UA Game Week: The Garcia-Smith Awards

The 2025 Under Armour Next All-America Game week has come to a close and Rivals looks back on some of the shining moments with a mock awards presentation from analysts John Garcia Jr. and Greg Smith.

MORE FROM ORLANDO: Which programs were the biggest winners? | Top performers | Players to watch | Recruiting buzz from Tuesday | Top performers, observations from Tuesday’s practice | Five-star Dakorien Moore can’t wait to get started at Oregon | Commitment timetable comes for four-star WR Tristen Keys | Ranking questions after Monday’s practice | Stock risers after Monday’s practice | Zahir Mathis remains open with three visits coming | Big Ten power could be in front for Savion Hiter | Which program is most on prospects’ minds? | More rumors from Orlando | Signees share which teams came up just short in their recruitment | Media Day Rumor Mill | Big Ten, SEC battle brewing for Jackson Cantwell | Five-star QB Keelon Russell prepares for future at Alabama | Four-star Anthony Davis breaks down commitment plan | Four-star LB Jordan Campbell breaks down possible visits

UA NEXT COMMITMENTS: Donovan Murph commits to South Carolina | LSU wins out for JaReylan McCoy | Virginia Tech lands Carnell Warren | Kansas gains early pledge from James Dunnigan

Dr. Dominant – Elijah Griffin

It has been said at length all week, from analysts to coaches and even from his peers – Griffin had a score of the top performances among All-Americans more times than not. The Georgia signee not only looks like the top interior defender in the class of 2025, but he is likely going to push higher up the overall rankings with the type of power, quickness and sheer playmaking ability Griffin showcased against fellow blue-chip recruits.

He still has room to add mass and there will be more tools added to his pass-rushing tool kit at the next level, so betting on the five-star feels like a no-brainer at this point.

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Walk it, Talk it – DaKorien Moore

This goes to the recruit who let others know he was elite and showed it. Moore did so throughout the practice sessions, even scoring multiple times in a downspout, but he saved some of the electricity for the game in breaking the ice on an 83-yard punt return for a touchdown.

On top of it, he was able to showcase easy catch-and-run skills thereafter, tallying 53 yards on just three catches.

The Oregon signee has been the No. 1 wide receiver projection for more than a year and there are no clear challengers ahead of the final ranking release.

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Pleasant Surprise – JaReylan McCoy

We knew coming into the event that McCoy is a good prospect. But what we found out during the week of practice and during the Under Armour All-America Game is how versatile of a player he is.

Standing at 6-foot-7, 250 pounds, the Mississippi native looks the part of a classic defensive end. He plays with good leverage and has a heavy punch to knock tackles off-balance.

But his ability to stand up and rush the passer off the edge will put him in contention to play early and often at LSU. You don’t see a player his size moving that well in space.

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Offer Party on Deck – J’Vari Flowers

It’s been an ideal 12 months for the junior talent. He took home the state 100-meter dash crown in Florida last spring, broke out for Miami Northwestern during a state championship run in the fall and made the play of the UA Game with a diving interception to kick off the New Year.

Flowers holds considerable offers and just added Florida State to the mix, but more are surely on the way as programs turn the page to 2026 and continue to realize the speedster is a football player first. In fact, he is newer to track and field over the last few years, somewhat of another indication of the ceiling he may bring to the table.

Flowers’ father said his phone began ringing off the hook since the top 100 talent’s big play on national television. Early in the week Flowers said he would like to add Oregon and Michigan to his growing list.

The Madman – Izayia Williams

There were several prospects looking to splash with big hits during the UA Game Thursday – Keon Young, Zech Fort, Jordan Campbell and more – but Williams was able to make it count on several occasions with the full gear on.

The junior had nearly double the amount of tackles of any other defender on either team (seven total), as he was waiting all week to unleash downhill with true contact. Williams has great speed, even keeping up with elite dual-threat QB Keelon Russell on one occasion, and it translates to power upon contact.

There is also a strong motor present here and it added up to sideline-to-sideline tackling samples and flashes of three-down range for the blue-chip recruit.

Future College Captain – Gavin Nix

It doesn’t take long talking to Nix to understand why he’d be a coach’s dream. In an interview setting, he gives thoughtful and insightful answers. He’ll be a mainstay on the podium once he gets to Eugene.

On the football field he’s a vocal leader that is always getting players into the correct positions. He’s also a terrific linebacker prospect that can play sideline-to-sideline, the classic package that allowed for the Oregon signee to be a captain for IMG Academy and at the UA Game alike.

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The Brick Wall – Juan Gaston

It was tough sledding all week long for any defender trying to get by Gaston. The Georgia signee is a dominant blocker in the phone booth once he engages with a defender. His sheer size (6-8, 340) makes it tough for opponents to get by him but the surprising thing was how well he moved his feet.

Not many defensive linemen were able to get the best of the Bulldog, who has a case to work at guard or tackle at the next level.

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Five-star Stamp – Michael Fasusi

The Oklahoma signee came into the week with high expectations of his play and did nothing to suggest that he isn’t one of the top offensive linemen in the country. He’s got a great frame with very little bad weight. He has room to continue getting bigger and stronger in the Sooners’ weight room, too.

Fasusi has sweet feet, allowing him to move quickly to stop defenders or redirect with ease. He’s exactly what a five-star offensive tackle should look like and he performed that way, too.

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Mr. Reliable – Donovan Olugbode

Blink and you’ll miss it, but then you’ll probably see it again anyway. The Missouri commitment isn’t the flashiest wideout but he just continues to make plays in elite settings and against elite defensive backs whether it was over the years at IMG Academy or certainly throughout UA week.

Olugbode led the game with five catches, racking up 67 yards in DO fashion – under the radar. One was on a slant where the defender had no chance off the line of scrimmage while another was on a hitch at the line of scrimmage where he could show off some run-after-catch physicality.

From the routes to the hands and ability in traffic, Olugbode just gets the job done and it shouldn’t surprise anyone when he does so at Missouri.

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Team Tough – Will Griffin

The Florida quarterback commitment injured his throwing shoulder on his fourth snap of the game and then his fellow QB Keelon Russell went down. As the only other passer on the roster, the junior stepped in and made some plays in helping Team Icon hold off the Team Unstoppable comeback attempt, enduring some big hits from Elijah Griffin, Zion Elee, JaReylan McCoy and several others along the way.

Though slowed down, Griffin stood tall in the pocket and absorbed the contact before bouncing back time and time again. The Rivals250 member made some nice plays on the run and when he was on time, few could recognize the pain he was playing through.

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