6 Takeaways from the UA Next Future 50
BRADENTON, Fla. — Some of the top players in the class of 2025 competed at IMG Academy over the weekend in the UA Next Future 50. On3 top-20 WR Jaime Ffrench headlined the top performers from the event, which was divided into two sessions on Saturday.
With a loaded group of soon-to-be juniors on-site and multiple members of the On3 team, here are six takeaways from the Future 50, including more thoughts on the deep and uber-talented wide receiver crop in next year’s recruiting cycle.
Dakorien Moore has WR1 potential
You can create a compelling case for multiple receivers to be No. 1 in the 2025 class, especially at this early stage in the cycle going into their junior campaigns. Since December — and over the course of this offseason, no 2025 receiver has been superb more consistently than Dakorien Moore, in this analyst’s opinion.
Moore, the On3 Industry Ranking’s No. 8 player in the 2025 class, clocked a 4.4-second 40 at the Future 50, further validating elite spring track times (10.63-second 100-meter, 22.38-second 200-meter). That initial burst and ability to separate were on display in December when Duncanville (Texas) captured a state title behind Moore’s ability to stretch the field.
At Future 50, the 6-foot, 175-pound Moore has excellent hands and can play well above the rim. More so, Moore’s ability to maneuver effortlessly in space and his coordination to operate in different parts of the field is at a different pace. He reminds me a ton of Odell Beckham Jr. Texas, Oregon and LSU are all established as contenders early on for the elite junior receiver.
Harlem Berry continues to take advantage of the big stage
On3’s No. 1 back in the 2025 class, Harlem Berry, caught the eye of the LSU staff last summer after clocking a 4.38-second 40 at camp and then proceeding to fly around the field as a playmaker out of the backfield.
Berry amassed 2,200 yards with 39 touchdowns as a sophomore and has piled up almost 4,300 yards and 67 touchdowns over the past two seasons at Metairie (La.) Martin’s, and has been absolutely electric in the process. For a team that fielded less than 32 varsity players last season (19 the year before), Berry was the driving force of an offense and a team that advanced to the state semifinals for the first time in the school’s 75-year history.
Berry’s success on the field was mirrored on the track with first-place finishes in the 100-meter (10.57-second 100M; the 200-meter (21.43-second 200M) and the long jump (20′ 9.5″). He also anchored the title-winning 4×100-meter relay team.
Berry was smooth in and out of his breaks during positional drill work and fluid running routes and separating from backers and safeties alike in 1-on-1s. He also clocked a blazing 4.28-second 40 to capture Fastest Man recognition. He’s the nation’s top 2025 back and the first No. 1 back from The Boot since his idol Leonard Fournette.
Fournette’s downhill rushing style would be a fantastic compliment to the suddenness of Berry, who is as good as a ball carrier and he is a receiver. A true Swiss Army Knife on offense, Berry is a home-run threat every time he touches the rock. Like Fournette, the Tigers will be hard to beat in this recruitment.
2025 WR group has a ‘pick your poison’ selection
There’s something very special about this 2025 group of pass-catchers. The cycle is not only talent-laden with receivers the aforementioned Moore and On3 MVP Ffrench, but there’s a wide variety of different types of pass-catchers in this group.
Ffrench is towering 6-foot-1.5 and 180 pounds, with precision and timing a key component of his game. He’s a big target with a wide catch radius and sure hands, and he’s a flexible weapon that made plays all over the field. French tracks the ball at a high clip. Alabama is trending for the top-20 junior on the RPM ahead of his July commitment.
Oregon-committed Dallas Wilson has size and a different gear at 6-foot-3 and 190 pounds. Wilson, out of Tampa, worked primarily on the perimeter and showed well making contested grabs in traffic and also tracking balls and winning deep. On3 top-30 WR Andrew Marsh has also been an off-season darling. The 6-foot-2, 180-pounder plays well above the rim, and also impressed wide catch radius and ability to operate underneath.
Alabama-bound five-star WR Ryan Williams and On3 top-50 South Florida WR Naeshaun Montgomery are seamless as they blend speed and smooth route-running in their games. Williams is a bonafide threat to score whenever he touches the ball and showed well tracking the ball and with his coordination. Montgomery has exceptional hands and a fluidity to his game that’s been unsolvable the past few months.
Texas-based WR Daylan McCutcheon and Alabama-based ATH Derick Smith were two more eye-catchers in the deep receiving group. McCutcheon had a handful of circus catches, showing off the mitts and coordination, as well as the polish on his routes and ability to operate along the sidelines. Smith, who worked at receiver and is filled out nicely physically at 6-foot-2 and 190 pounds, was among the more athletic pass-catchers flashing great hands, range, and the ability to get well above the rim.
Two more slot receivers that stood out included Colorado commit Winston Watkins and On300 WR Isaiah Mozee. Watkins has burst and some real twitch on his routes to get open in a hurry. He was dynamic separating from safeties throughout the day. Mozee had sure hands and tracked the ball at a high clip. At 6-foot and 190 pounds, he’s also built with a frame to work in space. The Sooners will be tough to beat for one of the best from the Midwest in 2025.
Faheem Dulane, Dijon Lee highlight new-age DB class
The talented group of defensive backs on hand at Future 50 gives further clarity to the type of defensive backs that colleges covet in 2023.
Take a look at cornerbacks Dijon Lee, Micah Strickland, Cortez Thomas and Jaboree Antoine, four of the top DBs that took snaps out on the perimeter at corner. All four cornerbacks are 6-foot-1 or higher — with Antoine and Lee both north of 6-foot-2. All project to cornerback and possess length, range to cover a lot of ground, and importantly have the ability to line up in multiple positions across the secondary.
The big corner is a popular trend just as the hybrid safety that can play both in and out of the box. The Future 50 was full of those tweeners, too, with On3 Industry Ranking top-100 S Faheem Dulane certainly passing the eye test and flying around the field at 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds. Faheem covered at a high clip at corner, then thrived at multiple positions in live competition. His ceiling is through the roof.
Built in a similar mode are four-stars CJ Smith, Jarcoby Hopson and Eric Winters, who straddle the line between linebacker and safety as well. Smith (6-foot-1, 210 pounds) moved well from the second level and closed quickly in coverage with some of the fastest backs in attendance. Hopson (6-foot-2, 205 pounds) has a powerful lower half and moved well in space. Winters (6-foot-2, 200 pounds) is agile and also packs a massive punch as a hybrid defender.
Georgia commit Justus Terry highlights DL eye-catchers
On3 top-50 DL Justus Terry set the bar as far as defensive linemen on hand at Future 50. The Georgia-committed DL out of the Peach State is 6-foot-5 and 275 pounds and is exceeding powerful at the point of attack. Terry’s innate strength was too much for most of the opposing interior OL trying to contain the big-framed, enormously powerful DL that’s going to be a problem in the 3-technique, 4- or even the -5 in Athens.
Other eye-catchers along the defensive line included Jalen Wiggins, the No. 35 recruit in the On300 out of Tallahassee. The 6-foot-5, 240-pounder bends extremely well for a towering defensive lineman that was consistently good rushing off the edge as well as inside. Wiggins plays low, and has massive arms and strong hands that gave OL trouble throughout the competition.
Atlanta-based DL London Merritt was arguably the most flexible end. The Peach State pass-rusher was explosive and bendy, and very quick to turn the corner during 1-on-1s. Mississippi top-100 DL Kevin Oatis (6-foot-2, 285 pounds) is a high-motor interior DL that was productive rushing off the edge and inside. He maneuvers well at sub-300 pounds and his initial burst gives interior OL fits. North Carolina DL Bryce Davis showcased some of the more violent hands among the group. Davis was combative at the point of attack and pesky battling opposing tackles, bends very well, and is twitchy and explosive flying off the edge. The top-10 EDGE packed a powerful punch. His recruitment is just beginning to take flight.
Four bonafide OT highlight the 2025 group
There are a couple of very talented offensive tackles in next year’s class that check off several important boxes during the workout at Future 50.
That includes a pair of Lone Star State-based tackles Michael Fasusi and Ty Haywood, both of whom hail from the Dallas Metroplex. Fasusi, a rock-solid 6-foot-5 and 300 pounds, made a compelling case as the top performer in this group. He’s built like a tank and is as strong as one, too. He was able to withstand some of the top DL off the EDGE and anchored well at a high clip. Haywood progressed as the competition thickened, and his 6-foot-5, 280-pound frame with enormous arms was critical in his ability to dispel and drive through DL. The North Texas transplant originally from Mississippi was agile and played low, and delivered a serious punch at times. His upside is massive.
Las Vegas (Nev.) Bishop Gorman OT Douglas Utu was also a standout up front. The 6-foot-5, 300-pounder also has a massive frame along with great footwork in pass pro. Florida-based OT Solomon Thomas went to battle with a club on his left hand. The 6-foot-4, 305-pounder is a massive presence on the offensive line and may be best geared at right tackle or inside. In spite of the club, Thomas played with a strong base and had quick feet, and was able to rebound effectively in 1-on-1s more than a few times on Saturday. Florida State is actively working to keep the talented OL in state.