Best plays by top college football recruits: Elite wide receivers star again
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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.
Cameron Coleman (No. 8 overall in 2024) is the top-ranked receiver in the 2024 class for a reason. On Thursday night for Central High School (Alabama), the five-star wideout showed why yet again. The future Texas A&M Aggie had three touchdown receptions in a 55-0 victory over JAG High School (Alabama).
Part of a class for Jimbo Fisher that ESPN has ranked ninth, Coleman has 23 catches for 461 yards and nine touchdowns in five games this season.
Here’s how some other of the nation’s top recruits looked this week.
The future Tiger was multidimensional in Midlothian High School’s (Texas) game Thursday against Cleburne High School (Texas). In the 48-15 victory, Wesco (No. 22 overall in 2024) had two receiving touchdowns — including this one to begin the fourth quarter — and a 65-yard punt return for a score.
Hey @dctf, we got one heck of a highlight! 30 yard TD amazing catch by @Bryantwesco19 #WinTheDay #PantherPride @MISD_Athletics @MHSPanthers #SCTop10 pic.twitter.com/Z33lY8hsvb
— MHS Panther Football (@MidloPanthers) September 22, 2023
Wesco, one of two ESPN 300 wide receivers (T.J. Moore, No. 220 overall) in the Tigers’ 13th-ranked class, has 26 receptions for 389 yards and 10 touchdowns through five games this season.
Smith (No. 9 overall) and Trader (No. 11 overall) were at it again Thursday for Chaminade-Madonna Prep (Florida) against Miami Central.
For the third straight week, Smith found pay dirt at least twice in a game as the future Buckeye helped the Lions go toe-to-toe with Miami Central and pull out a 31-28 victory.
Trader is the highest-ranked player in the Hurricanes’ class, which is 14th in ESPN’s latest team rankings.
5⭐️ Ohio St. commit Jeremiah Smith makes it look EASY. 🔥
These offenses are looking SHARP. @Jermiah_Smith1 | @Nadeboyz pic.twitter.com/e2vKnkFb9j
— SportsCenter NEXT (@SCNext) September 22, 2023
Smith, who’s the top-ranked recruit in Ohio State’s No. 2-ranked class, has 42 receptions for 617 yards and nine touchdowns this season.
Carr was on point when he needed to be for Saline High School (Michigan) on Friday.
The No. 35-ranked player, the highest-ranked pledge in Notre Dame’s class, threw a pair of touchdown passes to break a 28-28 tie in the second half, eventually guiding his team to a 42-35 win over Monroe High School (Michigan).
Touchdown Keyes from CJ Carr! Saline 42 Monroe 28 pic.twitter.com/iPe9rbNsHX
— TheSalinePost (@TheSalinePost) September 23, 2023
Notre Dame’s class, which has eight ESPN 300 players in the fold, is 16th overall.
A top-50 prospect in the 2024 class, Carr (No. 43 overall) had a productive Friday night for Colquitt County High (Georgia) against Cedar Grove (Georgia).
Carr is one of 10 top-100 prospects in ESPN’s top-ranked class and was dynamic in the Packers’ 50-42 victory. He had four receptions for 94 yards and a score.
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Georgia commit Ny Carr hauls in a TD
Georgia commit Ny Carr brings in a 23-yard touchdown for Colquitt County.
In four games coming into Friday, Carr had 30 catches for 489 yards and nine touchdowns.
Carr isn’t the only skill player of note for Georgia’s Colquitt County High School.
Thomas (No. 47 overall in 2024) initially committed to the Seminoles as an eighth-grader before changing to Georgia and then back to Florida State in April.
The cycle’s top tight end, Thomas made sure to offer a contribution on Friday. He caught four passes for 72 yards and tallied three TDs — including two on the ground via the Wildcat formation — in the 50-42 triumph.
Colquitt County (GA) QB Neko Fann scrambles and finds future Florida State Seminole Landen Thomas for 6! 🔥@FannNeko @Landen_Thomas18 @CCPackersFball pic.twitter.com/Zn6YWUZKQO
— SportsCenter NEXT (@SCNext) September 22, 2023
Mike Norvell’s class is seventh in ESPN’s latest team rankings.
As the top-ranked recruit in Florida State’s class, Bolden (No. 16 overall in 2024) certainly garners a lot of attention in highlighting a top-10 class.
But the versatile Bolden deserves a vast majority of it as he demonstrated again on Friday as Georgia’s Buford High School defeated Marietta 30-3.
KJ Bolden with the long rushing touchdown!!! @buford_football leads marietta 23-0 in the second quarter!!!
if you can’t watch on your TV watch on the link bellow!!https://t.co/uI6EkyWwuo@RustyMansell_ pic.twitter.com/NMXnrh4nrf— SCORE Atlanta (@scoreatlanta) September 23, 2023
Through four games for the Wolves, he recorded 17 tackles (nine solo) with two interceptions while making the most of his seven receptions — four of which have gone for scores.
