 yards and 10 touchdowns.
RB Harlem Berry (No. 18, class of 2025)
Berry, the top running back in the junior class, tallied five touchdowns in the first half Thursday in St. Martin’s Episcopal High School’s (Louisiana) 56-12 victory over Cohen High School (Louisiana).
WATCH: St. Martin’s Episcopal ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ RB Harlem Berry (’25) scores on offense, defense and special teams (5 first half TDs) with LSU head coach Brian Kelly in the house. Full game highlights tomorrow night on @FOX8NOLA
(@HarlemBerry25) pic.twitter.com/YlSdImhrkX
— Jeff Haeger (@TheJeffTakeWVUE) October 27, 2023
Berry has numerous offers, including from LSU, Florida, Oklahoma, Texas and USC.
Underwood is the prize within the 2025 class coaches all over the country are after.
Underwood, the top player in the 2025 ESPN 300, led the way for undefeated Belleville High School (Michigan) on Friday against Ann Arbor Huron High School in a 48-7 victory in the first round of the MHSAA postseason.
Bryce Underwood with a 4th down TD run to put Belleville up 13-0 pic.twitter.com/N7qz4B3BYY
— Derek Screwball (@phenom1984) October 27, 2023
Underwood completed 68 percent of his passes for 2,051 passing yards with 26 touchdowns passes and just one interception during the nine-game regular season.
WR Cam Williams (committed to Notre Dame)
Williams (No. 49 overall in 2024) is a nice pairing with fellow four-star prospect QB C.J. Carr for Notre Dame as it continues to build up a class that’s inside the top 15 (14th overall).
Williams didn’t let the rain impact him as he helped Glenbard South High School (Illinois) open up the IHSA’s Class 5A postseason with a 54-0 shutout of Noble St. Charter/UIC (Illinois).
Cam in the Wildcat
2024 All-American Cam Williams (@cam_will30) extends the lead for @GlenbardSouthFB #GoIrish ☘️ #AllAmericanBowl 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/BNTEOJNtlR
— All-American Bowl (@AABonNBC) October 27, 2023
Through seven games, Williams had 32 receptions for 685 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns to go with 265 rushing yards and four scores for the Raiders (9-1).
Jefferson (No. 235 overall) is one of two ESPN 300 wide receivers (Rico Scott) in Alabama’s 2024 recruiting class, which ESPN has ranked fifth.
Jefferson wasn’t going to be left out of the fun in Baylor High School’s (Tennessee) 42-0 triumph over Knoxville Catholic High School (Tennessee) on Friday.
Touchdown @AmariJefferson6 @whit7muschamp 🔥
Baylor 28-0 @BaylorSchoolFB pic.twitter.com/KSdsKDF9qw
— Caleb Sisk (@CalebSisk_) October 28, 2023
Jefferson’s 45-yard touchdown reception was one of three touchdown passes Whit Muschamp, the son of Georgia defensive coordinator Will Muschamp, threw on the night for the Red Raiders.
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