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re: Class of 2018 Recruiting MEGATHREAD: So Long Old Friend Edition
Posted on 1/31/18 at 1:38 pm to TideSaint
Posted on 1/31/18 at 1:38 pm to TideSaint
quote:
4. CB Olaijah Griffin
Measurables: 6'0", 170 lbs
Schools in the running: Auburn, Clemson, Alabama, Florida State, Tennessee, UCLA, USC
Best attribute
Besides being the son of rapper Warren G, Olaijah Griffin has made a name for himself as a two-way player whose skills make it possible for him to play on defense or as a return specialist. He's fast enough to outrun (or catch up to) anyone and also has great open-field moves.
Prediction
Since decommitting from UCLA in late December, Griffin has picked up offers from Clemson and Florida State. Auburn and Tennessee offered before the decommit, but USC was showing interest in the Los Angeles-area product before all of them. When he's done traveling around getting the royal treatment, he'll come back home to the Trojans.
This post was edited on 1/31/18 at 1:43 pm
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Posted on 1/31/18 at 1:38 pm to TideSaint
quote:
3. CB Tyson Campbell
Measurables: 6'2 ½", 180 lbs
Schools in the running: Alabama, Georgia, LSU, Miami (Fla.), Ohio State
Best attribute
A converted wide receiver, Tyson Campbell possesses tremendous ball skills that will work just as well on the defensive side. That includes great footwork and quickness, which might make him work best as a nickel corner who is playing center field and can hunt down the ball.
Prediction
The Fort Lauderdale, Florida, native has been in contact with Miami for a long time, and the Hurricanes try to keep the best players from South Florida from leaving. They have already signed four strong defensive backs from the area, and Campbell will help tie the group together.
This post was edited on 1/31/18 at 1:53 pm
Posted on 1/31/18 at 1:38 pm to TideSaint
quote:
2. OT Nicholas Petit-Frere
Measurables: 6'6", 272 lbs
Schools in the running: Alabama, Florida, Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State
Best attribute
Nicholas Petit-Frere is on the small side for an offensive tackle when it comes to his weight, but that's nothing a college strength program can't fix. It's important his packing on extra pounds and muscle doesn't affect his great flexibility, which makes him effective slowing down pass-rushers and clearing paths for ball-carriers.
Prediction
The top-rated offensive tackle in the 2018 class has plenty of blue bloods on his tail, but only one turned his high school in Tampa, Florida, into a college practice facility last month. Michigan, in preparation for the Outback Bowl, practiced at Berkeley Prep. It's one of those tricks Wolverines head coach Jim Harbaugh loves to pull, like when he had a sleepover with a kicker prospect he ended up signing, and it often gets the job done.
This post was edited on 1/31/18 at 1:58 pm
Posted on 1/31/18 at 1:38 pm to TideSaint
quote:
1. CB Patrick Surtain Jr.
Measurables: 6'1 ¼", 199 lbs
Schools in the running: Alabama, LSU
Best attribute
It's important for cover corners to have good instincts—to be able to gauge where a receiver will go or where a quarterback intends to throw. Patrick Surtain Jr., the No. 6 overall player in the 2018 class, inherited that from his father, Patrick Sr., who played 11 NFL seasons and had 37 career interceptions after the Miami Dolphins selected him in the second round of the draft in 1998.
Prediction
LSU has been Surtain's unofficial leader for a long time, though he gave both the Tigers and Alabama a shot to sell him during official visits in January. Both schools will provide an opportunity to play right away. The Tigers don't have as many standout players waiting in the wings, however, so Surtain should be able to step in and start immediately.
This post was edited on 1/31/18 at 1:59 pm
Posted on 1/31/18 at 1:42 pm to Crimson_Blinders
quote:
didnt we convince Walker to cancel his visit to UGA?
He is going on the trip to UGA
Posted on 1/31/18 at 1:44 pm to phaz
I would bet he let the coaches know of his impending flip during the in-Home
Posted on 1/31/18 at 1:46 pm to Bear88
quote:I just can't understand why he stayed committed for so long if he were going to flip.
would bet he let the coaches know of his impending flip during the in-Home
Posted on 1/31/18 at 1:48 pm to jatebe
Me either. Can’t believe we haven’t pressed the issue already . Seems the whole world knows he is going elsewhere but UA Coaches and us fans . Lol
Posted on 1/31/18 at 1:49 pm to Bear88
Hope he sticks though . Gonna be a stud imo
Posted on 1/31/18 at 1:53 pm to phaz
Nvm then. He gone.
Posted on 1/31/18 at 2:00 pm to Bear88
Does it seem strange that a top recruit in December has yet to file his NCAA Clearing Paperwork. Without it being filed Walker can not sign papers with any college. I have never heard of a academic concern with him. Maybe he had not taken the ACT or SAT yet. Just seems strange foe a kid we wanted to sign early and UGA peeps think he did as well for them but yet he could not sign for anyone in December according to him.
Posted on 1/31/18 at 2:05 pm to TideWarrior
National Signing Day 2018: Ranking the Top 25 Defensive Prospects
quote:
As good as the quarterbacks are in the 2018 recruiting class—and it's an exceptional class led by Trevor Lawrence, Justin Fields and JT Daniels—this is one of the best seasons on paper for defenders in a long time.
About the only area that doesn't have a handful of elite talents is defensive tackle. Defensive ends and linebackers are loaded, and this has the potential to be the deepest group of defensive backs in ages.
Game-changers dot the field at every position.
Pass-rushers like Micah Parsons, Xavier Thomas and Eyabi Anoma make this a bumper crop of studs on the outside. Then there are so many defensive backs, it's hard to determine which ones belong above the others. Players like Patrick Surtain Jr., Tyson Campbell and Isaac Taylor-Stuart are immediate-impact players.
It may be difficult to determine who belongs where on a top-25 list, but there's no fun in refusing to try, right? Factoring in instant-impact ability, ceiling, skill sets and fits for the programs recruiting them, we give you Bleacher Report's top 25 defensive players in the 2018 class.
An early signing period means a lot of these guys are already off the board. For others, their recruitments will carry with them some of the biggest remaining storylines of the recruiting cycle.
Let's take a look at our top 25.
Posted on 1/31/18 at 2:05 pm to TideSaint
quote:
11. OLB Quay Walker
Height/Weight: 6'4", 236 lbs
High School: Crisp County (Cordele, Georgia)
247Sports Composite Ranking: No. 39 overall (No. 2 OLB)
Committed to Alabama
It's going to be interesting to see whether Quay Walker winds up at Georgia, Tennessee or Alabama. If he signed anywhere else, it would be a surprise. Whoever gets him is going to get a future star.
Florida and Florida State could pull an upset, though.
Walker is rangy, strong and fast enough to play all over the field. He is good buddies with fellow defensive star (and UT commit) JJ Peterson, and he's a long-time Alabama commitment. But the lure to play for his home-state school is strong, too, especially with the defensive class the Bulldogs put together.
Walker is raw, but he's huge and fast. Once a good defensive coach gets to work with him, he's got all-conference ability.
1 Thing to Know
Though Walker has been committed to Alabama for a long time, he is thought to be wide open, with Georgia one of the favorites to land him and add to its loaded class. He visited Knoxville with JJ Peterson recently.
The Vols may be a dark horse. New UT head coach Jeremy Pruitt knows Walker from his time at Alabama, and Vols defensive coordinator Kevin Sherrer recruited him to Georgia.
This post was edited on 1/31/18 at 2:07 pm
Posted on 1/31/18 at 2:05 pm to TideSaint
quote:
10. CB Olaijah Griffin
Height/Weight: 6'0", 170 lbs
High School: Mission Viejo (Mission Viejo, California)
247Sports Composite Ranking: No. 25 overall (No. 3 CB)
Uncommitted
Olaijah Griffin is a pure cornerback who is high on a lot of teams' lists. He once referred to Tennessee as his leader, but he is also high on USC. The California native plans on visiting Alabama and Georgia, too, so this could wind up being one of the most interesting recruiting storylines to follow.
Griffin has elite ball skills and speed, and he is a competitor on every down who is not afraid to high-point the ball like a receiver, a position he also played in high school. If Griffin wound up with the Vols or Trojans, he would play right away.
He's tall, athletic, fast and can make things happen when the ball gets in his hands. He needs to work some on his tackling.
1 Thing to Know
Perhaps it's no coincidence Griffin's initials are "OG." The stud cornerback is the son of famed rapper Warren G, who teamed with the late, great Nate Dogg for one of the most iconic songs of the 1990s: 1994's "Regulate."
This post was edited on 1/31/18 at 2:09 pm
Posted on 1/31/18 at 2:05 pm to TideSaint
quote:
6. CB Tyson Campbell
Height/Weight: 6'2", 180 lbs
High School: American Heritage (Fort Lauderdale, Florida)
247Sports Composite Ranking: No. 11 overall (No. 2 CB)
Uncommitted
Considering I think Isaac Taylor-Stuart will ultimately wind up at safety, that makes Tyson Campbell the second-best cornerback in this class behind surefire star Patrick Surtain Jr. There's nothing wrong with being second to that future star, either.
Campbell is elite in his own right, showing excellent ball skills on film, top-end speed and good awareness. The size-speed combination is something that cannot be taught, and when you take into consideration that he's also a quality receiver, that has "playmaker" written all over it.
Right now, this seems like it could be a Georgia-Alabama battle, but Ohio State, Miami, Auburn, LSU and others are on the fringe. Campbell has as much upside as anybody in this class.
1 Thing to Know
Campbell still seems open in his recruitment, though if he choses to attend Georgia, he'd be continuing a recent trend, as the Bulldogs have built a sturdy pipeline with powerhouse American Heritage.
The Fort Lauderdale program is also the alma mater of UGA star running back Sony Michel and former standout playmaker Isaiah McKenzie.
This post was edited on 1/31/18 at 2:09 pm
Posted on 1/31/18 at 2:05 pm to TideSaint
quote:
5. CB Isaac Taylor-Stuart
Height/Weight: 6'2", 187 lbs
High School: Helix (San Diego)
247Sports Composite Ranking: No. 35 overall (No. 4 CB)
Uncommitted
Isaac Taylor-Stuart, much like Patrick Surtain Jr., has ideal size for a cornerback. He actually could play either there, in nickel situations, or at safety if that necessitates itself. Whoever gets him is going to get a versatile playmaker who should develop into a shutdown corner and hard hitter.
Right now, it appears he'll wind up at USC, Texas A&M, Alabama, Georgia or Tennessee. Taylor-Stuart is lanky and has excellent straight-line speed, but his change-of-direction limitations could see him wind up at safety. Wherever he plays, he'll shine.
There's a little bit of Minkah Fitzpatrick in his game, and all that guy was was the best defensive back in college football in 2017.
1 Thing to Know
The California native could wind up at USC, but he's got a very SEC feel to his recruitment so far. He's set to make visits to Alabama and Tennessee in the coming weeks.
Taylor-Stuart hails from the same high school as former USC great Reggie Bush.
This post was edited on 1/31/18 at 2:10 pm
Posted on 1/31/18 at 2:05 pm to TideSaint
quote:
2. CB Patrick Surtain Jr.
Height/Weight: 6'1", 199 lbs
High School: American Heritage (Fort Lauderdale, Florida)
247Sports Composite Ranking: No. 6 overall (No. 1 CB)
Uncommitted
Ranking Patrick Surtain Jr. this highly may sound crazy, especially with nationally known studs like Micah Parsons and Xavier Thomas just below him, but Surtain is that good. When you couple his long, lanky frame and fluid hips with the fact that his NFL bloodlines run deep, the ceiling is extremely high.
Whoever gets Surtain is going to be grabbing a cornerback who can step right in and play from day one. At a place like Alabama, he may have to sit a year before starting, but he'd likely slide right in and make an instant impact at LSU.
Those are the top two teams on Surtain's list, and if he goes anywhere else, it would be a surprise.
Surtain's backpedal and turn are elite, and his footwork is as good as any high school defensive back you'll see. He's grown up watching his dad play the position, and it shows. He's a can't-miss.
1 Thing to Know
The second player on this list to be the son of a former NFL All-Pro defensive back, Surtain's father played 11 seasons in the league (most notably with the Miami Dolphins) after his playing days at Southern Miss.
The family originally hails from Louisiana, however, which is why the younger Surtain has always held LSU in high regard.
This post was edited on 1/31/18 at 2:13 pm
Posted on 1/31/18 at 2:05 pm to TideSaint
quote:
1. WDE Eyabi Anoma
Height/Weight: 6'5", 235 lbs
High School: St. Frances Academy (Baltimore)
247Sports Composite Ranking: No. 4 overall (No. 1 WDE)
Signed with Alabama on Dec. 20
Most of the time, you can't judge rankings based on one game, especially when it's an all-star game. But Eyabi Anoma's performance in the Under Armour All-America Game, coupled with his already massive size and speed, was enough for me to shoot the Baltimore product up the list.
He is still a bit raw, but his size and incredible athleticism allow him to get around the best tackles on first step alone. That much of his game is elite, and considering he's going to play for the best collegiate coaches in America, they'll get the technique part down.
Anoma has an ideal body type for a 3-4 with the size to put his hand down and the speed to be a pass-rushing outside linebacker in Alabama's scheme. He'll thrive for the Tide.
1 Thing to Know
Anoma was already a household name in recruiting circles, but, like Caden Sterns, he bolstered his high school fame with a big game in an all-star contest.
He was named as one of the top performers in the Under Armour All-America Game with two sacks and a late-game, third-down stop that helped his Team Highlight beat Team Spotlight, 23-21. By the way, he surged past Nicholas Petit-Frere (a 5-star tackle) to make the play.
This post was edited on 1/31/18 at 2:14 pm
Posted on 1/31/18 at 2:16 pm to TideSaint
Barton Simmons just CB'd Penei Sewell to Oregon.
Demetric Warren CB'd Eddie Smith to Mississippi State as well.
Demetric Warren CB'd Eddie Smith to Mississippi State as well.
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