SEC Spotlight: Notable pipelines to high school football factories

A major part of recruiting is coaching staffs getting their foot in the door at high school programs that annually produce multiple high-level, Power Four players. And once a coaching staff can create a pipeline at these high school football factories, it can be one of the biggest built-in recruiting advantages every year.

This week, we are taking a look at which Power Four programs have an established pipeline at certain high school football factories. First up is the SEC.

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Edna Karr is one of the marquee programs in Louisiana. The New Orleans powerhouse is routinely competing for state championships and consistently producing high-level Power Four athletes and multiple scholarship athletes year in and year out.

Over the years, Karr has supplied a ton of blue-chip talent to LSU. Notable alum include Andre Anthony, Donnie Alexander and Racey McMath. Current Cougars-turned-Tigers include Aaron Anderson, Destyn Hill and freshman TaRon Francis.

LSU also holds commitments from 2026 five-star defensive lineman Richard Anderson and elite safety Aiden Hall from Karr.

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Several of the Longhorns’ top impact players hail from right down the road at Austin (Texas) Westlake, a perennial powerhouse from the Lone Star State’s capital that has churned out some of the top prospects and high school football players over the past decade and change.

Westlake alum that have played on the Forty Acres include quarterback Sam Ehlinger, offensive lineman Calvin Anderson and receiver Ryan Nunez. Former Chaps currently on the Longhorns’ roster include defensive back Michael Taaffe, offensive lineman Connor Robertson, defensive lineman Ethan Burke and edge defender Colton Vasek.

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IMG Academy is located in Bradenton, Fla., but the national powerhouse has been a pipeline to Athens over the years. Five current Bulldogs prepped at IMG, including former five-star Ellis Robinson IV, linebacker Gabe Harris, defensive back Daylen Everette, defensive back Dominick Kelly and linebacker Terrell Foster.

Former five-star defensive lineman Nolan Smith prepped at IMG before a stellar turn at Georgia. Currently, the program holds a commitment from four-star defensive back Zech Fort out of IMG.

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Alabama is a college football blueblood and was recruiting at its peak level for nearly two decades under Nick Saban. In that span, arguably the Crimson Tide’s strongest high school pipeline was located not in Southeast but in California. Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei has produced Alabama superstars Bryce Young, Elias Ricks and Tommy Brown. It also has several alum currently on the Tide’s roster – namely a good chunk of the secondary like cornerbacks Domani Jackson and Zabien Brown and linebacker Abduall Sanders Jr.

Alabama just inked elite four-star cornerback Chuck McDonald III out of Mater Dei to add even more star power to its defense.

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