Spiegelman Awards: Best of the high school season
Rivals national recruiting analyst Sam Spiegelman has been all over the Southeast this season, scouting top high school prospects from the 2025, 2026, 2027 and even 2028 classes. Here are his awards for the top performances he saw in person.
THIS SERIES: Greg Smith’s awards for this season
MR. PLAYMAKER: Na’eem Offord
Offord fits the bill as a playmaker in the secondary. Offord is long at 6-foot-1 and 180 pounds, and his ability to accelerate in a hurry and seamlessly break on the football is evident in coverage. The five-star prospect is dynamic in the defensive backfield and also on special teams, where he’s returned multiple punts for touchdowns as a senior.
He has the ability to smother receivers and mirror routes. He has superb anticipation and suddenness, and has shined as a senior.
COOL UNDER PRESSURE: Julian Lewis
Lewis has been dynamic in his senior season at Carrollton (Ga.) High. He’s been a highly efficient, high-level game manager that’s stepped up in big-game moments week in and week out against a rigid high school schedule. Lewis is immune to pressure and delivers in big moments.
The five-star USC verbal is highly efficient and extremely accurate on throws on in-breaking routes and delivers great balls from off-platform throws. We love Lewis’ ability to command an offense.
ONE GIANT LEAP: Jared Smith
There might not be another defensive end who has made a bigger statement as a senior than Smith. The fourth-ranked defensive end in the Rivals250 has been absolutely electric flying off the line and making splash plays off the edge.
Smith has exceptional burst and a quick, explosive first step. He turns the corner with conviction and plays with a high motor. At 6-foot-5 and north of 230 pounds, Smith’s length and size allow him to impact plays consistently.
No prospect in the Southeast has taken a bigger leap forward than Smith, a key component of Auburn‘s top-five recruiting class.
SWISS ARMY KNIFE: Michael Terry
Terry wears multiple hats for his high school team. He sees snaps out of the shotgun, out of the backfield, and lined up as a receiver on the perimeter. The 6-foot-3, 210-pounder brings physicality out of the backfield and out wide. He has sure hands and is able to add yardage after contact and break free from hosts of defenders.
Texas and others are recruiting Terry as a hybrid H-back, where he would be a mismatch out of different formations as a pass-catcher and weapon out of the backfield.
MR. ELECTRIC: Adrian Wilson
Wilson, a recent Colorado commit, is one of the most electric receivers from the Lone Star State. Wilson has outstanding body control and is a crafty route-runner – with an explosive release off the line and fantastic hands on the back end. Wilson is smooth in and out of his breaks and is a fluid receiver able to adjust and make plays on the fly.
He’s been doing this for years at Pflugerville (Texas) Weiss and is primed to be a difference-maker in Boulder.
ADONIS: David Sanders
Sanders has been rock-solid anchoring the offensive line at Charlotte (N.C.) Providence Day. The elite OL is a sculpted 6-foot-6 and 290 pounds, and has been dynamic working on both sides of the ball as a senior. Projecting as an offensive tackle for the Vols, Sanders has been brilliant. He anticipates well in pass pro and is strong enough to withstand power rushes and agile enough to dispel speed rushers off the edge.
Sanders is light on his feet and plays with great leverage. He thrived blocking in space and clearing paths in the run game in motion. Sanders was one of the best in-person evals from a left tackle in recent memory.
THE SNUGGY: Shamar Arnoux
Arnoux has battled injuries for parts of his high school career, and the senior has been absolutely stellar in coverage on the perimeter. The USC verbal out of the Peach State is able to effectively blanket receivers and use his excellent length and fluidity in coverage to cover bigger receivers outside and move well with quicker pass-catchers, too.
Arnoux is undoubtedly a stock-up candidate after this season, proving to be an aggressive, ball-hawking cornerback and a willing tackler, too.
THE TAKE OVER: Deuce Knight
Knight has the ability to take over a game, a prerequisite as an elite QB in this era of football. As a senior, Knight has continued to improve with his efficiency as a passer and decision-maker. He enjoyed a strong off-season throwing the football at different levels of the field.
As a senior at Lucedale (Miss.) George County High, he’s kept his eyes downfield, effectively evaded pressure and maneuvered efficiently within the pocket to extend plays. Knight can maintain accuracy and touch on throws when on the move.
The 6-foot-4, 190-pounder leaned on his legs in critical game situations and is a devastating runner in the open field. The Auburn commit’s mobility is an absolute game-changer when can he extend plays to keep defenses off-guard.
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