Thoughts from evaluating five-star QB Elijah Haven, LSU commit Tyler Miller

We’re in the heart of football season — both college and at the high school level.

Rivals National Recruiting Analyst Sam Spiegelman was on the sidelines for a handful of high school football games across the Southeast, including that of five-star 2027 QB Elijah Haven and 2025 Rivals250 OT Tyler Miller and DT Andrew Maddox, committed to LSU and Ole Miss, respectively.

Here are some thoughts from live evaluations of all three blue-chip recruits:

We have been on hand for multiple live evaluations of five-star 2027 QB Elijah Haven throughout the offseason, this time in a game setting. Haven, now in his second year as the starter at Baton Rouge (La.) Dunham, is already the owner of the school’s record books for passing yardage and total touchdowns.

Haven showed off fantastic command of the offense able to consistently and methodically move the ball downfield while also creating big splash plays downfield with his arm and his legs. The No. 2 overall prospect in the 2027 Rivals250 made smart decisions and moved the offense with RPOs, vertical shots downfield and outside the numbers, as well as a quick-passing game and several rollout passes allowing Haven to extend plays and buy time outside the pocket.

Haven was sharp with the timing of his throws and anticipating where his receivers would be, and was able to make throws to all levels of the field. He’s patient and composed, especially standing up in the pocket. At 6-foot-5 and 190 pounds, he also maneuvers extremely well inside the pocket under duress and no throw is off-limits to the sophomore signal-caller.

The five-star QB provided big splash plays on vertical balls thrown downfield and cut the game open with a 65-yard run past a host of defenders. We loved Haven’s ability to be the best player on the field in any given moment and absolutely take over the game. His command of the offense is stellar and so is his live arm and mobility. We love Haven’s upside. This 2027 quarterback has an enormous ceiling and even more room to continue to grow and develop at his craft.

LSU put an offer on the table after OC Joe Sloan saw Haven this past in action. Alabama hosted the elite QB, and both Texas A&M and Michigan visits loom next.

Tyler Miller is absolutely one of those eye-catchers as soon as you see him up close and in action. Miller, who checks in at 6-foot-6 and 315 pounds, is built like a tank with extraordinary length (35-inch arms) and a massive, broad frame.

After rolling his leg on the opening series on offense, Miller battled through injury for the majority of the contest and deep into the fourth quarter playing through pain — and doing so at a very high clip. Miller was quick dropping back into pass-sets and is phenomenal containing edge-rushers who use power to get to the QB. Miller kept the pocket clean and easily dispensed of DL working in front of him.

Despite limited mobility, Miller still was able to reach his blocks in the run game. His innate power to move defenders off the ball and withstand power-based rushes was fully on display. He’s one of the most intriguing OL prospects in an NFL frame in this class.

It was also the first time evaluating four-star defense lineman Andrew Maddox in a live game setting. The Ole Miss commitment out of Hattiesburg (Miss.) Oak Grove checks in at 6-foot-3 and 280 pounds. He’s broad and agile and worked primarily off the edge and over the tackle in this one. Maddox broke through with some pressures and worked primarily in containing the run off the edge and warranting blocking attention.

Maddox’s father, of course, played defensive tackle in the NFL, and that might ultimately be what Andrew grows into in Oxford. We love Maddox’s quick first step and his strong hands, not to mention his bounce off the ball. That should project extremely well inside as an athletic interior defensive lineman.