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re: Class of 2018 Recruiting MEGATHREAD: So Long Old Friend Edition
Posted on 6/19/17 at 11:24 am to TideSaint
Posted on 6/19/17 at 11:24 am to TideSaint
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2. What's your most memorable moment of the two-day event?
ROB CASSIDY (Southeast): The giant bruise that still lingers on my chest is a nice reminder of the one-on-one rep I took against four-star athlete Dominick Watt. I won’t be forgetting that for a few weeks. Aside from that, it was probably watching Lawrence and fellow five-star quarterback Justin Fields throwing side by side.
MIKE FARRELL (National): The morning session one-on-one rep between 2019 OL Kardell Thomas and 2018 DT Rick Sandidge when I thought they were going to come to blows after the whistle. Thomas was a bit frustrated after losing a few early reps and has a reputation for being very physical at the end of reps and he hit Sandidge late after the whistle. Sandidge, who was destroying kids to that point, came back at him but the two just jawed a bit and hugged. It was an intense moment and both kids showed me something.
ADAM GORNEY (National/West): My most memorable moment was really something off the field. It was when I talked with five-star cornerback Anthony Cook about what he thinks of Texas and first-year coach Tom Herman. I really got the impression that he loved what Herman was about and that Cook was seriously thinking about playing for the Longhorns. He called Texas "America's Team" and while that might be an overstep it definitely takes us inside what Cook thinks about the program.
JOSH HELMHOLDT (Midwest): One of the funniest exchanges during check-in was class of 2019 offensive lineman Elton Ndoma-Ogar being shocked at how big Jowon Briggs is for a rising junior, even though Ndoma-Ogar is no small kid himself. The quote of "he has a full beard and I can barely grow peach fuzz," left the room in stitches.
NICK KRUEGER (Texas): Woody Wommack and I drafted the Team Three-Stripe, and in the first playoff round in 7-on-7, I felt that the officiating was working more in favor of Lawrence’s team – and I let him and some of his teammates know as much. I also wasn’t happy about his team’s lack of urgency to start plays, bleeding valuable time from my team’s cause. On the last play of the game that eliminated my team, I made one last comment to Lawrence and as he threw the prettiest ball of the day 40 yards into the end zone to win, and he turned around and shot me a look that will haunt me for years to come as he ran down the field to celebrate.
CHAD SIMMONS (Southeast): Amon-Ra St. Brown's celebrations after touchdowns for me. He was on my team, so I watched him a lot in the 7-on-7 play and he was putting on a show on the field and then after he made the big plays. He threw the ball to the ceiling, he spun the ball, danced over it, then kicked it, he took off his shirt like Brandi Chastain .... he was something to see.
WOODY WOMMACK (Southeast): The best moment of the weekend had to be the "Hail Mary" style touchdown to seal the victory in 7-on-7 hauled in by Amon-Ra St. Brown. The five-star receiver is one of my favorite prospects in the 2018 class and after a spring of dominating camps it was only fitting he capped things by scoring the winning touchdown in dramatic fashion.
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Posted on 6/19/17 at 11:25 am to TideSaint
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3. What question was answered for you at this event?
ROB CASSIDY (Southeast): I was interested to see how wide receiver Kevin Austin would do against elite-level defensive backs. Austin’s size has always been his calling card, but I wondered if he would have the necessary acceleration to get separation from top-flight defenders. He did so easily and shined from start to finish.
MIKE FARRELL (National): Is St. Brown that good? The answer was yes. Now he's not in the ballpark of guys such as Percy Harvin or Julio Jones or AJ Green for me at this time, but he's creeping up on being an all-timer if he continues to improve.
ADAM GORNEY (National/West): I'm now more confident than ever that we have it dead right when it comes to the top of our rankings at quarterback and wide receiver. And it might not even be close. Lawrence was so dominant and clearly better than any other quarterback in this class. Having him No. 1 overall is no problem to me. And St. Brown was so much better than any receiver - and that's not a knock on others because they're talented as well - but he took over during 7on7. They both proved their ranking, and just how talented and special they are all weekend in Indy.
JOSH HELMHOLDT (Midwest): Jaelen Gill has fully recovered from his broken leg and is back to being as explosive as he was pre-injury. As the event went on the Ohio State commit became more confident planting and cutting off that leg and he was pretty much uncoverable by day's end.
NICK KRUEGER (Texas): In my region, new four-star defensive end Joshua Landry played well enough to justify his bump. I had been thinking that Jamison probably had been having a good enough offseason to work his way back into the Rivals250 prior to his showing last weekend, but I think the unanimous opinion was that he certainly proved worthy during the camp anyway.
CHAD SIMMONS (Southeast): Lawrence and Fields are definitely the top two quarterbacks in the country. Lawrence did nothing to hurt his ranking, but Fields has closed the gap in my eyes. Fields led his team to the 7-on-7 title, he won the quarterback challenge, and with all of his intangibles, Fields is going to have a great chance of winning the Heisman Trophy on the next level. I could easily see Fields winning the Heisman Trophy and Lawrence being the No. 1 draft pick in the NFL Draft down the road. Both are elite.
WOODY WOMMACK (Southeast): Even though I pushed for him to earn five-star status prior to the event it was nice to see Terrace Marshall come in and validate that ranking with his performance. Marshall doesn't do a ton of talking on the field and he makes things look so effortless that it's easy to look past his natural ability. He's got a few schools on his short list but I don't think it matters where he goes, he will be a star.
Posted on 6/19/17 at 11:27 am to TideSaint
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4. What question that you had coming into the event still lingers?
ROB CASSIDY (Southeast): What is John Campbell? Campbell is a prospect with massive upside, but he’s yet to consistently reach his potential. Coaches love his measurables and his length, but he seems to regress at times and sometimes is overmatched by elite competition. Campbell looks hyper impressive in streaks but has valleys as well. Projecting his trajectory is no easy task because what’s holding him back is not especially clear.
MIKE FARRELL (National): Is James Cook as good as his brother Dalvin at the same stage? The obvious answer in hindsight is no but you have to remember that Dalvin was splitting time at RB heading into his senior year and James is a talented kid. The big question will be whether James wants it as bad as Dalvin did because that could be the difference.
ADAM GORNEY (National/West): What's still unclear to me, and maybe even more muddled after the Five-Star Challenge, is the cornerback rankings in this class. Some of the top-ranked players were not there but many were and it's going to be very close to call in the next round of rankings. Four-star Isaac Taylor-Stuart not only won Fastest on the Field but he was physically dominant. Four-star Al Blades was phenomenal early in the day. There's going to be a lot of debate and discussion about how these rankings should be reworked.
JOSH HELMHOLDT (Midwest): The discussion of whether St. Louis defensive lineman Ronnie Perkins is better-suited for the three-technique tackle or five-technique end position in college is going to have to continue into the fall. His explosiveness off the edge suggests to me end, but he does lack ideal height/length for the position and is already 270 pounds. He could play either, but where is his upside the highest?
NICK KRUEGER (Texas): I am still wondering if Brennan Eagles can find his way to a fifth star. He has all the physical attributes that you could want in a big-time wide receiver prospect, and speed doesn’t seem to be a problem for him. But he still has some trouble getting significant separation from defenders on longer routes. No matter what, he’ll always be dominant on one-cut intermediate routes and flares to the corners of the end zone, but I wouldn’t say that he overwhelmingly proved himself able to consistently break free of top-level pass coverage.
CHAD SIMMONS (Southeast): Nobody knows who Justin Fields is favoring — maybe not even himself. He was in Indianapolis fresh off decommitting from Penn State, so he faced numerous tough questions about that decision and where he stood in recruiting. He is smart in front of a camera or recorder, says all the right things. He has some guessing Florida leads, some feel Florida State may be the school for him, Auburn is one to watch closely and Georgia is his home state school with his sister headed there to play softball. At the end of the event, nobody really had a true feel where Fields stands and that may even include himself.
WOODY WOMMACK (Southeast): Where will Justin Fields end up? It was crazy to hear even the other prospects at the event speculate where he might land and do their best to recruit him. Several fan bases think they're landing him but it's clear nobody has a read on where he will end up. I imagine it will be a fast and furious process so it will be fun to follow the drama.
Posted on 6/19/17 at 11:27 am to TideSaint
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BRADENTON, Fla. — Recently Houston Griffith cut his list to seven schools and he now is focused on Alabama, Florida State, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Penn State and Texas.
The 6-foot-1, 192 pound safety out of Bradeton (Fla.) IMG Academy has a plan in place and he has a commitment timeline in mind. He breaks down each of his finalists and more in this interview.
Video
Posted on 6/19/17 at 11:28 am to TideSaint
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INDIANAPOLIS – More than 100 of the top players in the nation participated June 10 in the Rivals100 Five-Star Challenge presented by adidas at the Indianapolis Colts practice facility. The Rivals analyst team is breaking down the status of each player at the marquee event based on their performance against elite competition. Today, we review the offensive linemen.
LINK
Posted on 6/19/17 at 11:29 am to TideSaint
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STOCK UP
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Trey Hill
Hill had a pretty dominating performance over the weekend. He has re-shaped his body, he showed his balanced strength and at times he was simply tough to move. He is light on his feet, he loves to finish blocks and his name is going to come up in the five-star discussion before long.
Posted on 6/19/17 at 11:29 am to TideSaint
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Clay Webb
Webb wasn’t able to finish in the afternoon, but he did enough in the morning session before the shoulder injury to help his stock. He is so strong, he plays with such violence and he stoned some of the top defensive linemen in the country. He is an interior guy on the next level, but he is one of the top prospects in the 2019 class.
Posted on 6/19/17 at 11:30 am to TideSaint
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STOCK STEADY
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Marcus "Tank" Jenkins
Jenkins has worked hard to get in better shape and it showed with better feet and agility in this setting. He has played a lot of tackle, but he is an interior guy on the next level. He could excel there once he settles in and learns the guard position.
Posted on 6/19/17 at 11:30 am to TideSaint
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Pierce Quick
Quick was better early than he was late. He was elite at the St. Louis of the Rivals Camp Series, but he was much more up and down in Indianapolis. He is still one of the top offensive tackles in the 2019 class with his size, feet and work ethic.
Posted on 6/19/17 at 11:31 am to TideSaint
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Penei Sewell
The one thing Sewell definitely proved at the Five-Star Challenge is that even at his size, the four-star can play offensive tackle and do it well. He won’t be forced to move to guard. Sewell swallows up any defensive end who tries to bull rush him and he showed off quick feet to handle edge rushers. For someone so massive, he should have a more solid power base at times but that will come with more seasoning against some of the nation’s best. Alabama, USC and others remain involved.
Posted on 6/19/17 at 11:32 am to TideSaint
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Four-star quarterback Jack Tuttle landed an offer from USC but Utah fans should not be too concerned.
The San Marcos (Calif.) Mission Hills standout who’s been committed to the Utes since December said his pledge remains firm and he’s planning to visit Utah again in the coming days.
USC’s offer basically came after five-star quarterback Matt Corral from Long Beach (Calif.) Poly parted ways with the Trojans this weekend. But Tuttle doesn't seem like the replacement for USC in this class.
Tuttle, the eighth-best pro-style quarterback in the class who has had an exceptional offseason, was one of USC’s top targets but it doesn’t look like he’s going to jump ship to the Pac-12 powerhouse.
It sounds like Utah has him wrapped up.
“I was honored to receive an offer from USC, similar to the other schools who have offered me,” Tuttle said.
“However, I am very much committed to Utah and don’t plan on visiting anywhere else. I will be in Salt Lake next week.”
Tuttle has been committed to Utah for months.
The Utes have dodged a lot of landmines in Tuttle’s recruitment with Alabama being the first to offer the four-star quarterback after his pledge to Utah. USC and many others have gotten involved as well.
The San Marcos Mission Hills standout has talked highly of working with new offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Troy Taylor as the Utes could run a much higher-tempo offense in the coming years.
LINK
Posted on 6/19/17 at 11:34 am to TideSaint
Cameron Latu plans to announce his commitment this Summer.
Posted on 6/19/17 at 12:22 pm to TideSaint
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LB NOAH SEWELL - St. George (Utah) Desert Hills
Sewell, a class of 2020 prospect, made headlines going into the three-day event by picking up an offer from Alabama. Despite having three years of high school football remaining, Sewell certainly flashed high upside at inside linebacker, storming to the football on inside runs and chasing down ball carriers if they broke outside. Sewell, the younger brother of Scout 300 prospect Penei, also shined on offense taking the ball out of the Wildcat formation. The Crimson Tide joined an offer list that already included Arizona State and Utah, among others.
Posted on 6/19/17 at 12:23 pm to TideSaint
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OL PENEI SEWELL - St. George (Utah) Desert Hills
The four-star offensive tackle was up to his old antics, dominating the competition by winning nearly all of his head-to-head battles and even making some plays on defense. Sewell uses his hands well to fight off the rush and has the footwork to stay in front of defenders, allowing him to maintain leverage in pass protection. He was a force in the run game, too, particularly near the goal line despite every player on the field knowing where the call was headed. The 6-foot-5, 330-pound lineman recently visited Alabama and intends to see Oregon next before trimming his long list which includes offers from the likes of Florida, Michigan, Ole Miss, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, UCLA, USC and Utah.
Posted on 6/19/17 at 12:23 pm to TideSaint
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OL HUNTER LOTULELEI - Salt Lake City (Utah) Highland
Opponents didn't have much success trying to push the 6-foot-3, 290-pound Lotulelei around. He did a fantastic job of keeping his feet moving through contact and opening running lanes at offensive guard, while showing nimble feet and the ability to pull when asked to. Lotulelei told Scout.com he is happily committed to the hometown Utes and is working hand in hand with fellow longtime pledge Jack Tuttle to build Utah's recruiting class.
Posted on 6/19/17 at 12:25 pm to TideSaint
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Michael Parker of Huntsville (Ala.) Westminster Christian isn't yet a well-known recruit but while camping at Auburn on Saturday the tight end prospect showed why his stock has been on the rise.
At 6-feet-6, 230 pounds, he posted a 4.64-second 40-yard dash, 10 feet, 3-inch broad jump and 32.2-inch vertical.
He stole the show in one-on-ones, high-pointing balls and catching everything in his vicinity.
And, in a workout with Tigers coach Gus Malzahn giving him instructions, he shined as Malzahn pushed him to see how much energy and mental toughness he had.
By the time the day ended, Parker had added a new offer to his ever-growing list.
“I’m definitely excited,” Parker said. “First SEC offer.”
Parker grew up focusing mostly on basketball. He didn’t start playing football until the eight grade. Last year was his first playing tight end.
He continues to play hoops and competes in track. In that sport, he takes part in the 100 meters, 200, 4x100, long jump, javelin and shot put.
As for Saturday’s performance, he noted, “I thought I did pretty good. It was really good competition. … It’s the biggest (offer) so far, for sure.”
His offer from Auburn came directly from Malzahn, who watched Parker like a hawk throughout the camp.
“He thought I did a really good job competing and he said he tried to tire me out to see kind of what my personality was and how I’d compete,” Parker said.
At this stage, Parker, whose two other brothers are Alabama walk-ons, admitted his pass catching is his strength.
“Probably my weakness would be blocking, but I like blocking,” Parker said. “I’m not scared to hit anybody for sure.”
Auburn is “definitely high up” after the offer. But as Parker continues to gain more attention, he’s in no rush to pick a college.
“Still kind of taking everything in,” Parker said.
LINK
Posted on 6/19/17 at 12:25 pm to TideSaint
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Five-star quarterback Justin Fields has had a busy month of June. He started it off with a decommitment from Penn State, he then hit the road for visits to Georgia, Auburn and Florida State. After those visits were complete he rejoined his Cam Newton All-Star 7on7 team for the IMG National Championship, held this weekend in Bradenton Fla.
“(Being coached by Cam Newton) It’s definitely great. Growing up he was someone I modeled my game after, so it’s great learning from him,” Fields said.
When it comes to recruiting Fields says he does not have a leader, but there are a handful of teams that standout.
“I’m not talking to every school that’s offered me but I am talking to a certain amount of schools. I’m open to others but just not talking to them right now.”
Who are the teams in that top group?
“Georgia, Florida State, Florida, Auburn, North Carolina, Ole Miss and Alabama a little bit. I just don’t talk to the (Alabama) coaches as much as the others.”
Fields says he has three teams recruiting him the hardest right now.
“Georgia, Florida and Florida State,” he said.
Some have speculated that Fields sisters commitment to UGA to play softball could give the Dawgs the edge.
“I’m real close to my sister and everything, we’re great friends, but that’s not going to determine where I go. She just wants the best decision for me.”
Fields says he plans to take a trip to the University of Florida. He was not specific as to when it will occur, but he does know he’ll make it to Gainesville this summer.
“I want to be with the coaches, I just want to hangout there and just see what they are, relax back and not have it be all about football,” Fields said.
As for a final decision timeline, Fields did not know when that will be.
“I’m not sure when yet, I have no idea. I honestly do not know where I’ll go,” he added. “It’s going to come down to academics, player development, just knowing the coaches can make me into a better quarterback and I guess the relationships I have with the coaches and the relationships my parents have with those coaches.”
LINK
Posted on 6/19/17 at 12:32 pm to TideSaint
Tim Watts CB'd Amari Kight to Alabama.
His kids go to Thompson High School with Kight.
His kids go to Thompson High School with Kight.
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