re: Class of 2017 Recruiting MEGATHREAD: Say Your Goodbyes Edition

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It appears to be true.

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MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The smoothness in drills.

The burst after the catch.

Seeing 215-pounds stacked on his 6-foot frame, five-star running back Cam Akers instantly stood out during Monday’s morning practice in preparation for this weekend’s Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Game.

There weren’t a lot of plays to be made by the blue-chip Akers in the first two-hour session, but the extra bounce in his step, the way he moves, every step exudes all that elite potential.

Akers said after the morning’s final whistle he thought Mississippi talent is “overlooked." Perhaps true but he certainly wasn’t. One of the most highly-recruited players in America, there may not be a better high school football player in the country than the one you’ll find this week wearing a No. 1 jersey and Clinton (Miss.) High helmet in the Alabama state capital.

“He is the No. 1 player in the nation,” Clinton coach Judd Boswell boasted. “No doubt. Don’t want to hear it. Don’t want to hear about the kid in California (Alabama commit Najee Harris). I’ll tell you right now that kid by far is the best player in the nation.”

There isn’t a player more exciting.

Ranked as the No. 5 prospect by the industry-generated 247Sports Composite, Akers backed up Boswell’s talk as a senior throwing for 3,128 yards and 31 touchdowns, while adding another 2,105 yards rushing and 34 scores. Boswell didn't overthink it and was smart enough to start Akers under center for four years, cutting the middle man out and just snapping the football directly to his best player.

Ole Miss, Florida State, LSU and Ohio State are among the schools battling for Akers who cemented his legacy Friday with his finest work to date, leading Clinton to the school’s first-ever state championship with seven touchdowns in a 49-35 win over Pearl.

“His final act was unbelievable,” Boswell said.

Akers first game in high school was a 44-13 loss to the same Pearl team he carved up over the weekend. He was one of six freshmen to start that year. They took their lumps in a 3-8 campaign. The following year they went 10-3 and last fall 8-5, setting the table for this year's magic.

“His competitive nature, I’ll never see another one like that,” Boswell said. “Cam is a super kid. Super character, high character. Every day, that dude walks the halls, he’s competitive at everything he does. He wants to write better than anybody, he wants to talk better than anybody, he wants to play better than anybody, he’s top notch.”

The high football IQ, the playmaking ability, the drive and athleticism make Akers that rare prospect. At The Opening Finals this summer held in Beaverton, Ore., Akers posted the third-highest Nike Football Rating (ranking athleticism) in America, including a laser-timed 40-yard dash of 4.41 seconds with a 4.18 shuttle. A physical runner, Akers just has unique elusiveness in space with the speed for six once he sees daylight.

“He is the No. 1 running back in the country,” Boswell doubled-down.

Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze certainly doesn’t want to see the No. 1 recruit in the state play elsewhere. The Rebels coach went in-home Saturday with Akers to make one of his final pitches. Running backs coach Derrick Nixand most of the offensive staff joined.

“The visit went well,” Akers said. “They just told me a lot of things about the program and how they could use me.

“Somebody who could spread the offense out, somebody who can run the ball, a double threat basically, someone who can pass and run, that’s what they were telling me.”

Akers told the media Monday that he has a “top three in my mind” and is decision-making mode. A commitment may not come until Jan. 7 during NBC’s broadcast of the U.S. Army All-American Bowl.

The Rebels are the 247Sports Crystal Ball favorite for Akers and Freeze is telling him he’s the missing piece on offense to go along with what will be a veteran offensive line, talent at the receiver position and sophomore-to-be in former five-star quarterback Shea Patterson.

“I definitely got to see him,” Akers said of Patterson this season. The two have talked as well. “He’s definitely real good. I know they don’t want him to run the ball and get him hurt. They definitely told me they want to take a load off him if they can bring someone in who can do the job, so they can have a double threat passing and running.”

LSU is my 247Sports Crystal Ball forecast for Akers. He was “definitely happy to see that the Tigers administration removed the interim label from Ed Orgeron and made him the program’s permanent head coach.

“That’s my dude,” Akers said.

Orgeron has been a huge presence in recruiting Akers and running backs coach Jabbar Juluke has a bond with Akers that is as strong as anyone's.

“I definitely see a good opportunity being able to come in because Leonard (Fournette) declared (for the NFL Draft) yesterday,” Akers said. “Being able to come in behind (junior-to-be Derrius) Guice and get my feet wet and get some reps and learn from him, and he’s probably going to leave after his third year, being able to take the reigns my second year.”

Sunday will be the last day Akers will meet with coaches before he makes a college decision. He expects Ole Miss back at the house. LSU as well (Orgeron has already been in-home). Georgia and Tennessee are coming. However nobody more prominent than Florida State’s Jimbo Fisher is slated to come through to make a final pitch.

“How straight-forward he is and he does his job well,” Akers said of what he likes about Fisher. “He knows how to win and use the running back.”

Akers was in Tallahassee at the end of October.

“Just the way they do things and the situation of course,” Akers said. “Coaches do the job well. Coach (Jay) Graham sends running backs to the league. The situation, Dalvin (Cook) is probably going to declare so it will be wide open.”

Akers is done with visits with Ohio State getting the last one for the win over Michigan.

“Just the game atmosphere,” Akers said of what stood out. “Being at that Michigan game, Michigan-Ohio State, that’s a big rivalry.”

Akers has been to OSU three times and has great respect for Urban Meyerand Tony Alford.

“Coach Alford and Coach Meyer are definitely great guys,” he said. “They’re a winning program and they do their job up there.”

For a few days Akers doesn't have to think about that. He'll hang out with his friends as he prepares to find the end zone a few more times Saturday in this all-star game.

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