Lebbeus Overton Best Football Player Class of 2023
The Class of 2023 is setting up to be a special one in terms of the pure talent of the players in the class. There are numerous highly-touted quarterbacks, defensive linemen and defensive backs making this class deep and loaded with talent – arguably the best in recent years. In a class stacked with top talent and names including Arch Manning, Peter Woods, Malachi Nelson, and more, the name you need to remember is Lebbeus Overton.
Overton is currently listed as the consensus No. 1 football recruit in the Class of 2023 by prominent recruiting websites 247Sports and Rivals. Overton is regarded as a 5-star defensive end, and has received numerous offers from prominent college programs including Alabama, Florida, Georgia, LSU, Oklahoma and more. Obviously there is a ton of hype around Overton as a prospect, and rightfully so, as he has dominated the competition during his first two high school football seasons.
Overton attended Bessemer Academy in Bessemer, AL, for his freshman season where he helped lead the Rebels to the AISA 3A State Championship. Overton led the Rebels defense during the 2019 season where he collected 105 tackles, 19 sacks, 42 tackles for loss, 13 QB hurries, one forced fumble and two fumble recoveries as a freshman.
Overton ended up at one of the top high school football programs in the state of Georgia for his sophomore season, Milton High School in Alpharetta, GA. Because of this change, Overton was now playing in a new state with a new team, against different and arguably better competition for his sophomore season. If you thought that he would take a step back from his incredible freshman season however, think again.
He was already emerging as one of the top recruits before his sophomore season at Milton, but took the next step in 2020 to become the consensus No. 1 recruit in the Class of 2023. Overton was a force once again on the defensive line as he lined up at both DE and DT. Overton totaled 70 tackles and 21.5 sacks while also forcing six fumbles in route to leading Milton to an 11-1 record and an appearance in the Georgia 7A state quarterfinals. Overton also played basketball for Milton, helping lead the Eagles to being one of the best high school basketball teams in the country, and a trip to the Geico Nationals.
Overton is quickly emerging as a special, can’t-miss prospect, and as you can tell by his production at both Bessemer and Milton, the hype is worth it. While it is currently unknown where his football career will continue to take him, we do know that Lebbeus Overton will be one of the top players in high school and college football for years to come.
Written by: Matthew Melton
