re: Class of 2015 Recruiting MEGATHREAD - Twilight Edition

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QB Shea Patterson moved up 34 spots to No. 6 and earned his fifth star. Mobile and great arm and accuracy. #Rivals100 LINK

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The Under Armour All-America Game kicks off Jan. 2, providing one last opportunity for premier high school seniors to show off their skills before college. It matches up athletes who will continue to compete against each other at the next level and, for some, in the NFL.

The overall All-America roster was split into two teams on Dec. 4, setting the stage for intriguing showdowns across the field in St. Petersburg, Florida. Let's take a look at both squads to see which one holds an edge.

Team Black

Our focus immediately shifts to an offensive backfield that features two running backs who leave behind legacies in their home states. Jacques Patrick (Orlando, Florida; Florida State commit) just tallied 2,000 rushing yards for a third straight season to move into fifth place all-time in the Sunshine State, while Nick Brossette (Baton Rouge, Louisiana; LSU) is Louisiana's all-time leading scorer.

They'll go to work behind an offensive line that features elite blockers Maea Teuhema (Keller, Texas; LSU) and Sterling Jenkins (Pittsburgh; Penn State). The front wall will also be charged with protecting an impressive trio of passers.

Quarterbacks Josh Rosen (Bellflower, California; UCLA), Brandon Wimbush (Jersey City, New Jersey; Notre Dame) and Kyler Murray (Allen, Texas; Texas A&M) reunite after competing together this summer at Elite 11 finals.

Murray, the son of Cotton Bowl Hall of Fame quarterback Kevin Murray, is 39-0 as a high school starter and is seeking his third straight title at Dallas-area powerhouse Allen High School. Wimbush flipped to the Fighting Irish from Penn State earlier this fall.

The group will get to target several dynamic playmakers on the perimeter, including top uncommitted receivers Christian Kirk (Scottsdale, Arizona), Damarkus Lodge (Cedar Hill, Texas) and Tyron Johnson (New Orleans). Kirk and Lodge are still considering UCLA, so expect Rosen to do some recruiting during practice.

Team Black's receiving corps also features 6'4" freak athlete Preston Williams (Hampton, Georgia; Tennessee) and Cordell Broadus (Las Vegas; uncommitted), the son of hip-hop icon Snoop Dogg. Broadus remains undecided about college, though Wimbush and Rosen could both wind up throwing to him at the next level.

Defensively, the group is spearheaded by a strong secondary. Cornerbacks Minkah Fitzpatrick (Jersey City, New Jersey; Alabama) and Kevin Toliver (Jacksonville, Florida; LSU) create a 5-star tandem in coverage.

Safety Kerryon Johnson (Madison, Alabama; Auburn) is among the Southeast's most explosive athletes and could play on either side of the football. He'll rotate with the likes of fellow Tigers commit D'Anfernee McGriff (Tallahassee, Florida; Auburn) and Rashad Roundtree (Evans, Georgia; Georgia).

The Team Black defense is anchored up front by 5-star defensive tackle Daylon Mack (Gladewater, Texas; Texas A&M). He'll operate alongside fellow dominant defensive linemen Canton Kaumatule (Honolulu; Oregon) and Jashon Cornell (Saint Paul, Minnesota; Ohio State).

Coveted uncommitted linebackers Jeffery Holland (Jacksonville, Florida), John Houston (Gardena, California) and Adonis Thomas (Lawrenceville, Georgia) should provide a relentless pass rush off the edge.

Thomas backed off his pledge to Florida in November and is now considering Alabama and LSU. Houston recorded more than 400 tackles during a prolific career at Junipero Serra High School.

Team White

The offensive attack should be propelled by a reunion of quarterback Blake Barnett (Corona, California; Alabama) and Calvin Ridley (Pompano Beach, Florida; Alabama).

The future Crimson Tide tandem teamed up in July to win a star-studded, nationally televised seven-on-seven tournament at The Opening, an invite-only football showcase held at Nike's world headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon.

Ridley, the country's top-ranked receiver, will also make life easier for quarterbacks Jarrett Stidham (Stephenville, Texas; Texas Tech) and Deondre Francois (Bradenton, Florida; Florida State).

Francois spent his senior season at IMG Academy on the west coast of Florida, where he was coached by former Seminoles star and Heisman Trophy winner Chris Weinke. Stidham transitioned from receiver in 2012, following the position change with more than 60 touchdown tosses in two seasons.

Ridley is far from the lone weapon on an offensive roster loaded with playmakers. He's joined by fellow Florida standouts John Burt (Tallahassee, Florida; Texas), George Campbell (Tarpon Springs, Florida; Florida State) and Ray-Ray McCloud (Tampa, Florida; Clemson) in a talented receiving corps.

The group also includes the heavily pursued Equanimeous St. Brown (Anaheim, California; uncommitted) and two-way star Terry Godwin (Hogansville, Georgia; Georgia). Expect explosive tight end Hale Hentges (Jefferson City, Missouri; Alabama) also to see his fair share of targets.

Team White's aerial attack will be balanced by a promising stable of ball-carriers.

Top-rated rusher Damien Harris (Berea, Kentucky; uncommitted) and speedster Ronald Jones II (McKinney, Texas; Oklahoma State) partner to create a compelling one-two punch. Harris, who rushed for more than 6,000 yards at Madison Southern High School, is considering Texas A&M, Alabama, Kentucky and Ohio State.

The offensive front features future Alabama teammates Richie Petitbon (Washington, D.C.) and Lester Cotton (Tuscaloosa, Alabama). Drew Richmond (Memphis, Tennessee; Ole Miss) and Toby Weathersby (Houston, Texas; Texas) provide Team White with dominant bookends.

The line is equally impressive on defense, where Byron Cowart (Seffner, Florida; uncommitted), Breiden Fehoko (Honolulu; Texas Tech) and Terry Beckner (East St. Louis, Illinois; uncommitted) lead the charge.

Fehoko registered 40.5 sacks as an upperclassman at Farrington High School, per MaxPreps. Beckner and Cowart, both 5-star recruits, remain on the market two months shy of signing day.

That group leads the way for a dangerous collection of linebackers.

Leo Lewis (Brookhaven, Mississippi; Ole Miss); Roquan Smith (Montezuma, Georgia; uncommitted) and Malik Jefferson (Mesquite, Texas; uncommitted) highlight a hard-hitting squad. Lewis formerly pledged to Alabama, while Jefferson and Smith remain in search of the right fit.

You'll be hard-pressed to find a more effective cornerback duo than Iman Marshall (Long Beach, California; uncommitted) and Kendall Sheffield (Missouri City, Texas; uncommitted). Both command 5-star status and are still considering scholarship offers from across the country.

The defensive backfield also features a pair of well-rounded safeties in Deionte Thompson (Orange, Texas; Alabama) and Derwin James (Auburndale, Florida; Florida State), who committed to the Seminoles as a freshman.

The Verdict

You could sign us up to coach either team based on the talent level and pedigree of these prospects. However, when challenged to choose which squad has more star quality, we lean toward Team White.

The array of Alabama commits, particularly that lethal Barnett-Ridley connection, helps set it apart. The passing game should be special to watch even when Barnett bows out, fueled by the trio of Sunshine State receivers teaming up with Ridley.

The Team Black offensive line will be tested early and often, as the Team White defensive front-seven may have the most potential for dominance of any group on the field in this matchup.

A rare collection of stars on both sidelines shouldn't disappoint, and this could come down to one big play in crunch time. Regardless of who wins, it's an early glimpse at college football's impact performers of the future.

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