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re: Class of 2018 Recruiting MEGATHREAD: So Long Old Friend Edition
Posted on 4/26/17 at 4:14 pm to TideSaint
Posted on 4/26/17 at 4:14 pm to TideSaint
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No. 8 Trey Palmer, WR, 6-0, 170, Kentwood
Palmer is one of the best pure athletes in the state--and did I mention that he is running sub 10.5 in the 100 meters? While he packs a ton of potential in his slight frame, there is still room for improvement, and the potential to move up farther in these rankings. With that said, very few cornerbacks have the game, athleticism, speed and technique needed to stay with this receiver.
We offered Palmer on Friday.
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Posted on 4/26/17 at 4:15 pm to TideSaint
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No. 7 Kardell Thomas, OG, 6-4, 325, Southern Lab
Kardell Thomas has been impressive this spring, and could develop into an offensive tackle at the next level, but I currently see him as a guard, which naturally dropped his ranking a hair. Nevertheless, he would be a tremendous guard prospect and has the potential to play early at the next level, due to his strength and physicality. Thomas is an absolute mauler who exemplifies what it means to finish your block, often ending up with a defender on his backside.
Posted on 4/26/17 at 4:15 pm to TideSaint
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No. 6 Donte Starks, LB, 6-1, 220, John Ehret
The Mississippi linebacker recently moved to the New Orleans area and will be playing for John Ehret this fall. He instantly became the state's best linebacker prospect the moment his family's U-Haul crossed the state's border, and he has the potential to be ranked even higher on this list. Starks possess sideline-to-sideline speed, and can be a punishing hitter and sure tackler in space. While he has the athleticism to become an every-down linebacker, he still has some work to do in this regard. Once he shows a comfort level and understanding of route recognition and proper depth in his drops, he will be the all-around linebacker prospect he has the potential to be.
Posted on 4/26/17 at 4:15 pm to TideSaint
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No. 5 Devonta Lee, WR, 6-2, 190, Amite
Up, up and away. There may not be a wide receiver in the country better at attacking a football at its highest point than this explosive athlete. But his all-around game still needs some work, so we will start him off at the No. 5 spot for now. Devonta Lee's hands, vertical leap and body control are elite, and he is faster than most give him credit for. The multi-sport athlete needs to focus on developing his craft as a receiver, or he could be faced with quite the learning curve at the next level. I believe he will do just that.
Posted on 4/26/17 at 4:15 pm to TideSaint
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No. 4 Devin Bush, CB, 6-0, 180, Karr
Bush has the potential to be the best cornerback prospect to ever come out of Karr. He has a great frame, attitude and speed. Bush has tremendous recovery speed, and solid footwork and discipline for a younger cornerback. He hasn't received the headlines his game warrants, but Bush is a premier prospect who is starting to garner attention from many of the nation's top programs.
Posted on 4/26/17 at 4:16 pm to TideSaint
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No. 3 John Emery, RB, 6-0, 195, Destrehan
Each time I have watched John Emery's film, I walk away more impressed than when it first began. And I have thought highly of Emery for some time, so that should give you an idea as to how good I think this young man can be. He has tremendous balance to go along with good speed, a frame capable of carrying well over 200 pounds in due time, and the remarkable ability to avoid clean shots from defenders and break arm tackles. Emery just may be an elite-level running back prospect.
Posted on 4/26/17 at 4:16 pm to TideSaint
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No. 2 Derek Stingley, CB, 6-1, 175, Dunham
Derek Stingley Jr. is the best Louisiana cornerback prospect I have encountered during my nearly five-year tenure as the recruiting analyst for NOLA.com. He has elite top-end speed, size and intelligence, and is starting to develop from a technical standpoint. He has tremendous hips and plays the ball at an elite level. Stingley has all-world potential, and the 15-year old is starting to tap into it a bit.
Posted on 4/26/17 at 4:16 pm to TideSaint
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No. 1 Ishmael Sopsher, DT, 6-4, 295, Amite
Sopsher is a massive, athletic defensive tackle who is just starting to scratch the surface of his potential. He can be dominant, and showed an improved level of consistency this past fall, but there is still some work to do in that regard. He is physically ready for the collegiate game right now, and his game is starting to show signs of an elite defensive tackle prospect.
Posted on 4/26/17 at 4:17 pm to TideSaint
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LSU is off to a quick start for the 2018 recruiting cycle with 16 commitments for the class. Of the 16 pledges, 13 are on defense with three on offense, which includes one wide receiver in Jena's Jaray Jenkins.
However, the Tigers have a major need for running backs and wideouts and it's starting to look like one spot may be filled by Alabama four-star running back Harold Joiner.
The 6-foot-3, 213-pounder has named LSU as his leader and admitted he doesn't have a No. 2 school at the moment, according to Drew Champlin of AL.com.
"They're just a family team," Joiner told AL.com. "They're all put together. They always have a powerful offense and I just feel at home down there."
Joiner is only 16 and may not be done growing, but said that LSU talks to him about strictly playing running back, which is the position he wants to play.
"They're very powerful," he said. "I feel like they run the ball a good amount and that's really good.
"(And if I grow), I'll just have to talk it over with my dad and see what the best thing to do is," Joiner said.
Despite not currently having a No. 2 school right now, he's still interested in Auburn, Texas, "maybe" Texas A&M, South Carolina and a few more, the report said.
LINK
Posted on 4/26/17 at 4:19 pm to TideSaint
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Mobile Christian defensive coordinator Gus Smith helped coach former Alabama star Ryan Anderson when both were at Daphne High School.
When Smith looks at 2018 three-star defensive end prospect Andres Fox, he sees similar traits.
"Andres will be one of the best at the next level," Smith said. "I was at Daphne at the same time as Ryan Anderson, and Andres is every bit that good."
That's pretty high praise considering Anderson is expected to be picked in the second or third round of this week's NFL Draft.
The 6-foot-5, 230-pound Fox, a rising senior, exploded on the recruiting scene late last fall when he made 18 sacks in just eight games and helped the Leopards all the way to the Class 3A championship game.
Since then, Fox has received more than 20 Division I scholarship offers.
"I've never seen schools come through here and contact us like they have for Andres," Mobile Christian head coach Ronnie Cottrell said. "All of the coaches loved him on film already, but I think in the championship game he proved he could be a two-gap player, and it really took off for him. He's a very unselfish guy. He's very disciplined in his play. Since that game in Auburn, there has been a flood of interest."
Fox originally narrowed his list of potential colleges to six - Alabama, Auburn, Florida, USC, Florida State and Georgia. He has since trimmed - and changed - the list again.
He now tells AL.com he will pick between Auburn, Alabama and LSU.
"I don't want to move too far away," he said Tuesday. "It will be one of those schools."
Fox attended Alabama's A-Day game last week and came back impressed to say the least.
"Wow. I really loved it," he said. "I've been there before, but it's just a great place. You are always surrounded by a lot of great players. That atmosphere is awesome. I liked everything about it."
However, Fox refused to say the Crimson Tide or any other team was the leader for him at this point. He plans to make a decision before Mobile Christian's season starts in August.
He sees a lot of positives with each of his three top schools.
"I like Alabama because they put a lot of players in the NFL," he said. "At LSU, Coach O (Ed Orgeron) is a defensive line coach at heart, and that is big for me. They also have (veteran assistant) Pete Jenkins. I sat down and talked to him and he showed me a lot of stuff. At Auburn, coach (Rodney) Garner and coach T-Will (Travis Williams) have always been there for me. They are kind of the reason I blew up I think. They have showed me how well I will fit in down there. It will be a tough choice."
Fox said Auburn was the first SEC school to offer him. That came the day after Mobile Christian's state championship loss to Piedmont.
"This is a big year for him," Cottrell said. "Andres has told me multiple times that he would like to know where he is going before our season starts so he can concentrate on this team. I thought that was amazing for a guy to be that unselfish."
Fox is currently ranked the No. 13 senior prospect in the state, according to 247's composite rankings. Cottrell described him as one of the finest pass rushers he's coached. Smith said he has all the intangibles to be great at any level.
"He's got all the tools," Smith said. "He was on our scout team two years ago, and he dominated us so we knew we had something special. Sometimes, we had to hold him back so we could actually get something accomplished in practice.
"Andres is obviously going to be a huge part of our defense this fall. We'll move him around and put him in situations where he can hopefully dominate games. We plan on him being a pass rusher when we need to rush the passer and a run-stopper when we need to stop the run."
Cottrell said most colleges see Fox as a hybrid outside linebacker/defensive end in a 3-4 scheme.
"So many teams are looking for a guy like that," Cottrell said. "I think he'll be a rush end, a guy who can play the run and the pass. Part of it depends on how big he gets."
Fox said he likely would take some more visits this summer before making his final decision.
LINK
Posted on 4/26/17 at 4:22 pm to TideSaint
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Kicker
If there is one current hole on Alabama’s team, it’s place kicker. Punter JK Scott could handle both punting and kicking, but that wouldn’t be ideal.
Kicker Andy Pappanastos missed attempts from 31 and 38 yards during the A-Day which had to give Alabama football fans flashbacks of missed kicks over the last few years.
That’s where Joseph Bulovas comes in. Bulovas “signed” with Alabama, but wasn’t included as a part of the Crimson Tide’s 2017 National Signing Day. He accepted a blue shirt option, which means he’ll be eligible to enroll this summer.
Bulovas may be the most important player from Alabama’s 2017 class given the need the Tide have at kicker.
Posted on 4/26/17 at 4:23 pm to TideSaint
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Offensive line
The first-team offensive line featured Jonah Williams at left tackle, Ross Pierschbacher at left guard, Bradley Bozeman at center, Lester Cotton at right guard and Matt Womack at right tackle.
Williams, Pierschbacher, Bozeman and Cotton each have starting experience.
“Right now, I might say we probably have four offensive linemen who — I’m not going to say who — can play winning football,” Saban said. “We probably have another four that have the potential to play winning football that may not be where they need to be.”
That’s where a player like offensive tackle Jedrick Wills could contribute early. It’s not easy for a true freshman offensive lineman who enrollw during the summer to play early, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible.
Wills, a 6-foot-5, 310-pound offensive lineman, was tabbed as a 5-star offensive tackle by Rivals.com and the top player in the state of Kentucky by all major recruiting services.
Wills was the only player from Kentucky selected to the Under Armour All-American Game. He joins Crimson Tide running back Damien Harris as two highly rated players to leave their home state of Kentucky for Alabama.
Posted on 4/26/17 at 4:23 pm to TideSaint
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Defensive line
Alabama needs as much depth as possible along the defensive line so that means summer enrollees LaBryan Ray and Phil Mathis have an opportunity to crack the rotation.
Ray, a 5-star prospect, finished the 2016 season with 124 tackles, including 25 tackles for loss, 13 sacks, 16 quarterback hurries, 2 fumble recoveries and a blocked punt at James Clemens (Madison, Ala.). He recorded 113 tackles as a junior with 20 tackles for loss, 12 sacks and 3 forced fumbles while adding 53 tackles with 7 tackles for loss and 16 quarterback hurries as a sophomore in 2014.
Mathis made 41 tackles as a senior in 2016, 12 tackles for loss, 7 sacks and 6 quarterback hurries.
Mathis ranked as high as No. 37 in the ESPN 300 and the outlet’s No. 4 defensive tackle. He rated as the No. 2 player in the state by ESPN, and a composite four-star lineman by 247Sports.
Posted on 4/26/17 at 4:27 pm to TideSaint
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Oklahoma City defensive end Ron Tatum narrowed his list of offers to a top five last Friday and just three days later set an announcement date, but the decision was anything but easy as the three-star surprised many by picking the Texas Longhorns on Wednesday afternoon.
“Schools were texting me and calling me the last couple days, trying to get me to come to their school,” Tatum said. “It’s just been my family and the closest people to me to give me advice, but they say whatever I choose they will ride with me.”
The final five for Tatum’s decision were Alabama, Georgia, Oklahoma, TCU and Texas. Expectations once the decision date was announced were that Tatum would stay in-state, but he chose the Sooners' rival instead.
LINK
Damn. I thought we might land him.
Posted on 4/26/17 at 4:30 pm to TideSaint
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Auburn hopes player-to-player edge helps with 4-star RB
DECATUR, Ala. — After A-Day, Auburn’s vocal recruiting leader made it well-known who the Tigers prioritized at the spring game.
Quarterback commit Joey Gatewood mentioned Justyn Ross, who has been a top priority of his since the beginning. But the Auburn point man mentioned another offensive skill player who actually was his biggest target throughout the A-Day festivities.
That was the state’s top running back target, Asa Martin.
“I probably spent more time with Asa than I did with anyone,” Gatewood said.
Martin noticed.
He spent much of the spring game alongside the future Auburn signal caller. The two shared Auburn visit experiences and watched intently as the Tigers flaunted a more pass-heavy offense, which encouraged the use of running backs in the vertical passing game.
Those conversations played a huge role in Martin confirming that Auburn closed the gap on Florida as his top school.
“They’re just contacting me to come be a part of it,” Martin said. “They think they’re going to do something special, and I think so, too. All the guys they have and the guys they have committed, including Joey, I really talk to him a bunch now.”
Gatewood wasn’t the only Auburn player who made a point to spend extra time with Martin at A-Day.
Auburn has done a particularly impressive job recruiting the north side of the state in recent recruiting classes. Jordyn Peters was the gem from the 2017 cycle, which will help play a role in the recruitment of Martin in 2018. Peters and Martin faced off against one another in region play during their high school careers. The two even joked pregame about a particular play in which Peters admitted Martin got the best of him.
That familiarity made Martin feel right at home inside Jordan-Hare Stadium.
“I was talking to Jordyn for a lot of it. We both came from the same area. Just going to play at Auburn together would be really fun, really special,” Martin said. “I really enjoyed mine and his conversation.”
LINK
Posted on 4/26/17 at 4:33 pm to TideSaint
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We are more than nine months from National Signing Day 2018, which is Feb. 7. So yes, this is projection of the next Auburn recruiting class is way too early. But is it really?
The list below contains 23 prospects, and it doesn’t include potential special teams additions, either kicker or more likely punter. This will be a fluid list as Auburn continues to use the evaluation period to grade targets and decide which prospects will receive the most recruiting pressure.
This list should give readers an idea of Tigers recruiters’ top targets at this time, as well as prospects who we think are likely to land in the 2018 class.
If this class were to come to fruition, it would have a 255.25 composite score from 247Sports rankings, which would’ve finished ninth in the 2017 recruiting cycle — exactly where Auburn ended with its 255.97 score.
A prospect with an asterisk next to his name is already committed to the Tigers.
LINK
Posted on 4/26/17 at 4:34 pm to TideSaint
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Quarterback (1)
4-star QB Joey Gatewood*, Bartram Trail (Jacksonville, Fla.): Auburn doesn’t have anything to worry about here. Gatewood has quickly become the vocal leader of the class and is actively recruiting for the Tigers’ 2018 class.
No Gerry Bohanon.
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