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re: Class of 2015 Recruiting MEGATHREAD - Twilight Edition
Posted on 6/3/14 at 12:39 am to TideSaint
Posted on 6/3/14 at 12:39 am to TideSaint
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BIRMINGHAM, Alabama - Two of Alabama's 5-star targets from the midwest - linebacker Justin Hilliard (Cincinnati) and defensive end Jashon Cornell (St. Paul, Minn.) - showed their stuff at the NIKE Football Training Camp on Ohio State's campus over the weekend.
Cornell, who was offered by Alabama in mid-May, was the defensive line MVP. He was also invited to The Opening, which is a NIKE training camp at the headquarters in Oregon in July.
Cornell got some reps inside, and "has a chance to be special in that role," according to 247Sports. Last month, Cornell's coach Mike Scanlan praised his athleticism to AL.com, saying he "moves like a sprinter."
But perhaps a prospect that Alabama has a better chance of landing is 5-star linebacker Justin Hilliard, who also earned an invite to The Opening. Hilliard proved his worth as a 5-star, according to 247Sports.
Hilliard named Alabama as part of his top 5 on May 23. He told Cleveland.com that he has a final two schools, but did not disclose the final two. He plans on committing this summer.
"When I make a decision I want it to be 100 percent, because I don't want to decommit," Hilliard told Cleveland.com. "I want it to be my decision, hopefully in late June to early July."
Running back Damien Harris, also an Alabama target, was at the NIKE Camp in Ohio but did not participate because of an injury. Harris also accepted an invite to The Opening, as Cleveland.com caught up with him for his thoughts on Ohio State.
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Posted on 6/3/14 at 12:42 am to chattabama
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COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Cincinnati linebacker Justin Hilliard said before a Nike football camp on the Ohio State campus on Sunday that he plans to announce his college choice within the next month or so, and two schools have moved above the others.
Hilliard, who revealed a top five last week of Ohio State, Michigan, Alabama, Notre Dame and Iowa, wouldn't say the two schools at the front of the pack. But as he continues to gather information, he has a good feeling about his process. He said he has visited all the schools in his top five several times, and now he's down to the details.
But his decision won't come down to a lightning bolt moment. Because he's had several of those.
"Whenever I see someone commit right after a visit, I feel like they made a decision based on their gut," Hilliard said. "But I don't believe in that. Sometimes after every visit I'll have a moment like, 'This is the school.' But I want to go and try to wait a couple days and see what I really think.
"When I make a decision I want it to be 100 percent, because I don't want to decommit. I want it to be my decision, hopefully in late June to early July."
Hilliard is ranked as the No. 49 recruit in the nation, the No. 2 recruit in Ohio and the overall No. 1 inside linebacker according to Rivals.com. He said one of the reasons he wants to commit soon is because he wants to get to work getting other players to join him at the school of his choice.
Justin Hilliard, the No. 49 prospect in the Class of 2015 according to Rivals.com, attended a Nike camp at Ohio State on Sunday.
He knows linebackers coach and co-defensive coordinator Luke Fickell well, and speaks with Cincinnati-area recruiter Kerry Coombs and head coach Urban Meyer. Hilliard said he has also spoken with Ohio State freshman linebacker Raekwon McMillan and former Ohio State linebacker Ryan Shazier.
"I basically know everything," Hilliard said, when asked about Ohio State. "I even know some of the professors."
Hilliard said academics and playing time are among the most important parts of his decision, but the final relationships with the staff and players are among the details he's focusing on.
The Buckeyes have four incoming freshmen at linebacker, which has been a position of need. Hilliard will make note of the linebackers already at a school, but not rely on it.
"My goal is to try to get to the NFL. I believe if you're not talented enough to start in college, you probably won't have a good shot to get to the NFL," Hilliard said.
So he'll also make note of what the linebackers who just left have gone on to do.
"I look at how much people get sent to the NFL," Hilliard said, "and my position coach and how talented he is at doing his job and how players feel about how he's doing right now."
Sunday, Hilliard was part of a camp run by Nike that isn't associated with Ohio State, it is just using the Ohio State practice fields outside the Woody Hayes Athletic Center. Hilliard was among the more prominent prospects at the camp.
Soon, he'll decide if he wants to be back on those fields for the next four years
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Posted on 6/3/14 at 12:45 am to chattabama
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COLUMBUS, Ohio -- We've seen what can happen when Damien Harris is on Ohio State's campus. When the five-star running back recruit from Kentucky, ranked as the No. 1 running back and No. 4 overall prospect in the nation by Rivals.com, appeared at an OSU basketball game with Urban Meyer in February, a lot of people noticed.
And Harris knew they noticed.
"It's still kind of cool the way things go with Coach Meyer," Harris told cleveland.com Sunday, while attending a Nike Football Training Camp at Ohio State. "As a kid growing up, I'd see him on TV and I was like, 'Man, he's the man.' And now I get to be real cool with him. We walk into a basketball game together, we just get to enjoy life together right now - maybe for the next four years. It' definitely been a blessing. I get to be looked at as important enough to spend time with one of the greats of all time. It's definitely an honor. I don't take it for granted. I'm real thankful for it."
Sunday wasn't about Ohio State coaches. This was an event run by Nike, and college coaches couldn't be there. The Buckeyes will have their own camps later in the summer. Harris, coming off elbow surgery, didn't actually participate in the camp, but he was there and still accepted an invite to "The Opening," Nike's July camp in Oregon for the best 162 prospects in the nation. He previously had been back at Ohio State since the winter, there as one of the visitors for the spring football game in April.
But Harris at Ohio State is a big deal because Harris at Ohio State for four years, as in "maybe for the next four years," as he said, could be a very big deal.
The Buckeyes have sophomore Ezekiel Elliott presumably ready to take over as the starting running back in 2014, with Rod Smith, Warren Bell and Bri'onte Dunn providing depth. Incoming freshmen Curtis Samuel, who was there for spring ball and opened eyes, and Parris Campbell are interesting options, but neither are pure, outright running backs. Then can carry the ball, for sure, but they may wind up more as H-backs.
Harris is a running back. So is Michigan native Mike Weber, another major recruit with the Buckeyes on his list who was at the camp Sunday.
Harris was originally an oral commitment to Michigan before backing off that and opening his recruitment again, and he has been a major target for the Buckeyes since that moment. Harris said he plans to release a top eight list of schools this week, and Ohio State will certainly be in there, as will Michigan and six others. Almost everyone is interested in Harris, a 5-foot-11, 205-pounder.
What can't be ignored is how interested he may be in Ohio State. He knows Meyer, and he knows the Buckeyes.
"I know it's got a great football history," Harris said, "and a great history of running backs, that's for sure. And a great coaching staff. The coaches have a great energy and enthusiasm about what they do, how they coach their players, and they give you really a family feel that you don't get most places."
The Buckeyes could take another running back in this class before Harris, who has thought about waiting until February to make his choice on National Signing Day, but now he thinks could go a little earlier than that. No matter what, there should be room for Harris if he wants in. And he's getting a feel for what he wants.
"I think I've gotten all the information I need to know from all these schools," Harris said. "Now it's about me building relationships with coaches and trying to figure out who's the best fit for me."
LINK
Sounds like he is tOSU bound
Posted on 6/3/14 at 12:50 am to chattabama
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• Defensive lineman Jashon Cornell of Minnesota was one of the stars of the camp, named the MVP of the defensive linemen. He was also one of the five campers in Columbus invited to The Opening, the prestigious Nike training camp held in July at the company facilities in Oregon.
It also seems to have been a productive weekend for Ohio State and Cornell.
He visited with Ohio State coaches on Saturday, and then wrote on his Twitter account about the possibility of playing in Columbus with linebacker Justin Hilliard. National recruiting analyst Steve Wiltfong of 247Sports.com went as far as now projecting that Cornell will wind up in Ohio State's recruiting class.
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Jashon Cornell @Jay_Rock16
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Great visit at Ohio State today can see myself playing there with my bro @JHilliard47
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In a video interview with SBNation, Cornell said, "That visit at Ohio State yesterday is one of my best visits yet," and as as result Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan State and Penn State are all among his top schools, with no leader. He has also been recruited a lot by Notre Dame and remains interested.
Posted on 6/3/14 at 12:51 am to chattabama
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Jashon Cornell, a five-star defensive end from the class of 2015, was named the defensive line MVP at the Columbus Nike Football Training Camp and spoke with SB Nation's Bud Elliott about the camp and his plans to visit a couple of different schools. Cornell is ranked as the third-best defensive end in the entire country, according to the 247Sports Composite, including being ranked as the No. 1 recruit from the state of Minnesota.
The 6'3, 260-pound weakside defensive end holds offers from some of the top programs in the nation, including Alabama, Arkansas, California, Florida State, Illinois, Michigan, Michigan State, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Ole Miss, Penn State and UCLA, to name a few. Cornell expects to be visiting South Bend as early as the next three weeks, but would also like to visit Penn State for a barbecue that James Franklin and company will be hosting this summer.
Cornell has been open in his recruiting, favoring different schools at different times and although he recently named Michigan State as his leader, it appears after a visit to Ohio State's Columbus campus on Saturday (which Cornell called one of his best visits yet), he has been rethinking his list. At this point, Cornell is looking hard at Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan State and Penn State as his top group.
Posted on 6/3/14 at 12:53 am to chattabama
Posted on 6/3/14 at 1:00 am to chattabama
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Daron Payne‘s recruitment is the latest extension of the most heated rivalry in college football between Alabama and Auburn.
Both in-state powers are trying to lure the 5-star defensive tackle from Birmingham, and he’s gone on record stating that each program has a special pull for him.
“I grew up an Auburn fan, so I’ve been wanting to play for them all of my life.” Payne told Bryan Matthews of Auburn Undercover. “Then I got the Alabama offer, and then (it’s like) everybody wants to play for ‘Bama.”
Similar to the recruitments of Rashaan Evans and Reuben Foster, Payne’s recruitment will be a fight to the end between Nick Saban and Gus Malzahn.
What are some of the main reasons Tide fans have to be confident in landing Payne?
Next posts coming from this article LINK
Posted on 6/3/14 at 1:00 am to chattabama
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1. Location
The Birmingham area has been a fruitful territory for the Tide under Saban.
For example, in the Tide’s last two recruiting classes, Saban landed ArDarius Stewart and Marlon Humphrey—both of whom were Top 5 talents in-state.
Payne was on campus for the Tide’s spring game on April 19, and, according to Charles Power of BamaOnline (subscription required), Payne will be back in Tuscaloosa in a few weeks to participate in the Tide’s summer camp for offensive and defensive linemen.
With Payne becoming a frequent visitor on campus, it only increases the Tide’s chances of landing his signature next February.
Posted on 6/3/14 at 1:01 am to chattabama
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2.) Opportunity to Earn Early Playing Time
Alabama has racked up along the defensive line in recent recruiting classes, but, if there’s one position where the Tide could use an impact player, it’s at nose tackle.
With projected starting nose tackle Brandon Ivory entering his senior season, none of the other players currently on the roster have established themselves as his clear-cut successor.
After watching 5-star talents and defensive ends A’Shawn Robinson and Jonathan Allen make immediate contributions as true freshmen last season, Payne is a physical specimen who may be able to make a similar impact along the interior of the Tide’s defensive line
Posted on 6/3/14 at 1:02 am to chattabama
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Tide Making Him a Priority
While several elite defensive tackles are considering the Tide, it’s clear that Saban and his staff are going full throttle after Payne.
Offensive line coach Mario Cristobal, who is ranked as the nation’s top recruiter according to Power (subscription required), is Payne’s lead recruiter.
At the Birmingham Nike NFTC camp in Birmingham two months ago, Payne told BamaOnline (subscription required) that the Tide were recruiting him the hardest.
"Right now it's back at Bama,” Payne said. “We're on the phone every day and trying to talk to my mom and all that stuff."
While recruiting is always fluid, the Tide have laid a strong foundation with Payne that will make it tough for anyone to beat them out for his services.
Posted on 6/3/14 at 1:03 am to chattabama
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Saban's History with Landing In-State Top Prospect
As the state's only current 5-star prospect, Payne is the biggest prize currently on the market in the Yellowhammer State.
According to 247Sports, since 2009, Alabama has signed nine of the state’s 13 recruits who have earned the coveted 5-star designation.
Additionally, since Saban’s first full cycle in 2008, Alabama has signed the state’s top-rated player every year except 2012—when Jameis Winston signed with Florida State.
With that trend in mind, and given the Tide’s need at defensive tackle and the fact that Payne resides less than an hour away from Tuscaloosa, it’s hard to envision the 6’2”, 316-pounder ending up anywhere other than the Capstone.
Fricking Jameis
I guess he's broken more streaks than just one 
This post was edited on 6/3/14 at 1:38 am
Posted on 6/3/14 at 1:05 am to chattabama
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Breaking Down the Best Defensive Players in Each College Football Conference
Ashawn made the list along with Ramik Wilson and VH3
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DL A'Shawn Robinson, Alabama
A'Shawn Robinson was a revelation playing the longstick for Alabama. Billed as a potential offensive lineman coming out of high school, he quickly learned the nuance of the defensive side of the ball under Nick Saban and Kirby Smart and became one of the most productive linemen in the SEC. His sack and tackle-for-loss numbers may never jump off the page, but Robinson is a gap-plugging machine whose presence alone can shut down the running game.
BR
This post was edited on 6/3/14 at 1:07 am
Posted on 6/3/14 at 1:08 am to chattabama
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Alabama is considered the heavy favorite to land defensive tackle Daron Payne, but the five-star prospect from Shades Valley has yet to name a leader.
After his unexpected trip to the Plains for Big Cat Weekend, Payne said Alabama is recruiting him the hardest, but Auburn is "up there" as a possible landing spot.
"I don't know where I'm going, I'm just going to weigh my options," he said. "(I'll go) wherever I feel at home."
Payne, who grew up an Auburn fan, said he spent most of the day with Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn and defensive line coach Rodney Garner.
"(Big Cat Weekend) is unique because it's a get-to-know each other type thing," he said. "I got to see the other side of them. All of them are really nice people."
Payne said he will likely make his decision on National Signing Day (Feb. 2, 2015) or during a postseason All-Star game.
Aside from competing with each other, the Tide and Tigers also have to be weary of Texas and Florida State. Payne said one of his five official visits will be to Ausitn, Texas, but he hasn't figured out where he will take the other four yet.
In addition, a third SEC program has apparently made strides with the 6-foot-2, 316-pounder.
"I'm considering Kentucky," he said. "I just like the coaching staff."
LINK
Posted on 6/3/14 at 1:12 am to chattabama
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On the day before hundreds of campers come in for a four-day stretch, Alabama head coach Nick Saban used Skype to talk to one of the top players in the country.
Concord, Calif., defensive tackle Kahlil McKenzie, a 5-star recruit on the 247Sports composite rankings and the No. 10 overall prospect by 247Sports, said on his Twitter feed that he Skyped with Saban.
The 6-foot-4, 310-pound McKenzie attends De La Salle High School, one of the top programs in the country.
McKenzie listed his top 12, with USC, Arizona, Wisconsin, Oklahoma and Tennessee making up the top five. Alabama is in the next seven.
"I mean, it's Alabama," McKenzie told 247Sports last week when breaking down his top 12. "It almost speaks for itself. You get great coaching. You have great fans, a great school. And they're always bringing in great guys. I mean, that's something that I'll have to look at."
LINK
Posted on 6/3/14 at 1:19 am to chattabama
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There is a reason SEC coaches and officials have expressed angst this week about coaches from teams like Penn State and Notre Dame helping out at football camps in the south.
As college athletic conference expansion has proliferated and revenues increased in the past decade, so has the geographic recruiting reach for many football teams. But not so much for the SEC.
The chart below represents the composition of 2014 SEC rosters by the listed home locations of football players for each of the league's 14 programs.
Posted on 6/3/14 at 1:21 am to chattabama
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The core source areas for SEC players are in the heart of SEC country, from Florida, east through Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana. SEC rosters for the 2104 season, at 358 miles per player, have the lowest average distance of any of the other major football leagues – the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12 and Pac-12. College football programs go where the most highly regarded players are, and often that location is the southern states.
You can see and compare the other four power conferences at CFBMatrix.com, including those reaching into SEC territory for recruits.
Additional observations gleaned from 2014 SEC football rosters:
The SEC's addition of Missouri and Texas A&M in 2012 created a significant expansion of their talent footprint. Dallas, Houston, Kansas City and St. Louis are big battle grounds with significant levels of total talent.
I was surprised to see SEC roster activity north of Charlotte to be at very low levels.
SEC signing frequency is very low in Big Ten country and west of Dallas. I would expect SEC teams to expand their reach and brand to find talent farther from campus as others reach deeper into their backyard.
Arkansas is the only team in the SEC to draw, on average, players from more than 500 miles from campus.
Georgia has the second smallest reach of any SEC program. Although the talent in the state is tremendous, I would have expected the Bulldogs to draw from a larger area than their 241-mile average.
Alabama coach Nick Saban has been leveraging the growth of the Alabama brand by increasingly reaching farther from Tuscaloosa.
Given the huge wealth of talent in the state of Florida, it is surprising the Gators have nearly a 500-mile average.
With the shortest distance per player on the roster and easily the shortest per player for the 2014 class, is Mississippi State staying too close to home to attract talent? The Bulldogs are one of only four SEC teams that drew their most recent recruiting class come from a smaller radius than their current roster. This is the first time in four years Mississippi State saw a decline in the average distance of recruit's hometowns from Starkville. The Bulldogs also signed their lowest-rated class in four years, according to a composite ranking of Rivals.com, Scout.com and 247Sports.com.
LINK
Posted on 6/3/14 at 1:23 am to chattabama
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Defensive tackle T.D. Moton verbally committed to the Alabama football team on Monday, he announced on Twitter.
Moton is a 6-foot-3 310-pounder out of Woodlawn High in Shreveport, La. He’s a four-star athlete, according to 247 Sports.
His announcement was a simple: “Committed to the University of Alabama.” Check out some camp workout video above.
Moton sifted through several offers including ones from Texas A&M, Mississippi State, Arkansas and Florida State. He had committed early to Mississippi State, but started looking again in January.
247 Sports ranks Moton as the No. 11 prospect out of the state of Louisiana and the No. 21 athlete at his position.
He’s the 18th overall commitment for the Crimson Tide in the 2015 recruiting class and fifth defensive lineman, but first interior lineman. Moton joins receiver Daylon Charlot as the second player from Louisiana in the class.
LINK
Posted on 6/3/14 at 1:32 am to chattabama
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- The Nike Football Training Camp was in Columbus this weekend and there was plenty of talent on the field, including defensive end Jashon Cornell. He earned an invite to The Opening due to his work at the camp, but I noticed something from Cornell that I really didn’t like.
Cornell is all about the swim move in one on ones and prefers the looping variety. I saw that from him at previous camps too. That move is just not going to fly at the college level. It might work against a freshman offensive lineman in practice, but that kind of thing never happens in a game.
I know the goal of these is to impress by winning your one on one matchup, but he’s not getting any better by relying on that move. He’s an extremely talented kid and I don’t think it will take that long to see that move removed from his game at the college level.
LINK
Posted on 6/3/14 at 1:47 am to chattabama
Posted on 6/3/14 at 1:48 am to chattabama
Old Bolt on him:
LINK
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2016 Kentwood (La.) product Shyheim Carter is ranked No. 84 in the country in the Top247 and he plans to visit LSU soon.
“Coach (Corey) Raymond said he wants me and my mom to come back over after my spring break this week to talk to us and show us around," said Carter, who received his first and only offer to date a week ago from Tulane.
Along with LSU, Carter says Alabama would be another school that has grabbed his attention early on. He plans to camp at LSU, Alabama and Georgia this summer, and has visited all three schools with one leading the pack
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