Regional programs are already sorting through fresh offers and rising senior stock, and this week’s prep action across the Deep South brought plenty of movement on both fronts. From Alabama quarterback pledge Trent Seaborn staying surgical to a handful of under-the-radar seniors making noise, the early 2026 season is already giving college staffs a lot to chew on.
Trent Seaborn has been the headliner on the Alabama side. The Thompson quarterback kept rolling against Clay-Chalkville, following up a Week 1 line that included a 66.7% completion rate and four touchdowns against Phenix City Central with an even sharper night in Pinson.
He completed 88.0% of his passes for 292 yards and four touchdowns, and through two games he sits at 40 of 52 for 627 yards and eight scores with no interceptions against two other top 10 programs in Alabama. It’s a blistering start, and one that’s hard to top for efficiency.
On the receiving end in Alabama, Prattville’s Deshawn Hall is making a strong push after a solid junior season that produced 44 catches for 660 yards and five touchdowns. The Auburn commit put up 127 receiving yards and two scores on just five receptions, giving him 11 catches for 231 yards and three touchdowns through two games.
Another wideout turning heads is Albertville’s Cam Ballinger, who remains a bit of a mystery to the wider recruiting crowd but has put real production on film early. The 6-foot-3, 195-pound receiver has 255 yards on eight catches, a hefty 31.9 yards per reception, and he’s also showing the kind of blocking that helps round out a perimeter target.
There’s also production coming from the ground game in Mississippi. Winona’s Yoshawn Hudson, the Mississippi State commit, opened his senior year with 209 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 15 carries against Southaven.
In South Georgia, Turner County athlete King Bateman has been even more explosive. Through two games, he has 10 catches for 365 yards and five touchdowns, including a five-catch, 227-yard outing with three scores this past week.
At 6-foot-1 and 175 pounds, he’s putting up numbers that far outstrip what former Turner County standouts Tamorrion Terry and Ontaria Wilson did at the same stage, and his only offers so far include the largest one from FCS Savannah State.
Marquis Fennell, a Stanford commit at Valdosta High, was another big-play threat on Friday night. He totaled 192 yards and two touchdowns on 13 touches in a lopsided win over Macon Howard, and he also had a punt return score wiped out. Fennell continues to stand out as one of Georgia’s most versatile athletes, with his ball skills looking like an underrated part of his game.
Thomasville’s Christian Hayes, committed to Campbell, delivered one of the biggest rushing performances of the week in Georgia. The 6-foot-1, 175-pound athlete ran for 221 yards and four touchdowns on 13 carries in a 45-21 win over Bainbridge.
A lot of the damage came on breakaway runs after he planted and got north-south, and the burst and long speed are easy to see. Campbell may have found a player who can outperform his current billing.
Elsewhere in Georgia, Coffee offensive lineman Messiah Mack helped power a 350-yard, four-touchdown rushing night in a win over Ware County. The UAB commit showed noticeable power and quickness off the snap, even if there’s still work ahead with hand placement and consistent leg drive. The upside is obvious enough to suggest a Power Four future could be in play.
Mississippi also had two intriguing defensive prospects flash in different ways. Forest’s Nosiah Davis, a 6-foot-6, 245-pound EDGE, is another basketball-to-football conversion making people take notice.
In his first game of junior season, he posted seven tackles, three for loss, and a sack. Picayune Memorial defensive lineman Jeremiah Mark, another former hooper, entered the season as one of the 2027 cycle’s most interesting experiments after Power Four programs began showing interest.
At 6-foot-5 and 270 pounds, he turned in a promising debut in a 35-0 loss to Gulfport with a sack, a pass breakup, two tackles and multiple quarterback pressures. There’s still plenty to clean up, but the athleticism and coordination were there.
Back in Alabama, Loachapoka linebacker Ryquan Butler, an Alabama commit, has started fast with 27 tackles, six for loss, a sack and three rushing touchdowns through two games. And at Parker, Arkansas State commit Robert Taylor III was a major factor in a 34-7 win over Clemens, collecting three sacks while also showing the kind of range that lets him chase plays to the perimeter. The 6-foot-2, 240-pound lineman carries his weight well in a broader frame than his listing suggests.
One of the more intriguing non-committed names in the region is Albertville’s Ballinger, but the broader theme is clear: the Deep South is already producing plenty of senior risers, while underclassmen continue to draw fresh attention from college staffs.
In Other News...
Alabamas Toughness Debate Just Got More Uncomfortable For Tide Fans
An anonymous Big Ten running backs coach took aim at Alabamas style of play this week, framing the Tide as a team that can be pushed around and pointing back to last years loss to Indiana as evidence. For a program that sells physicality as part of its identity, any suggestion of softness tends to land loudly, and this one arrived at a time when Alabama is already trying to prove it can be more efficient and more consistent in the trenches.
Offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb did not brush aside the concern, acknowledging the offense dealt with too many negative-yardage runs last season. He pointed to the need for better communication and cleaner execution in the running game, a reminder that the conversation around Alabamas toughness is not just external chatter but something the staff is clearly trying to address before the next season gets moving. [Read more 🡒]
Alabama Got A Feel Good Visit Right Before The Season Opener
Right before Alabama kicked off its season, the program got a little extra star power on campus. WWE standout Oba Femi, better known to Crimson Tide followers as former track athlete Isaac Odugbesan, stopped by the universitys athletic facilities and spent time with the football team and coach Kalen DeBoer, turning the visit into one of those feel-good moments that reminds everyone how wide Alabamas athletic reach really is.
Femi also took in the upgrades around the facilities, and he was complimentary about the work ethic he saw from the football side. The visit carried an added flourish when he presented DeBoer with a custom championship belt, a fitting gesture from someone who has climbed fast in WWE and still has a connection to the school that helped shape his athletic path. [Read more 🡒]
Alabama WR Ryan Coleman-Williams Is Taking A Risk He Can't Afford
Ryan Coleman-Williams heads into a pivotal junior season for Alabama with his future very much on the line after a sophomore year that left questions about his reliability as a receiver. The Crimson Tide wideout has spent the offseason trying to sharpen the details that can make or break a draft case, and teammates have noticed the urgency behind his work. Zabien Brown has pointed to Coleman-Williams competitiveness and effort in practice as signs that he is attacking the challenge head-on.
Coleman-Williams has also chosen to lean into a familiar approach as he tries to clean up the part of his game that drew the most scrutiny. For a player who needs a strong year to reframe the conversation around him, every rep will matter, and Alabama will be watching closely to see whether the adjustment helps him turn a promising skill set into dependable production. [Read more 🡒]