Many of the nation’s top recruits are deeply engaged in their high school playoffs, with semifinal and championship games approaching in several states.
The 2025 recruiting cycle is coming closer and closer to an end, as the early signing day comes earlier this year in just one week’s time.
Currently, many of the nation’s top recruits are deeply engaged in their high school playoffs, with semifinal and championship games approaching in several states.
Earlier, we broke down the top matchups of the week. Now, it’s time to shift our focus to the top players in the country hitting the gridiron this weekend.
QB Keelon Russell
The top high school player still playing football on Fridays is Duncanville five-star quarterback Keelon Russell, seen as a top-three player in the country.
Russell, one of the biggest risers in the 2025 class, has been one of the best players in high school this season, tossing for 3,212 yards, 46 touchdowns and two touchdowns, while completing 70.2 percent of his passes.
An Alabama commit, the five-star quarterback has helped Duncanville go to a 12-0 record, which they’ll look to improve with a home playoff game on Saturday against The Woodlands.
CB Devin Sanchez
Arguably the top defensive recruit in the country, five-star cornerback Devin Sanchez leads the way for Texas powerhouse North Shore, ranked as a top-five recruit in the country by 247.
An Ohio State commit, the 6’2” cornerback is one of the best athletes in the class, as he has track-level speed with impressive length to complement his elite instincts.
Sanchez and North Shore have a chance to move forward in their quest for a state championship this weekend when they face off against Katy on Friday afternoon.
WR Dakorien Moore
You can’t mention Duncanville football without talking about five-star wide receiver Dakorien Moore, a top-five recruit in the 2025 class.
Moore has been Keelon Russell’s go-to target all season long, accumulating 993 yards and 14 touchdowns on the season as the team’s top receiver.
An Oregon commit, Moore had a monster 230-yard, four-touchdown game against DeSoto this season, and could be instrumental to another state title run for Duncanville, which continues with a matchup against The Woodlands this weekend.
DL Elijah Griffin
The top defensive lineman in the 2025 class, five-star Elijah Griffin has been a monster for several years in the Peach State, leading Savannah Christian to a 10-0 record this season.
Griffin has been extremely productive for the last three seasons, racking up 82 tackles, 30 tackles for loss, and 14.5 sacks as a sophomore before following that up with 97 tackles, 31 TFLs and 17.5 sacks in 2023.
This year, the five-star Georgia commit has 53 tackles, 27 TFLs and 8.5 sacks for Savannah Christian, and will look to be a disrupter as his team inches forward in the playoffs.
Currently in the quarterfinals, Savannah Christian will look to move forward this weekend when they face off against North Cobb Christian on Friday evening.
DL Justus Terry
It feels like Georgia just manufactures five-star defensive line talent, and Justus Terry, the top uncommitted recruit in the nation, is the next one in line.
Terry, who will make his decision on a school on Friday, December 6th, stands at 6’5, 275 pounds, and he’s spearheaded a Manchester defense that hasn’t allowed over 20 points this season.
The five-star recruit will look to push Manchester into the semifinals this weekend, as they face off against Lincoln County on Friday evening.
DB Na’eem Offord
Just like how defensive linemen and Georgia seemed to be tied together, defensive backs and Ohio State have the same relationship in this class.
Five-star defensive back Na’eem Offord, a longtime Ohio State commit, has been a key contributor for Parker this season, intercepting four passes, while breaking up five passes on the year.
While Offord’s recruitment is currently up in the air, with hometown Auburn and Oregon looking to flip him, one thing that remains solid is his playoff game on Friday evening against Oxford, with the winner getting a spot in the 6A Championship game.
OL Ty Haywood
A five-star offensive lineman from the State of Texas, Alabama commit Ty Haywood is one of the hotter names in the 2025 recruiting class, as the Michigan Wolverines are looking to make a late flip.
Haywood, a 6’5”, 285-pound lineman, is looking to help push Ryan High School into the 5A quarterfinals this weekend, as they take on Richland in the next round of the playoffs.
Having good quickness and imposing length for his frame, Haywood has become one of the top offensive linemen in a strong 2025 recruiting class, and will be a name to monitor with the early signing period just a week away.
OT Josh Petty
We aren’t done with the hog mollies just yet, as five-star offensive lineman Josh Petty is still rolling as one of the top prospects in the state of Georgia.
Leading the way for Fellowship Christian, Petty, a Georgia Tech commit, has gotten the distraction of recruiting away from him this season, as he’s stayed pledged to the Yellow Jackets since committing to the program back in August.
He’ll look to lead Fellowship Christian to the semifinals this weekend when they take on Wesleyan, and could potentially face another player on this list if Elijah Griffin and Savannah Christian make it to the 5A Championship as well.
WR Caleb Cunningham
One of the top receivers in the 2025 class, Cunningham recently caught headlines for flipping from Alabama to his hometown Auburn Tigers.
The top recruit in the state of Mississippi, Cunningham has been a big contributor to Choctaw County, breaking on the scene as a freshman with 569 yards and 10 touchdowns.
After a 37-0 win over Rosa Fort last weekend, the five-star wideout will look to help push Choctaw County into the Mississippi 3A Championship game on Friday evening when his team faces off against East Webster.
ATH Michael Terry III
One of the top uncommitted recruits in the 2025 class, five-star athlete Michael Terry has his commitment down to a select few teams, with the hometown Texas Longhorns seen as the perceived favorites for the offensive weapon.
Terry has been a monster for years, racking up over 3,000 yards from scrimmage during his high school career, while serving as a multi-sport athlete with a track background as well.
He’s looking to take undefeated Alamo Heights to the quarterfinals of the 5A D2 championship, but they’ll need to get past Miller on Friday, with kickoff set for 7:00 p.m.
