There were around 500 prospects at Nike's Atlanta Opening regional last Sunday, but the one who tested out the best was probably the youngest.

Owen Pappoe didn't turn 15 until last Sept. 29, but his offer list already reads like a Who's Who of college football powers. Auburn, Florida State, Georgia, Miami, Michigan, Tennessee and South Carolina were among those who offered prior to last July. Alabama offered earlier this year. Clemson has followed.

In the race to become the top prospect in the 2019 class, the 6-foot, 200-pound Pappoe, a linebacker at Grayson High School in Loganville, Ga., may be the early leader.

At the Opening regional, Pappoe earned SPARQ MVP honors with a rating of 128.22. He tested with rising seniors, many of whom are elite prospects. He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.57 seconds, the shuttle in 4.12 seconds, jumped 39 inches vertically and threw the power ball 42.5 feet.

He's still just a freshman in high school.

Pappoe was in Hoover last year with Grayson playing in a 7v7 tournament. His coach at the time, Mickey Conn, had experience with top prospects. Robert Ndemkiche was the No. 1 prospect in the class of 2013 before signing with Ole Miss.

"So far, he's handled (attention) pretty well," Conn said last summer. "We're just trying to protect him. He's taking everything in stride. He's very humble about it and the team's been very accepting of it. We've had some good players in that eighth grade group, but he's been a standout."

Pappoe backed up the hype as a freshman, recording 104 tackles, 11 pass breakups, eight tackles for loss, two forced fumbles, one interception, one defensive touchdown and a blocked field goal for a Grayson team that reached the semifinals.

Pappoe said that one of his coaches, Kenyatta Watson, noticed him playing basketball in middle school and got him out for football. The rest is history.

Pappoe stood out at Alabama's camp last summer, even if it took a few months for the offer to come.

"It was awesome," Pappoe said last summer of his Alabama camp visit. "They moved me up with the oldest group. Coach (Tosh) Lupoi and Coach (Kirby) Smart said they were blown away. Coach Lupoi said I was by far the best in his group. Coach Smart said he was amazed at my size, speed and how well I understood what they were teaching."

Smart is now at Georgia, which is recruiting him hard. He visited Georgia the day before the Opening regional.

Now, on the Alabama offer, Pappoe said, "They're the best program in the country, so it's really something. They just tell me to keep progressing where I am and that they're going to keep recruiting me."

Auburn offered Pappoe in late April. He said Sunday that he hasn't been to Auburn lately, but certainly has a high opinion of the school.

"They like how physical I am coming out of my drops," Pappoe said. "I think they're a real nice school, real nice facilities and a real nice football team. I could see myself there, maybe."

Pappoe maintains that he has no favorites and will wait out the recruiting process. But colleges are already starting to take notice.

Grayson and its group of prospects, including Pappoe, will be back in Alabama this fall, but in pads. Grayson plays at Hoover on Oct. 28.

How early could a commitment come?

"You never know," he said.