BRADENTON, Fla. – Under Armour's annual Future 50 event took place this weekend, which meant that some of the nation's top rising juniors were at IMG Academy for two days of competition and drills. Unlike previous years were high-profile linemen were in attendance, a major emphasis was placed on skill players as USA Football had multiple personnel in attendance to scout players for the upcoming 2028 Olympic Games, which will include flag football for the first time. Friday featured a pair of flag 5v5 football games, which were played on a narrow 45-yard field. Saturday was a more traditional camp. Below, we highlight some top performers after taking in all the action. Note: All projects are from the class of 2026.
ALPHA DOG: QB Faizon Brandon
The No. 1 prospect in the Top247 was the most consistent passer in a deep group of quarterbacks during Saturday's drills. He also had one of the better performances during Friday's 5v5 action, tossing multiple touchdowns and picking up a large chunk of yardage with his legs. We have talked up Brandon's frame in the past and he even
managed to turn more heads upon arrival as he looks to have put on some solid mass the past few months and is tipping the scales at a lean 197 pounds. Brandon might be just a one-year starter at Greensboro (N.C.) Grimsley, but the upside is enormous with his tools. He's set to make a commitment on August 3rd. Alabama, Tennessee, LSU and NC State are his four finalists.
NEXT FIVE OFFENSE
–Cederian Morgan, WR: Morgan went from unranked to No. 20 overall in the Top247 when we expanded the rankings back in April. It was an aggressive jump, but he somehow might still be a bit unranked by us as he drips with potential. A late arrival, Morgan had arguably the best build when it came to the pass catchers on Saturday. He was both smooth and explosive as went through the route tree. More importantly, the Alexander City (Ala.) Benjamin Russell product caught everything that came his way, displaying plenty of body control in the process. Alabama is the early leader on the 247Sports' Crystal Ball.
–Keisean Henderson, ATH, Houston commit: Henderson created the most buzz Friday as he made plays on both sides of the ball. We could have listed him as a defender, but stuck him on offense as he threw with the quarterbacks on Saturday. Some view Henderson as a wide receiver, but the Cougars want to give him a look under center. We can see the vision after watching him go through drills and fire a catchable ball. Henderson, who attends Legacy the School of Sport Sciences in Texas, might be a work in progress as a quarterback, but he's the type of dynamic athlete that you take now and figure out later.
–Jaden O'Neal, QB, Oklahoma commit: We noted that it was a promising group of signal callers and we felt like O'Neal had the second-best weekend of the bunch. Weighing in at just over 210 pounds, O'Neal has a sturdy frame and that allows him to generate plenty of torque with a compact motion. He flashed some side-arm action during 5v5 play and wasn't afraid to challenge tight coverage windows. The Sooners are set at quarterback for the next few seasons with Jackson Arnold taking over, but O'Neal is someone the staff should be excited about. He will play his junior season at Harbor City (Calif.) Narbonne.
–Jayden Petit, WR: We got a glimpse of Petit at the Elite 11 Finals two weeks ago. We liked what we saw in Los Angeles, but are even more bullish on what Petit can be after he made a handful of contested grabs Friday. Petit, who attends nearby Naples First Baptist, is a large 6-foot-4 perimeter target that excels in 50-50 situations. He also showed Saturday that he can break off defensive backs by sinking his hips. Petit will need to add some bulk in the coming years for his game to fully translate to the next level, but he's got rare size and advanced hands.
–Denairius Gray, WR, Auburn commit: Gray spent his sophomore season at Hollywood (Fla.) Chaminade-Madonna Prep playing behind Jeremiah Smith and Josiah Trader, which meant there weren't a ton of targets to go around. If you're looking for a breakout star in the Sunshine State this upcoming fall, it might be Gray. One of the lower-ranked prospects in attendance, Gray constantly found himself open Friday and moved with authority through drills Saturday, attacking the football at the catch point.
NEXT FIVE DEFENSE
–Jett Washington, ATH: Washington had the takeaway of the weekend Friday when he snagged a deep shot out of the air with one hand. He then proceeded to display plenty of burst and agility during footwork drills on Saturday, which isn't easy to do for someone that's over 6-foot-3. Washington played primarily safety this past year for Las Vegas Bishop Gorman, but could fit into a variety of different roles at the next level as he also has some experience playing wide receiver. We think the No. 2-ranked athlete's ceiling might be highest as a second-level defender that can match tight ends and also apply pressure via the blitz.
–Blaine Bradford, SAF: Bradford missed a good chunk of his sophomore campaign due to a knee injury. It's clear that he wasn't 100 percent when he returned for the state title game for Baton Rouge (La.) Catholic as he moved at a completely different speed on Saturday, firing both in and out of his breaks. Bradford has a ready-to-play build and is the type of defensive back that can thrive in the box given his physical temperament. A move to linebacker isn't out of the question, either. LSU, Oregon, Alabama, Ohio State, and Notre Dame are all involved in the recruitment.
–Zech Fort, SAF: Fort picked off two passes Friday and was one of the most active 5v5 defenders. The youngest player to ever be named a team captain at IMG Academy, the California native has a knack for finding the football. He has also shown in pads that he's not afraid to lower the shoulder pads and deliver a blow. We have viewed Fort as more of a low safety prospect in the past, but he continues to impress in coverage why suggests that he might be able to handle split-field responsibilities at a high level with his eyes and ball skills.
–Jordan Thomas, CB: Thomas was one of the more tightly-wound defensive backs on hand. He showcased clean footwork Saturday and profiles as someone that could line up at multiple spots in the secondary. That includes nickel corner as he's got the physique to be competitive near the line of scrimmage and the lateral quickness to match and mirror twitched-up slot weapons. As a 10th grader, Thomas totaled four interceptions for Oradell (N.J.) Bergen Catholic.
–J'Zavien Currence, SAF: Currence is yet another oversized back-seven defender that might eventually move forward if he keeps growing. He weighed in at just under 210 pounds and appears to still be undergoing a physical maturation. Currence undercut a deep shot on Friday for a takeaway and displayed some long speed on Saturday. Like with some of the other prospects that we have highlighted, there's no need to overthink things with the Rock Hill (S.C.) South Pointe star as he's got traits and can make plays.
AROUND THE EVENT
–Vance Spafford won Saturday's fastest-man competition with an unofficial 4.35-second effort in the 40-yard dash. Spafford is a crafty route runner that set records as a sophomore at Mission Viejo (Calif.) High. Other wide receivers that had their moments either Saturday or Sunday include: Columbia (S.C.) Irmo's Donovan Murph, Jacksonville (Fla.) The Bolles School's Naeem Burroughs, Destrehan (La.) High's Jabari Mack, Santa Anna (Calif.) Mater Dei's Chris Henry Jr. – who is committed to Ohio State – and Hattiesburg (Miss.) High's Tristen Keys.
–Notre Dame commit Noah Grubbs of Lake Mary (Fla.) High was the quarterback accuracy challenge champion on Saturday. He scored a few points higher than FSU commit Brady Smigiel of Newbury Park (Calif.) High. Michigan commit Brady Hart of Cocoa (Fla.) High and Texas commit Dia Bell of Plantation (Fla.) American Heritage also turned in solid sessions Saturday.
Cooper Petagna, Tom Loy, Brandon Huffman, Bud Elliott, Brett Greenberg and Benjamin Wolk all contributed to this report.
