Southeast Spotlight: Spring stock risers from Rivals Camp Series
The month of April was filled with Rivals Camp Series events loaded with prospects from the Southeast not only making a splash, but commanding rankings attention with their performances. In the rising-senior class of 2025, a handful should be comfortably on the ascent ahead of the next updates to the Rivals250 and beyond.
RIVALS CAMP SERIES: Full 2024 coverage and information | Mid-South stock risers
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CLASS OF 2024 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State
CLASS OF 2025 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State
CLASS OF 2026 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | State
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Long-regarded as a high-level recruit, Arnoux suffered an injury and then transferred during the fall, so this spring was always going to go a long way toward his recruitment and overall stock. He took full advantage against a loaded wide receiver roster at Rivals Camp Series Atlanta, nearly taking home DB MVP honors with his length disrupting many both at the line of scrimmage and at the catch point. Arnoux looked patient and took good chances with the ball in the air, too, rounding out a memorable performance in one of the most loaded events of the year.
While Arnoux was already a four-star coming into the year, much of it was about his early samples of work and projection based on an ideal frame and plus athleticism. The fresh evaluation and relocation to Carrollton High has plenty ahead for the one-time Tennessee commitment, who added an Auburn offer earlier this week.
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The interior projection has long held a strong reputation, but Rivals had not been able to get a fresh look at Buchanan in action until the Rivals Camp Series Miami weekend – where he stole the show. Not only did he look near-dominant en route to his MVP award in early April, but he did it in a way that made onlookers value where his game is at currently while also being intrigued about where it will grow moving forward. The balanced blocker has also added good mass to his frame, possessing the look of a player who could get into an offensive line rotation early in his college journey.
Buchanan has excellent feet and it's the foundation of his swift redirection skill, power and strong anchor. Coupled with plenty of tenacity, there is an edge to his game that is just as easy to like. The bump from three stars to blue-chip status is all but guaranteed during our next update, and the rise may not soon stop there for one of the top interior projections in the class.
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Another high three-star who has turned heads is the Louisville commitment. Mims has long held intrigue as a big, athletic and fluid passer, but he has seemingly taken the next step with his mechanics and consistency this offseason, working like a mature player on the verge of turning more heads as he physically fills out. Mims challenged No. 1 recruit Julian Lewis for positional MVP honors at the Atlanta RCS stop, rarely easy but especially impressive on a cold and wet day in the Peach State.
This Cardinal commitment and even the initial evaluation by Jeff Brohm's staff is aging quite well some six months later. If the rise continues, Mims looks like a strong candidate to become just the second Rivals four-star passer to sign with the program over the last eight cycles (Pierce Clarkson). Other colleges have noticed the rise of the rising-senior, too, as other ACC programs as well as in-state Auburn have inquired more of late.
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Winning any RCS award is impressive, doing it twice in a row at an Atlanta event is rare air. That's the status Walker cemented last month, showcasing true space ability en route to adding to the trophy case. The Georgia commitment is very productive and has done it against strong competition, and now he's leaving no doubt about his ability to work in the passing game both from the backfield as well as the slot.
Walker has added to his upper-body going into his senior season, filling out a short frame, but he still operates with great quickness and surprising polish and hands when working against cover players. He was probably a player who could have locked in blue-chip status during his senior season, but the progression and versatility he can bring to a collegiate backfield may help check that box sooner.
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There was no doubt who the talk of the RCS Atlanta event was, both from a performance and surprising standpoint. Going into the event, we expected Winters to work out at linebacker and be among the MVP candidates because of his immense athleticism, but he worked out at safety and showed out anyway.
Winters was physical as one would expect, especially near the line of scrimmage, but he showed great range, leverage and ball skills thereafter in snagging a handful of interceptions during the one-on-one portion of the event. He may still end up as a second-level player or hybrid in college, but Winters is just one of those athletes who could compete at just about any skill spot. In projecting modern players, that value can't be understated and his ranking should continue to adjust accordingly.
Winters says his recruitment from his top two contenders – Georgia and Auburn – has shifted to safety and after RCS Atlanta we believe him.
