BRADENTON, Fla. – IMG Academy held its annual Pro Day on Thursday night, which meant some of the nation’s top recruits went through testing and positional drills at the Florida-based powerhouse.
While this year’s roster might have been a little light on star power compared to some of the workouts we have witnessed in previous years, there was still a ton of Power Four talent in action as the program, which has served as a temporary stop of over two dozen future NFL players, gears up for spring practices. Below, we have what you need to know coming out of the event.
ALPHA DOG: NATHANIEL OWUSU-BOATENG, LB
It’s always interesting to see which upperclassman emerges as the voice of IMG Academy’s locker room and it didn’t take long to realize that Owusu-Boateng is that individual. The younger brother of current Cleveland Browns linebacker and former Notre Dame standout Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah was first in line during warm-ups and broke his teammates down in-between periods.
You can discount the leadership traits out if you want, but once drills got underway and players started moving around, it was clear that Owusu-Boateng was the “guy.” Not only did he look like one of the most physically ready-to-go prospects in attendance, but he changed gears at a different level than most others, flashing plenty of burst and twitch in the process. Owusu-Boateng is coming off a junior campaign in which he totaled 45 tackles in eight games for the Ascenders. He might not have true three-down capabilities on Saturdays, but as a speed-and-space linebacker, he looked the part.
On the recruiting front, Owusu-Boateng has locked in summer official visits to both Stanford and South Carolina. He has also taken trips in recent months to Notre Dame, Miami and Florida. Oregon, Texas and Texas A&M are three other schools he mentioned when asked about other contenders.
MORE 2025 STANDOUTS
Owusu-Boateng might have been the unofficial workout warrior for the night, but he wasn’t the only rising senior that turned some heads over the course of the two-hour session.
–Donovan Olugbode, WR: IMG Academy tends to lean heavily on its run game, which can make it hard for wide receivers to shine. Olugbode, however, made sure everyone knew he was on Thursday as he plucked four straight balls with one hand during routes on air. The Illinois transplant is a smooth operator with a sturdy frame that can work all different levels of the field. We view him as a stock up candidate after his performance.
–London Merritt, EDGE: Merritt helped Woodward Academy reach the Peach State’s AAAAAA title game this past fall. He’s not the tallest pass rusher, but he’s got additional length in the arms and can find leverage as he looks to turn the corner. Merritt was aggressive on the bags and was able to generate plenty of forward momentum. Ohio State is set to get an official visit from Merritt in June. UNC, USC and plenty of others are pushing.
–Raiden Vines-Bright, WR: Vines-Bright arrived at IMG Academy earlier this year after catching 59 passes for 1,114 yards and nine touchdowns as a junior at Corona Del Sol in Arizona. We love what he has put on tape as he constantly wins with his release and were impressed with how he got in and out of his breaks in this type of setting. Vines-Bright has scheduled summer official visits to Notre Dame, USC and Washington.
UNDERCLASSMEN EYE-CATCHERS
IMG Academy lost plenty of difference-makers to graduation (Georgia signee Ellis Robinson IV, Oklahoma signee David Stone, Texas signee Jerrick Gibson) and it appears the the folks in Bradenton are trying to reload with some youth.
–Elijah Golden, DL, class of 2026: Golden was arguably the top defensive lineman at the National Combine back in January. A shade under 6-foot-3, 250 pounds, he has tons of growth potential and figures to emerge as a national recruit with his movement patterns. Indiana offered Golden two months ago and his stock should explode in May.
–Mitchell Smith, OT, class of 2026: There’s already plenty of buzz inside IMG Academy’s football facilities about Smith, and it’s easy to see why. He punished defenders as a sophomore at Mississippi’s Picayune Memorial and carries his weight well. We really liked what we saw out of Smith during drive-blocking drills as he shot out of his stance.
–Eric McFarland, WR, class of 2028: He might be a tad older for his grade, but McFarland looked like the fastest player on the field Thursday. There isn’t much game footage available on McFarland aside from some clips from the Under Armour 8th-grade game, but he’s a dynamic route runner with game-breaking potential based on what we saw.
THE NEW QB ON THE BLOCK: JAYDEN WADE
IMG Academy will have its second former quarterback selected in the NFL Draft in a few months when Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy comes off the board. With Jayden Bradford (last year’s starter) off to Liberty, there’s a void in the huddle and it looks like it might be filled by Wade.
A class of 2028 prospect, Wade is a former star in the California youth leagues that actually got some run as a middle schooler on IMG Academy’s top squad this past season. He’s an exciting dual-threat option with a budding frame that launched a few dimes on tight lines Thursday. Wade will need to keep improving on his fundamentals, but he looks to have a monster ceiling.
San Jose State was the first to offer Wade a scholarship two years ago. He has since reported tenders from Georgia, Oregon, Utah, Arizona, UCF and Washington State. More are coming, especially if he’s QB1 for the Ascenders in 2025.
ADDITIONAL NOTES…
–Multiple prospects did not participate on Thursday due to injury. That group included Top247 linebacker Gavin Nix, Top247 defensive back Alex Graham and running back Donovan Johnson.
–Under Armour hosted the Pro Day and extended invitations to the upcoming 2025 Under Armour All-America Game to the aforementioned Nix and 2026 offensive tackle Keenyi Pepe, who has a prototypical frame and covered plenty of ground in his pass sets.
–It was hard to get a read on the defensive backs with no 1-on-1s, but it was a young and promising group. California natives Chuck Roberts and Censere Gaylord were two rising sophomores that looked rather fluid in weave and turn drills.
–2026 defensive lineman Preston Carey and 2026 offensive lineman G’nivre Carr were two other new trench players that stood out given their larger builds. Carey is originally from New York while Carr spent the past two years at Ocala (Fla.) Trinity Catholic.
–As for some other soon-to-be seniors that had their moments, Major Preston worked at both wide receiver and defensive back. He’s got a moldable frame. Dylon Worthen, on the other hand, showcased some burst and a motor in the defensive line group.
Bud Elliott of 247Sports contributed to this report.
