DeKalb County talents need a home

Perhaps the most positive aspect of the 2009 Vanderbilt football season was the freshman year of Warren Norman. The dynamic running back and kick returner broke a nearly 30 year old record of a legend in Herschel Walker and gave VU's struggling offense plenty of chances to breakthrough at times. The 5-foot-10 back signed with Vanderbilt out of Chamblee High, one of the most successful programs in Georgia's DeKalb County region.

This recruiting period, the Commodores have snagged commitments from fellow county players such as Kenny Ladler of Stephenson and Sharrod Golightly of Southwest DeKalb. These two defensive backs are expected to keep VU's secondary among the best in the SEC for many years to come. Other top prospects like Michael Thornton, T.J. Stripling, Mack Brown, Ken Malcome, Raymond Sanders, Jonathan Mincy and Tyrone Cornelius will also be big time signees to big programs this February.

However, the county may have even more high quality, "diamonds in the rough". In my constant search for prospects, I found several prospects with either little to no recruiting coverage on any major network. Some of these prospects look like legit SEC level recruits while others could be good enough for the ACC, Conference USA or Sun Belt as well. Here are some talents that are too good to not play major college football.

Don Steib - Stone Mountain High (Defensive End) 6-foot-2, 265 pounds.
15 sacks, 29 TFL, 84 total tackles in 2009. DeKalb County All-Star.

Extremely explosive, great first step and stamina and speed that reminds me of TJ Greenstone.



Chris Gilzeane - Stone Mountain High (Linebacker) 6-foot, 235 pounds
130 total tackles, 13 TFL, 4 sacks

Nicknamed the "Bull" for good reason. Great size and strength, cut from the Chris Marve mold. Solid quickness.



Rashad Williams - Dunwoody High (LB/DE) 6-foot-2, 220 pounds
88 tackles, 18 TFL, 6 sacks, 1 INT.

Solid drive and ankle. Good linebacker body, good speed. Rico Francis-type.



Jonathan Brooks - Miller Grove (LB/Safety) 6-foot, 190 pounds

Great hybrid bandit type. Similar to Ladler, just not as complete at this point. Perfect guy to pickup in January at the CUSA/Sun Belt level.



Max Thompson- Avondale (Running Back) 5-foot-9, 190 pounds
1,592 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns.

Tough, almost Willis MaGahee-type runner. Good strength and speed. A Canadian that no one but in DeKalb must know about.



Miles Gooch- Towers High (QB) 6-foot-3, 220 pounds
Threw for 2,209 yards and 19 touchdowns

Prototypical height and build with good velocity. Release needs to be shortened but lots of upside. Another Dwight Dasher-type.



Jaques Gholston- Redan (DE/DT) 6-foot-2, 245 pounds
69 tackles, 12 TFL, 9 sacks.

Inside/outside type like Theron Kadri. Solid feet and level. High-end motor.



Celento Hairston- Miller Grove (Running Back) 5-foot-10, 180 pounds
1,009 yards rushing and 6 TDs.

Tough hard runner that is a smaller version of Georgia Tech's Roddy Jones.



Muhasbi "Naim" Wakeel- Southwest DeKalb (linebacker/safety) 6-foot, 210
169 tackles, 8 TFL, 6 sacks, 1 INT.

Another perfect bandit/rover type. Could play SAM, Free or nickel. Heatseeking missle.



Kendall Robertson - Avondale (DE/LB) 6-foot-4, 220 pounds
72 tackles, 9 TFL, 7 sacks, 4 fumble recoveries.

Rangy, Aaron Maybin-type. Good shed, jolt and speed. Ideal for a 3-4 defense.



Kyle Sarjeant- Southwest DeKalb (Center/Guard) 6-foot, 255 pounds

Seems capable of gaining 40 pounds. Aggressive driver with solid bend and quick twitch.



Jimmie Kitchen- Lithonia High (DT/OL) 6-foot-3, 265 pounds
101 tackles, 4 TFL, 2 fumble recoveries.

Raw, but good size, ideal on the interior, on either size.



Matthew Hardeman- Avondale (running back/linebacker) 5-foot-11, 215 pounds
93 tackles, six sacks. 10 rushing TDs.

Total athlete. Solid base, good hips, powerful legs. Aggressive.



Jabari Carney- Southwest DeKalb (Defensive Tackle) 6-foot, 260 pounds
109 tackles, 25 TFL, 6 sacks, three forced fumbles.

Undersized, but strong. Solid lateral movement, fast get-off. Would be good addition to a Memphis or UCF type program. A steal if he goes to the OVC.



Cristobal Dinham- Lithonia High (RB/DB) 5-foot-9, 180 pounds
1,084 rushing yards and 7 TDs. 35 tackles, 1 TFL.

Quick, undersized back. Could play either side of the ball at the next level.



Tyrell Poole- Tucker High (FB/RB) 6-foot, 205 pounds
745 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns.

Strong blocker, good punch and stick. Hard, downhill runner. Could be a good fullback for someone with weight training.




OTHERS:

Antwon Jackson - Towers High (DE/LB) 6-foot-3, 235-pounds
115 tackles, 14 sacks, 19 TFL, 12 forced fumbles.

I couldn't find a full highlight film on. But I was able to see some Towers highlights and he took over the show. Dominating, great size, solid speed, solid range, looks like a no-brainer type. Can't figure out why there's been little recruiting mention.

Willie Favors- Cedar Grove (QB/RB/DB) 5-foot-9, 170-pounds
762 yards and 16 touchdowns on the ground. 1,477 yards and 12 TDs thru the air.

Solid, smooth athlete, with great grades at 3.8 GPA, 1600 SAT, 24 ACT.

DeAntonyo Bryant- Stone Mountain (Receiver) 6-foot-1, 170 pounds
Thin, but athletic and quick.

Demetrius Jones- Towers High (Receiver) 6-foot, 185 pounds
732 receiving yards, 4 TDs.

Doral White- Stephenson High (Defensive Tackle) 6-foot, 260 pounds
72 tackles, 13 TFL, 11 sacks.

Artemus Norman- Chamblee High (DE/LB/RB) 6-foot-1, 210 pounds
57 tackles, 18 TFL, 7 sacks. (YOUNGER BROTHER OF WARREN NORMAN)

Updated 615Report Top 100

While I fully support Rivals in its effort to do a ranking of the top prospects in the country, I do have my own version of the Rivals100.

The Third Release of the 615Report National Top 100 prospects:

1. Robert Woods (ATH)- Gardena (Cal.) Junipero Serra [Committed to USC]
2. Seantrel Henderson (OL)- Saint Paul (Minn.) Cretin-Derham Hall
3. Jackson Jeffcoat (DE)- Plano (TX) Plano West
4. Michael Dyer (RB)- Little Rock (Ark.) Little Rock Christian [Committed to Auburn]
5. Sharrif Floyd (DT)- Philadelphia (Pa.) George Washington
6. Ronald Powell (DE)- Moreno Valley (Cal.) Rancho Verde
7. Matt Elam (Ath)- West Palm Beach (Fla.) Dwyer [Committed to Florida]
8. James Hurst (OL)- Indianapolis (Ind) Plainfield [Committed to N.Carolina]
9. Chris Martin (DE)- Princeton (NJ) Hun School [Committed to California]
10. Lache Seastrunk (RB)- Temple (TX)

11. D.J. Morgan (RB)- Woodland Hills (Cal) Taft [Committed to USC]
12. Jonathan Dowling (DB)- Bradenton (Fla.) Southeast
13. Latwan Anderson (DB)- Cleveland (OH) Glenville Academic
14. Jordan Hicks (LB)- West Chester (OH) Lakota West
15. Brennan Clay (RB)- San Diego (Cal) Scripps Ranch [Committed to Oklahoma]
16. Kyle Prater (WR)- Hillside (Ill.) Proviso West [Committed to USC]
17. Lamarcus Joyner (DB)- Ft.Lauderdale (Fla.) Aquinas [Committed to Florida State]
18. Martavis Bryant (WR)- Anderson (SC) TL Hanna [Committed to Clemson]
19. DeMarcus Milliner (DB)- Millbrook (Ala.) Stanhope Elmore [Committed to Alabama]
20. Anthony Barr (Ath)- Los Angeles (Cal.) Loyola

21. J.R. Ferguson (DE)- Chatham (Va.) Hargrave Military
22. Alec Ogletree (DB)- Newnan (Ga.) [Committed to Georgia]
23. T.J. Stripling- Decatur (Ga.) Southwest Dekalb [Committed to Georgia]
24. Marcus Lattimore (RB)- Duncan (SC) Byrnes
25. Darius White (WR)- Fort Worth (TX) Dunbar
26. Owamagbe Odighizuwa (DE) - Portland (Ore.) David Douglas
27. Robert Crisp (OL)- Chapel Hill (NC) [Committed to N.C. State]
28. Da'Rick Rogers (WR)- Calhoun (Ga.) [Committed to Georgia]
29. Josh Shirley (LB)- Fontana (Cal.) Kaiser
30. Malcolm Jones (Ath)- Westlake Village (Cal) Oaks Christian [Committed to UCLA]

31. Khairi Fortt (LB)- Stamford (CT) [Committed to Penn State]
32. Dillon Baxter (RB)- San Diego (Cal.) Mission Bay [Committed to USC]
33. Jeff Luc (LB)- Port St.Lucie (Fla.) Treasure Coast [Committed to Florida State]
34. Ivan McCartney (WR)- Miramar (Fla.)
35. Corey Nelson (LB)- Dallas (TX) Skyline [Committed to Texas A&M]
36. Jaylen Watkins (DB)- Cape Coral (Fla.) [Committed to Florida]
37. Nick Forbes (LB)- Frederick (MD) Thomas Johnson [Committed to California]
38. Joshua Shaw (DB)- Palmdale (Cal) [Committed to Florida]
39. Justin McCay (Ath)- Shawnee (Kansas) Bishop Miege [Committed to Oklahoma]
40. Reggie Wilson (DE)- Haltom City (TX) [Committed to Texas]

41. Christian Green (Ath)- Tampa (Fla.) Tampa Catholic
42. Andrew Norwell (OL)- Cincinnati (OL) Anderson [Committed to Ohio State]
43. Eduardo Clements (RB)- Miami (Fla.) BT Washington
44. Garrison Smith (DL)- Atlanta (Ga.) Douglass [Committed to Georgia]
45. Gabe King- Greensboro (NC) Page
46. Keenan Allen (Ath)- Greensboro (NC) Northern Guilford
47. Mack Brown- Lithonia (Ga.) M.L. King [Committed to Florida]
48. Kelcy Quarles (DT)- Greenwood (SC) [Committed to S.Carolina]
49. Markeith Ambles (WR)- McDonough (Ga.) Henry County [Committed to Tennessee]
50. Phillip Sims (QB)- Chesapeake (Va.) Oscar Smith [Committed to Alabama]

51. Michaelee Harris (WR)- Miami (Fla.) Northwestern
52. Trovon Reed (WR)- Thibodaux (La.) [Committed to Auburn]
53. Corey Miller (DE)- Duncan (SC) Byrnes [Committed to Tennessee]
54. Brett Nottingham (QB)- Danville (Cal) Monte Vista [Committed to UCLA]
55. John Fulton (DB)- Manning (SC)
56. Eric Reid (DB)- Geismar (La.) Dutchtown [Committed to LSU]
57. Cody Riggs (DB)- Ft.Lauderdale (Fla.) Aquinas [Committed to Florida]
58. Brent Benedict (OL)- Jacksonville (Fla.) Bolles [Committed to Georgia]
59. Trey Hopkins (OL)- Galena Park (TX) North Shore [Committed to Texas]
60. Cullen Christian (DB)- Pittsburgh (PA) Penn Hills [Committed to Michigan]

61. Chris Jones (WR)- Daingerfield (TX) [Committed to Texas]
62. Tony Jefferson (LB)- Chula Vista (Cal) Eastlake [Committed to UCLA]
63. Dion Bailey (DB)- Lakewood (Cal.) [Committed to USC]
64. Jake Matthews (OL)- Missouri City (TX) Elkins [Committed to Texas A&M]
65. Xavier Grimble (TE)- Las Vegas (NV) Bishop Gorman [Committed to USC]
66. William Gholston (DE)- Detroit (Mich.) Southwestern [Committed to Michigan State]
67. Marquis Flowers (Ath)- Goodyear (AZ) Millennium
68. Austin Hinder (QB)- Steamboat Springs (Colo.) [Committed to California]
69. Christian Jones (LB)- Winter Park (Fla.) Lake Howell
70. Bronson Kaufusi (DE)- Provo (UT) Timpview [Committed to BYU]

71. Nick Demien (OL)- Wentzville (Mo.) Timberland [Committed to Missouri]
72. Brandon Willis (DE)- Duncan (SC) Byrnes
73. Roderick Smith (RB)- Fort Wayne (Ind.) Harding [Committed to Ohio State]
74. Terrence Mitchell (DB)- Tampa (Fla.) Hillsborough
75. Silas Redd (Ath)- Stamford (CT) Heywood Thomas [Committed to Penn State]
76. Chris Dunkley (WR)- Pahokee (Fla.)
77. Jacques Smith (DE)- Ooltewah (TN) [Committed to Tennessee]
78. Ian Silberman (OL)- Fleming Island (Fla.) [Committed to Florida]
79. Alfy Hill (DE)- Shallotte (NC) West Brunswick [Committed to Alabama]
80. George Uko (DT)- Chino (Cal) Don Lugo

81. Matt James (OL)- Cincinnati (OH) St.Xavier
82. C.J. Fiedorowicz (TE)- Johnsburg (Ill.) [Committed to Iowa]
83. Shakim Phillips (WR)- Wayne (NJ) DePaul Catholic [Committed to Boston College]
84. Zack McCray (DE)- Lynchburg (Va.) Brookville [Committed to Virginia Tech]
85. James Stone (OL)- Nashville (TN) Maplewood
86. Cecil Whiteside (LB)- Newport Beach (Cal.) [Committed to California]
87. Tevin Jackson (LB)- Garland (TX) [Committed to Texas]
88. LaDarius Owens- Bessemer (Ala.) Jess Lanier [Committed to Auburn]
89. Corey Lemonier (DE)- Hialeah (Fla.)
90. Marcus Lucas (WR)- Liberty (Mo.) [Committed to Missouri]

91. Spencer Ware (Ath.)- Cincinnati (OH) Princeton [Committed to LSU]
92. Devin Gardner (QB)- Detroit (Mich.) Inkster [Committed to Michigan]
93. DeAndre Hopkins (Ath.)- Central (SC) D.W.Daniel [Committed to Clemson]
94. Ahmad Dixon (DB)- Waco (TX) Midway [Committed to Baylor]
95. Christian Bryant (DB)- Cleveland (OH) Glenville
96. Louis Nix (DT)- Jacksonville (FL) Raines [Committed to Miami]
97. Kadron Boone (WR)- Ocala (Fla.) Trinity [Committed to Texas Tech]
98. Jordan James (RB)- Corona (Cal.) [Committed to UCLA]
99. Jordan Allen (DE)- West Monroe (La.) [Committed to LSU]
100. Lynden Trail (DE)- Miami (Fla.) Booker T. Washington [Committed to Florida]

YouTube Recruiting Videos

When you are always paying attention to the world of recruiting like I am, you are always looking for ways to find out about new players. One great tool that I've found over the past year or so has been YouTube. Some uploaded highlight films on the famous video hosting site are not of prospects that will end up in the SEC or perhaps even D1-A football, but there are many gems that you will find of prospects that could end up in a major football program in the future.

Here are some of the best YouTube videos I've found recently:

NATE JOHNSON- Stevenson, Ill. (2010 Class)



MARK BEARD- Minor, Ala. (2010 Class)



WILLIAM DILLARD- Vestavia Hills, Ala. (2011 Class)



MARK HUTCHERSON- Oxon Hills, Mary. (2010 Class)



DOMINIQUE JOHNSON- DeMatha, Mary. (2010 Class)



C.J. ROBERTS- Santaluces, Fla. (2010 Class)


D'ANGELO ROBERTS- Bloomington North, Ind. (2011 Class)



ERIC DAGINELLA- Douglas, Fla. (2010 Class)


FOLUKE GORDON-Lamar- Druid Hills, Ga. (2011 Class)



RENDELL CLARK- Central Lafourche, La. (2010 Class)



JULIAN MAYO- Long Branch, New Jersey (2010 Class)



BRIAN STRACHAN- Saint Sebastian's, Mass. (2011 Class)



CEAIRES DRISKELL- Creekside, Ga. (2010 Class)

Memphis prospects rising..

The city of Memphis and always seems to produce the major college talent and this year has been no different. Prospects like Barry Brunetti, Keiwone Malone, Harrison Jones, Cortez Bowen, Ferlando Bohanna, O.C. Brown, Fred Harvey and Jonathan Brown have either committed to BCS conference schools or were considered BCS level prospects. A few other prospects in the area are also of BCS level, though grades or lack of playing experience seems to be stunting their opportunities.

Two prospects who appear to be emerging on the radar however are White Station quarterback/athlete Anthony Hayes and receiver Julian Burton.

Hayes (6-foot-2, 225-pounds) was a three-year starter at tight end for the Spartans prior to this season but moved to quarterback and has led White Station to the Class 6A state title game. A skilled athlete with good mobility and solid frame, Hayes won the Mr.Football Award for the state's best Class 6A back of the year, accounting for 36 touchdowns. While Hayes has thrown for a ton of yards this year, some believe he could project better as a defensive player and schools like Ole Miss and Arkansas have already been involved. Don't be surprised if Vanderbilt gets involved as well as he might be exactly what VU is looking for in a linebacker.

Burton (5-foot-8, 175-pounds) has been Hayes top target for the year, catching 21 touchdown passes. Possibly one of the state's most underrated playmakers, Burton has outstanding feet and solid quickness. On film, he may remind people of Warren Norman or Zac Stacy with his ability make people miss in open space. Programs like Memphis, Arkansas State and others have shown interest in the speedster, but he may get bigger looks with his play this past month.

The 615Report Updated Top 100

While I fully support Rivals in its effort to do a ranking of the top prospects in the country, I do have my own version of the Rivals100, updated.

So here goes the 615Report100:

1. Robert Woods (ATH)- Gardena (Cal.) Junipero Serra [Committed to USC]
2. Sharrif Floyd (DT)- Philadelphia (Pa.) George Washington
3. Seantrel Henderson (OL)- Saint Paul (Minn.) Cretin-Derham Hall
4. Jackson Jeffcoat (DE)- Plano (TX) Plano West
5. Michael Dyer (RB)- Little Rock (Ark.) Little Rock Christian
6. Ronald Powell (DE)- Moreno Valley (Cal.) Rancho Verde
7. Matt Elam (Ath)- West Palm Beach (Fla.) Dwyer [Committed to Florida]
8. James Hurst (OL)- Indianapolis (Ind) Plainfield [Committed to N.Carolina]
9. Chris Martin (DE)- Princeton (NJ) Hun School [Committed to Notre Dame]
10. DeMarcus Milliner (DB)- Millbrook (Ala.) Stanhope Elmore [Committed to Alabama]

11. Lache Seastrunk (RB)- Temple (TX)
12. D.J. Morgan (RB)- Woodland Hills (Cal) Taft [Committed to USC]
13. Jonathan Dowling (DB)- Bradenton (Fla.) Southeast
14. Darius White (WR)- Fort Worth (TX) Dunbar
15. Jordan Hicks (LB)- West Chester (OH) Lakota West
16. Brennan Clay (RB)- San Diego (Cal) Scripps Ranch [Committed to Oklahoma]
17. Latwan Anderson (DB)- Cleveland (OH) Glenville Academic
18. Brent Benedict (OL)- Jacksonville (Fla.) Bolles [Committed to Georgia]
19. Alec Ogletree (DB)- Newnan (Ga.) [Committed to Georgia]
20. Anthony Barr (Ath)- Los Angeles (Cal.) Loyola

21. Lamarcus Joyner (DB)- Ft.Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas
22. J.R. Ferguson (DE)- Chatham (Va.) Hargrave Military
23. T.J. Stripling- Decatur (Ga.) Southwest Dekalb [Committed to Georgia]
24. Owamagbe Odighizuwa (DE) - Portland (Ore.) David Douglas
25. Martavis Bryant (WR)- Anderson (SC) TL Hanna [Committed to Clemson]
26. Kyle Prater (WR)- Hillside (Ill.) Proviso West [Committed to USC]
27. Robert Crisp (OL)- Chapel Hill (NC) [Committed to N.C. State]
28. Da'Rick Rogers (WR)- Calhoun (Ga.) [Committed to Georgia]
29. Marcus Lattimore (RB)- Duncan (SC) Byrnes
30. Josh Shirley (LB)- Fontana (Cal.) Kaiser

31. Malcolm Jones (Ath)- Westlake Village (Cal) Oaks Christian [Committed to UCLA]
32. Khairi Fortt (LB)- Stamford (CT) [Committed to Penn State]
33. Dillon Baxter (RB)- San Diego (Cal.) Mission Bay [Committed to USC]
34. Cody Riggs (DB)- Ft.Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas
35. Jeff Luc (LB)- Port St.Lucie (Fla.) Treasure Coast
36. Ivan McCartney (WR)- Miramar (Fla.)
37. Corey Nelson (LB)- Dallas (TX) Skyline [Committed to Texas A&M]
38. Corey Miller (DE)- Duncan (SC) Byrnes [Committed to Tennessee]
39. Reggie Wilson (DE)- Haltom City (TX) [Committed to Texas]
40. Christian Green (Ath)- Tampa (Fla.) Tampa Catholic

41. Andrew Norwell (OL)- Cincinnati (OL) Anderson [Committed to Ohio State]
42. Eduardo Clements (RB)- Miami (Fla.) BT Washington
43. Jaylen Watkins (DB)- Cape Coral (Fla.) [Committed to Florida]
44. Gabe King- Greensboro (NC) Page
45. Mack Brown- Lithonia (Ga.) M.L. King [Committed to Florida]
46. Kelcy Quarles (DT)- Greenwood (SC) [Committed to S.Carolina]
47. Garrison Smith (DL)- Atlanta (Ga.) Douglass [Committed to Georgia]
48. Markeith Ambles (WR)- McDonough (Ga.) Henry County [Committed to Tennessee]
49. Phillip Sims (QB)- Chesapeake (Va.) Oscar Smith [Committed to Alabama]
50. Michaelee Harris (WR)- Miami (Fla.) Northwestern

51. Keenan Allen (Ath)- Greensboro (NC) Northern Guilford
52. Trovon Reed (WR)- Thibodaux (La.)
53. Nick Forbes (LB)- Frederick (MD) Thomas Johnson [Committed to California]
54. Brett Nottingham (QB)- Danville (Cal) Monte Vista [Committed to UCLA]
55. John Fulton (DB)- Manning (SC)
56. Eric Reid (DB)- Geismar (La.) Dutchtown [Committed to LSU]
57. Brandon Willis (DE)- Duncan (SC) Byrnes [Committed to Tennessee]
58. Xavier Grimble (TE)- Las Vegas (NV) Bishop Gorman [Committed to USC]
59. Joshua Shaw (DB)- Palmdale (Cal)
60. Cullen Christian (DB)- Pittsburgh (PA) Penn Hills

61. Damien Robinson (OL) Olive Branch (Miss.)
62. Tony Jefferson (LB)- Chula Vista (Cal) Eastlake [Committed to UCLA]
63. Dion Bailey (DB)- Lakewood (Cal.) [Committed to USC]
64. Jake Matthews (OL)- Missouri City (TX) Elkins [Committed to Texas A&M]
65. Justin McCay (Ath)- Shawnee (Kansas) Bishop Miege [Committed to Oklahoma]
66. William Gholston (DE)- Detroit (Mich.) Southwestern [Committed to Michigan State]
67. Trey Hopkins (OL)- Galena Park (TX) North Shore [Committed to Texas]
68. Christian Jones (LB)- Winter Park (Fla.) Lake Howell
69. Jacques Smith (DE)- Ooltewah (TN) [Committed to Tennessee]
69. Bronson Kaufusi (DE)- Provo (UT) Timpview [Committed to BYU]
70. C.J. Fiedorowicz (TE)- Johnsburg (Ill.) [Committed to Illinois]

71. Austin Hinder (QB)- Steamboat Springs (Colo.) [Committed to California]
72. Marquis Flowers (Ath)- Goodyear (Az) Millennium
73. Nick Demien (OL)- Wentzville (Mo.) Timberland [Committed to Missouri]
74. Chris Jones (WR)- Daingerfield (TX) [Committed to Texas]
75. Roderick Smith (RB)- Fort Wayne (Ind.) Harding [Committed to Ohio State]
76. Matt James (OL)- Cincinnati (OH) St.Xavier
77. Ian Silberman (OL)- Fleming Island (Fla.) [Committed to Florida]
78. George Uko (DT)- Chino (Cal) Don Lugo
79. Silas Redd (Ath)- Stamford (CT) KL Heywood Thomas [Committed to Penn State]
80. LaDarius Owens (LB)- Bessemer (Ala.) Jess Lanier [Committed to Auburn]

81. Chris Dunkley (WR)- Pahokee (Fla.)
82. Terrence Mitchell (DB)- Tampa (Fla.) Hillsborough
83. Corey Lemonier (DE)- Hialeah (Fla.)
84. Zack McCray (DE)- Lynchburg (Va.) Brookville [Committed to Virginia Tech]
85. Cecil Whiteside (LB)- Newport Beach (Cal.) [Committed to California]
86. Tevin Jackson (LB)- Garland (TX) [Committed to Texas]
87. Chaz Green (OL)- Tampa (Fla.) Tampa Catholic
88. James Stone (OL)- Nashville (TN) Maplewood
89. Alfy Hill (DE)- Shallotte (NC) West Brunswick [Committed to Alabama]
90. Spencer Ware (Ath.)- Cincinnati (OH) Princeton [Committed to LSU]

91. Marcus Lucas (WR)- Liberty (Mo.)
92. Devin Gardner (QB)- Detroit (Mich.) Inkster [Committed to Michigan]
93. Jawuan James (OL)- Suwanee (Ga.) North Gwinnett
94. Ashton Dorsey (DT)- Tyler (TX) John Tyler [Committed to Texas]
95. Evan Washington (OL)- DeSoto (TX) [Committed to LSU]
96. Louis Nix (DT)- Jacksonville (FL) Raines [Committed to Miami]
97. Andrew Donnal (OL)- Whitehouse (OH) Anthony Wayne [Committed to Iowa]
98. DeAndre Hopkins (Ath.)- Central (SC) D.W.Daniel [Committed to Clemson]
99. Lynden Trail (DE)- Miami (Fla.) Booker T. Washington [Committed to Florida]
100. Dominic Espinosa (OL)- Cedar Park (TX) [Committed to Texas]

With the long layoff..let's look at some not so long shots...

It's been a long time since I've updated this blog and for that, I apologize. Things outside of the site had taken a lot more of my time than they did during the summer when I started the blog. Anyway, I'm back with the blog now and ready to share some thoughts about recruiting as well.

First, in the next couple of days, Rivals.com will release another updated version of its Rivals100 and Rivals250. While that's always fun, I would like to take some time to look at some recruits that won't be on either of those lists and come signing day, will probably not be even mentioned by numerous recruiting analysts, recruiting fans or even blogs such as this one. Still, I personally think these are some recruits than in a couple of years, will be guys you'll hear or read about when you pick up your Athlon, Blue Ribbon or Phil Steele Yearbooks. Here's some, starting with the offense.

Quarterbacks

Parker Bridwell- Hereford, Texas
6-foot-4, 190-pounds

Here's a "under the radar" signal caller who can throw on the run, has good touch and seems to have a good feel to the game. The one thing he has working against him really is his delivery, he kinds of slings it sidearm, and that's something that probably has other major schools not looking at him. He's got an offer from New Mexico State though and I wouldn't be surprised if he ended up with offers from the likes of UTEP, Rice or North Texas as well. I think if someone gets him into their spread-type system and gets to work with him on the delivery for a year or two, he could emerge as one of the better QBs in his future conference. I know the sidearmers are not great in college football, but there's just something about him when I watch him that reminds me of someone like a Colt Brennan or a Nathan Dick. He's got D1-A talent and I think it will show if he gets his opportunity.

Henry Hunter- Sachse, Texas
6-foot-1, 200-pounds

Classic dual-threat, option style QB, but with a better than average arm for those offenses. He'll probably end up in a triple option, double slot type offense. Has offers from Army and Navy and he'd probably fit real well into those systems, but I also think he could fit in a tradition power-I as well. Could be a solid cornerback in the BCS level, but I think his arm will take him some places, so QB should probably be a better bet. Hunter reminds me of Syvelle Newton a little. Not the same overall speed and quickness, but still good for the QB position and again, would probably translate even better as a physical corner. Has nice touch on his deep passes and his release point looks to be prototypical as well. When he pulls it down, he takes off quickly and seems to have an extra burst at the second level. I think he'd be great at Georgia Tech, but they've already got some QB's, so someone at the non-BCS level is probably going to get them a future playmaking quarterback.

Marshyl Rothman- Jupiter Christian, Fla.
5-foot-9, 175-pounds

Rothman is a classic kid that is unfortunately too short to be a major college QB but the kid has the arm to be one. I had a chance to see him at one of Vanderbilt's camps this summer and the arm and overall athleticism was there. Problem is, he wasn't even taller than me and I'm 5-foot-9, so I'm not sure if 5-9 is his accurate height. His arm motion and release point are extremely high, so he seems like he wouldn't get that many balls batted down at the high school level but any 6-foot-4 defensive lineman should be able to do so in major college football. He seems to do a lot of jump throws on his video to also make up for this. Still, in person, I thought he had all of the tools just from a technical stand point. He'll end up at a Division 1-AA school and probably have a good career and maybe you'll see him on ESPN during it's coverage of the FCS playoffs. He's a good athlete too, so I could see him being a slotback for someone as well.

Running Backs

LeVeon Bell- Reynoldsburg, Ohio
6-foot-1, 208-pounds

Seems like a classic Mid-American power running back to me. Has those strong ankles, kind of a tweener between a tailback and fullback. Runs down hill, doesn't have great speed, but enough quickness in his feet to get where he wants to go without coming to a complete stop like most fullbacks. He could probably be a good linebacker for someone too. Seems to be well-built and shows constant drive and relentlessness. He reportedly has offers from Bowling Green, Eastern Michigan and Marshall and I'd expect him to end up at one of those schools and eventually become their feature back with some time. Kind of reminds me of former Marshall running back Butchie Wallace, just a little taller.

Michael Perkins- Valparasio, Indiana
6-foot, 180-pounds

What's not to like about this guy besides maybe his high running style. He's quick, fast, seems to have a real solid burst and just looks so smooth running with the football. He seems to shift gears like he's hitting the turbo button on playstation. Reminds me in a way of former Memphis prep turned Miami Hurricane Graig Cooper. Probably because of his style and his talent in space, he's getting looks at receiver and I think he could be a weapon there, especially as possibly a flanker. I like him at running back too though. Either way, someone is going to get a good player and it's a little surprising that only MAC programs are offering at this point. After watching a Indiana Hoosiers game earlier this year, against Eastern Kentucky, I would think they would be knocking down Perkins door, but for whatever reason, they haven't offered. Regardless, I think he's going to end up being a guy that we hear about years from now as a good solid college standout.

Wide Receivers

Chuck Tillery- Starkville, Miss.
5-foot-11, 180-pounds

First thought in watching his video is velcro hands. Seems to have great hand-eye coordinaton. Also has that slick look to him, running very well with speed and balance. Changes directions pretty well and has strong looking angles. Seems almost ideal for the spread or pistol offenses. Stays on his feet very well, catches the ball in stride, and even with a defender on him, he will keep his feet going, trying to get into the end zone on every play. Seems to transition his feet pretty well, though you don't see a lot of different routes on his film. He apparently got injured this year, so I don't know what that will do with his recruitment. Arkansas State had offered and some SEC teams and Southern Miss are interested. While he probably wouldn't be a No.1 or even No.2 guy at most places, I do think he could be productive anywhere that runs a spread and uses a lot of receivers. If he goes to Ark State or maybe Troy or somewhere like that, I think he could end up being all-conference at some point.

Following the local 2011 class

The 2010 recruiting period still has nearly 6 months to go, but it's never too early to look at the 2011 pool of talent, and I have already had my eyes on a number of 2011 prospects in the middle/west Tennessee area. I've broke it down to a few positions and what they've done so far this season.

QUARTERBACKS

Jake Overbey- University School of Jackson

Info: Passed for 255 yards and three touchdowns in season opener against Trinity Christian. He did throw one INT that was returned by fellow junior Jabriel Washington for a 24 yard TD.

Landon Grooms- LaVergne (6-foot-2, 205 pounds)

Info: Has completed 27-of-44 passes for 457 yards and 5 TDs through the first two games. He's also ran for 39 yards and a score on 5 carries.

Blake Mitchell- Ezell-Harding (5-foot-11, 180 pounds)

Info: Has thrown for 330 yards and 3 TDs while completing 22-of-30 passes with just one INT. He's also rushed for 187 yards and 3 TDs on 25 carries while leading the Eagles to a 2-0 start.


RUNNING BACKS

Stanley Hagan- Maplewood (6-foot-1, 175 pounds)

Info: Had 162 yards and 2 TDs on 18 carries against Hillsboro in Week Zero. However, he missed Maplewood's game against MBA.

Tez Humphreys- Overton (5-foot-11, 205 pounds)

Info: Has rushed for 325 yards and seven touchdowns on 59 carries in Overton's 2-0 start over Father Ryan and Stratford.

Justin Williams- Davidson Academy (5-foot-9, 185 pounds)

Info: Rushed for 271 yards and 4 TDs on 25 carries in Week Zero.

Markeise Lockeridge- Page (6-foot-1, 165 pounds)

Info: Has rushed for 352 yards and two touchdowns on 30 carries in the first two games. Also had a 97 yard kick return for a TD against David Lipscomb in Week Zero.

DeAnte Hughes- MBA (5-foot-8, 175 pounds)

Info: 18 carries for 129 yards and 2 tds.

Derek King- Brentwood Academy (5-foot-10, 177 pounds)

Info: Had 106 yards and two touchdowns on six carries in the Eagles season opener.

D'Anthony Hall- Pearl-Cohn (5-foot-9, 173 pounds)

Info: Has rushed for 58 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries and also had a 97-yard touchdown return on a kickoff against MBA.

WIDE RECEIVERS

Vaughn Cornelia- Mt. Juliet (6-foot-1, 185 pounds)

Info: 3 catches for 125 yards in Mt.Juliet's win over McGavock.

Nick Hill- Pearl-Cohn (6-foot-1, 185 pounds)

Info: Had 6 catches for 97 yards against Clarksville NE.

Joshua Pleasant- Brentwood Academy (5-foot-11, 175 pounds)

Info: 1 catch for 56 yards and a touchdown against Southwind.

DEFENSIVE PLAYERS

Jeremy Cole- Whites Creek (DE/LB, 6-foot-2, 230 pounds)

Info: 17 tackles and two sacks during WC's 2-0 start.

Southern Cal lands the nation's top athlete

Why does it seem as though the term "the rich get richer" seem to always apply to the Southern Cal Trojans? Well, because they land some utterly impressive high school prospects such as Robert Woods every year, that's why.

Woods, a multiple position athlete from Gardena, California's Junipero Serra High, is one of those "no-brainer" recruits that comes along every few years that just absolutely jumps out at you as a likely future NFL player. The 6-foot-1, 185-pound sleek performer chose the Trojans recently over offers from virtually every college program in the nation. The elite level prospect is seriously dangerous with the football in his hand, whether as a versatile playmaking receiver or a game-changing defensive back. Woods caught 19 touchdowns and averaged over 17 yards per catch last year as a receiver for Serra while also picking off seven passes as a safety and racking up nearly 90 tackles. At almost any program next year, Woods could line up at either receiver or safety and likely start as a true freshman. He's that good.

However, at USC, Woods is going to come in and likely back up the outstanding Damian Williams as the Trojans "Z-receiver" next year and he could even possibly redshirt. Though most Southeastern Conference and Southern Cal fans will often get into debates and arguments over what would happen if the Trojans had to play a SEC schedule every year, there is no argument that Pete Carroll gets some seriously talented players every year. The fact that Woods could possibly not play next year, even at USC, is just eye-popping to me as I have him rated as the second best overall player in the 2010 class. For all the talk about Tennessee's Eric Berry being a amazing safety and overall athlete, Woods is taller and possibly quicker and is going to go into a world class training program next year to boot. He will likely be a name we hear in the coming years in terms of All-American status unless the Trojans bring in another amazing athlete to beat him out. And judging by the way they recruit, that just might happen.

Time will tell if the Trojans ever win another national championship under Carroll, but one thing is for sure, Southern Cal is going to continue to win conference titles and put lots of guys into the pros with the kind of elite talent they bring in every year.

615 Report Team Rankings

Rivals.com recently started up its Team Rankings and based off of the 615 Top 100 I did last week, I wanted to do the same. I eventually plan to do a Top 300 player ranking, and after I do that, I'll have these team rankings updated. Here's what I've got out in terms of team rankings based off of the 615 100:

1. Georgia [5 top 50 commits]
2. Florida [5 in the 100]
3. USC [4 in the 100]
4. Texas [4 in the 100]
5. Alabama [3 in the 100]
6. LSU [3 in the 100]
7. Texas A&M [2 in the 100]
8. Tennessee [2 in the 100]
9. Oklahoma [2 in the 100]
10. UCLA [2 in the 100]
11. Ohio State [2 in the 100]
12. Clemson [2 in the 100]
13. North Carolina [1]
14. Notre Dame [1]
15. N.C. State [1]
16. Florida State [1]
17. South Carolina [1]
18. Michigan State [1]
19. BYU [1]
20. Illinois [1]
21. Penn State [1]
22. Iowa [1]

My own version of the Rivals100...

While I fully support Rivals in its effort to do a ranking of the top prospects in the country, I do have my own version of the Rivals100.

So here goes the 615Report100:

1. Sharrif Floyd (DT)- Philadelphia (Pa.) George Washington High
2. Robert Woods (ATH)- Gardena (Cal.) Junipero Serra
3. Seantrel Henderson (OL)- Saint Paul (Minn.) Cretin-Derham Hall
4. Jackson Jeffcoat (DE)- Plano (TX) Plano West
5. Michael Dyer (RB)- Little Rock (Ark.) Little Rock Christian
6. Ronald Powell (DE)- Moreno Valley (Cal.) Rancho Verde
7. Matt Elam (Ath)- West Palm Beach (Fla.) Dwyer
8. Darius White (WR)- Fort Worth (TX) Dunbar
9. James Hurst (OL)- Indianapolis (Ind) Plainfield
10. DeMarcus Milliner (DB)- Millbrook (Ala.) Stanhope Elmore

11. Lache Seastrunk (RB)- Temple (TX)
12. D.J. Morgan (RB)- Woodland Hills (Cal) Taft
13. Chris Martin (DE)- Princeton (NJ) Hun School
14. Jonathan Dowling (DB)- Bradenton (Fla.) Southeast
15. Jordan Hicks (LB)- West Chester (OH) Lakota West
16. Brennan Clay (RB)- San Diego (Cal) Scripps Ranch
17. Latwan Anderson (DB)- Cleveland (OH) Glenville Academic
18. Brent Benedict (OL)- Jacksonville (Fla.) Bolles
19. J.R. Ferguson (DE)- Chatham (Va.) Hargrave Military
20. Alec Ogletree (DB)- Newnan (Ga.)

21. Jeff Luc (LB)- Port St.Lucie (Fla.) Treasure Coast
22. T.J. Stripling- Decatur (Ga.) Southwest Dekalb
23. Owamagbe Odighizuwa (DE) - Portland (Ore.) David Douglas
24. Anthony Barr (Ath)- Los Angeles (Cal.) Loyola
25. Martavis Bryant (WR)- Anderson (SC) TL Hanna
26. Kyle Prater (WR)- Hillside (Ill.) Proviso West
27. Robert Crisp (OL)- Chapel Hill (NC)
28. Da'Rick Rogers (WR)- Calhoun (Ga.)
29. Marcus Lattimore (RB)- Duncan (SC) Byrnes
30. Lamarcus Joyner (DB)- Ft.Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas

31. Malcolm Jones (Ath)- Westlake Village (Cal) Oaks Christian
32. Khairi Fortt (LB)- Stamford (CT)
33. Brandon Willis (DE)- Duncan (SC) Byrnes
34. Dillon Baxter (RB)- San Diego (Cal.) Mission Bay
35. Cody Riggs (DB)- Ft.Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas
36. Ivan McCartney (WR)- Miramar (Fla.)
37. Corey Nelson (LB)- Dallas (TX) Skyline
38. Corey Miller (DE)- Duncan (SC) Byrnes
39. Reggie Wilson (DE)- Haltom City (TX)
40. Christian Green (Ath)- Tampa (Fla.) Tampa Catholic

41. Andrew Norwell (OL)- Cincinnati (OL) Anderson
42. James Stone (OL)- Nashville (TN) Maplewood
43. Eduardo Clements (RB)- Miami (Fla.) Booker T. Washington
44. Gabe King- Greensboro (NC) Page
45. Mack Brown- Lithonia (Ga.) M.L. King
46. Kelcy Quarles (DT)- Greenwood (SC)
47. Garrison Smith (DL)- Atlanta (Ga.) Douglass
48. Markeith Ambles (WR)- McDonough (Ga.) Henry County
49. Phillip Sims (QB)- Chesapeake (Va.) Oscar Smith
50. Jaylen Watkins (DB)- Cape Coral (Fla.)

51. Keenan Allen (Ath)- Greensboro (NC) Northern Guilford
52. Jacques Smith (DE)- Ooltewah (TN)
53. Nick Forbes (LB)- Frederick (MD) Thomas Johnson
54. Brett Nottingham (QB)- Danville (Cal) Monte Vista
55. John Fulton (DB)- Manning (SC)
56. Eric Reid (DB)- Geismar (La.) Dutchtown
57. Trovon Reed (WR)- Thibodaux (La.)
58. Xavier Grimble (TE)- Las Vegas (NV) Bishop Gorman
59. Joshua Shaw (DB)- Palmdale (Cal)
60. Cullen Christian (DB)- Pittsburgh (PA) Penn Hills

61. Damien Robinson (OL) Olive Branch (Miss.)
62. Tony Jefferson (LB)- Chula Vista (Cal) Eastlake
63. Dion Bailey (DB)- Lakewood (Cal.)
64. Jake Matthews (OL)- Missouri City (TX) Elkins
65. Justin McCay (Ath)- Shawnee (Kansas) Bishop Miege
66. William Gholston (DE)- Detroit (Mich.) Southwestern
67. Trey Hopkins (OL)- Galena Park (TX) North Shore
68. Christian Jones (LB)- Winter Park (Fla.) Lake Howell
69. Bronson Kaufusi (DE)- Provo (UT) Timpview
70. C.J. Fiedorowicz (TE)- Johnsburg (Ill.)

71. Austin Hinder (QB)- Steamboat Springs (Colo.)
72. Marquis Flowers (Ath)- Goodyear (Az) Millennium
73. Nick Demien (OL)- Wentzville (Mo.) Timberland
74. Chris Jones (WR)- Daingerfield (TX)
75. Roderick Smith (RB)- Fort Wayne (Ind.) Harding
76. Matt James (OL)- Cincinnati (OH) St.Xavier
77. Ian Silberman (OL)- Fleming Island (Fla.)
78. George Uko (DT)- Chino (Cal) Don Lugo
79. Silas Redd (Ath)- Stamford (CT) King & Low Heywood Thomas
80. LaDarius Owens (LB)- Bessemer (Ala.) Jess Lanier

81. Chris Dunkley (WR)- Pahokee (Fla.)
82. Terrence Mitchell (DB)- Tampa (Fla.) Hillsborough
83. Corey Lemonier (DE)- Hialeah (Fla.)
84. Jarrick Williams (DB)- Eight Mile (Ala.) Blount
85. DeMarco Cobbs (Ath.)- Tulsa (OK) Tulsa Central
86. Michaelee Harris (WR)- Miami (Fla.) Northwestern
87. Chaz Green (OL)- Tampa (Fla.) Tampa Catholic
88. Carlos Thompson (DE)- Hollandale (Miss.) Simmons School
89. Shakim Phillips (WR)- Wayne (NJ) DePaul Catholic
90. Andrew Donnal (OL)- Whitehouse (OH) Anthony Wayne

91. Marcus Lucas (WR)- Liberty (Mo.)
92. Jordan Allen (DE)- West Monroe (La.)
93. Jawuan James (OL)- Suwanee (Ga.) North Gwinnett
94. Ashton Dorsey (DT)- Tyler (TX) John Tyler
95. Evan Washington (OL)- DeSoto (TX)
96. Roy Finch (RB)- Niceville (Fla.)
97. Josh Shirley (LB)- Fontana (Cal) Kaiser
98. DeAndre Hopkins (Ath.)- Central (SC) D.W.Daniel
99. Dominique Easley (DE)- Staten Island (NY) Curtis
100. Lynden Trail (DE)- Miami (Fla.) Booker T. Washington

Obviously, my biggest change was at QB where I had the two guys I was most high about in Brett Nottingham and Austin Hinder, not only in the 100 like they deserve, but higher. I think both are going to have pretty solid college careers. I also think my ranking of James Stone is more indictive of how good he really is. It's kind of laughable that he dropped because of one workout. The guy is a true Top 50 player, and top lineman and that's where he should be.

I think my top 100 here is closer to be the top 100 players in 3-5 years than the one Rivals currently has, though again, it's hard to rank so many prospects.

Also, my No.1 was Sharrif Floyd. Ranked only 9th by Rivals right now, I think Floyd is a DT that you can build a program around, moreso than Henderson is at OT.

Also, my No.2, Robert Woods, who's only ranked 16th by Rivals, is a guy that we could see on the cover of magazines and on ESPN in a couple of years. He's a two-way threat that is kind of like a bigger Eric Berry. Whoever gets him, is getting a superstar in the making in my opinion.

Linebackers, Survivor style

The linebacker position has always been an important one for the Vanderbilt football program and heading into this recruiting period, it would certainly be important to find the "right" type of linebacker that Vanderbilt needs.

Top in-state recruits such as Fred Harvey, Ferlando Bohanna and Jonathan Brown might have the look of definite BCS level prospects, but for Vandy, they don't exactly fit the mold of what Vandy needs.

In the Commodores 4-3 base defense, VU needs more linebackers with speed and quickness. More linebackers that can get to the edge and make plays on the perimeter. In short, VU's looking for overall athletes for the position.

For this, linebackers like Florida's Vinnie Mauro and Indiana's Joe Gilliam are considered 1 and 2 in terms of need. Both have the overall athleticism, the speed, the quickness, that Vanderbilt feels they must get this recruiting period.

Mauro and Gilliam both have Vanderbilt in their top group and they plan to visit Vanderbilt next week. The Commodores will try their best to impress both to join the fold. Mauro could fit as either a MIKE or WILL linebacker for the Dores, where as Gilliam looks like the prototypical WILL. Another prospect with an offer who could fit into the WILL mold is Michigan's Ishmael Thomas. So far, the Detroit resident hasn't visited VU, so it remains to be seen as to if he'll really fit into VU's recruitment come September.

Should VU not secure commits from some of these talents, there are others to watch. Milan (Tenn.)'s Avery Williamson had a strong showing at VU's first camp in June and has now picked up an offer from Kentucky. He may be the next in line for an offer. Local products Brad Bars and Fitz Lassing also appear to be possibilities, while the true darkhorse could be Birmingham (Ala.)'s Zeke Walters. The brother of current Mississippi State linebacker Bo Walters and former teammate of incoming freshman Walker May, Zeke impressed the VU coaches when he camped at the school during it's rising stars camp in June. Though known more for his exploits at receiver, the staff really seemed to like his 6-foot-3 frame and overall quickness he brings to the position.

Other guys who might be worth watching include Josh Harrison of Wayne High in Ohio, Cortez Brown of Memphis Trezevant, Andre Whitemire of Spartanburg (S.C.), Jordan Poole of Wilson Central in Lebanon, Lawrence Peterson of Memphis Melrose, Mitch Osborne of Southlake Carroll in Texas and DeVaghn Millington of Ridgefield, Conn. All appear to be on the radar and may move up as things progress.

Two other prospects to watch could be Virginia's Aramide Olaniyan and New Jersey's Cleo Robinson.

Olaniyan's long been on Vandy's radar but the staff has made a stance that it will not offer until he comes to campus. He may be in town at some time this month. The biggest news with the current Duke soft commitment is that he is not likely to add a Notre Dame offer to his portfolio.

Robinson has not officially been linked to VU before, but that could change as he appers to have the speed and quickness that would fit with VU's approach at WILL, so we may see his name surface soon.

Vanderbilt is likely to take only two linebackers this year, but if they get a hybrid end/linebacker like a Holmes Onwukaife or a Prince Shembo to visit and make a commitment, they may just take three.

The present might only be a footnote...

As Vanderbilt continues to pick up impressive verbal commitments, such as one on Wednesday from 6-foot-2 cornerback Karl Butler, a lot of excitement is brewing in Commodoreland. Players like Butler, like Kyle Woestmann, like Jonathan Krause, Nash Nance and Davis Dudchock, give creedence to those that felt like Vanderbilt was really starting to get better prospects into the program, especially after coming off the success that was the 2009 recruiting class.

However, Vanderbilt fans and the rest of the SEC might not be even able to comprehend what might very well happen next. Currently, the Commodores have 12 talented public commitments, but underneath it all, we at VandySports.com believes they could have as many as 18 prospects committed to the program at this time. While the identity of some of these prospects would seem to be just pure speculation at this time without the prospects own verbal confirmation, the prospects we suspect are definitely prospects that would ring high in Commodore fans ears and possibly even make them dance in the streets with excitement. Prospects at important positions, who have been targets for quite sometime, have not only given VU an extended "time of day" but some are seeing that Vanderbilt is building a winner at possibly the last, great, untapped program in all of Division 1-A football. Case in point, Vanderbilt plays in the best conference in the nation, graduates close to 100 percent of it's players, is putting more and more players into the pros and now, is competing on the football field with every other powerhouse in the league. Basically, Vanderbilt has the ingredients to be the next great, success story out of "nowhere". Vanderbilt has the chance to be the program to rise out of the abyss and capture something that very few programs truly can: be something new and exciting.

While pundits around the nation, jot down their preseason predictions, with a large dose of history noticeably behind most of their picks, they will use the same old line as "Vanderbilt just can't get the horses to win a championship in the SEC". But, in the underground, beneath it all, on the level that is rarely seen by outsiders to the recruiting world, a lot of highly talented prospects are starting to believe that if they went to Vanderbilt, the program would have the horses to compete for a championship. VandySports.com knows that three Top 50 players are definitely giving Vanderbilt more than just "the time of day" right now and all three may pull a "shocker" to the nation and decide to don the Black and Gold in 2010. Also, some of the top rising juniors around the nation, have started to turn a serious eye to the Commodores due to the buzz that the program has started to make with some of the big time prospects from the current class.

While Vanderbilt is still going to have to deal with its past history in the public from time to time, and even some long suffering Commodore fans wouldn't even be able to fathom the possibility of a Top 50 or better kid signing with Vanderbilt, the fact is that with each passing day, Vanderbilt recruiting is getting that much stronger. Just like last year, when February comes around, the VU coaching staff might just have to shove away some impact level prospects that simply missed the cut line for committing. Turning away the very type of kids that the program would've begged for just over 5 years ago.

Years ago, a motto was said at Vanderbilt, "Have fun, expect to win". Now, the motto that many fans and media alike don't hear is "We're building for a championship". The recruits are hearing this message every day and some are starting to take strong notice to it.

In the next few months, there might truly be a new dawn in Vanderbilt football, both on the football field as well as in the future. The 2009 Commodores expect to not only get back to a bowl game this year but get to an even better bowl than the one they played in the year before. And, if things continue to build underneath the surface, soon, we could see some mega surprises in store for the 2010 class.

Regardless of how things ultimately turnout, the message appears to be coming loud and clear: "This is a new Vanderbilt and we are not here to lose anymore. We are also not to just here for bowl games, we are here for a championship."

Back from hiatus, what have we missed?

Well, what a difference two weeks makes. As I stated on our last entry, there was going to be a lot of action in Vanderbilt recruiting and needless to say, Vanderbilt's "Cookout with the Dores" did not disappoint. Though we still haven't learned of every visitor during the day, we do know that seven commitments basically came from the event as well as possibly a few others. Also, prospects such as Bradley Roby, Karl Butler, Andre Simmons, Tony Jones and others seem to be very close to making a decision in favor of the Commodores.

Roby has seemed to all but commit, with only a Ohio State visit pending. Butler was about the same, leaning towards the Dores and waiting to visit Virginia before making a decision. Both have had their visits, so we should know more soon. Also, Simmons visited Rutgers this week and said he may have more of a idea of his top schools upon that trip. Jones has basically cut his list down to 7 schools and Vanderbilt appears to be firmly on it.

While the BBQ may be the only of its kind this summer, the week leading up to Vanderbilt's final Senior Elite camp on July 19th could also be important too. A number of recruits are expected to make an unofficial trip to the school, including top linebacker prospects like Joe Gilliam, Ishmael Lewis and hopefully Zachery Allen. These visits will not likely take place on the same day as like the BBQ did, but VU does plan to have some special things planned for the visitors.

The camp that weekend is also shaping up to be quite a good one, as several prospects who are close to securing offers, have stated they plan to workout for the VU coaches.

Vanderbilt could have the majority of the 2010 class secured before they even take the field on September 5th.

Nance and White may only be the beginning

Just as Vanderbilt fans were starting to itch for more commitments in the 2010 football recruiting class, quarterback Nash Nance and Chase White emerged as the newest Dores this week. Nance, who VU targeted starting last summer, was only the third QB to receive an offer when he got a scholarship from the Dores during the Junior Day on March 21st. White, who actually committed last weekend, chose VU a few months after receiving a spring evaluation offer. White might not be a known entity right now to Rivals.com, but we heard from a Texas A&M connection that A&M had White next in line to get an offer, so VU may have just got this rising prospect at exact time.

Now, as Vanderbilt heads into its second and third week of camps, there seems to be a good chance that they'll secure more commitments. Marietta (Ga.) native Kyle Woestmann is still very much a possibility to VU, despite the hoopla of his recent UGA offer. He plans to be in Nashville next week and there could be a chance that he pulls the trigger. Also expected to be in Nashville on that day will be Norcross (Ga.) offensive tackle Max Garcia. Though Garcia hasn't put a time table on his decision, it wouldn't be surprising at all to see him commit soon. Suwanee (Ga.) receiver Bradley Roby and Snellville's Jonathan Krause will also be by VU to visit and both could ultimately decide to pull the trigger and commit should they not get offers from Georgia at this weekend's camp in Athens. Roby would really like to play receiver and would like to get on the field soon. Though his offer from Auburn intrigues him and he also wants to visit South Carolina, it just wouldn't be surprising if Roby made a decision in the next week or two if he doesn't get a UGA offer. If he gets a UGA offer, he may extend things into the late July or August. Same thing likely goes for Krause, especially since Alabama doesn't appear to be offering at this time.

There are others who wouldn't be a surprise if they committed, including Davis Dudchock of Birmingham, Parker Mack of Little Rock, and Karl Butler of New Orleans. All of these prospects could be partial to making a decision if they visit VU and the staff and players make a good impression. Also possible could be Nolen Smith, who is leaning towards making a decision in the next month anyways. Another to watch is Vince Taylor of Hattiesburg (Ms.) who may be keeping his true recruitment status a little under the radar.

More on Sunday's campers

Every year, there will be some surprises during the camp period. On Monday, we released a "Hot 11" of some of the top performers and at closer look, a couple of surprises look like they have a shot to at least secure other Division 1-A interest if not increased Vanderbilt interest.

One prospect that could've increased his Vanderbilt interest is Madisonville, Kentucky cornerback J.C. Wade. The 6-foot-1, 180-pound defensive back prospect was impressive in one-on-ones and ran well for most of the day. He already has offers from the likes of Ball State and Ohio U and is getting strong attention from Louisville, Kentucky and Western Kentucky. .On film, you see a strong press corner, which is something that he impressed in at Vanderbilt on Sunday. He also shows some good ball skill. He is a prospect that we are looking to learn more about.



Another prospect who performed well and even received Hot 11 honors from us at VandySports.com was Dylan Cook of Hiram (Ga.). As stated in the feature, he was just an impressive pass catcher, making juggling catches, catches over defenders and diving catches. We don't know much about Cook's overall recruitment, and he may not have run well enough to get a VU offer. Still, he looks like a player that should sign with a Division 1-A team this February. Might be a player that eventually signs with a MTSU.



A quarterback that impressed but might not have the measurables for Vanderbilt is Jupiter (Fla.)'s Marshyl Rothman. The strong thrower led JC to a state title last year and is a Division 1-A prospect despite being just around 5-foot-10. He might be a perfect fit for South Florida, if they are looking for a quarterback. If not, he could make someone like Wofford very happy in the Southern Conference.



And another quarterback that we mentioned that had a good Sunday was Airport (SC)'s WT Murden. He seemed to measure a little shorter than he's listed but you definitely see a three-star, impact level talent out there. He's someone to watch with Vanderbilt if their quarterback recruiting continues.

VU wants Collinsworth

One prospect who has had a Vanderbilt offer for a while is versatile receiver/safety prospect Austin Collinsworth. The three-star 6-foot, 190-pound talent has the Commodores hot on his trail and its easy to see why. Last season, Collinsworth caught 46 passes for 860 yards and five scores while also rushing for 166 yards and a score on 18 plays. On defense, Collinsworth picked off four passes and on special teams, he returned five kicks and punts for scores.

Collinsworth, who is the son of former Cincinnati Bengal receiver and current HBO Sports Cris Collinsworth, has got plenty of options with Vandy, Kentucky, Louisville, Cincinnati and Stanford offering. He's believed to not have any favorites at this time aside from the five that have offered and VU's hoping that he visits the school later this month for the program's big day on June 18th.

Here's some highlights of Collinsworth in action..from his sophomore year.

Collinsworth No.22

Sandy Creek has another talented player

As usual, the state of Georgia is full of talent in 2010. The Peach state is expected to once again finish in the Top 5 among states with both D1-A and BCS (major conference) signees next February. Some are very popular and some are still just coming to light.

One player that's just starting to surface as we enter the summer months is Sandy Creek receiver Devon Hughes. The 6-foot-1, 185-pound talent has been overshadowed so far this recruiting period with the likes of three-star running back Rajion Neal, safety Isaiah Johnson and defensive end Lacy Coleman, but this Tyrone (Ga.) native runs a 4.5 and has been receiving attention from several programs including Vanderbilt, Michigan State, Mississippi State, Georgia Tech, Ohio State and others.

The Vanderbilt staff is hoping that Hughes can acquire a 19 or better on his ACT next month so that they can offer the emerging prospect. Other schools like Miss. State and Michigan State seem close as well.

He's a good size target with good feet and balance, but take a look for yourself.

VU may be in the market for a punter/kicker this recruiting period

The activity and attention that VU is giving kicking specialist this recruiting period would seem to suggest that there is a possibility that the staff may look to bring in a punter/kicker this recruiting period.

I do know that the staff is high on walk-on Richard Kent, but this seems to be a real good year for specialist.

In the state of Tennessee alone, there seems to be at least 4 legit D1-A punter/kickers in MBA's Andrew Fletcher, Christian Brothers Corey Acosta, Father Ryan's Nick Pollard and John Long at Ooltewah.

There's also several other guys who look like they'll be national special teams recruits like Kyle French, Will Hagerup, Nick Aussieker, Jon Crucieti and Ronnie Doherty that VU has shown interest in. They're going to have another kicker's camp in early June, so something could happen after that [like it did with Ryan Fowler two years ago].

I think they'd ideally like a versatile specialist who could handle all three phases if needed, but I'd have to think with Upson graduating, that punter would probably be the premium need.

VU might not have had the greatest net punting average last year, but there's no doubt that when Upson got protection, VU usually did very well and if you hadn't realized, the team did finish in the Top 10 nationally in punt return yardage defense. So if that was the key to winning, I think that probably makes the value of extending a scholarship to a punter even more worth it.

Texas QB can really sling the ball around

While Andrew Hendrix and Zach Lee appear to be the top QB's the Commodores are pursuing right now, one other prospect that recently picked up an offer is Cuero (Texas) Tyler Arndt. The 6-foot-4, 200-pound completed nearly 64-percent of his passes in 2008 for 2,210 yards and 25 touchdowns with just 5 interceptions.

As a sophomore, he completed 67-percent of his passes for 2,479 yards and 23 touchdowns with just three picks.

On paper, he may remind you of a Charlie Goro in terms of the accuracy, but on film you see a guy that really reminds you of a Brett Favre. He's got good feet, maybe not as athletic as Goro, but good enough to get him set. His arm looks pretty strong. May not have a complete rifle, but he seems to have the confidence that he can fit the ball anywhere and on top of that, he does get more than adequete RPM's on most of his passes. The other reason why he reminds you of Favre is with his delivery. It's a little low, kind of a sling motion, but his deep ball does have a great arch to it and his medium range ball comes out with great velocity and stride.

Other programs that have offered Arndt include Missouri and TCU, so it will be interesting to see if VU can get this talented player out of Texas. Over the years, more D1-A starters have came out of the state of Texas than any other school and for whatever reason, Vanderbilt has not had a Texas passer on the roster in decades. So maybe the timing is right for that to happen with Arndt or maybe Lee.

VU is still pursuing Hendrix very aggressively and they are still in the boat apparently with Robert Bolden, Devin Burns and Darren Daniel, but Arndt might be the guy to really watch with VU in the coming months.

Linebacker recruiting in 2010

Though the Vanderbilt coaching staff has signed over 7 linebackers in the past 3 years, it appears as though the staff is going to try to sign at least 2 more prospects in 2010. And unlike recruiting in the past at this position, things might be a little more defined than usual.

MIKE linebacker will be important as even with Blake Southerland joining the fold this fall, VU still will have only two true inside linebackers on the roster after the 2009 season and Chris Marve will be approaching his 4th year in the program in 2010, so it would be wise to keep adding depth at middle linebacker. DeAndre Jones could play middle, but most feel he's best at an outside position.

WILL linebacker will also be important. VU has a good bit of options at SAM, but WILL is set to lose Patrick Benoist and Brandon Bryant after this year and Nate Campbell will be approaching his 5th year in the program in 2010. VU would like more possibilities after 2010 when Campbell moves on.

So far, MIKE has not yielded too much success for VU in terms of offering. Jake Holland chose Auburn over a VU offer and Jake Nicolopulos chose Clemson over VU. Vanderbilt has also offered Rashod Favors out of Texas as well as Josiah Flack from Colorado but Favors appears to be staying in the Big 12 and VU's actually looking at Flack as a possible DB as well as MLB.

However, VU has indentified several other players at the position and could be close to offering Memphis prospect Jonathan Brown, Georgia talent Michael Carlisle, Hoover (Ala.) product Josh Propst, MBA's Brad Bars and Wilson Central's Jordan Poole. All appear to have the talent and it might just be a matter of time before they secure VU offers.

WILL linebacker, or just outside linebacker in general, has seemed to offer a slightly different set of results. Perhaps the top linebacker on VU's radar, Memphis' Justin Maclin, seems very high on what VU has to offer and plans to visit the school this summer. North Carolina standout Ty Linton seems high on VU as well, though if VU baseball would get a little more interested, it could probably help VU's recruitment of the two-sport star. Pahokee backer Zachary Allen has put VU in his top group and is looking forward to his visit to VU in the future. He'd seem like an ideal fit at WILL. If not him, then recently offered Indianapolis talent Joe Gilliam could be the guy. Gilliam is super athletic and very intelligent and is going to be a climber in the recruiting world over the next 6 months. VU's also offered the son of former Saints great Patrick Swilling, Pat Swilling Jr. He's also a D1 level basketball player, so the question now is which sport will he play.

Others who could garner offers from VU in the future include current Duke commitment Aramide Olaniyan, MBA's Fitz Lassing, Memphis Lawrence Peterson, versatile Michigan prospect Ishmael Lewis as well as some others.

Some of the WILL prospects could switch over to SAM, so that position is not getting totally ignored. Still, VU's focus seems to be on the middle and weakside techniques this recruiting period.

Vanderbilt diving back into the Magnolia state

Vanderbilt, like any other SEC school, has generally based most of it's recruiting base in the Southeastern United States. Last fall, 74 players were from what's considered the southeastern states, or at least from the states that are homes to a SEC team. However, none of those players were from the state of Mississippi or Louisiana. In February, the Commodores signed Shreveport standout corner Trey Wilson, making him the first Pelican Prep to sign with the program since David Whittington in 2002, but none from Mississippi. In fact, its believed that the staff only offered one player from the state during the recruiting period.

Though VU hasn't had a Mississippi player since 2006 signee Jonathan Massey spent that year on the Commodore roster before leaving the program, Mississippi players have always played a role in the program. From Kenny Simon to Antuian Bradford to Chris Young and Chris Booker, VU has found some gems before, and when Massey signed in 2006, he was considered VU's top signee that year.

Now, in 2010, the staff appears to be in the hunt for several Magnolia products with such stars as Hattiesburg's Jay Hughes and Vince Taylor, Hollandale's Carlos Thompson and Gulfport's Wes Rea. Not surprisingly, all but Taylor are currently ranked as three or four star rated prospects and for the Commodores to secure their signature, they'll not only have to beat out local SEC programs like Ole Miss and Miss. State, they'll also likely need to beat out the likes of LSU, Arkansas and Alabama.

At this point, both Hughes and Taylor seem interested the most in the Dores with Hughes indicating that both himself and his defensive tackle have thought about the possibility of attending Vanderbilt together. Hughes is a versatile player that could play receiver or defensive back for VU as his speed and body control are coveted in VU's overall athletic philosophy. Taylor is also a agile big man that would seem to fit ideally into VU defensive line coach Rick Logo's approach and scheme.

Thompson has also expressed interest though there seems to be a mounting bit of pressure for him to stay home now that many others have discovered him. The same could be said for Rea and should LSU offer, he'll probably become a Bayou Bengal.

VU's attention to the area doesn't seem to end there. Other players like New Augusta running back Nick Griffin and combo athlete Jaleel Dantzler, Hattiesburg receivers Robert Johnson and Steve McNair Jr., Ocean Springs tight end Travis Dickson, West Point defensive tackle Curtis Virges, Lucedale athlete RJ Spivery and Pearl center John McLendon, have also received attention from Vanderbilt at some point already.

VU recruiting coordinator Warren Belin, Rick Logo and running backs coach Des Kitchings have been linked to the state so far this recruiting period, so with three possible VU coaches casting their eyes on the state, it would seem likely that VU could find a couple of prospects this year.

While recruiting players from Mississippi may not directly effect the win/loss category [neither Ole Miss or Miss. State have been powers in the SEC], there is no dening some of the talent from that area, so while VU tries to continue its pipelines in the southeast, establishing some renewed ones in 2010 could be key for future success in the fertile recruiting ground for years to come.

Top 30 Running Backs

Earlier this week, Rivals.com released its first set of position rankings for the 2010 class and I think the network did a good job with most positions. There will obviously be changes as we get through the summer and then into these prospects senior years, but I thought they were fair in a lot of areas.

However, like with the QB's the other day, I do have my own opinion of who I consider are the 30 best running back prospects right now and where I'd rank them.

Running Backs

1. Marcus Lattimore- Byrnes, S.C.
2. Mack Brown- Lithonia, Ga.
3. Michael Dyer- Little Rock, Ark.
4. Lache Seastrunk- Temple, Texas
5. Brennan Clay- San Diego, Calif.
6. Jordan James- Corona, Calif.
7. Corey Brown- Springfield, Pa.
8. Brandon Gainer- Miami, Fla.
9. Dillon Baxter- San Diego, Calif.
10. Corey Grant- Opelika, Ala.
11. Roy Finch- Niceville, Fla.
12. DJ Morgan- Woodland Hills, Calif.
13. Traylon Shead- Cayuga, Texas
14. Anthony Wilkerson- Tustin, Calif.
15. Giovanni Bernard- Ft.Lauderdale, Fla.
16. Nicholas Parker- Batesville, Miss.
17. Roderick Smith- Fort Wayne, Ind.
18. Braylon Heard- Youngstown, Ohio
19. Storm Johnson- Loganville, Ga.
20. Marcus Shaw- Arcadia, Fla.
21. Jalston Fowler- Prichard, Ala.
22. Eduardo Clements- Miami, Fla.
23. Dontae Williams- Houston, Texas
24. Joseph Randle- Wichita, Kansas
25. Andre Dawson- Cedar Rapids, Iowa
26. Mustafa Green- Irmo, S.C.
27. DJ Jones- Denison, Texas
28. Deonte Cooper- Perris, Calif.
29. Ethan Grant- Coconut Creek, Fla.
30. Rajion Neal- Tyrone, Ga.

Obviously, I rate Lattimore, Brown and Dyer higher than Rivals' No.1, Seastrunk. I just think those three are a little more proven, and to be honest, no one really knew who Seastrunk was until his video got out and even then, it seemed like it was getting pushed to people with the promise that he was the best. On the other hand, I've known about the other three longer, and think they are better overall backs than Seastrunk.

I love Clay and James, I think Gainer's going to be an absolute star, Grant has possibly the best pure speed in the entire class and if you ever get a chance, watch Anthony Wilkerson's video on YouTube. Punishing, punishing runner. I also really like Shaw but I'm not too high on Roderick Smith or Ethan Grant right now, so I rated them lower than Rivals did.

I only did one RB ranking, not three like Rivals did. I have no fullbacks on my list because that is just a dying position in college right now and no fullback really jumped out at me as a Top 30 back prospect.

My early Quarterback rankings

Rivals has yet to publish their position rankings, but I have some opinion in this area after watching video and/or following some of the exploits of many QBs in this class. Remember that, nationally, this isn't considered an exceptional class for QB's but I do think it's a little better than the national analysts believe it is.

My Top 30 Passers

1. Austin Hinder- Steamboat Springs, Colo.
2. Scotty Young- Denton, Texas
3. Pete Thomas- El Cajon, Calif.
4. Connor Wood- Houston, Texas
5. Blake Bell- Wichita, Kansas
6. Joe Boisture- Saline, Mich.
7. Phillip Sims- Chesapeake, Va.
8. Zach Lee- McKinney, Texas
9. Andrew Hendrix- Cincinnati, Ohio
10. Devin Gardner- Detroit, Mich.
11. Paul Jones- McKees Rock, Pa.
12. AJ Derby- Iowa City, Iowa
13. Dallas Lloyd- Pleasant Grove, Utah
14. Johnny Deaton- Sand Springs, Okla.
15. Jacoby Walker- Spring, Texas
16. Jake Heaps- Sammamish, Wash.
17. Robert Bolden- Orchard Lake, Mich.
18. Anthony Gonzalez- Bethlehem, Pa.
19. Nick Montana- Westlake Village, Calif.
20. Trey Burton- Venice, Fla.
21. Joseph Brennan- Cherry Hill, N.J.
22. Anthony Boone- Matthews, NC
23. Matt Joeckel- Arlington, Texas
24. Ricardo Young- Washington D.C.
25. Tyler Smith- Easton, Pa.
26. Terrance Broadway- Baton Rouge, La.
27. James Franklin- Lake Dallas, Texas
28. Tarean Austin- Tampa, Fla.
29. Tom Parish- Hartland, Wis.
30. Chandler Whitmer- Downers Grove, Ill.

I could change my mind of some of these, but I think my Top 5 is set in stone. I personally think that Austin Hinder should be rated as the top QB prospect in the nation, not Blake Bell or anyone else. There's a very good reason why everyone wants this kid. He's got a great frame, great arm, great accuracy, all of it. If he played in a bigger state, he'd probably be a national name right now. He's a very good QB prospect and when comparing him to others, I think he's just better in terms of prospect than pretty much anyone else.

Scotty Young is so high on my list because he's accurate and I think in the world of spread offenses, he's the best overall prospect for that scheme. No surprise that he's going to Texas Tech. Like most of these QBs, there are things he could work on, but he's a pretty sound prospect in terms of accuracy, ability and smarts.

Pete Thomas is a tall man with a solid arm and zip and reminds me of a mix between former Commodore QB John Gromos and Ravens QB Joe Flacco. I think he's the best QB in the state of California this year, and is a classic drop back passer. I think he has great upside in terms of possible NFL career.

With Connor Wood, I debated between him and Young as to who I rated higher coming out of Texas and while I gave the nod to Young, Wood's traits are very high as well. He's got good size, solid arm and has a swagger about him. This kid could come right into Texas next year and contend for a starting spot with McCoy gone. He's got a lot of the same qualities that Colt showed last year. He'll sling the ball all over the field. Good solid prospect.

I had Blake Bell as my No.5. While I like all of his athleticism like Rivals and others do, I do question his arm strength, his accuracy, pretty much most of the actual passing tools he'll need at the next level. I guess I question how good of a "quarterback" he'll be. It seems like some have put him in that Tebow/Locker mold, so maybe if the big guy turns out to be that way, people will be right by having him 25th overall in the country right now. However, I look at him and wonder how he's going to beat out 2009 signee Drew Allen at Oklahoma because Allen has pretty solid athleticism and is considerably more polished as a QB than Bell. I expect him to fall later on this fall when more people pick apart the things that he currently doesn't have, rather than just project where he might be in 3 years. I personally think Drew Allen projects better than Bell at this point. Though Bell is talented and still made my Top 5 because of that.

Other opinions on my Top 30....

- Obviously, I think highly of Andrew Hendrix, who appears to be VU's top QB target [seems that way to me anyway]. I watched his video again the other day and I don't think I'm overstating things when I say that he can make throws that probably only 5-percent of the kids in the 2010 class can make..if even that. He is pretty comparable to Jay Cutler when watching him on video, as he's got one impressive arm. The only thing that has Hendrix outside of the Rivals250 right now was his one year of starting at Moeller. I fully expect him to be a four-star by the end of the recruiting process however.

- I think Jacoby Walker is the best Texas QB that isn't getting talked about right now. I was able to see two of his games last year via Fox Sports, and then watched more video of him and I'm convinced this kid will be a star. Other schools are starting to see it too. He'll probably end up going to a Big 12 school and be another star in that league in a couple of years.

- My opinion of Jake Heaps is that he's a good, but not great player and he's a little more hype than substance right now. At times in the recruiting world, if a player is very available and programs are giving him attention, he'll suddenly be considered among one of the tops in the country. I don't think this is intentional, I think it just happens when you see and know more about someone than others. I think he's accurate and comes from a system that really emphasizes his tools, but I really don't see him as a future star in college. A starter, yes, but star, no.

- Three guys that I think are underrated by Rivals right now: Joseph Brennan, James Franklin and Tom Parish. Not saying they should be Top 15 guys, but I think Top 25-30, they should be. All three good passers with good measurables and upside.

Vanderbilt looking for a Prince in the Queen City?

It appears as though the Vanderbilt football program is really hitting the Charlotte, North Carolina area this recruiting period. A area that generally has anywhere from 15-20 D1 level talents, it's been hard for the Commodores to get into the area over the years, having to contend with local programs like UNC, Duke, Wake Forest or even the likes of Georgia and Clemson.

However, a few years ago, Vanderbilt did secure a signature from one of Charlotte's most underrated prospects, Austin Monahan and a few years later, he has proved to be a strong signee. The staff also pulled in Bo Cramer as a invited walk-on, and though the former defensive tackles career was cut short by injury, the familiarity to the area that of both Monahan and Cramer have created, shouldn't be ignored.

This year, the staff has been hot on the trails of Charlotte Christian linebacker Ty Linton and his teammate Kelby Brown. The staff has also been linked to the likes of Vance athlete Dechance Durante, tight end Braxton Deaver and running back Nigel Johnson.

But now, the Commodores appear to also be turning their attention to possibly the areas top prospect in Ardrey Kell High defensive end/outside linebacker Prince Shembo. The 6-foot-2, 225-pounder has already garnered offers from the likes of NC State, Virginia Tech, Notre Dame, Illinois, Wake Forest, Duke, Stanford, West Virginia and others but is still awaiting his first SEC offer. Recently, VU coaches paid a visit to Kell as did others like Tennessee and LSU.

Shembo's a real versatile defender with a great motor and explosion. He would seem to be a perfect 3-4 linebacker, but he could play with his hand down in a 4-3 or "46" defense. He has the look of a future four-star prospect and really values his education. Should VU offer, things could get interesting.

As a junior, Shembo racked up 86 tackles and nine sacks. He also picked off two passes and recovered two fumbles.

Whether or not VU offers Shembo and secures his signature, or the staff lands a playmaker like Linton or perhaps his teammate Brown, it does appear that Charlotte is going to be a regular area for the Commodores moving forward.

One thing VU does have going for them is that linebacker coach and recruiting coordinator Warren Belin, is the chief recruiter for VU in the Charlotte area, so soon, the staff is bound to land a standout from the area.

Back from Break: Mixed Bag

I took a break from the 615 Report this past week in order to catch up on some content for the site [as well as deal with other things]. Since I went 8 days without updating the blog, I thought I'd bring a "Mixed Bag" of recruiting information and tips to you.

A few local prospects to highlight:

While Tennessee may not have a whole lot of "star power" in the 2010 class, it could have more depth than the state has generally had. There are several prospects from all types of areas that are on college radars, including Vanderbilt's and something could happen with each if they get out and attend camps or have strong senior years.

Some guys who are on the radar include Clarksville linebacker/defensive end Damario Wilcox, Clarksville Northwest fullback/linebacker Darius Wylie, Lincoln County defensive end Joseph Henderson, Soddy Daisy quarterback Scott Parrott, Whitehaven corner Chaz Moore, Ooltewah safety Darion Delaney, Riverdale lineman Chris Mayes and linebacker/safety CJ Overton, Oakland defensive back Zack Barnes, Camden defensive end Dakota Summers and Lavergne receiver/DB Terry Hodges.

Wilcox has a good frame, stands about 6-foot-2, 230 and could fit into someone's 3-4 as a JACK linebacker or be a 3-4 weakside DE.

Wylie's another big kid at 6-2, 240, who could really make someone happy if they still use a fullback, but with spread offenses the norm, it might be smart if he works out as a linebacker more often.

Henderson comes from the same school that produced former Commodore Theo Horrocks and one-time Dore Lamar Divens and he may be their best prospect since those two. He's about 6-foot-4, 245-pounds and is apparently getting interest from SEC programs and CUSA programs right now.

Parrott was one of the state's top QB's in 2008 and is finally starting to see some of his work payoff from what I hear. Apparently some SEC, ACC, and Big Ten schools are interested.

I'm not sure what's going on in the recruiting world with Moore and Delaney, but Moore did a great job recently at a national camp and I've heard good things about Delaney. I saw Moore at Vandy's 7-on-7 last year, and though a little on the small side, he does have good hips and speed and could work in a good zone defense with further development.

Vanderbilt recently visited Riverdale to check out a number of kids including Chris Mayes and CJ Overton. Mayes is a 6-foot-3, 280-pound lineman that I saw at the Black and Gold Scrimmage and he was impressive in person. I think he's definitely someone to keep an eye on and I believe FSU [where former teammate David Spurlock is at], Auburn and Tennessee are also interested. CJ Overton could be a victim of his own size. He's only about 5-foot-10, close to 200 pounds, and reminds me a little bit of former Warrior linebacker Tamar Butler. Kid is a good football player and I know there's been talk about him possibly being a strong safety. If he was two inches taller, I think he'd probably have an offer or two already. Still, he was also at the B&G Scrimmage and who knows what a camp appearence could do for him.

I also believe that VU was at Oakland last week, checking out Zack Barnes and Tim McAdoo. McAdoo's one of the best DT's in the state, hands down, but Barnes is a little overshadowed by both him and the players the Patriots had last year. I liked what I saw of him in the state title game last year and think he's another guy to keep a watch on. He's about 5-foot-11, 182-185 pounds. Reminds me a little bit of 2009 Vanderbilt signee Javon Marshall.

Dakota Summers is a football player, his video's pretty impressive, and some schools have taken interest. Hopefully more will because he's a good football player [stands at about 6-foot-3, 225 pounds].

I've seen Terry Hodges a few times both in games and in 7-on-7's. More known as a track athlete than a receiver, I think Hodges is one to watch in Rutherford County this fall as someone who might soar up the charts if Wolverines junior QB Landon Grooms has the season some are hoping. Hodges has gotten attention from Vandy, Kentucky, Western Kentucky, MTSU and some others already. The Wolverines also have some other players that might get interest this year.

One other local player that interests me is Edtavis "Tay" Smith of Blackman High here in Murfreesboro. He didn't play last year [not sure the reason] but I saw his video at a recent combine and he has the look of a D1 athlete. Stands about 6-foot-1, 180-pounds. Ran a 4.57 at the PrepChamps combine in February, posted a 35 inch vertical jump and also ran a 4.16 in the shuttle at another combine. He's got a good , athletic body on him, and his frame looks like it could add about 25 pounds. He plays receiver and safety, and while I think his moves in WR drills were adequete, I think he's a guy that a team might want to turn into a safety. Don't know if he has any interest right now, but I have at least noticed him. Blackman's also got the talented Tyrek Collier and DaJuan Brooks. Hopefully, with Coach Shadowens now there, the Blaze can get back to the playoffs and some of these kids who I know are good athletes, will start to get noticed a little more. Justin Bowers, a 2009 graduate, signed with Miami of Ohio, but I honestly feel he could've done a little better than that.

Prospects that could land VU offers soon:

Here's a list of prospects that I think could get VU offers in the next month or two:

RB. James Potts- Delray Beach, Fla. [Supposedly has a verbal offer already]
RB. Rajaan Bennett- Powder Springs, Ga.
RB. Keith McBride- Memphis, Tenn.
RB. Orleans Opoku-Darkwa- Nashville, Tenn.
RB. Juwan Thompson- College Park, Ga.
WR. Michael Bennett- Alpharetta, Ga.
WR. Robert Clark- West Palm Beach, Fla.
WR. Marc Gooch- Murfreesboro, Tenn.
WR. Jay Herndon- Jacksonville, Fla.
WR. Tim O'Connor- Cincinnati, Ohio
WR. Kevin Weatherspoon- Clairton, Pa.
OL. Cameron Clemmons- Lebanon, Tenn. [when camp roles around]
OL. Morgan Bailey- Loganville, Ga.
OL. Zach Hemmila- Douglasville, Ga.
OL. Grant Ramsay- Marietta, Ga.
OL. Logan Stewart- Boling Springs, SC
OL. Dex Sullivan- Cullman, Ala.
OL. Austin Marshall- Memphis, Tenn.
OL. Zach Underwood- Albertville, Ala.
DE. Dezmond Johnson- Nashville, Tenn.
LB. Jonathan Brown- Memphis, Tenn.
LB. Brad Bars- Nashville, Tenn.
LB. Fitz Lassing- Nashville, Tenn.
LB. Brandon Smith- Columbus, Ga.
LB. Jordan Poole- Lebanon, Tenn.
LB. Ishmael Thomas- Detroit, Mich.
CB. Darius Robinson- Atlanta, Ga.
CB. Marshawn Grays- Mesquite, Texas
CB. Larry Stephens- Galena Park, Texas
CB. Peniel Jean- Wellington, Fla.
S. Najee James- Orlando, Fla.
S. DeVaghn Millington- Ridgefield, Ct.
S. Houston Pruitt- Springdale, Ark.
S. Justin Halley- Boca Raton, Fla.
Ath. Victor Beasley- Adairsville, Ga.
Ath. Ryan Smith- Cordova, Ala.
Ath. Jerrell Priester- Allendale, SC
Ath. Gilbert St.Louis- Plantation, Fla.

So you see, I'm "tracking" a lot of prospects..and then some.

We hope to get in touch with a few prospects who are believed to currently have Vanderbilt offers later this week or next.