re: Class of 2015 Recruiting MEGATHREAD - Twilight Edition

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ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- The country's most promising high school football players played in the Under Armour All-America Game last week. Many of those players are so talented that they are primed to be college football stars from the first day of their freshman year. Not only will they be stars in college, but there are a select few that look like they might be NFL ready.

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2. DE Byron Cowart
Seffner (Fla.) Armwood

Cowart is one of those guys you see and know he is a big-time athlete. Cowart, a chiseled 6-foot-4, 260-pounds, lives in the gym and works tirelessly on his craft, two attributes he shares with nearly every NFL player. He is the type of player that will push for a starting role wherever he ends up. Florida, Florida State and Auburn look like they are the lucky schools that have the best chance to land his commitment. .

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ORLANDO, Florida -- A long week of practices for evaluation purposes culminated with a dominant win by Team Highlight in the Under Armour All-America Game on Friday. Here is a look at the top overall performers from the entire week.

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1. DE Byron Cowart
Seffner (Fla.) Armwood

The five-star did everything humanly possible to get back into the conversation for top-rated player overall by Rivals.com. All week, Cowart dominated in practice with his aggressiveness and relentlessness as he attacked on every rep and really brought a lot of enthusiasm to the Highlight defense. Then he finished with four tackles including a sack and a pass deflection that led to an interception in the game itself. Cowart was named the Team Highlight MVP. Florida, Florida State and Auburn are under serious consideration.

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5. OT Drew Richmond
Memphis (Tenn.) Memphis University School

Richmond was tested by Cowart and many other outstanding defensive ends during the week and did a phenomenal job. He doesn't just dominate with power; the Ole Miss commit also has excellent footwork and outstanding balance, so ends cannot get to the edge. Although overpowering defenders isn't his specialty, the 6-foot-5, 323-pound recruit has a lot of strength and a great first punch. He was the best and most consistent offensive lineman on Team Highlight.

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ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- With the week of Under Armour in the books, we take a look back at the top overall performers from Team Armour, factoring in both practice and game performances.

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4. DT Daron Payne
Birmingham (Ala.) Shades Valley

Payne is absolutely massive and was very good from the start of the first practice through the game. He has exceptional quickness for his size and was probably one of the two strongest players on either team. Payne played with great leverage and had aggressive hand techniques that helped him be successful in one-on-one drills. Payne chose Alabama over Auburn on Friday.

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11. DB Minkah Fitzpatrick
Jersey City (N.J.)

Fitzpatrick's best attribute is his physicality and despite being smaller than some of the wide receivers he faced in practice, he didn't back down. In Friday's game he struggled at times, but his overall week was good, especially with a good first days during seven-on-seven and one-on-ones. The Alabama commit has fluid hips and ideal speed for the cornerback position.

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11. DB Rico McGraw
Nashville (Tenn.) Ensworth

McGraw's appearance on this list may be a surprise, considering he did not make of our previous top performer lists. However, the Alabama commit was in discussion for top performers on at least two of the practice days and in the Army Bowl game, when he finished tied for second on the East defense with three solo tackles, including one for loss. Listed as a safety prospect, the 6-foot, 180-pound McGraw played cornerback all week and his consistently solid performance deserves recognition.

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SAN ANTONIO, Texas -- The West team survived a valiant comeback effort from the East to win the 15th U.S. Army All American Bowl 39-36. A number of players on both sides of the ball shined; here is Rivals' report on the top defensive players from the game.

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9. DE Mekhi Brown
Columbus (Ga.) Carver

There have been questions about Mekhi Brown, but he put together a very solid effort on the big stage. He showed some nice quickness off the edge and he was able to get some nice pressure in the West offensive backfield. The Alabama commit finished the day with two solo tackles, two assists, and 0.5 tackles for loss.

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Juan Harris, one of the top underclassman football players in America, cannot sign with a collegiate program for another two years. Still, he's already assembled a list of heavyweight favorites, according to Alex Gleitman of 247Sports (subscription required).

The massive 4-star sophomore defensive tackle identified College Football Playoff competitors Alabama, Ohio State and Oregon as three schools that stand out. Harris, who decommitted from Iowa last week, is considered a top 100 overall prospect in his class and a candidate to collect substantial interest in the coming months.

Rated 10th nationally among defensive tackles in 247Sports' 2017 composite rankings, Harris already holds offers from a collection of FBS squads that includes Wisconsin, Virginia and Tennessee.

However, none of his favorites have extended an offer at this stage. Gleitman notes that Harris "is confident all three could come with scholarships in the near future."

The 6'4", 356-pound prospect plays at North Fayette Valley High School, a 2014 state champion in Iowa. His skills drew strong accolades from head coach Bob Lape.

“He has size, speed, agility and explosiveness, and at that size," Lape told Jeff Johnson of The Gazette. "I’ve never seen anything like it. He’s still got two more years to develop, he’s still baby faced. He’s going to grow to be a man."

Given Harris' size and potential, expect offers to arrive in bunches as college coaching staffs get underway with expansive recruiting film studies from this past season.

Each of his top three teams obviously carries clout on the national scene. Alabama has won three national titles under head coach Nick Saban and reached the semifinals this January, while Oregon and Ohio State are set to compete in a championship showdown.

The Crimson Tide rarely lack for talent along the defensive front and landed coveted 2015 nose guard Daron Payne this past weekend. The Tide's 2016 class already features 6'7", 315-pound Mississippi tackle Raekwon Davis.

Saban continues to load up on edge-rushers and perimeter ends, but there's always room for big-bodied run-stuffers along the interior. Harris has already convinced one SEC team (Tennessee) he has what it takes to compete in the conference and now is turning his attention to Tuscaloosa.

Oregon is well known for its uptempo offensive attack, but the Ducks are beginning to exhibit more well-rounded roster balance. Improved toughness and talent on defense has the program in position to take home a national title after throttling defending champ Florida State in semifinal action.

The team now aims to procure top-level defensive talent from beyond the West Coast, where Oregon has made its mark in recruiting. A Midwest menace like Harris fits the bill for extending that reach, and he could be counted on to contribute quickly in Eugene.

Ohio State would seem to have an advantage in terms of proximity. Big Ten teams are likely to lead the charge for Harris when all is said and done, especially after his initial commitment to Iowa.

Wisconsin pulled the trigger on an offer, and head coach Urban Meyer could be tempted to follow suit this winter. Ohio State already holds a foundational 2017 commitment from 4-star quarterback Danny Clark and a third national championship for Meyer would further fuel future success on the recruiting trail.

Harris, who visited the Buckeyes in July, could complement an impressive collection of young defensive line talent in Columbus. Jonathan Cooper, one of the country's top 2016 defensive ends, committed to Ohio State in November.

The Buckeyes have whiffed on a few key tackle targets during this recruiting cycle, and it remains to be seen how the team will fare in that department leading up to signing day 2016. At the moment, Ohio State would seem to be the ideal fit for Harris given its location, roster needs and defensive pedigree.

There's a long way to go for the big man in a process that's really just beginning to gain national traction. Expect Harris to play a pivotal role in the 2017 cycle, with multiple powerhouse programs in the mix.

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