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10 Notable Class of 2021 Prospects Who Recently Committed

While the class of 2020 wraps up, the 2021 group is already busy making big college football decisions. The New Year, and even the first week of February, has provided some junior commitment fireworks.

John Garcia, Jr.

The senior college football prospects just wrapped up their cycle with National Signing Day on Wednesday but don't expect a lull in recruiting coverage as a result. 

The class of 2021 has been very active into the New Year with top prospects making early commitments to some of the top Power Five programs in the land. Friday morning featured another, as Jacksonville (Fla.) Sandalwood linebacker Branden Jennings became the banner junior recruit for the new coaching staff at Florida State. 

SI All-American looks at top juniors coming off the board of late.

LB Branden Jennings - Florida State - The in-stater picked Florida State to cap the Seminoles' week of signing day and jump-start the junior class. The legacy prospect, whose father Bradley was a Seminole from the late 1990's into the new millennium, brings a lot of polish to the second level. Jennings is an imposing 6-foot-3, 230 pounds or so with classic inside linebacker traits combined with edge rushing ability. He is at his best coming downhill and can finish with power and physicality. Jennings is a tone setter with a very high floor. 

“I loved the school culture environment and got the family vibe I was looking for," Jennings said.  "And I decided to make the right decision and commit.”

DE Korey Foreman - Clemson - Any prospect considered the best in America by anyone early on will have plenty of upside in college but it's so easy to see with Foreman. Take the Clemson commitment's run at The Opening Finals last summer, where he was one of the top edge performers, and he will have the rare chance to be a two-time invitee. Guys like Rashaan Gary and Nolan Smith, who each challenged for top prospect in the land when all was said and done in their cycles, are two of the few to accomplish what Foreman is almost certain to. The junior out of Corona (Calif.) Centennial stands 6-foot-4, 265 pounds with a blurring speed rush and plenty of power to counter already. SIAA will see him in action this weekend at Under Armour's Orlando regional camp. 

DE Cade Denhoff - Clemson - Coming off double-digit sacks in 2019, the long and lean pass rusher is another key Clemson Tiger commitment from the state of Florida. Denhoff is an explosive edge prospect with a great first-step, enhancing his ability to win with speed and to set up the counter move inside. The Lakeland (Fla.) Christian standout can get by blockers with better power than his frame suggests as he looks to add mass to his frame and polish up from a technical standpoint. Plus footwork and lateral ability allow Denhoff, who detailed his decision with SI All-American, to have most of the raw tools coveted for the position.

QB Daniel Greek - Mississippi State - Mike Leach already has his passer for the next cycle on board. The Argyle (Texas) Liberty Christian signal caller has a college-ready frame at 6-foot-4, 230 pounds and plays with an in-the-pocket style that fits the wide open style of offense he'll play in Starkville. Greek can push the football down the field with ease but can also play the underneath game with consistency. He's a risk taker who will turn it over more than you'd like, like his 11 interceptions in 2019 proved, but the pure arm talent is there. 

QB Luke Altmyer - Florida State - Jennings is the latest Seminole but Altmyer's commitment last weekend felt like the true start of 2021 for FSU. The Starkville (Miss.) High standout will be a three-year starter when his prep career is all wrapped up. The junior is mobile inside the pocket and out, the foundation of a strong fit in Norvell's offense, and features a quick trigger. The decisive passer doesn't have the biggest arm but has enough power to drive the ball outside the numbers and down the field. Familiarity in the quick game, accuracy and that mobility on a solid 6-foot-3 frame makes this an ideal early get for FSU.

DB Justin Walters - Notre Dame - A big safety out of Bolingbrook (Ill.) High School, the newest Irish pledge looks like a balanced safety prospect who can hold his own in coverage and play physically while coming down hill in run support. Walters closes extremely well versus the run and pass with the right combination of instincts and gambling when breaking on the ball. Despite playing with a physical style, he is in control more times than not with good leverage and balance. Walters could grow into a hybrid defender depending on how he fills out based on his sub package qualities. 

TE/FB Joseph Bearns - Maryland - A compact tight end with an H-back frame at 6-foot-2, 250 pounds or so, Bearns picked Maryland just as his recruitment began to uptick. Coming out of the always-loaded St. Frances Academy in Baltimore, the in-state snag for Mike Locksley and co. could develop into a fullback when the Terps go to more run-heavy looks in the future. He is mobile, packs a punch upon contact and wins with natural leverage on his side. Bearns has room to develop as a pass-catcher based on his limited opportunity in the role to this point in his prep career. 

WR Daejon Reynolds - Florida - Already a physically impressive prospect at 6-foot-2, near 200 pounds, the newest Gator pledge had options from coast to coast because of his great catch radius and ball skills. The junior, now at Grayson (Ga.) High, is at his best with the football in the air with great length and leaping ability. Reynolds is physical as a route runner with a long stride and some toughness after the catch. While not a consistent separator or blazer, he doesn't take long to get to his top speed and isn't very easy to bring down when the ball in his hands either. 

DB Phillip O'Brien, Jr. - Auburn - Another south Floridian is leaving the state as the combination prospect picked the Tigers to kick off the month. The Deerfield Beach (Fla.) prospect is a long 6-foot-2, 185 pounds with good experience at cornerback to this point. Whether he stays there or moves to safety, O'Brien is an attacking prospect when the football is in the air with that great length. He'll mix it up in the run game with consistency and flashes great straight-line speed in the open field. Man-to-man polish has a lot of room for development but the raw traits will allow for a fit somewhere in the secondary down the line. 

DL Mike Hall - Ohio State - An ideally-framed interior line defender and in-state snag out of Streetsboro High, Hall has length and mass to his name. He is quicker than most with some advanced hand-fighting skill and re-directional ability. Fast off of the football, Hall can also win with leverage and power one-on-one, too. The 6-foot-3, 295-pounder has enough explosiveness to be considered a strong pass-rushing threat at the position, a trait becoming more and more important in the defense tackle evaluation game considering the pass-first nature of offense in 2020. Hall has a lot his his arsenal already to the point he could probably line up outside on occasion with success one day in the Big Ten. 

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John Garcia, Jr.
JOHN GARCIA, JR.

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