When the pads go on, and the helmet gets strapped, it’s safe to say that Southern Columbia high school receiver Julian Fleming flips on the competitor switch and goes to work once he steps on the field. The best high school football player in America and possibly the best receiver in the state of Pennsylvania’s history has immense hype for what he has already accomplished in his young football career.
PROFILE
Julian Fleming
6’2″ 199lbs
High School: Southern Columbia
Home Town: Catawissa, PA
Commitment School: Ohio State (Hard Commit 5/31/2019)
BACKGROUND
In Gatorade’s 35th year recognizing the best high school athletes in the nation, Gatorade made sure to not only recognize Fleming for his accomplishments on the field but also off the field for his academics and character. He isn’t your typical five-star receiver; he’s an elite athlete with outstanding competitive toughness, all the intangibles, and high-character that teams want in the locker room.
He’s not short of confidence either. Following Southern Columbia’s win over Avonworth for the 2A state title, Fleming left his teammates with this message:
“Get in the weight room Monday, you’ve got some big shoes to fill.”
Brian Linder – pennlive.com
Fleming ended his senior season with 68 receptions for 1,448 yards and 21 touchdowns. A dominant season worthy of the confidence that he holds within and delivers on the football field.
Recruited as a 5-star recruit and the best receiver in the 2020 class according to 247Sports, Fleming holds 31 offers that include Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, Florida, and LSU. He gave his hard commit to Ohio State on May 31, 2019.
With solid size at 6’2” and 199lbs, Fleming adds above-average athleticism and a tenacious demeanor in his gameplay that sets him apart from the rest of the 2020 class. He also checks the multi-sport box with a permanent marker, as he is an elite long jumper on the varsity track and field team and also plays varsity basketball.
While participating at The Opening Regionals in April 2019, Fleming ran a 4.45 40-yard dash, a 4.01 shuttle, and hit a vertical of 40 inches. The most impressive part of these recorded numbers, they all show up in his gameplay. How do they correlate? Let’s break down his skillset and traits to find out.
SCOUTING REPORT
Ohio State is getting an incoming freshman with a solid frame that possesses a good muscular physique with a balanced upper and lower body in regards to muscle mass. Fleming knows how to apply his frame to leverage his play strength and fight off pressing defensive backs or win the contested catch battle.
One of the first things that jumps out is how tenacious he is in multiple scenarios. Whether at the line of scrimmage fighting off contact, while en route to maintain precise timing, or in traffic situations to beat defenders at the catch point, Fleming is dominant. He has that “alpha” to him that translates very well to the next level.
His lower body strength is evident when breaking through arm tackles and fighting off lower body wrap up tackles. His upper body strength is on display when he’s swatting and swimming through press coverage and while driving his hands into the pads of defenders, bullying them as a blocker.
At the line of scrimmage, he displays above-average initial acceleration. He quickly ignites into his route stem while shifting gears throughout his vertical stem, exploiting defenders with average athleticism. As he executes the catch, he explodes with an excellent burst to instantly separate himself from initial tacklers, gaining yards after the catch at an elite level.
Fleming possesses good route stem deception with the use of strategic footwork and play strength, leveraging his solid frame and competitive toughness to create separation at the route break. His breaks at the top of his routes are crisp and quick with good lateral quickness.
The calling card for Fleming has to be his grit, or in other terms, his “my ball, my world mentality.” He has his way with defenders in contested situations and has his way with defenders when catching in traffic. He commands the seam, navigating at will, showing aggression in the middle of the field.
He’s not just a dominant receiver but also used as a big-time special teams contributor and kick returner. The idea that he can be an immediate contributor as a kick returner will help him see the field much sooner, even on a crowded roster.
CONCLUSION
This 2020 receiver class is deep in regards to natural talent and overall skill set. Even in a class that features so much talent, Fleming finds himself easily in tier one. He’s an immediate contributor for any team and projects as a high-level WR1 in college and a future blue-chip fantasy asset at the next level. If drafting freshmen in devy drafts suits your roster development style, make Fleming a priority add this offseason.
