Prospects in the News
Zabien Brown, CB, Santa Ana, CA (St. Ignatius HS), #58 nationally, #6 CB, and #6 in Calif.
Four-star Zabien Brown made his plans official for the 2024 season, committing to Alabama Sunday over the likes of USC, Ohio State, and Auburn.
The 6-foot-1, 180-pound cornerback hails from Santa Ana, Calif., and attends Mater Dei High School, one of the top prep football programs in the nation. Brown ranks as a top-60 player in the country and the No. 6 player in California.
Brown officially visited Alabama June 23 after taking visits to Ohio State and USC earlier in the month. In total, he was in Tuscaloosa four times during his recruiting stages.
Brown said he chose the Crimson Tide, a long-time SEC juggernaut, to play for Nick Saban and perfect his game ahead of a potential future NFL career. Brown is the fourth-best player in California and the fifth-best corner in the class.
According to 247 Sports, Brown was part of a state title runner-up Mater Dei team that went 12-1 in 2022. Brown secured 32 tackles, was credited with five pass breakups, and snagged three interceptions.
Brown added the family-type atmosphere played a critical factor in his decision-making, he said.
Brown’s pledge to the Crimson Tide was the team’s third of the day Sunday evening, as he keeps Alabama in the top-15 nationally and puts its commitment list up to 12 2024 high school prospects.
More Sports News
https://twitter.com/zabien_brown/status/1678212325520621574
Fletcher Westphal, OT, Leesburg, VA (Tuscarora HS), #247 nationally, #20 OT, and #6 in Va.
Fletcher Westphal also decided to compete in the SEC Monday. As a potential future rival of Brown, he committed to Florida over Arkansas, Clemson, Auburn and Georgia.
The 6-foot-8, 395-pound offensive tackle is one of the best prospects at his position. As the top-20 tackle in the class and a top-6 player in Virginia, Westphal has made his presence known over the last few seasons. He is a multi-year starter for Tuscarora High School in Leesburg Va. Since Westphal has been on the roster, he has seen himself play numerous roles. Outside of his offensive tackle position, he has shown his versatility as a defensive lineman.
Tuscarora has a habit of winning, too, which should serve Westphal well as he enters the college ranks. In 2022, according to MaxPreps, the Huskies finished 9-2 and outscored their opponents 351-124.
Nonetheless, Westphal chose Florida for several reasons, including academics and the ability to run a tight-ship football program under Billy Napier.
Westphal’s pledge to Florida keeps the Gators at No. 3 in recruiting and brings the number to 18 commits in the 2024 class.
https://twitter.com/fletcherwestph1/status/1678430570576064514
Williams Nwaneri, DL, Lee’s Summit, MO (Lee’s Summit North HS), #3 nationally, #1 DL, and #1 DL in Mo.
Though he hasn’t committed yet, five-star prospect Williams Nwaneri, the best defensive lineman in Missouri, will announce his decision on Aug. 1. His finalists include the Oklahoma Sooners, Missouri Tigers, Tennessee Volunteers, and Oregon Ducks.
According to the On3 predictor, the 6-foot-5, 250-pound Williams, who hails from Lee’s Summit and attends Lee’s Summit North High School in Missouri, has a 79.6% chance to end up with Oklahoma. He was named the new No. 1 prospect in the On3 2024 class Sunday, about a month before his decision date
He recently visited Norman during the first whole week of June after he named his top-10 list in early May, which included the Sooners. Oklahoma ranks in the top 50 in recruiting, as 11 players have already pledged to Brent Venables’ 2024 class.
Although Williams won’t be close to home, the appeal to attend Oklahoma and eventually compete in the SEC gives Williams a great chance to compete and beat the best teams in the nation.
Check out his junior highlight tape below, as he finished the 2022 season with 43 tackles and five sacks.
https://twitter.com/nwaneriwilliams/status/1666974896159686657
Mike Matthews, WR, Lilburn, GA (Parkview HS), #14 nationally, #4 WR, and #3 WR in Ga.
Another uncommitted 2024 prospect to keep an eye on is five-star wideout Mike Matthews. Matthews’ projections see him leaning toward Tennessee, according to On3, as he took his official visit to Knoxville June 23 and the prediction machine gives him a 78% chance of calling the SEC home.
The 6-foot-3, 185-pound Matthews was offered by 33 different programs over the last few years, but after narrowing his list, Matthews’ finalists, minus the Volunteers, include Clemson, Georgia and USC.
Matthews’ numbers speak for themselves, and given the Volunteers lost their two best receivers to the NFL in April, he would be a priority get. While at Parkview where he is a multi-sport athlete (track, basketball, football), he has made his presence known as a top-tier wideout.
In 2022, Matthews had over 1,000 receiving yards and caught 10 touchdowns while leading his team to an 8-4 record and a playoff appearance.
At press time, Matthews’ commitment date is not set.
https://twitter.com/mike1matthews/status/1665520380981698561
