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re: Class of 2018 Recruiting MEGATHREAD: So Long Old Friend Edition
Posted on 7/8/17 at 10:57 am to TideSaint
Posted on 7/8/17 at 10:57 am to TideSaint
quote:
Which recruit disappointed you the most at The Opening Finals?
Kirschner: Tyreke Johnson didn’t perform well in 1-on-1 drills. The problem, in my opinion, with the 5-star defensive back is he is hellbent on playing cornerback. He’d be better suited at safety. Johnson is a press corner, which is fine. But when he didn’t lock down the receiver at the line of scrimmage, we saw the receiver get by with ease.
Spiegelman: For one, NFL Network. I know that network isn’t a recruit, but what went down with Ja’Marr Chase was absolutely atrocious. Chase, a 4-star wide receiver from New Orleans, was supposed to commit on July 2. That’s his recently deceased grandmother’s birthday, so his commitment was a way to honor her. NFL Network officials convinced Chase to hold off on announcing his commitment to either LSU or TCU until July 3 so that the network could broadcast it live. That also allowed Chase’s family back in Louisiana to tune in. However, when it was Chase’s time to shine, NFL Network spent extra time with Emerson after he surprisingly committed to Tennessee. They squeezed out Chase and took away his moment, a cold-hearted move done to a bright young man.
From a football standpoint, it was Harold Joiner. The 6-foot-3, 218-pound running back from Alabama was among the most-discussed players in the country this spring, yet nothing the 4-star recruit did in Oregon showed what all the buzz was about. Even more disappointing were some of his comments about his top schools. Joiner dropped LSU and UGA from contention because they added running backs to their respective classes. He said he didn’t want to compete at Alabama and was afraid it could be too cold at Michigan State — while naming the Spartans his new leader. For one of the best running backs in the country, his play and comments did not add up.
Birmingham: I will be careful here in how I say this, because I don’t think it’s really fair to be “disappointed” in high school athletes I don’t know after just one or two days at a camp of this magnitude. Everyone has a bad day once in a while, and that’s part of life and sports.
I will however, say this: I was not entirely impressed by the quarterback play at The Opening Finals on the whole. Fields was phenomenal. Lawrence was good, so too was Tanner McKee, Dorian Thompson-Robinson, Matt Corral and Justin Rogers. But this group wasn’t as consistent as I would have liked and the rest of the group was just OK.
I think that some recruits come into this event with such high expectations, guys such as Palaie Gaoteote for example, but then we don’t see them do much and people say “Oh, I didn’t hear his name.” But in reality he wasn’t doing much. Linebackers are virtually invisible in 7-on-7 play and there was less of a chance for linebackers, running backs, etc., to shine this year than in the past when the Nike Football Ratings Championships (SPARQ testing) celebrated that kind of powerhouse player.
Sentell: I think the entire offensive tackle class as a whole was really disappointing. There really isn’t an elite tackle this year. Jackson Carman, the highest-rated tackle, looks more like an elite guard to me. He even lined up at guard and tackle out in Oregon. He’s a good tackle, don’t get me wrong there. But he might have barely been a top-5 tackle in the 2017 class.
Abolverdi: Johnson. Most recruiting services have the 5-star defensive back from Jacksonville, Fla., rated as a safety, but Johnson insists that he will play cornerback in college. His performance at The Opening Finals left a lot to be desired. Johnson was able to jam some receivers at the line scrimmage, but had trouble consistently covering the wideouts who were able to get into their routes.
This post was edited on 7/8/17 at 10:58 am
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Posted on 7/8/17 at 11:00 am to TideSaint
quote:
What was your top moment at The Opening Finals?
Kirschner: New Tennessee commit Emerson getting a standing ovation at the awards show. Emerson went down with what looked like a major left leg injury during competition. It turned out that he has a dislocated ankle and fractured fibula and is expected to be out 4-6 weeks. After seeing the injury, it looked like he’d miss all of his senior season. Thankfully, his injury wasn’t too serious.
Spiegelman: I mentioned Emerson’s decision to commit to Tennessee on NFL Network earlier. That was a wise, carefully thought out decision that the 4-star defensive end made without much time to really do so. Emerson sustained his injury on Sunday during linemen 1-on-1 drills. Though it appears Emerson will not miss as much time as initially feared, when the injury occurred he realized just how delicate the recruiting process can be. He committed to Tennessee and saved his spot in the class. Normally, a top-100 prospect doesn’t need to worry about spots like that, but after sustaining what could have been a serious injury while competing in camp drill, Emerson showed a ton of maturity in a rather short period of time.
Birmingham: Unfortunately the majority of the media doesn’t get a lot of opportunity to see the behind-the-scenes stuff in Oregon, so we’re picking a moment from the drills, the big plays, etc. For me, it was the very competitive — and surprisingly intense — 1-on-1 drills between the wide receivers and cornerbacks on the first night of real competition. The battle that included California 5-star wideout Amon-Ra St. Brown and Texas 5-star CB Anthony Cook were especially awesome to watch.
If you want to see why these kids are the best of the best, watching them try to prove they belong while on that kind of stage is a great place to do it.
Sentell: If we’re talking moments, then that would be the total highlight reel authored by Fields. But the one singular moment for me was the long ball Corral unleashed. The 77 yards it flew through the air was one thing, but the fact he did that off two steps was the big exclamation point for me.
Abolverdi: The 7-on-7 game between Fields and Lawrence, a pair of top-5 overall recruits. It was the nation’s top dual-threat quarterback vs. the top pro-style passer, and the matchup didn’t disappoint. Fields and Lawrence both made some incredible plays, seemingly trying to outshine one another. Fields came out on top and made a case to be the No. 1 recruit in the country over Lawrence, who’s held that ranking for the majority of the 2018 cycle.
Posted on 7/8/17 at 11:00 am to TideSaint
quote:
What was your top moment at The Opening Finals?
Kirschner: New Tennessee commit Emerson getting a standing ovation at the awards show. Emerson went down with what looked like a major left leg injury during competition. It turned out that he has a dislocated ankle and fractured fibula and is expected to be out 4-6 weeks. After seeing the injury, it looked like he’d miss all of his senior season. Thankfully, his injury wasn’t too serious.
Spiegelman: I mentioned Emerson’s decision to commit to Tennessee on NFL Network earlier. That was a wise, carefully thought out decision that the 4-star defensive end made without much time to really do so. Emerson sustained his injury on Sunday during linemen 1-on-1 drills. Though it appears Emerson will not miss as much time as initially feared, when the injury occurred he realized just how delicate the recruiting process can be. He committed to Tennessee and saved his spot in the class. Normally, a top-100 prospect doesn’t need to worry about spots like that, but after sustaining what could have been a serious injury while competing in camp drill, Emerson showed a ton of maturity in a rather short period of time.
Birmingham: Unfortunately the majority of the media doesn’t get a lot of opportunity to see the behind-the-scenes stuff in Oregon, so we’re picking a moment from the drills, the big plays, etc. For me, it was the very competitive — and surprisingly intense — 1-on-1 drills between the wide receivers and cornerbacks on the first night of real competition. The battle that included California 5-star wideout Amon-Ra St. Brown and Texas 5-star CB Anthony Cook were especially awesome to watch.
If you want to see why these kids are the best of the best, watching them try to prove they belong while on that kind of stage is a great place to do it.
Sentell: If we’re talking moments, then that would be the total highlight reel authored by Fields. But the one singular moment for me was the long ball Corral unleashed. The 77 yards it flew through the air was one thing, but the fact he did that off two steps was the big exclamation point for me.
Abolverdi: The 7-on-7 game between Fields and Lawrence, a pair of top-5 overall recruits. It was the nation’s top dual-threat quarterback vs. the top pro-style passer, and the matchup didn’t disappoint. Fields and Lawrence both made some incredible plays, seemingly trying to outshine one another. Fields came out on top and made a case to be the No. 1 recruit in the country over Lawrence, who’s held that ranking for the majority of the 2018 cycle.
Posted on 7/8/17 at 11:05 am to TideSaint
quote:
After The Opening Finals, who is in your Class of 2018 top 5?
Kirschner: Lawrence, Fields, Xavier Thomas, Jamaree Salyer, Patrick Surtain Jr.
Spiegelman: In trying to be completely fair, there is a chance that some of the better prospects in the nation were not in Oregon last week. Standout recruits such as newly minted UGA running back commit Zamir White, LSU defensive end commit Adam Anderson and 4-star athlete Justin Watkins were just some of the notable names that were not in attendance.
Of the recruits that did participate, here are my top five: Fields, WR Terrace Marshall Jr., Surtain Jr., Thomas and Cook. Fields, in my opinion, is deserving of being the No. 1 overall prospect in the class because of his performance on the biggest stage. We only saw what he can do as a passer — which was impressive — and didn’t get to see what he can do to opposing defenses with his legs. Marshall was the best of an elite group of receivers. It’s unfortunate he was injured on Sunday evening because he could have been a difference-maker for Vapor Speed if he suited up for the championship. Surtain is as technically sound a corner at this level as I have ever seen. Obviously, football runs in his blood, but with his size and his already finely tuned skill set, he’s a Day 1 impact player when he steps on the field next fall. Thomas was a major mismatch during linemen 1-on-1s. No tackle could come close to containing him; Clemson is getting a truly athletic big man. Cook is always intriguing to watch, but he impressed me by showing his fight during 1-on-1s on Saturday. As quiet and reserved as he comes off in conversation, he is a true fighter when he steps onto the field. That kind of Type-A personality will be a driving force when he arrives at college.
Birmingham: I am not a talent evaluator by any means, but I think sometimes you see a guy and you just know.
“This dude is the real deal.”
I will try and do one better, based on who was in attendance at The Opening Finals. I will offer a pick for the best player from every position group. Where they fall among each other, I think that’s kind of irrelevant because what matters is how you stack up against the dudes at your position.
Here is the best player I saw at every position from the 2018 class in Oregon.
QB – Justin Fields, uncommitted.
RB – Jaelen Gill, committed to Ohio State.
WR – Justin Shorter, committed to Penn State.
TE – Jeremy Ruckert, uncommitted.
OT – Jackson Carman, uncommitted.
OG – Jamaree Salyer, uncommitted.
C – Justin Dedich, committed to USC.
DE – Xavier Thomas, committed to Clemson.
DT – Taron Vincent, committed to Ohio State.
LB – Solomon Tuliaupupu, uncommitted.
CB – Patrick Surtain, Jr., uncommitted.
S – Jaiden Woodbey, committed to Ohio State.
Sentell: Lawrence and Fields. Those are the 1A and 1B. You have to remember what Lawrence has done on the field winning two straight state titles and losing only one game in high school. Fields had been primed to excel during 7-on-7 play with his spring work with Cam Newton’s team. The next-best player is Thomas, followed by 5-star OL Jamaree Salyer and then White. White wasn’t at The Opening Finals, but that does not matter. Surtain Jr. is also right in that elite group, too.
Abolverdi: 1. Fields 2. Thomas 3. Salyer 4. St. Brown 5. Surtain Jr.
I swear, no team has bigger homer mods than Ohio State.
I've read practically every article written about this year's Opening and no one has said a word about Jaiden Woodbey as being a top performer, yet he was the best Safety Jeremy Birmingham saw at the event?
Posted on 7/8/17 at 11:08 am to TideSaint
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Auburn fits both categories for 5-star WR
Justyn Ross recently released a top 5 that includes Auburn, Alabama, Clemson, Florida State and Florida.
The 5-star wide receiver from Central High School (Phenix City, Ala.) says the first three on that list are recruiting him harder than the other two schools, though he’s not willing to eliminate Florida State or Florida. Ross will say, however, that his ultimate decision — which likely remains a National Signing Day choice — seemingly will come down to Auburn, Alabama or Clemson.
“Probably. Because of the communication between them and the relationship I have with those schools. It’s just going to be me completely falling in love with this program and calling it home,” Ross said. “It’s subject to change. Another school could come in and just show me something different that I like.”
Ross hasn’t revealed much about what he will be looking for as he makes his decision. But he did give SEC Country one snippet and his primary deciding factors will be: the quarterback situation and the wide receiver depth chart.
As for the quarterback room, he included Florida State in his group of programs that has strong quarterback depth. He said four of his top 5 are set in that category.
“I think all of them have great quarterback situations. You have [Jarrett] Stidham at Auburn, Tua [Tagovailoa] and Jalen [Hurts] at Alabama. Clemson has a good quarterback coming in with Trevor [Lawrence]. Florida State has [Deondre] Francois,” Ross said. “All of them have good quarterbacks.”
And then, of course, there is the Justin Fields waiting game. Among Ross’ top group, Fields could choose Florida State, Auburn or Florida. It’s unknown how much that will affect the Ross decision, but Fields is certainly an intriguing quarterback piece for any wide receiver.
As for Auburn’s quarterback group, Ross initially mentioned only Stidham. But what if Stidham were to leave early after a successful 2017 season?
Ross already has thought about it, and he likes the future.
“They have a good quarterback situation with Malik [Willis] there. He throws a good ball, so I think they have a good quarterback situation even if Stidham leaves,” Ross said.
That doesn’t even include Joey Gatewood, a 2018 Auburn quarterback commit with whom Ross has formed a close friendship.
The final element Ross will monitor: wide receiver depth.
Ross said he likes the ability to come in and compete right away at all five of his schools. But he also recognizes certain rosters will allow him a greater chance to play right away. There is one program that stands well above the rest in that category.
“Auburn, because I think that’s where they are lacking right now,” Ross said. “It does help them a lot because as a receiver you always want to just come in and be able to compete for a spot right away.”
LINK
Posted on 7/8/17 at 11:11 am to TideSaint
quote:
DB Tyson Campbell — Campbell says he'll be at Clemson for the All-In Cookout on July 21, the same date that three of his other top contenders (Alabama, Ohio State, and Miami) are hosting recruiting events. Both parents are expected to accompany him on the trip.
The buzz in Oregon was that Alabama is surging while Ohio State's trending in the opposite direction.
Meanwhile, Clemson appears to be holding steady — and haven't you heard the saying, "Slow and steady wins the race?" That's not to jump the gun on anything, but rather to point out that consistency is often key.
However, Alabama is definitely a team to watch going forward.
Posted on 7/8/17 at 11:12 am to TideSaint
quote:
DE KJ Henry — Alabama has some legitimate momentum here. This recruitment will extend through the season, so there's no use in getting too high or too low in July.
Posted on 7/8/17 at 11:20 am to TideSaint
Just feels like a good day to get a commitment.
Posted on 7/8/17 at 11:25 am to BlackPawnMartyr
It would be nice.
Posted on 7/8/17 at 3:22 pm to TideSaint
Hank South says Jaycee Horn is still a take.
Posted on 7/8/17 at 3:24 pm to TideSaint
Hank says the three players he most likely will CB to Alabama next are Josh Jobe, Tyson Campbell and Cameron Latu.
Posted on 7/8/17 at 3:24 pm to TideSaint
Hank also said he is going to flip his CB for Myles Mason from Alabama to Florida State.
Posted on 7/8/17 at 3:28 pm to TideSaint
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Congratulations to Punter Skyler DeLong on earning a spot to play in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl. Well deserved. #TeamSailer #RollTide
Posted on 7/8/17 at 3:39 pm to TideSaint
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Nike's The Opening provided a great opportunity to speak with some of the country's top prospects.
Alabama is a major factor with several top cornerbacks, including Fort Lauderdale, Fla., four-star Tyson Campbell, Alpharetta, Ga., four-star Jaycee Horn and LSU commit Kelvin Joseph (links to AL.com content provided).
One more that unfortunately AL.com didn't catch up with is Miami four-star recruit Josh Jobe.
The south Florida standout is expected to finish his prep career at Cheshire Academy in Connecticut. The 6-foot-1, 180-pound Jobe has made trips to Tuscaloosa, but is committed to Miami. He's ranked as the No. 68 prospect nationally.
Jobe attended a satellite camp on June 10 at FIU in Miami. Alabama coaches were there. Michigan is also a key player in Jobe's recruitment.
Here's what Jobe did tell some media at The Opening.
247Sports: "Bama is Bama, come on now," Jobe said. "That's a top school."
Scout/BamaMag: "I've been twice (to Alabama), it was a great experience last time, getting along with the players and the coaches," Jobe said.
SEC Country: "They tell me how much they need me there, and it's not all about football at Alabama," Jobe said. "That means a lot to me. That's important to me."
Jobe's recruitment is one to watch for Alabama fans.
LINK
Posted on 7/8/17 at 3:42 pm to TideSaint
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Louisiana always provides its share of high-caliber football prospects destined to make an impact at the college level. But 2019 could be a year for the history books, ranking up there with some of the better classes the state has ever produced. This is especially true when looking at the top prospects, with many already seeing themselves ranked among the nation's elite. Here is a look at 8 guys we believe could make the prestigious 5-star push by the end of their recruitment.
LINK
Posted on 7/8/17 at 3:43 pm to TideSaint
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Ishmael Sopsher, DT, 6-4, 298, Amite
Already considered a five-star by outlets that have dished out the rating, Sopsher has the potential to cement himself as an elite prospect over the next two years. He has been impressive thus far and there is no reason to believe that will change anytime soon. Sopsher possesses tremendous strength, size and quickness, but is just starting to tap into his true potential. It is difficult to list anyone other than this impressive prospect as the state's top player on any ranking--despite it being an elite class for Louisiana.
"We're taking a little bit of a chance by ranking Sopsher this high this early, but with the way he's performed and continued to improve every time we've seen him both in games and in a camp setting it's a risk worth taking," Rivals.com Southeast analyst Woody Wommack said of Sopsher's five-star ranking by the network.
Posted on 7/8/17 at 3:44 pm to TideSaint
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Trey Palmer, WR, 6-0, 165, Kentwood
There may not be a more natural prospect in the 2019 class than Kentwood's Trey Palmer. He is extremely gifted and fluid, making everything he does look rather effortless. There are not many receivers in the country, regardless of class, who can stretch the field like Palmer, who has put up eye-popping numbers in track. Palmer is still rather thin in his physical make-up, but it may not matter much when nobody can touch him. Palmer is considered a top 50 national recruit, so he is not far off from being considered a five-star.
Posted on 7/8/17 at 3:45 pm to TideSaint
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Donte Starks, LB, 6-0, 210, John Ehret
When trying to list who could end up being a five-star, rankings matter. Starks is one of the state's highest-rated prospects, and is already on the edge of five-star status. He recently moved to Louisiana from Mississippi, and will be suiting up for John Ehret this fall. Starks runs well, can make plays all over the field and will have an opportunity to be a standout player for one of the state's best defenses.
Posted on 7/8/17 at 3:45 pm to TideSaint
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Devonta Lee, WR, 6-2, 205, Amite
Devonta Lee is already one of the nation's highest-ranked prospects and will push for five-star status from most networks when the 2019 class' rankings are fully implemented. Lee is extremely strong and athletic, and routinely makes play that few can make. His ability to high point and attack the football is elite and that's putting it lightly. Even when he's covered, he's wide open, due to his impressive catch radius and ability to absorb contact when jockeying for position to catch the ball. He has deceptive speed and good short-area quickness for a receiver his size, and he is improving on his route running and other areas of his game that need fine-tuning.
Posted on 7/8/17 at 3:46 pm to TideSaint
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John Emery Jr., RB, 6-0, 195, Destrehan
There is not a better back in the state than Destrehan's John Emery Jr. He has the speed, quickness, elusiveness, pass-catching ability and power to fit in any system at the next level, especially when you take into account his patience and natural feel as a runner. Emery can make defenders miss in tight spaces, all while showing first-step acceleration that allows him to pull away from defenders who feel they have the proper angle in pursuit. The more I watch Emery's film, the more impressed I become, and his strong showing as an underclassman at Nike's The Opening will help him solidify his status as one of the nation's premier backs.
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