Scout Trout

The College Football Now CFB top 25 rankings heading into the 2026-2027 college football season can be found at the link below!
Updated on August 16th, 2026 at 10:18 a.m. EST

https://www.collegefootballnow.org/collegefootballtop25.html #/

🔍 5 -Star OL recruit James Cocozzo SCOUTING EVALUATION UPDATE

Top 2027 OL recruit James Cocozzo is one of the premier interior offensive linemen in the country and a true foundational trench prospect. A dominant force at Stillwater High School (NY), Cocozzo combines rare athleticism, technical refinement, and relentless physicality to control games from the inside out.

The son of former NFL O-Lineman Joe Cocozzo, Cocozzo carries elite bloodline pedigree and plays the position with advanced understanding, toughness, and polish well beyond his years. A two-time First Team All-State selection, he delivered a monster sophomore campaign, recording 87 pancake blocks while allowing ZERO sacks or QB hurries, a testament to his consistency, discipline, and dominance in the trenches.

Cocozzo thrives as a pulling guard, showcasing an explosive first step, outstanding balance, and violent leg drive that allow him to erase defenders at both the first and second levels. His hand placement and leverage are advanced, enabling him to displace defenders and finish blocks with authority. In pass protection, he flashes a smooth drop step, quick lateral movement, and excellent footwork, consistently mirroring rushers and keeping his quarterback clean.

His versatility significantly elevates his value. At 6’4”, 290 pounds, Cocozzo projects as a high-ceiling interior lineman with the athletic profile and technique to play guard, tackle, or even transition to center at the next level. His football IQ, movement skills, and positional flexibility make him a plug-and-play Power Five prospect with long-term NFL starter upside.

COMBINE STATS
40 yard dash - 5.13
Broad jump - 8'9"
Bench press - 305 (MAX)

CFB offers - Virginia Tech, Maryland, Indiana, Syracuse &
Rutgers

📊 STEP SCORE BREAKDOWN (HS)

(Scout Trout Proprietary Evaluation)

CATEGORY SCORE
S – Size / Strength 9.5
T – Technique / Toughness 9.8
E – Explosiveness / Athleticism 9.6
P – Production / Pedigree 9.9
🔥 OVERALL STEP SCORE
9.7 / 10.0 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

ELITE • FOUNDATIONAL POWER FIVE PROSPECT

🧠 WHY THE SCORE IS SO HIGH

87 Pancake Blocks (0 sacks, 0 hurries allowed)

Two-Time First Team All-State

Rare athleticism for a 290-lb interior lineman

Advanced hand placement, leverage, and footwork

Multi-position projection (G / T / potential C)

NFL bloodline pedigree + high football IQ

High-academic, high-character profile (3.9 GPA)

https://www.collegefootballnow.org/top2027footballrecruits.html #/

We have named Patrick Graham as our defensive coordinator.

📝: bit.ly/4q7OpOi

Jalon Kilgore — UPDATED 2026 NFL Draft S.T.E.P.™ Rating
Final S.T.E.P.™ Score: 🔥 38.2 / 40 🔥

(Elite Tier — Day 1 / Early Day 2 NFL DB)

S.T.E.P.™ Breakdown (NFL Translation)

S — Sustainability: 9.4

Multi-year starter in the SEC

Durable, physical DB with hybrid usage

Proven production curve from HS → SEC → Senior Bowl

T — Technique: 9.5

Refined footwork and leverage in man & zone

Excellent tackling form (rare for DBs)

WR background shows up in route anticipation

E — Ex*****on: 9.6

ALL-SEC consistency week-to-week

Ball disruption + finishing ability

Performs in high-leverage moments vs elite competition

P — Presence: 9.7

All-American recognition

Alpha communicator in secondary

Senior Bowl / Panini Bowl validation = NFL trust factor

Why This Score Is Justified

✅ ALL-SEC = proven dominance in the deepest DB league

✅ All-American = national validation, not projection

✅ Senior Bowl Invite = NFL-ready processing & technique

✅ ATH background = scheme-proof defender (nickel / safety / CB hybrid)

This is not hype — this is verified NFL grade film + accolades.

NFL Draft Projection (Updated)

Late 1st – Early 2nd Round

Immediate contributor in sub-packages

Starter ceiling by Year 2

Special Teams + DB room culture upgrade

Scout Trout Elite Take

“When an ATH becomes an All-SEC defender and an All-American, the projection phase is over. That’s an NFL profile.”

College Football Now top 2026 NFL Draft Prospect & Class of 2023 Scout Trout All-American Jalon Kilgore's S.T.E.P scouting report highlight's what Jalon will bring to the National Football League. Jalon Kilgore & his brother Gerald Kilgore were two of the hardest working recruits ever scouted at Scout Trout Elite & Jalon has earned a S.T.E.P score that is inching it's way to perennial Pro Bowl status.

2023 SOUTH CAROLINA FOOTBALL COMMIT
40 yard dash - 4.45
5-10-5 shuttle - 4.26
Bench press - 185 X 10, 280 (MAX)
Vertical - 36"
Squat - 445 (MAX)
Dead-Lift - 430 (MAX)
Clean - 285 (MAX)
100M Dash - 11.2
400M Dash - 51
CFB offers - Clemson, Nebraska, Michigan, Florida State, North Carolina, Arkansas State, Pittsburgh, FAU, Oklahoma, Tennessee Tech, Ole Miss, South Carolina, Georgia Southern, Southeast Missouri, Kentucky, Liberty, Troy, Florida, UCF, Indiana, Eastern Michigan, Louisville, Georgia Tech & UConn

https://www.scouttrout.com/breaking-news/top-2026-nfl-draft-prospect-jalon-kilgore-step-scouting-report

S.T.E.P RADAR EVALUATION HEAT MAPS
Click the S.T.E.P Radar Evaluation Heat Map graphics below to learn more about how top football prospects & recruits are evaluated at College Football Now & Scout Trout Elite on our Top 2027 FB Recruits Position databases!

https://www.collegefootballnow.org/ #/

🛡️ S.T.E.P™ LINEBACKER FRAMEWORK
(OLB & MLB – Position-Specific Translation)
S.T.E.P™ = Sustainability | Technique | Ex*****on | Presence
Each trait feeds one of the four STEP pillars.

🔵 OUTSIDE LINEBACKER (OLB) – STEP FORMULATION
Scout Trout Original Formula
(LI) + (LA) + (ZC) + (MC) + (EB) + (RS) + (MV) = OLB
STEP TranslationS — Sustainability
Traits that project long-term viability, role flexibility, and snap durability.
Motor & Versatility (MV)
→ High-motor players survive scheme changes and special-teams demands
Lateral Agility (LA)
→ Ability to play in space over time without wear-down
🧠 Sustainability answers:
“Can this OLB stay on the field in modern hybrid defenses?”

T — Technique
Refined skill ex*****on independent of raw athleticism.
Zone Coverage (ZC)
→ Hook/curl drops, spacing, break angles
Man Coverage (MC)
→ Footwork, leverage, route recognition
Linebacker Instincts (LI) (technique component)
→ Read keys, eye discipline, play diagnosis

🧠 Technique answers:
“Does this OLB understand what he’s doing—and why?”

E — Ex*****on
How effectively traits translate to results in live action.
Edge Blitz (EB)
→ Timing, angles, sack/pressure creation
Run Stopping (RS)
→ Block defeat, tackling efficiency
🧠 Ex*****on answers:
“Does production show up when the lights are on?”

P — Presence
Impact on game flow, physicality, and opponent decision-making.
Motor & Versatility (MV) (presence component)
→ Relentless pursuit, multi-role stress on offenses
Run Stopping (RS) (presence component)
→ Tone-setting physicality in the box
🧠 Presence answers:
“Do offenses have to account for this OLB on every snap?”

✅ OLB STEP SUMMARY
S: LA, MV
T: ZC, MC, LI
E: EB, RS
P: RS, MV

🔴 MIDDLE LINEBACKER (MLB) – STEP FORMulation
Original Formula(LI) + (LA) + (RS) + (PC) + (BA) + (HS) + (V) = MLB
STEP Translation
S — Sustainability
Ability to anchor a defense long-term.
Versatility (V)
→ Ability to shift to OLB, nickel LB, or sub-packages
Lateral Agility (LA)
→ Sideline-to-sideline endurance
🧠 Sustainability answers:
“Can this MLB survive modern spread football?”

T — Technique
Mental processing and coverage discipline.
Linebacker Instincts (LI)
→ Run/pass keys, anticipation
Pass Coverage (PC)
→ Man & zone technique, spacing
Blitz Agenda (BA) (technique component)
→ Disguise, timing, angles
🧠 Technique answers:
“Is this MLB a processor—or just a hitter?”

E — Ex*****on
Live-play effectiveness.
Run Stopping (RS)
→ Gap control, tackle success
Blitz Agenda (BA) (ex*****on component)
→ Pressure creation

🧠 Ex*****on answers:
“Does he finish plays and affect outcomes?”

P — Presence
Physical and psychological impact.
Hit-Stick (HS)
→ Enforcing will in the box
Run Stopping (RS)
(presence component)
🧠 Presence answers:
“Does this MLB change how offenses run the ball?”

✅ MLB STEP SUMMARY
S: V, LA
T: LI, PC, BA
E: RS, BA

P: HS, RS
🧩 WHY THIS MATTERS (BIG PICTURE)
This keeps every position unique, but:
✅ All scores still roll up to a 40-point STEP scale
✅ Radar charts stay consistent across positions
✅ Recruit → Transfer → Draft evaluations stay aligned
✅ Film > offers > hype remains the foundation

https://collegefootballnow.org/top2027linebackerrecruits.html #/

Boston College
NFLL