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re: Class of 2018 Recruiting MEGATHREAD: So Long Old Friend Edition
Posted on 5/7/17 at 12:28 pm to TideSaint
Posted on 5/7/17 at 12:28 pm to TideSaint
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Alabama football signee Henry Ruggs got a stern test in his final high school athletic competition, but he still finished on a high note.
In fact, he finished on a record note.
The Robert E. Lee standout won the Class 7A 100-meter dash with a meet record time of 10.58. He easily beat his time of 10.77 in Thursday’s windy preliminary heats.
“I’m happy because it was a record, but I’m still not completely satisfied with the run,” Ruggs said. “I got off to another bad start for some reason. Karon (Delince) of Central really pushed me to the limit, but I’m glad to get the win.”
Delince finished second with a time of 10.69. Deonte Tolbert of Auburn was third with a time of 10.73. Auburn football signee Noah Igbinoghene of Hewitt-Trussville finished seventh with a time of 11.06.
Ruggs had mixed emotions after the victory.
“It’s a sad feeling to know that I’m not going to wear Lee across my chest anymore, but I’m glad to go out like this and I’m looking forward to the next chapter in my life.”
That next chapter will begin May 31 when Ruggs reports to Alabama.
A 6-foot, 175-pound wide receiver for the Generals, Ruggs caught 38 passes for 664 yards and 10 touchdowns as a senior. He also played some quarterback and earned Class 7A Back of the Year honors. He will have little time to rest following his high school graduation.
“I’m excited to start,” he told AL.com on Thursday. “I’m ready to get in school, get used to everything and get to know everyone on campus. I can’t wait to get there.”
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Posted on 5/7/17 at 12:35 pm to TideSaint
Posted on 5/7/17 at 12:37 pm to TideSaint
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Last week, I went to four high schools around Birmingham to see spring practices and plan on continuing that for the next couple of weeks. It's big for college coaches to see these players in person and also for the schools to get ready for their season.
This week, we hit three stops - St. Clair County, Pleasant Grove and Huffman. In this report, the focus isn't just on the known names. It's also others who may shoot up recruiting boards or pick up offers.
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Posted on 5/7/17 at 12:38 pm to TideSaint
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MONDAY - St. Clair County
Not long after Matt Glover took over the head coaching position, he reached out to colleges about his big defensive tackle, Jalen Cunningham.
The 6-foot-4, 360-pound Cunningham is a sight to see. He's athletic and college coaches rave about his potential. It can be fulfilled when he loses 20 pounds, but remember that he's still new to being a college prospect and figuring it out. Offers didn't start coming until three months ago.
Glover wants to wait three weeks before he's really sure about who's next-level good or not. Five-foot-nine receiver Ja'Varrius Johnson is the Saints' top playmaker and linebacker Grayson Beatty (6-foot-3, 185 pounds) is one who already has caught Glover's eye.
"He's a ballplayer, man," Glover said. "He's just a football player."
Rising senior quarterback Jayce Fisher (6-foot-2, 195) has good size. Two that caught my eye are left tackle Jon Jon Braswell (HUDL lists him at 6-foot-3, 270, Glover said he might be 330), and 2019 defensive end Jovan Ousley.
Braswell got the reps against Cunningham in 1-on-1 drills and competes with an edge. He certainly has the size and ability to get noticed. Ousley is 6-foot-2 and 240 pounds with two years of high school left. He passes the eye test.
"He's put on a lot of weight this offseason and got stronger," Glover said. "Really good kid."
Coaches spotted: South Carolina (Lance Thompson)
Posted on 5/7/17 at 12:39 pm to TideSaint
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TUESDAY - Pleasant Grove
The first thing I noticed going out there was Myles Mason wearing a quarterback jersey.
The 6-foot-2, 200-pound four-star recruit will play that position this fall for the Spartans to keep the ball in his hands on every play. Pleasant Grove is one of the smaller 5A schools, but have only missed the playoffs twice in Jim Elgin's tenure since 2004. Mason played a key role as a freshman in the Spartans' 2014 run to the state championship game.
I expect Mason's recruitment to clear up more after he competes at an Alabama camp this spring. He will also play a good bit in the secondary this fall.
Rising senior linebacker Jordan Walker and receiver/running back/safety Tim Coats are also senior prospects with good size.
Most of Pleasant Grove's other top prospects are in the class of 2019, including 6-foot-1, 220-pound running back Kobe Gunn. Linemen Heath Gilliland, Isaia
Posted on 5/7/17 at 12:51 pm to TideSaint
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WEDNESDAY - Huffman
Defensive tackle Allen Love is a hot prospect. Schools listed below believe he's a difference maker. We're about to find out how truly hot of a prospect Love is as Alabama, Auburn, Oklahoma and others are still evaluating him. Regardless, Love has options heading into his planned July 22 birthday commitment date.
Who else stood out? Senior Kecalf Goree (5-11, 285) lines up next to Love on the defensive line and caught some eyes. Left tackle/defensive end Brevyn Jones was listed at 6-foot-4 and 225 pounds last year, but looks much bigger than that now. He's a 2019 recruit with plenty of room to grow and a good frame.
Coaches spotted: Tulane, Memphis, Ole Miss, Louisiana Tech (x2), East Tennessee State, Florida Atlantic
Posted on 5/7/17 at 1:14 pm to TideSaint
Posted on 5/7/17 at 1:20 pm to TideSaint
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MONDAY: HEWITT-TRUSSVILLE
Hewitt-Trussville was the first stop, just two days after rising junior offensive tackle Pierce Quick committed to Alabama.
The Huskies have a quarterback battle going. Another class of 2019 recruit, Paul Tyson, is the guy to watch as everyone knows by now that he's the great-grandson of Paul "Bear" Bryant. Tyson came into spring relaxed and ready to go. It's a big spring for him as colleges can watch him live, and he's already earned offers from Jacksonville State and Kentucky.
Tyson is 6-foot-4, 210 pounds, can make all the throws per his head coach and says he's improved his foot speed to 4.9 seconds in the 40-yard dash. That's big.
Running back Elliott McElwain, listed at 6-foot and 215 pounds, is the younger brother of Vanderbilt starting fullback Bailey McElwain. He has offers from places like Army, Columbia and Tennessee Tech. McElwain is a high academic guy.
Tight end/inside receiver Logan Pitts and linebacker Simon Miskelley will get opportunities, Floyd said. Chattanooga and Tennessee Tech are among Pitts' offers.
Hewitt-Trussville's younger players offer plenty of intrigue.
Along with Quick and Tyson, Joseph Stone is a 6-foot-8, 345-pound lineman in the class of 2019. Just take a look at this picture on the right. He moved to the area from Georgia.
"It's the first day we're seeing him in pads," Floyd said. "We've all been real impressed with how he can run, but we've got to see what he will end up being (OL or DL)."
Floyd feels a couple of rising sophomores can be special - receiver/defensive backs Dazalin Worsham (6-foot-1, 160) and Malachi Moore (6-foot, 160).
Coaches seen on Monday: Jacksonville State
That's a big arse kid.
Posted on 5/7/17 at 1:21 pm to TideSaint
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TUESDAY: MOUNTAIN BROOK
Harold Joiner is the spotlight recruit. He's already a four-star player with plenty of FBS offers. LSU is his leader, because LSU sees him as a running back. And Joiner wants to play running back at the next level.
My opinion is that Joiner can be a good running back, but the ceiling could be higher at other offensive skill positions. Joiner has excellent hands. He can go down or up and catch passes with ease. This is a guy who could be an O.J. Howard-type tight end at the next level even at 6-foot-3 and 215 pounds. He'll get bigger physically, but will he grow taller? Possibly. Joiner is still just 16, young for his grade.
Coach Chris Yeager always has a solid team at Mountain Brook that may not be littered with prospects, but there is usually one or two to watch and this year it's Joiner.
Starting quarterback Hamp Sisson has offers from Jacksonville State and high academic schools looking at him. Sisson is out with a broken leg but is fast, just not tall at 5-foot-11, Mountain Brook coach Chris Yeager said.
AJ Gates, a class of 2019 recruit, will start to get more attention. Yeager compared him to former Shades Valley star Keith Mixon, who signed with Mississippi State. Yates is about 5-foot-9.
"He's one of the fastest kids probably in the metro," Yeager said. "AJ's just compact. You can't put a hand on him."
Coaches seen on Tuesday: Texas, Tennessee (Auburn running back coach Tim Horton was at MB's first practice on Monday, along with Jacksonville State)
Posted on 5/7/17 at 1:24 pm to TideSaint
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WEDNESDAY: HOOVER
Coming off its Class 7A state championship, Hoover will again have several prospects.
Receiver Shedrick Jackson, the nephew of Bo Jackson, is the headliner.
Kicker Barret Pickering has offers from Nebraska and Vanderbilt. Offensive lineman Mike Maye's offer list has reached double digits, including Middle Tennessee, UAB, Georgia Tech, Troy and Jacksonville State. Offensive lineman Jacob Bodden has a Samford offer. Coach Josh Niblett expects running back Vonte' Brackett, defensive lineman Khamari Brown and cornerback Chase Brownto have several college opportunities.
In the 2019 class, here's a name to watch first off based on size. George Pickens is a 6-foot-5, 190-pound receiver who had several coaches' eyes on him at Hoover's first practice on Wednesday. Niblett also mentioned running back Larry McCammon and kicker Will Riker as recruits to watch in this class, but there will be many more.
"We have a few young linemen," Niblett said. "Some guys are waiting on the opportunity to make plays and we'll see where they are."
In the 2020 class, quarterback Robby Ashford has never taken a varsity snap, but already has offers from Missouri and Jacksonville State.
Ashford is 6-foot-3 and 200 pounds and certainly looks the part. He has performed well in camps, and in an age where there are more athletic holdbacks and athletes who are older than most of their classmates, Ashford is the exception. He won't even turn 15 years old until October, midway through his sophomore season.
Hoover has several players battling to start at quarterback this fall.
"I want to develop him," Niblett said. "The thing is, you want to get him to grow as quick as possible. He's a great kid, a great competitor and understands the game. He's a great kid and a great competitor."
I mention Pickens and Ashford prominently, but I'm not sure either are starters just yet. That's how deep Hoover is every year with good players. Ashford is still probably a year or so away from quality varsity action (more older players in front of him), but Pickens could be in line for a big fall.
Coaches seen on Wednesday: Kentucky, Troy, Western Carolina, Wake Forest, Jacksonville State, Louisville, Kennesaw State
A guy on BOL is related to Ashford and has posted about him before. He'll be a big time recruit down the road.
Posted on 5/7/17 at 1:25 pm to TideSaint
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THURSDAY: JACKSON-OLIN
Bear in mind, this was the only practice where I saw the start, but coach Tim Vakakes had these guys in full gear in midseason form when it came to contact.
Four-star defensive lineman Coynis Miller is the main attraction, but Vakakes, who coached the Mustangs to their first playoff berth in 17 years last fall, has more.
Pads were popping all over, but the best battles were with the 6-foot-3, 290-pound Miller and class of 2019 recruit Treveon Pickens, a 6-foot-1, 300-pound offensive lineman. Miller was better, but Pickens showed very well in front of Alabama offensive line coach Brent Key.
Receiver A.J. Toney, at 5-foot-9 and 165 pounds, is extremely fast and will get recruited in the 2019 class. The next headliner name from Jackson-Olin is class of 2020 linebacker Quanderrius Robinson, who is already 6-foot-4 and 197 pounds.
Coaches seen on Thursday: Alabama (Brent Key)
Posted on 5/7/17 at 1:27 pm to TideSaint
Posted on 5/7/17 at 1:32 pm to TideSaint
Back to Charlotte updates:
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Owen Pappoe and Dax Hollifield probably the two best going through LB agility drills.
Posted on 5/7/17 at 1:32 pm to TideSaint
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Four-star safety Trey Dean said Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina, Tennessee, UCLA, Oregon and Texas are among the schools currently standing out to him, but he's "still open." He recently visited Tennessee and South Carolina, and he's hoping to travel to Texas soon. He said he could make a decision this summer, perhaps by next month.
Posted on 5/7/17 at 1:33 pm to TideSaint
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Trey Dean looks smooth in DB drills. Very long prospect.
Posted on 5/7/17 at 1:33 pm to TideSaint
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Defensive end K.J. Henry with two convincing wins over 2019 FSU OL commit Wanya Morris.
Posted on 5/7/17 at 1:34 pm to TideSaint
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Four-star OG Tank Jenkins gets back-to-back wins in one-on-one drills. Moves pretty well for a big guy.
Posted on 5/7/17 at 6:08 pm to TideSaint
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The Opening Regional in Charlotte, N.C. produced 12 more invitations to The Opening Finals.
LSU defensive end commit Adam Anderson, five-star defensive end KJ Henry, Top247 defensive tackle Rick Sandidge, and four-star defensive tackle Dante Sills were all invited to the finals.
The running back group also saw several earn invites including Oregon commit Jamal Currie-Elliott, N.C. State commit Ricky Person, and four-star back Devon Lawrence.
A loaded linebacker group also earn a trip to the finals including five-star Teradja Mitchell, four-stars Xavier Peters, K’Vaughn Pope, and Payton Wilson.
The lone offensive lineman invited was Jovaughn Gwyn out of Harding (Ga.).
The Opening Finals will be held at Nike World Headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon on July 1-3.
Three quarterbacks were also invited to the Elite 11 Finals.
Five-star quarterbacks Trevor Lawrence, a Clemson commit, and Emory Jones, a Ohio State commit, headline the group of signal callers heading to the finals. Lawrenceville (Ga.) Central Gwinnett’s Jarren Williams rounds out the invites.
The Elite 11 Finals will be held June 2-4 in Los Angeles.
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