re: 2018 Football Recruiting Thread -- Final OP Update Edition

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The Rivals 3 Stripe Camp presented by adidas hit stop No. 2 in Central Florida on Sunday, as Oviedo High School, former home of Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles, played host to a number of the region's top athletes.

While players from a few different states competed on the field for honors, the Sunshine State stars shone the brightest.

Here’s a recap of the award winners, Five-Star Challenge invitations and a few other notables.

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William Barnes

Barnes, from Apopka, came into the day as one of the favorites to win Offensive Line MVP and didn’t disappoint. While he played tackle at the event he could be better suited to start his college career on the inside based on frame and footwork. Barnes was aggressive, reset well and anticipated moves with ease. He was very physical and played to the whistle. Florida is thought to be the leader over North Carolina, while Florida State, Auburn and others are fighting to reach the top.

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Leonard Manuel

Youth was served at the wide receiver position as Manuel, a 2020 from Vanguard, won a tight battle for Wide Receiver MVP honors. The massive freshman stood 6-foot-5 and looked like a future defensive end. But when running routes, especially off the line of scrimmage. he was all wide out. He has double digit early offers from the likes of Tennessee, Auburn, Florida, Miami, Louisville and others.

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Michael Penix Jr

Penix, from Tampa Bay Tech, took home the Quarterback MVP award in a nice battle among a talented group of signal callers. The lefty showed excellent zip on the ball and was the most accurate of the strong-armed quarterbacks all day. His footwork was solid as well, and he seemed to get into an early rhythm. Tennessee and Auburn are two schools looking to pull him out of state early.

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The Rivals 3 Stripe Camp rolled into Orlando on Sunday and attracted prospects with major national offers. Below are updates on the recruitments of a handful of sought-after prospects that attended the event.

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Three-star Apopka, Fla. offensive lineman Ed Montilus said North Carolina, Auburn and Miami continue to lead the way in his recruitment. Montilus recently visited Auburn and raved about his time in Chapel Hill, which included a trip to the Duke-North Carolina basketball game. The Tar Heels are aggressively recruiting Montilus and his teammate William Barnes and appear to be in good shape with both at this point.

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Rivals100 offensive lineman William Barnes doesn’t name official “leaders,” but says that North Carolina and Florida are the programs with which he has the closest relationships. Barnes plans to visit Florida State and Florida this week before flying to Ohio State on April 8. He has set no timetable for a decision.

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Bo played baseball with us for a couple of years. The kid is legit. Also, he never went anywhere without an Auburn hat on. He was a huge fan.

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Four-star running back Master Teague of Murfreesboro (Tenn.) Blackman released a top 12 Sunday and Auburn is on his list. The 5-feet-10.5, 210-pound Teague is the No. 9 running back nationally in the 247Sports rankings.

Making the cut:

Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Duke, Georgia, Louisville, LSU, Mississippi State, Ohio State, South Carolina, Tennessee and Vanderbilt.

Of his top 12, he has offers from all but Alabama, Clemson, LSU and Ohio State.

Teague will visit a few of the schools on his top list in the near future, he told Alex Gleitman of Bucknuts.

"I will be at Alabama on the 24th (of March)," Teague said. "I will be in Auburn on the 25th. I will be at Ohio State on March 31 and April 1. I will be in Georgia on the 14th and 15th of April and Tennessee on the 8th of April."

Auburn offered Teague in February during his first unofficial visit to the school.

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Jacob Copeland, the Pensacola, Fla. four-star, currently ranks as one of 2018’s top 10 receiver recruits and one of the state’s top 10 overall recruits, per the 247Sports Composite. He says at the New Orleans regional camp of Nike’s The Opening tour that Clemson co-OC Jeff Scott has referred to him as a Sammy Watkins-type.

CU, Florida, and Auburn are his biggest standout colleges. He plans to attend each of their spring games, but “I really ain’t trying to take visits right now,” in order to focus on his grades. He recently changed high schools amid a coaching change. North Carolina and Miami are also near the top of the list. He plans to commit at the Under Armour All-America Game in January.

Standing 6’1, 192 with a Spider-Man tat, he expects to reach about 205 in a college strength program. He cites academics and playing time as his biggest factors, noting UNC’s depth chart is currently light on experienced receivers, so the Heels are “sitting high” with him.

Clemson’s use of four- and five-wide sets on offense interests him, since “I’d have a good chance to get the ball.”

He says Florida head coach Jim McElwain texts or calls him every day and that, as a freshman, he was McElwain’s first Florida offer. Head coaches typically don’t have time to personally recruit all that many prospects.

“Knowing it comes from the head coach, that means a lot,” he says.

He refers to Auburn co-OC Kodi Burns as a big brother type. Burns was a QB-turned-WR for Auburn within the last decade, and Copeland says, “It ain’t always about football. I can relate to him on a lot of levels. We keep it real. The vibe we have, he’s always telling me to stay focused. If I was to come to Auburn, he’s gonna make sure I was straight.”

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Four-star dual-threat quarterback Dakereon Joyner (North Charleston, S.C./Fort Dorchester) has three trips lined up before making his summer decision.

He said he will visit Oregon, Alabama and Auburn later this spring, likely in the coming weeks.

Joyner, who holds 16 offers, said South Carolina and North Carolina State are tied on top before he sees those other three schools.

“South Carolina is home,” Joyner said. “I get a lot of love there. I would have the chance to play. Even if I redshirt a year and Jake Bentley leaves after his third year. However that situation works. I can play as a redshirt freshmen at both schools. N.C. State is on the uprise. Coach (Dave Doeren) has a good history with quarterbacks. He has like four of them in the league right now. I like both of their quarterback coaches. They just keep it real with me. I talk to both of them every other day. I talk to (Will Muschamp) every other day, too.”

He said he doesn’t plan to visit either of those programs as he's been to both programs many times.

“That’s what it is,” Joyner said. “I kind of want to get out-of-state. That’s a lot of pressure going instate. Everybody looking for me to be that guy and looking to turn the program around. N.C. State is on the rise. Just come in and do what I do. I don’t know yet. I have a couple of months to figure that out. They are on an even keel. I can say that now.”

He still plans to still announce his college choice on Father’s Day June 18.

The Crystal Ball reads 86-percent for South Carolina and 14-percent for Clemson.

Joyner added his thoughts on the three programs he plans to visit next.

Oregon: “I like the coaches. They are trying to recruit some guys from out here. I just want to be comfortable. The spread, up-tempo offense.”

Alabama: “Alabama is changing with another dual-threat quarterback in Jalen Hurts. Before they offered me as an athlete. I’m glad they offered me as a quarterback now. They see my talent as a quarterback.”

Auburn: “The same offense as Oregon. But they are looking for that quarterback guy that can spread the offense out. (Tigers linebackers coach Kevin Steele) is a nice guy. We don’t talk a lot. I met him when he was at LSU, too.”

As a junior, Joyner (6-2, 202) threw for 3,642 yards and 44 touchdowns. He also rushed for 1,089 yards and 12 touchdowns.

The four-star recruit is ranked as the nation’s No. 8 dual-threat quarterback in the 2018 class by 247SportsComposite.

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VERSATILE FUTURE

If Auburn quarterback commitment Joey Gatewood doesn’t work out as a quarterback, he could certainly be a massive and athletic tight end. Gatewood had a good day throwing the ball, so it’s not like he’s regressing, but splitting time in high school and concerns about his development have been the topic of discussion for some. While I think quarterback is his future, it will be hard for me to find a better looking kid on the hoof when scouting tight ends this spring.


Wasn't the same thing being said about Cam Newton out of high school?

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