The first major national camp was held over the weekend in Miami as NIKE SPARQ hosted it's first camp of 2009. A number of prospects who have received Vanderbilt interest, attended the camp and a number of them impressed those in attendence. Here's some notes that can be found at various sources including Rivals.com, South Florida Recruiting and ESPN:
RB. Darnell Kirkwood- Atlantic High, Delray Beach, Florida
5-foot-10, 197-pounds.
Kirkwood checked in a bit bigger than listed but showed some impressive feet to go along with that frame. Ran with power and solid elusive ability in one-on-ones against running backs. Vanderbilt offered Kirkwood after seeing him play while recruiting Jayron Hosley last year. He's also got offers from Wake Forest and Virginia. Strong lower body. May need to improve hands.
QB. Stephen Morris- Monsignor Pace High, Opa Locka, Florida
6-foot-2, 186 pounds.
Morris impressed many with his live-arm, touch and solid footwork. Morris is a true dual-threat type QB in the fact that his mobility makes him a better passer as he can keep plays alive by moving around in the pocket and taking his game to the perimeter, opening up passing lanes downfield. He currently has an offer from FIU but Vanderbilt and others are very interested and he plans to visit VU this summer.
QB. Michael Strauss- Gulliver Prep, Miami, Florida
6-foot-2, 195-pounds.
Strauss and Vanderbilt have been interested in each other for a while, so perhaps when word gets back to the Commodores about Strauss' showing at the Nike camp, VU will "up the anty" a bit. FlaVarsity.com's Mark Langston commented recently that Strauss could've been the QB MVP of the camp had it not been for Alonso's CJ Bennett. Nonetheless, Strauss showed improved footwork and great zip on his passes. I was able to see Strauss perform in December when Gulliver played Bolles and VU signee Mason Johnston in the state championship game. Strauss was very impressive in defeat, and he actually received little help from his receivers, especially Duke signee Conner Vernon. He's probably one of the top QB's on VU's list that they haven't officially offered yet.
DB. Gilbert St.Louis- Plantation, Florida
5-foot-10, 172-pounds.
St.Louis impressed everyone with his athleticism, fire to the ball, change of direction and aggressiveness. He already holds an offer from U-Conn and Vanderbilt and a few others are very interested. He will definitely be someone to follow this summer and if VU can get him on campus for a camp, he could become a big target for VU.
WR. Rashad Lawrence- Olympia High, Orlando, Florida
6-foot-2, 195-pounds.
Lawrence already has an offer from Duke and has received attention from VU and several others. Impressed people with his smooth route running and solid change of direction skills. Labelled a gazelle-type by Rivals.com's Barry Every. Sounds like he's on the verge of landing more and more offers. It will be very interesting to see how hard Vanderbilt pursues Lawrence as they are in search of receivers this recruiting period.
DB. Peniel Jean- Palm Beach Central, Wellington, Florida
5-foot-11, 185-pounds.
Jean is one of the most impressive looking non-offered prospects in the Sunshine state, in my opinion. He impressed many with his hips and pedal while at the camp and should be receiving D1 offers shortly, if not BCS level offers. Vanderbilt has been looking at Jean for a while and may be close to making a move on the PBC star.
LB/S. Isaac Dixon- Monsignor Pace High, Opa Locka, Florida
5-foot-11, 185-pounds.
Dixon has already picked up a Ole Miss offer and is getting looks as both a outside linebacker and safety. Dixon displayed excellent feet during linebacker drills and was solid in one-on-one's against the running backs. He will likely need to display his talents at safety at some college camps to get more offers. If he was 2 inches taller and 20 pounds heavier, he'd probably be a high three-star level linebacker prospect, right now.
OL. David Delsoin- Sheridan Hills Christian, Hollywood, Florida
6-foot-6, 256-pounds.
Delsoin is a big time sleeper prospect at this point but his camp performance should land him more and more attention. Impressed many with his fluid mobility and his length. Had a strong showing in the one-on-ones against the defensive linemen.
Other noteable VU possibilities who impressed according to those who were present:
QB. Trevor Siemien- Olympia High, Orlando, Fla.
RB. Brandon Bennett- Charter, Pembroke Pines, Fla.
WR. Denzel McCullum- McArthur High, Hollywood, Fla.
WR. Willis Wright- Miami Springs, Miami, Fla.
Monday, March 30, 2009
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Black and Gold Scrimmage should have some visitors
Though the Vanderbilt Junior Day or "Super Saturday", was last week and has been considered a big, big success, there does figure to still be a small crowd of 2010 prospects to visit Nashville on Saturday.
Perhaps the most notable prospect would be Ooltewah (Tenn.) four-star defensive end Jacques Smith. Smith, who has been a commitment to Tennessee since basically last September, is suspect to be in town for the spring game. He has said since his "public" commitment [he's listed as being committed on Signing Day in February but he was a "silent" commit to UTK since September] that he still planned to take some visits, so this may be nothing more than him just visiting Nashville and paying respects to a coaching staff that has been recruiting him. Or, it could be more. Well have to play it by ear.
Another prospect that is expected to be in attendence is Columbus Carver (Ga.) prospect Devin Burns. The sensational athlete is being recruited as both a QB and offensive weapon. He secured a VU offer a while back and will now be making his first trip to VU. He also has offers from Arkansas, Maryland and a verbal offer from Georgia Tech.
Two other notable prospects that should be in attendence are Rochester (Ill.) quarterback Sean Robinson and Loganville (Ga.) offensive lineman Morgan Bailey.
Robinson is an interesting prospect at 6-foot-5, 205-pounds and is coming off a year where he had over 2,700 total yards of offense and 34 touchdowns. He has already picked up offers from Syracuse, Washington State and a couple of MAC offers. Wisconsin and Iowa could be his first Big Ten offers.
Bailey is a 6-foot-4, 270-pound guard who's been on VU's radar for a while as well as several other SEC and ACC schools. He's believed to have some offers but no one has formally interviewed him yet to find out.
Vanderbilt should also have several members of the 2009 signing class in attendence for the scrimmage.
Here's hoping that the weather is decent.
Perhaps the most notable prospect would be Ooltewah (Tenn.) four-star defensive end Jacques Smith. Smith, who has been a commitment to Tennessee since basically last September, is suspect to be in town for the spring game. He has said since his "public" commitment [he's listed as being committed on Signing Day in February but he was a "silent" commit to UTK since September] that he still planned to take some visits, so this may be nothing more than him just visiting Nashville and paying respects to a coaching staff that has been recruiting him. Or, it could be more. Well have to play it by ear.
Another prospect that is expected to be in attendence is Columbus Carver (Ga.) prospect Devin Burns. The sensational athlete is being recruited as both a QB and offensive weapon. He secured a VU offer a while back and will now be making his first trip to VU. He also has offers from Arkansas, Maryland and a verbal offer from Georgia Tech.
Two other notable prospects that should be in attendence are Rochester (Ill.) quarterback Sean Robinson and Loganville (Ga.) offensive lineman Morgan Bailey.
Robinson is an interesting prospect at 6-foot-5, 205-pounds and is coming off a year where he had over 2,700 total yards of offense and 34 touchdowns. He has already picked up offers from Syracuse, Washington State and a couple of MAC offers. Wisconsin and Iowa could be his first Big Ten offers.
Bailey is a 6-foot-4, 270-pound guard who's been on VU's radar for a while as well as several other SEC and ACC schools. He's believed to have some offers but no one has formally interviewed him yet to find out.
Vanderbilt should also have several members of the 2009 signing class in attendence for the scrimmage.
Here's hoping that the weather is decent.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Another elite cornerback at Atlanta Westlake?
A player that may emerge on plenty of SEC radars this spring and summer could be Atlanta Westlake (Ga.) cornerback Darius Robinson. The 6-foot, 170-pound prospect had a strong showing at the Badger Sports 7-on-7 down in Tampa last week and has already started to get play on Rivals.com. Check out this AMP Feature on him that came out a week ago.
I personally see a talented corner with fluid, loose hips and solid speed. I also hear a young man who seems to have a pretty decent head on his shoulders too, so maybe Vanderbilt can become involved.
Westlake always produces talent, so while it might be a little surprising that he's just now popping up on the radar, it shouldn't be too surprising as last fall was his first year at Westlake I believe. Before that, he was at North Clayton High.
Also, he told us today that South Florida has now offered.
I have a good feeling that he'll sign with a SEC or ACC school by the time next February roles around.
Two other prospects to follow could be Chase Williams of Loudon County in Leesburg (Va.) and James Scales of Northern Guilford High in Greensboro (NC).
Williams is a LB/TE type who is the son of former Tennessee Titans DC, Gregg Williams. Former Commodore Theo Horrocks actually said to us on Tuesday that Coach Williams was asking Theo about Vanderbilt, so if VU showed interest, it appears as though the feeling would be mutual. He already has an offer from West Virginia and a few others. On video, he reminds me of Oklahoma linebacker Ryan Reynolds.
Scales is already on the Commodore radar and was one of the impressive performers at the Five-Star Showdown in North Carolina. A corner/athlete, the 5-foot-10, 180-pounder looks solid on video and has already picked up offers from Kentucky, Duke and Louisville. He's thought to be leaning towards the SEC and UK. If VU made a play here, maybe they could change his mind.
I personally see a talented corner with fluid, loose hips and solid speed. I also hear a young man who seems to have a pretty decent head on his shoulders too, so maybe Vanderbilt can become involved.
Westlake always produces talent, so while it might be a little surprising that he's just now popping up on the radar, it shouldn't be too surprising as last fall was his first year at Westlake I believe. Before that, he was at North Clayton High.
Also, he told us today that South Florida has now offered.
I have a good feeling that he'll sign with a SEC or ACC school by the time next February roles around.
Two other prospects to follow could be Chase Williams of Loudon County in Leesburg (Va.) and James Scales of Northern Guilford High in Greensboro (NC).
Williams is a LB/TE type who is the son of former Tennessee Titans DC, Gregg Williams. Former Commodore Theo Horrocks actually said to us on Tuesday that Coach Williams was asking Theo about Vanderbilt, so if VU showed interest, it appears as though the feeling would be mutual. He already has an offer from West Virginia and a few others. On video, he reminds me of Oklahoma linebacker Ryan Reynolds.
Scales is already on the Commodore radar and was one of the impressive performers at the Five-Star Showdown in North Carolina. A corner/athlete, the 5-foot-10, 180-pounder looks solid on video and has already picked up offers from Kentucky, Duke and Louisville. He's thought to be leaning towards the SEC and UK. If VU made a play here, maybe they could change his mind.
Monday, March 23, 2009
Early returns on Vanderbilt's junior day spell success
With the news that Vanderbilt has received it's first commitment for the 2010 class [
Link], one could say that the Junior Day event at Vanderbilt was a success.
But it may not stop there. Our sources are saying that VU is on the verge of receiving possibly four more commitments from prospects who were at the event. We tried to contact a few on Monday, but were a unsuccessful. However, we believe that we'll get a some good feedback from these prospects soon enough.
Also, several prospects who may not be on the verge of committing, have stated how great the visit was to others. We got reaction from two players in particular, in local prospect Fitz Lassing and Connecticut product DeVaghn Millington.
The success of Vanderbilt's 2008 season, appears to be rubbing off on 2010 recruiting and several early targets seem to believe that 2008 was not just some one-hit wonder.
Link], one could say that the Junior Day event at Vanderbilt was a success.
But it may not stop there. Our sources are saying that VU is on the verge of receiving possibly four more commitments from prospects who were at the event. We tried to contact a few on Monday, but were a unsuccessful. However, we believe that we'll get a some good feedback from these prospects soon enough.
Also, several prospects who may not be on the verge of committing, have stated how great the visit was to others. We got reaction from two players in particular, in local prospect Fitz Lassing and Connecticut product DeVaghn Millington.
The success of Vanderbilt's 2008 season, appears to be rubbing off on 2010 recruiting and several early targets seem to believe that 2008 was not just some one-hit wonder.
Friday, March 20, 2009
The "Beas" Neez
A prospect that has really gotten my attention lately is Victor Beasley of Adairsville, Georgia.
The 6-foot-5, 213-pounder came to the Badger Sports 7-on-7 Tournament in Tuscaloosa, Alabama a few weeks ago, virtually an unknown. But now, the athlete with 4.47 speed and a 39-inch vertical is starting to turn heads and is beginning to get attention from the entire SEC. While we think Vanderbilt is included in "entire", his recruitment is still in the infant stages right now since he only jumped onto the scene this month.
As a junior, he registered 57 tackles and an interception while playing safety. He also played receiver and is [as expected] a basketball standout as well.
More importantly, he carries a 3.6 GPA and appears to be a very recruitable athlete for VU. Adairsville High is also where former Commodore Mac Pyle was from.
I'll be keeping up with this prospect throughout the summer. He's just the type that pops up on the radar right now and that people are talking about come signing day.
The 6-foot-5, 213-pounder came to the Badger Sports 7-on-7 Tournament in Tuscaloosa, Alabama a few weeks ago, virtually an unknown. But now, the athlete with 4.47 speed and a 39-inch vertical is starting to turn heads and is beginning to get attention from the entire SEC. While we think Vanderbilt is included in "entire", his recruitment is still in the infant stages right now since he only jumped onto the scene this month.
As a junior, he registered 57 tackles and an interception while playing safety. He also played receiver and is [as expected] a basketball standout as well.
More importantly, he carries a 3.6 GPA and appears to be a very recruitable athlete for VU. Adairsville High is also where former Commodore Mac Pyle was from.
I'll be keeping up with this prospect throughout the summer. He's just the type that pops up on the radar right now and that people are talking about come signing day.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Candidates for the Vandy Ten
Though we are still a few days away from forming our first Vandy Ten of the 2010 class, some guys who are making strong cases for the list include the following:
QB. Robert Bolden- Orchard Lake, Michigan
Why: Bolden was one of the first prospects to land a VU offer. He completely looks like the real deal and seems to have a good deal of interest in Vanderbilt too. Some have wondered if Michigan State or Big Ten were favorites here, but we hear that he has a strong interest in VU's academics and playing in the SEC. That's the reason why he camped there last summer.
QB. Andrew Hendrix- Cincinnati, Ohio
Why: Probably one of the best QB's in the class that didn't debut in the Rivals250. Strong arm, good athlete, has all the tools that VU would look for. He has a good deal of interest in VU, the SEC, the city of Nashville and the fact that Jay Cutler was coached by Jimmy Kiser and Ted Cain. He may be too good to leave off the initial Vandy Ten.
WR. Shakim Phillips- Wayne, NJ
Why: Big receiver, good speed, good hands, the total combo. He could be a great progression from Terence Jeffers for the future. Has a strong interest in the SEC and though he's holding out for UGA and Florida, we hear he's got a good deal of interest in VU just the same. Since the Vandy Ten factors in the interest of a prospect in VU...time will tell how long he'll be in the V10, but he'll definitely be in the first edition. That we can promise.
WR. Tai-Ler Jones- Gainesville, Ga.
Why: Jones camped at Vanderbilt in the summer and really seemed to put everything together during his junior year. Recently cut down his list to about 15 schools. Jones is supposedly coming to VU for another visit soon. We know that he and his family had good interest in VU prior to receiving so many offers. Time will tell how much interest he really has now and that's why we're not sure if he'll be in the first V10 or not.
WR. Bradley Roby- Suwanee, Ga.
Why: Speedy, speedy receiver and in a year where VU's going to be looking for a number of receivers, Roby is among the tops in our list. Seemed very very interested in VU, so it will be interesting to see if VU can convince him to commit in the next couple of months. Not totally sure if he'll be in our V10, but we think it's pretty possible.
OL. James Stone- Nashville, Tenn.
Why: No brainer, franchise type lineman. Seriously, this guy is so ready for VU, he could come in and compete for PT right now. Whether or not we just do a list or do a actual ranking with this year's Vandy Ten format, you better bet he's our No.1 guy at VandySports.com. We're pretty sure he's Vanderbilt's No.1 as well.
OL. Matt James- Cincinnati, Ohio
Why: Another no brainer guy and he seems to have a good bit of interest in VU. Big, big prospect..but not "big" in terms of fat. He's a pretty athletic 6-8 prospect. Definitely will be in our first V10.
OL. Max Garcia- Norcross, Ga.
Why; Solid line prospect, we've liked him a lot at VandySports.com. Has a good bit of interest in VU and he'll more than likely be in our first V10.
DT. Kyle Woestmann- Marietta, Ga.
Why: Athletic, beast like, tough, grunt style DL. Recent video just blowed us away and now think he's more than perfect for Vanderbilt's defensive line. He'll be visiting VU soon and they've been one of his top choices for a while now. Will definitely be in the first V10.
DL/OL. Kolton Houston- Buford, Ga.
Why: Versatile two-way linemen who we could see projecting to either side of the ball for VU. Has a good amount of attention in VU, though that could be fading as he collects more offers. Either way, he's getting serious consideration for the V10.
DE. Justin Henderson- Bamberg, SC
Why: Athletic, strong, aggressive player. Really, really like Henderson. VU hasn't exactly extended a written offer yet, which is surprising. Still, he has a lot of interest in VU and we are thinking strongly about putting him in the first V10.
DB. Rashad Knight- Jacksonville, Fla.
Why: Straight up, we just really like him at VandySports.com and think he's vastly underrated, already. Maybe that helps VU in the long run. He'll definitely be in our first V10.
There's no guarantee that all of these prospects will be in our initial Vandy Ten, but they are strong candidates.
Also, some guys that we at VandySports.com are extremely high on and would likely have in our Vandy Ten if they currently had VU offers, would include:
QB. Zach Lee- McKinney, Texas
QB. Sean Robinson- Rochester, Ill.
QB. Trevor Seimian- Orlando, Fla.
RB. Orleans Opoku-Darkwa- Nashville, Tenn.
RB. Keith McBride- Memphis, Tenn.
WR. Chris Boyd- Roswell, Ga.
WR. Marc Gooch- Murfreesboro, Tenn.
WR. Jonathan Krause- Snellville, Ga.
TE. Harrison Jones- Memphis, Tenn.
OL. Cameron Clemmons- Lebanon, Tenn.
OL. Travis Jackson- Columbus, Ohio
DL. Desmond Johnson- Nashville, Tenn.
DL. Henry Anderson- College Park, Ga.
LB. Brad Bars- Nashville, Tenn.
LB. Fitz Lassing- Nashville, Tenn.
LB. Aramide Olaniyan- Woodberry Forest, Va.
LB. Jordan Poole- Lebanon, Tenn.
LB. Brandon Smith- Columbus, Ga.
DB. Desmond Cooper- Jacksonville, Fla.
DB. Nick Perry- Prattville, Ala.
Ath. Brandon Brown- Nashville, Tenn.
Ath. Kain Colter- Englewood, Colo.
Ath. Sam Gibson- Prattville, Tenn.
Ath. Fred Pickett- Pahokee, Fla.
Ath. Gilbert St.Louis- Plantation, Fla.
These are non-offered prospects that we are high on at this time.
QB. Robert Bolden- Orchard Lake, Michigan
Why: Bolden was one of the first prospects to land a VU offer. He completely looks like the real deal and seems to have a good deal of interest in Vanderbilt too. Some have wondered if Michigan State or Big Ten were favorites here, but we hear that he has a strong interest in VU's academics and playing in the SEC. That's the reason why he camped there last summer.
QB. Andrew Hendrix- Cincinnati, Ohio
Why: Probably one of the best QB's in the class that didn't debut in the Rivals250. Strong arm, good athlete, has all the tools that VU would look for. He has a good deal of interest in VU, the SEC, the city of Nashville and the fact that Jay Cutler was coached by Jimmy Kiser and Ted Cain. He may be too good to leave off the initial Vandy Ten.
WR. Shakim Phillips- Wayne, NJ
Why: Big receiver, good speed, good hands, the total combo. He could be a great progression from Terence Jeffers for the future. Has a strong interest in the SEC and though he's holding out for UGA and Florida, we hear he's got a good deal of interest in VU just the same. Since the Vandy Ten factors in the interest of a prospect in VU...time will tell how long he'll be in the V10, but he'll definitely be in the first edition. That we can promise.
WR. Tai-Ler Jones- Gainesville, Ga.
Why: Jones camped at Vanderbilt in the summer and really seemed to put everything together during his junior year. Recently cut down his list to about 15 schools. Jones is supposedly coming to VU for another visit soon. We know that he and his family had good interest in VU prior to receiving so many offers. Time will tell how much interest he really has now and that's why we're not sure if he'll be in the first V10 or not.
WR. Bradley Roby- Suwanee, Ga.
Why: Speedy, speedy receiver and in a year where VU's going to be looking for a number of receivers, Roby is among the tops in our list. Seemed very very interested in VU, so it will be interesting to see if VU can convince him to commit in the next couple of months. Not totally sure if he'll be in our V10, but we think it's pretty possible.
OL. James Stone- Nashville, Tenn.
Why: No brainer, franchise type lineman. Seriously, this guy is so ready for VU, he could come in and compete for PT right now. Whether or not we just do a list or do a actual ranking with this year's Vandy Ten format, you better bet he's our No.1 guy at VandySports.com. We're pretty sure he's Vanderbilt's No.1 as well.
OL. Matt James- Cincinnati, Ohio
Why: Another no brainer guy and he seems to have a good bit of interest in VU. Big, big prospect..but not "big" in terms of fat. He's a pretty athletic 6-8 prospect. Definitely will be in our first V10.
OL. Max Garcia- Norcross, Ga.
Why; Solid line prospect, we've liked him a lot at VandySports.com. Has a good bit of interest in VU and he'll more than likely be in our first V10.
DT. Kyle Woestmann- Marietta, Ga.
Why: Athletic, beast like, tough, grunt style DL. Recent video just blowed us away and now think he's more than perfect for Vanderbilt's defensive line. He'll be visiting VU soon and they've been one of his top choices for a while now. Will definitely be in the first V10.
DL/OL. Kolton Houston- Buford, Ga.
Why: Versatile two-way linemen who we could see projecting to either side of the ball for VU. Has a good amount of attention in VU, though that could be fading as he collects more offers. Either way, he's getting serious consideration for the V10.
DE. Justin Henderson- Bamberg, SC
Why: Athletic, strong, aggressive player. Really, really like Henderson. VU hasn't exactly extended a written offer yet, which is surprising. Still, he has a lot of interest in VU and we are thinking strongly about putting him in the first V10.
DB. Rashad Knight- Jacksonville, Fla.
Why: Straight up, we just really like him at VandySports.com and think he's vastly underrated, already. Maybe that helps VU in the long run. He'll definitely be in our first V10.
There's no guarantee that all of these prospects will be in our initial Vandy Ten, but they are strong candidates.
Also, some guys that we at VandySports.com are extremely high on and would likely have in our Vandy Ten if they currently had VU offers, would include:
QB. Zach Lee- McKinney, Texas
QB. Sean Robinson- Rochester, Ill.
QB. Trevor Seimian- Orlando, Fla.
RB. Orleans Opoku-Darkwa- Nashville, Tenn.
RB. Keith McBride- Memphis, Tenn.
WR. Chris Boyd- Roswell, Ga.
WR. Marc Gooch- Murfreesboro, Tenn.
WR. Jonathan Krause- Snellville, Ga.
TE. Harrison Jones- Memphis, Tenn.
OL. Cameron Clemmons- Lebanon, Tenn.
OL. Travis Jackson- Columbus, Ohio
DL. Desmond Johnson- Nashville, Tenn.
DL. Henry Anderson- College Park, Ga.
LB. Brad Bars- Nashville, Tenn.
LB. Fitz Lassing- Nashville, Tenn.
LB. Aramide Olaniyan- Woodberry Forest, Va.
LB. Jordan Poole- Lebanon, Tenn.
LB. Brandon Smith- Columbus, Ga.
DB. Desmond Cooper- Jacksonville, Fla.
DB. Nick Perry- Prattville, Ala.
Ath. Brandon Brown- Nashville, Tenn.
Ath. Kain Colter- Englewood, Colo.
Ath. Sam Gibson- Prattville, Tenn.
Ath. Fred Pickett- Pahokee, Fla.
Ath. Gilbert St.Louis- Plantation, Fla.
These are non-offered prospects that we are high on at this time.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Vandy Ten and VU's big junior day coming up
Soon at VandySports.com, we'll be debuting our first Vandy Ten for the 2010 class. I'm still debating on whether or not we will do an actual ranking like we've done in the past or simply do a Top 10 list of VU's top targets. We've had a system for the ranking in the past but a good portion of the formula went into "editor's evaluation" that I started to think that a list might just be more accurate than a rank.
Anyway, expect that to be debuting within the week.
Also, Vanderbilt will host it's "Super Saturday" Junior Day this Saturday, March 21st. We hear that close to 130 prospects will be on hand for the event, making it the largest for the Commodores during the Johnson era. Hopefully, there will be some commitments coming out of this.
We'll have a full preview on Saturday morning, inside the Commodore War Room.
Anyway, expect that to be debuting within the week.
Also, Vanderbilt will host it's "Super Saturday" Junior Day this Saturday, March 21st. We hear that close to 130 prospects will be on hand for the event, making it the largest for the Commodores during the Johnson era. Hopefully, there will be some commitments coming out of this.
We'll have a full preview on Saturday morning, inside the Commodore War Room.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Several Memphis prospects this year
I generally focus a lot on middle Tennessee prospects but there will be several high-level prospects this year in the Memphis area. The Commodores have already been involved with a few of these prospects such as White Station linebacker Fred Harvey, Christian Brothers linebacker Jonathan Brown, Memphis University School's Keith McBride and Barry Brunetti, Evangel Christian's Harrison Jones and Whitehaven talents Tony Jefferson and Ferlando Bohanna. There's also other prospects like Ridgeway's Justin Maclin and Manassas O.C. Brown that are rated as four-stars.
However, there's several other high-level prospects that the Dores (and other teams) either can't recruit or are currently evaluating. I thought I'd take the time to point out a good bit of these guys.
At Melrose High, there will be several guys that will get good looks from SEC, ACC, Big East, CUSA or other conferences. First is running back Joshua Calhoun. He's a 5-foot-9, 175-pound runner with good quickness. Eric Watson, who starred at Olive Branch (Miss.) last year, is also apparently at Melrose now and if that's the case, Calhoun may get overshadowed. Still, I expect Calhoun's talent to at least give him CUSA consideration. If Watson does indeed suit up for Melrose (there's been rumors of him going back to Olive Branch), he will certainly get an opportunity with a BCS team. In fact, I think Texas Tech might be close to offering him. On defense, Melrose has a trio of good looking defensive linemen in Blarrington Ellis, Lawrence Peterson and Lorenzo Davis. Ellis will probably end up as a DT in college, no matter what level he's at. Peterson, I think, is more of a linebacker than an end..I wouldn't be surprised to see him end up as a 6-foot-2, 220-pound weakside backer in college. Davis will need to put on more weight (only 200 pounds) but he's great solid natural ability and should probably end up somewhere if his grades are decent. Probably the strength of Melrose will be their secondary and two guys to watch here are Lequinton Peppers and Eric Hall. I believe that the 5-foot-10, 180-pound Peppers has already picked up a few CUSA/Sun Belt offers and a couple of Big 12 schools like Colorado are showing interest. Hall is a bigger corner and may get looks as an "athlete". 6-foot-1, 190-pound Johnathan Crawford is another Melrose DB who will get looks.
While Harvey is probably the biggest recruit at White Station this year, the Spartans still have some other D1-A level prospects in tight end/receiver Anthony Hayes and receiver Julian Barton. Hayes is only about 6-foot-2, 225-pounds, so he's probably more of a H-back than a WR or true TE. Still, he has good hands and good feet and I liked his video a lot. I think he's someone that will certainly get lower-level D1-A offers but I also think that someone like Georgia Tech might be smart to recruit him. Barton's a 5-foot-11, 180-pound slot type who's getting attention from several SEC and ACC programs. Probably one of the better WR prospects since Trey Rich, who was in Chris Marve's senior class. The Spartans also have a offensive lineman named Deandra Simmons who's apparently getting looks. Can't say I know much about him though at this time.
Over at Mitchell High, Keiwone Malone is obviously the big name here after committing to Alabama. I actually saw sophomore video of Malone last year and it's no surprise to see him blow up like he did. He's a pretty sound player. His QB, Robert Redmond, is a pretty good player too. Obviously he's too short to really be a QB at a major school, but I do think he could be a recruitable prospect as an "athlete". That said, he's a pretty good thrower, so if he wanted to remain QB, I'd take him if I was a OVC team. Mitchell also has a big lineman in Rodregus Scruggs (6-foot-6, 270-pounds). Apparently, a lot of the teams that were interested in Malone, such as Alabama, Tennessee and Miami, have interest in Scruggs as well right now. I'd need to learn more to know how good of a prospect he really is though. His teammate Veronicco Jenkins is another interesting prospect for them at 6-foot-5, 260-pounds. Several SEC schools are supposedly looking at him right now including Vanderbilt. Linebacker Greg Peterson is also one to watch at Mitchell.
Sheffield High has another series of players, led by athlete Brian Leachman. He's a 6-foot-4, 200-pound combo type prospect who could figure into a big receiver/TE role or perhaps become a defensive end. He was originally at White Station as a sophomore and has apparently had the eye of VU and UT ever since. Ole Miss has supposedly offered him. Sheffield also has Denzell Wilson. He split time with the very fast Demario Carter at running back for the Knights, but also saw time at quarterback. He's said to be a real natural athlete and should pick up attention if he goes camping this spring and summer.
Kirby High had a very underrated prospect in Caesare Johnson last year. He would've been a SEC player, he had that kind of raw athletic talent. However, his grades weren't good, so he's headed to a JUCO. This year, Kirby has Courtney Richmond, a corner who should get a number of looks. Meanwhile, Frayser DB/Ath Kevin Barfield has already picked up an offer from Southern Miss and is getting long looks from Memphis and Colorado. He has 6 interceptions and eight other pass deflections last season.
Other Memphis prospects that look to have Division 1-A level ability:
Stephond Allmond- Memphis University School (Athlete)
Keaton Baker- Cordova (quarterback/athlete)
Cortez Bowen- Trezevant (Defensive End)
Marquette Dockery- Hillcrest (Quarterback/Athlete)
Coree Gatewood- Raliegh Egypt (Fullback)
Desi Lane- Ridgeway (Defensive End)
Austin Marshall- Cordova (Offensive Line)
D.J. McNeil- Briarcrest Christian (Running Back)
Jeff Jackson- Arlington (Offensive Line)
Sirgregory Thornton- Germantown (Running back)
However, there's several other high-level prospects that the Dores (and other teams) either can't recruit or are currently evaluating. I thought I'd take the time to point out a good bit of these guys.
At Melrose High, there will be several guys that will get good looks from SEC, ACC, Big East, CUSA or other conferences. First is running back Joshua Calhoun. He's a 5-foot-9, 175-pound runner with good quickness. Eric Watson, who starred at Olive Branch (Miss.) last year, is also apparently at Melrose now and if that's the case, Calhoun may get overshadowed. Still, I expect Calhoun's talent to at least give him CUSA consideration. If Watson does indeed suit up for Melrose (there's been rumors of him going back to Olive Branch), he will certainly get an opportunity with a BCS team. In fact, I think Texas Tech might be close to offering him. On defense, Melrose has a trio of good looking defensive linemen in Blarrington Ellis, Lawrence Peterson and Lorenzo Davis. Ellis will probably end up as a DT in college, no matter what level he's at. Peterson, I think, is more of a linebacker than an end..I wouldn't be surprised to see him end up as a 6-foot-2, 220-pound weakside backer in college. Davis will need to put on more weight (only 200 pounds) but he's great solid natural ability and should probably end up somewhere if his grades are decent. Probably the strength of Melrose will be their secondary and two guys to watch here are Lequinton Peppers and Eric Hall. I believe that the 5-foot-10, 180-pound Peppers has already picked up a few CUSA/Sun Belt offers and a couple of Big 12 schools like Colorado are showing interest. Hall is a bigger corner and may get looks as an "athlete". 6-foot-1, 190-pound Johnathan Crawford is another Melrose DB who will get looks.
While Harvey is probably the biggest recruit at White Station this year, the Spartans still have some other D1-A level prospects in tight end/receiver Anthony Hayes and receiver Julian Barton. Hayes is only about 6-foot-2, 225-pounds, so he's probably more of a H-back than a WR or true TE. Still, he has good hands and good feet and I liked his video a lot. I think he's someone that will certainly get lower-level D1-A offers but I also think that someone like Georgia Tech might be smart to recruit him. Barton's a 5-foot-11, 180-pound slot type who's getting attention from several SEC and ACC programs. Probably one of the better WR prospects since Trey Rich, who was in Chris Marve's senior class. The Spartans also have a offensive lineman named Deandra Simmons who's apparently getting looks. Can't say I know much about him though at this time.
Over at Mitchell High, Keiwone Malone is obviously the big name here after committing to Alabama. I actually saw sophomore video of Malone last year and it's no surprise to see him blow up like he did. He's a pretty sound player. His QB, Robert Redmond, is a pretty good player too. Obviously he's too short to really be a QB at a major school, but I do think he could be a recruitable prospect as an "athlete". That said, he's a pretty good thrower, so if he wanted to remain QB, I'd take him if I was a OVC team. Mitchell also has a big lineman in Rodregus Scruggs (6-foot-6, 270-pounds). Apparently, a lot of the teams that were interested in Malone, such as Alabama, Tennessee and Miami, have interest in Scruggs as well right now. I'd need to learn more to know how good of a prospect he really is though. His teammate Veronicco Jenkins is another interesting prospect for them at 6-foot-5, 260-pounds. Several SEC schools are supposedly looking at him right now including Vanderbilt. Linebacker Greg Peterson is also one to watch at Mitchell.
Sheffield High has another series of players, led by athlete Brian Leachman. He's a 6-foot-4, 200-pound combo type prospect who could figure into a big receiver/TE role or perhaps become a defensive end. He was originally at White Station as a sophomore and has apparently had the eye of VU and UT ever since. Ole Miss has supposedly offered him. Sheffield also has Denzell Wilson. He split time with the very fast Demario Carter at running back for the Knights, but also saw time at quarterback. He's said to be a real natural athlete and should pick up attention if he goes camping this spring and summer.
Kirby High had a very underrated prospect in Caesare Johnson last year. He would've been a SEC player, he had that kind of raw athletic talent. However, his grades weren't good, so he's headed to a JUCO. This year, Kirby has Courtney Richmond, a corner who should get a number of looks. Meanwhile, Frayser DB/Ath Kevin Barfield has already picked up an offer from Southern Miss and is getting long looks from Memphis and Colorado. He has 6 interceptions and eight other pass deflections last season.
Other Memphis prospects that look to have Division 1-A level ability:
Stephond Allmond- Memphis University School (Athlete)
Keaton Baker- Cordova (quarterback/athlete)
Cortez Bowen- Trezevant (Defensive End)
Marquette Dockery- Hillcrest (Quarterback/Athlete)
Coree Gatewood- Raliegh Egypt (Fullback)
Desi Lane- Ridgeway (Defensive End)
Austin Marshall- Cordova (Offensive Line)
D.J. McNeil- Briarcrest Christian (Running Back)
Jeff Jackson- Arlington (Offensive Line)
Sirgregory Thornton- Germantown (Running back)
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Prospects who must have just missed the Rivals250
Rivals.com released its Rivals250 ranking on Thursday and like every year, there's a number of prospects who get left off the first list. With camps and senior seasons just starting up, the initial release of the 250 will always result in a few guys getting slighted. Still, Rivals updates the ranking throughout for this reason and here's a few guys that I think will ultimately end up as Rivals250 prospects by signing day of next year.
Quarterbacks
Anthony Gonzalez- Bethlehem, Pa.
Andrew Hendrix- Cincinnait, Ohio
Dallas Lloyd- Pleasant Grove, Utah
Running Backs
Andre Givens- Hubbard, Ohio
Mustafa Green- Irmo, S.C.
Darion Hall- Naples, Fla
Kendrum Malcolme- Decatur, Ga.
Austin White- Livonia, Mich.
Receivers
Alex Kenney- State College, Pa.
James Louis- Delray, Fla.
Kenny Shaw- Orlando, Fla.
Darius Terrell- Desoto, Texas
Offensive Tackles
Robby Havenstein- Frederick, Md.
Bronson Irwin- Mustang, Okla.
T.J. Leifheit- Wilmington, NC
Mark Shuman- Fork Union, Va.
Offensive Guards
Luke Graham- Harrison City, Pa.
Travis Jackson- Columbus, Ohio
Jose Jose- Miami, Fla.
Cody Lindsay- Woodlands, Texas
Shane McDermott- Wellington, Fla.
Adam Shead- Cedar Hill, Texas
Defensive Ends
Neiron Ball- Jackson, Ga.
Jalen Fields- Dalton, Ga.
Wilson Love- Birmingham, Ala.
Linebackers
BJ Butler- Kissimmee, Fla.
Jake Holland- Pelham, Ala.
Caleb Lavey- Celina, Texas
LaDarius Owens- Bessemer, Ala.
Brandon Smith- Columbus, Ga.
Jerome Snow- Canton, Ohio
Cornerbacks
Toney Hurd, Jr.- Missouri City, Texas
Rashad Knight- Jacksonville, Fla.
Kacy Rodgers- Southlake, Texas
Demetrius Wright- Corona, Calif.
Safeties
Daunte Carr- Buford, Ga.
Dontae Johnson- Pennington, NJ
Athletes
Spencer Boyd- Cape Coral, Fla.
Bashaud Breeland- Allendale, SC
Julian Horton- Norcross, Ga.
Josh Furman- Millersville, Md.
Shaun Kitchens- College Park, Ga.
Aramide Olaniyan- Woodberry Forest, Va.
Derek Owens- Jacksonville, Fla.
Adrian Phillips- Garland, Texas
Jordan Thomas- Endicott, NY
These guys will be solid three stars for a while but I bet that most will end up being four stars and ranked in the Rivals250 by the end of the 2010 recruiting period.
Quarterbacks
Anthony Gonzalez- Bethlehem, Pa.
Andrew Hendrix- Cincinnait, Ohio
Dallas Lloyd- Pleasant Grove, Utah
Running Backs
Andre Givens- Hubbard, Ohio
Mustafa Green- Irmo, S.C.
Darion Hall- Naples, Fla
Kendrum Malcolme- Decatur, Ga.
Austin White- Livonia, Mich.
Receivers
Alex Kenney- State College, Pa.
James Louis- Delray, Fla.
Kenny Shaw- Orlando, Fla.
Darius Terrell- Desoto, Texas
Offensive Tackles
Robby Havenstein- Frederick, Md.
Bronson Irwin- Mustang, Okla.
T.J. Leifheit- Wilmington, NC
Mark Shuman- Fork Union, Va.
Offensive Guards
Luke Graham- Harrison City, Pa.
Travis Jackson- Columbus, Ohio
Jose Jose- Miami, Fla.
Cody Lindsay- Woodlands, Texas
Shane McDermott- Wellington, Fla.
Adam Shead- Cedar Hill, Texas
Defensive Ends
Neiron Ball- Jackson, Ga.
Jalen Fields- Dalton, Ga.
Wilson Love- Birmingham, Ala.
Linebackers
BJ Butler- Kissimmee, Fla.
Jake Holland- Pelham, Ala.
Caleb Lavey- Celina, Texas
LaDarius Owens- Bessemer, Ala.
Brandon Smith- Columbus, Ga.
Jerome Snow- Canton, Ohio
Cornerbacks
Toney Hurd, Jr.- Missouri City, Texas
Rashad Knight- Jacksonville, Fla.
Kacy Rodgers- Southlake, Texas
Demetrius Wright- Corona, Calif.
Safeties
Daunte Carr- Buford, Ga.
Dontae Johnson- Pennington, NJ
Athletes
Spencer Boyd- Cape Coral, Fla.
Bashaud Breeland- Allendale, SC
Julian Horton- Norcross, Ga.
Josh Furman- Millersville, Md.
Shaun Kitchens- College Park, Ga.
Aramide Olaniyan- Woodberry Forest, Va.
Derek Owens- Jacksonville, Fla.
Adrian Phillips- Garland, Texas
Jordan Thomas- Endicott, NY
These guys will be solid three stars for a while but I bet that most will end up being four stars and ranked in the Rivals250 by the end of the 2010 recruiting period.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Opinion: the prospect that Vanderbilt HAS TO offer
There is a number of prospects, every year, that seem to "slip through the cracks" with each school's recruiting process. One prospect that can not slip through the crack this year is Woodberry Forest (Va.) athlete Aramide Olaniyan.
In my opinion, the 6-foot-2, 205-pound defensive dynamo would be an absolute fit in Vanderbilt's defensive scheme and a difference maker that could lead to championships. There I said it, this guy could help VU get over the hump. Just one look at his video and you see someone with the kind of talent as a LaVar Arrington. This kid is the complete package in my mind and with the kind of defensive talent VU has brought into the program the last two years, I do believe he could be a piece that would put the Commodores over the top and challenge for things that some have only dreamed of. He's a very strong hybrid that could play linebacker or end...I don't think it would matter, because I think he projects considerably better than a number of guys I've seen on the Rivals100 the past couple of years.
But for some reason, the Commodores have yet to officially offer Olaniyan. We at VandySports.com know that VU and Olaniyan are in constant contact with each other and that "A.O." is firmly on their board. In fact, he's probably moreso on VU's board than some guys that have already received official offers in the mail. Add to it that it's become quite clear that he wants to go to a school with a very prestigous degree and is serious about graduating it's players.
Tonight, there was yet another update on the Virginia standout and he mentions VU about being close and what they are looking at him as. I know the staff would love to get him in camp and figure out where he might fit best, but I personally say forget that because he also stated that he may only visit or camp at schools that offer. To me, it's clear that Vanderbilt really likes the guy, so why not go ahead and pull the trigger on the offer and see what happens. This just isn't a guy that Vandy can "allow" to go to Stanford or worst yet, Wake Forest.
I have never pretended to be a coach nor a true talent evaluator and have rarely, if ever, questioned the VU coaching staff on how it recruits kids, but I'm convinced that Olaniyan would be a tremendous addition to the program, both on the field and off it.
Now maybe there is something I don't know about, that's slowing the process here. Heck, maybe there's even the thought that he might not pick them, so why offer? I seriously doubt that's the case, I just know that others have thought that about non-offering a high-level prospect before. Who knows if he'd actually pick VU, maybe he's like other kids that would cave in to one of the superpowers like Florida or Michigan. Still, I believe Vanderbilt has to offer this young man and offer him soon. Just to really see what might happen if they did.
If I'm wrong about this kid in 2-4 years, whether he's in a VU uniform or not, oh well. Still, I don't think I will be. He's going to be one awesome player for someone. Hopefully VU will give themselves a shot to be that someone.
In my opinion, the 6-foot-2, 205-pound defensive dynamo would be an absolute fit in Vanderbilt's defensive scheme and a difference maker that could lead to championships. There I said it, this guy could help VU get over the hump. Just one look at his video and you see someone with the kind of talent as a LaVar Arrington. This kid is the complete package in my mind and with the kind of defensive talent VU has brought into the program the last two years, I do believe he could be a piece that would put the Commodores over the top and challenge for things that some have only dreamed of. He's a very strong hybrid that could play linebacker or end...I don't think it would matter, because I think he projects considerably better than a number of guys I've seen on the Rivals100 the past couple of years.
But for some reason, the Commodores have yet to officially offer Olaniyan. We at VandySports.com know that VU and Olaniyan are in constant contact with each other and that "A.O." is firmly on their board. In fact, he's probably moreso on VU's board than some guys that have already received official offers in the mail. Add to it that it's become quite clear that he wants to go to a school with a very prestigous degree and is serious about graduating it's players.
Tonight, there was yet another update on the Virginia standout and he mentions VU about being close and what they are looking at him as. I know the staff would love to get him in camp and figure out where he might fit best, but I personally say forget that because he also stated that he may only visit or camp at schools that offer. To me, it's clear that Vanderbilt really likes the guy, so why not go ahead and pull the trigger on the offer and see what happens. This just isn't a guy that Vandy can "allow" to go to Stanford or worst yet, Wake Forest.
I have never pretended to be a coach nor a true talent evaluator and have rarely, if ever, questioned the VU coaching staff on how it recruits kids, but I'm convinced that Olaniyan would be a tremendous addition to the program, both on the field and off it.
Now maybe there is something I don't know about, that's slowing the process here. Heck, maybe there's even the thought that he might not pick them, so why offer? I seriously doubt that's the case, I just know that others have thought that about non-offering a high-level prospect before. Who knows if he'd actually pick VU, maybe he's like other kids that would cave in to one of the superpowers like Florida or Michigan. Still, I believe Vanderbilt has to offer this young man and offer him soon. Just to really see what might happen if they did.
If I'm wrong about this kid in 2-4 years, whether he's in a VU uniform or not, oh well. Still, I don't think I will be. He's going to be one awesome player for someone. Hopefully VU will give themselves a shot to be that someone.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
More 2010 names in Nashville metro
In addition to Brandon Brown of Hillwood (Featured this morning on VandySports.com: Link ,and possible 5-star James Stone of Maplewood, there's going to be plenty of other recruits to follow with Nashville city schools.
Here's some that I'm keeping an eye on:
DE. Desmond Johnson- John Overton High.
Obviously his stock is rising now that Vanderbilt's very interested and Ole Miss has even offered. He had been a pretty good basketball player but he was light's out in his first year playing football last fall.
DB/Ath. Clifford Jetton- Whites Creek.
Good looking prospect, seems to have a lot of upside as a possible DB, perhaps running back. Was the Cobras running back this past year and also played some QB. The Cobras have about four guys overall who could end up signing with D1-A or D1-AA teams, including Kenneth Pettiford, Javier Booker and lineman Tory Booker.
QB/Ath. Greg Young- Hillsboro.
Was the QB that finally led the Burros to a state championship..marking just the 5th time a metro Nashville team has won a TSSAA title. Probably not going to make a D1-A team as a QB, but could be a prospect for safety at that level. Hopefully, he'll hit the camp scene this summer. LB/WR. Cody Blihovdi will be someone to watch too at Hillsboro.
Ath. Rodney Pruitt- Antioch.
Good little athlete, probably going to be a tweener recruit [D1-A or D1-AA]. If he was taller than 5-foot-8, he'd probably project as a for sure D1-A prospect. Played QB for the Bears for a bit but his future seems to be cornerback, maybe slot receiver in college. Kind of reminds me of one-time VU cornerback Marquez Hall.
DT. Kennedy Emebuner- Glencliff.
6-1, 285 pounder is very under the radar. Not sure how much play he's going to get in the recruiting scene because the Colt football program is so off the beaten path. Still, could be a name to remember.
There's a few more from other selected schools that are on my radar. More on them as the summer progresses.
Here's some that I'm keeping an eye on:
DE. Desmond Johnson- John Overton High.
Obviously his stock is rising now that Vanderbilt's very interested and Ole Miss has even offered. He had been a pretty good basketball player but he was light's out in his first year playing football last fall.
DB/Ath. Clifford Jetton- Whites Creek.
Good looking prospect, seems to have a lot of upside as a possible DB, perhaps running back. Was the Cobras running back this past year and also played some QB. The Cobras have about four guys overall who could end up signing with D1-A or D1-AA teams, including Kenneth Pettiford, Javier Booker and lineman Tory Booker.
QB/Ath. Greg Young- Hillsboro.
Was the QB that finally led the Burros to a state championship..marking just the 5th time a metro Nashville team has won a TSSAA title. Probably not going to make a D1-A team as a QB, but could be a prospect for safety at that level. Hopefully, he'll hit the camp scene this summer. LB/WR. Cody Blihovdi will be someone to watch too at Hillsboro.
Ath. Rodney Pruitt- Antioch.
Good little athlete, probably going to be a tweener recruit [D1-A or D1-AA]. If he was taller than 5-foot-8, he'd probably project as a for sure D1-A prospect. Played QB for the Bears for a bit but his future seems to be cornerback, maybe slot receiver in college. Kind of reminds me of one-time VU cornerback Marquez Hall.
DT. Kennedy Emebuner- Glencliff.
6-1, 285 pounder is very under the radar. Not sure how much play he's going to get in the recruiting scene because the Colt football program is so off the beaten path. Still, could be a name to remember.
There's a few more from other selected schools that are on my radar. More on them as the summer progresses.
Monday, March 9, 2009
Database watch, recommended video, humor
Database Watch
There's a few new prospects that have joined the Vanderbilt database lately. Here's some notes on each:
http://vanderbilt.rivals.com/viewprospect.asp?pr_key=95453
RB. Rajaan Bennett - Mceachern High, Powder Springs, Ga.
Comes from the same school that produced both Norval McKenzie and Matt Clay. Have to wonder if McKenzie is helping in the recruitment of Bennett. He's a bigger back that rushed for over 1,000 yards last year while dealing with injuries. He was also the RB MVP at the Atlanta NUC combine this year. Has an offer from Kentucky already.
http://vanderbilt.rivals.com/viewprospect.asp?pr_key=95070
RB. Ben Emert - West Forsyth High, Ball Ground, Ga.
Rushed for over 1,100 yards and 18 TDs last year. Another bigger back who's been receiving good reviews from Rivals [behind the scenes]. Could also be a possible linebacker.
http://vanderbilt.rivals.com/viewprospect.asp?pr_key=95387
TE. Will Graves - Leesville, La.
Really interested in this prospect, stands at 6-foot-6/6-foot-7, 250 pounds, I'd imagine he's being looked at as a possible option at offensive tackle.
http://vanderbilt.rivals.com/viewprospect.asp?pr_key=95451
CB. DeMarius Matthews - Mceachern High, Powder Springs, Ga.
Another Mceachern kid, see a pattern here? He too was a Atlanta NUC combine MVP, for defensive backs, earlier this year. First thought is I wonder about how big he could get, being at only 5-9, 160. Still, if he's as fast and quick as they say, he might be someone to really watch.
http://vanderbilt.rivals.com/viewprospect.asp?pr_key=95400
Ath. Abdulai Bangura - Eleanor Roosevelt High, Greenbelt, Md.
His sophomore video is on YouTube, watched it, not sure if he's what VU's looking for honestly. Like Matthews he's a bit on the small side but unlike Matthews reputation, I don't see the speed, quickness, or twitch that VU's generally looking for. Perhaps he's grown a lot in the past year.
Recommended video
As you've probably noticed on the site in the past month or so, I've been linking a lot of prospect video to the front page. I probably watch more video than any other writer on the network. That's not to toot my own horn, just relay that I have no life, haha.
Anyway, here's some video that I recommend of VU listed prospects (these are all on Rivals):
QB. Munchie Legaux- New Orleans, La.
QB. Jared Barnett- Garland, Tx.
WR. Michael Bennett- Alpharetta, Ga.
WR. Chris Boyd- Roswell, Ga.
WR. Zeke Walters- Birmingham, Ala.
OL. Josh Allen- Cedar Hill, Tx.
LB. Jonathan Brown- Memphis, Tn.
LB. Brandon Smith- Columbus, Ga.
CB. Anterio Sloan- West Helena, Ark.
Ath. Barry Bostic- Louisville, Ga.
Ath. Kain Colter- Englewood, Colo. [Highly, Highly recommend]
Ath. Marcus Jackson- Lindale, Ga.
Ath. Cameron Myers- Lithonia, Ga.
Ath. Ryan Smith- Cordova, Ala.
And here is a few prospects that I have found elsewhere (non-Rivals video). I think you will like them.
Ath. James King- Orinda, Calif. (YouTube.com)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91Wio0EY5Vg
LB. Desmond Bozeman- Ft.Lauderdale, Fla. (soflafootball.com)
http://www.soflafootball.com/homepage-hot-news/video-desmond-bozeman
DB/Ath. Greg Dent- Glades Central, Fla. (soflafootball.com)
http://www.soflafootball.com/homepage-hot-news/video-greg-dent
DE/LB. Darius Wallace- Crestwood High, Sumter, SC (AthleteVault.com)
http://www.athletevault.com/Videos/DariusWallace2AV.html
I'll always recommend videos to my readers, so expect this to be a weekly thing.
Humor
You see things in recruiting...especially when you're dealing with 16-17 year old kids and such a high volume of them (there's generally close to about 5,000 prospects that will get coverage on Rivals.com, alone, every year).
I've been paying attention to this stud in Florida named Jeff Luc. He's 6-foot-1, 240 pounds, looks like a big time beast...I'm sure he'll be in the Rivals100. Still, I've noticed something in all of his Rivals interviews:
http://footballrecruiting.rivals.com/content.asp?cid=921974
Seriously, what's up with the purple backpack guy?
There's a few new prospects that have joined the Vanderbilt database lately. Here's some notes on each:
http://vanderbilt.rivals.com/viewprospect.asp?pr_key=95453
RB. Rajaan Bennett - Mceachern High, Powder Springs, Ga.
Comes from the same school that produced both Norval McKenzie and Matt Clay. Have to wonder if McKenzie is helping in the recruitment of Bennett. He's a bigger back that rushed for over 1,000 yards last year while dealing with injuries. He was also the RB MVP at the Atlanta NUC combine this year. Has an offer from Kentucky already.
http://vanderbilt.rivals.com/viewprospect.asp?pr_key=95070
RB. Ben Emert - West Forsyth High, Ball Ground, Ga.
Rushed for over 1,100 yards and 18 TDs last year. Another bigger back who's been receiving good reviews from Rivals [behind the scenes]. Could also be a possible linebacker.
http://vanderbilt.rivals.com/viewprospect.asp?pr_key=95387
TE. Will Graves - Leesville, La.
Really interested in this prospect, stands at 6-foot-6/6-foot-7, 250 pounds, I'd imagine he's being looked at as a possible option at offensive tackle.
http://vanderbilt.rivals.com/viewprospect.asp?pr_key=95451
CB. DeMarius Matthews - Mceachern High, Powder Springs, Ga.
Another Mceachern kid, see a pattern here? He too was a Atlanta NUC combine MVP, for defensive backs, earlier this year. First thought is I wonder about how big he could get, being at only 5-9, 160. Still, if he's as fast and quick as they say, he might be someone to really watch.
http://vanderbilt.rivals.com/viewprospect.asp?pr_key=95400
Ath. Abdulai Bangura - Eleanor Roosevelt High, Greenbelt, Md.
His sophomore video is on YouTube, watched it, not sure if he's what VU's looking for honestly. Like Matthews he's a bit on the small side but unlike Matthews reputation, I don't see the speed, quickness, or twitch that VU's generally looking for. Perhaps he's grown a lot in the past year.
Recommended video
As you've probably noticed on the site in the past month or so, I've been linking a lot of prospect video to the front page. I probably watch more video than any other writer on the network. That's not to toot my own horn, just relay that I have no life, haha.
Anyway, here's some video that I recommend of VU listed prospects (these are all on Rivals):
QB. Munchie Legaux- New Orleans, La.
QB. Jared Barnett- Garland, Tx.
WR. Michael Bennett- Alpharetta, Ga.
WR. Chris Boyd- Roswell, Ga.
WR. Zeke Walters- Birmingham, Ala.
OL. Josh Allen- Cedar Hill, Tx.
LB. Jonathan Brown- Memphis, Tn.
LB. Brandon Smith- Columbus, Ga.
CB. Anterio Sloan- West Helena, Ark.
Ath. Barry Bostic- Louisville, Ga.
Ath. Kain Colter- Englewood, Colo. [Highly, Highly recommend]
Ath. Marcus Jackson- Lindale, Ga.
Ath. Cameron Myers- Lithonia, Ga.
Ath. Ryan Smith- Cordova, Ala.
And here is a few prospects that I have found elsewhere (non-Rivals video). I think you will like them.
Ath. James King- Orinda, Calif. (YouTube.com)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91Wio0EY5Vg
LB. Desmond Bozeman- Ft.Lauderdale, Fla. (soflafootball.com)
http://www.soflafootball.com/homepage-hot-news/video-desmond-bozeman
DB/Ath. Greg Dent- Glades Central, Fla. (soflafootball.com)
http://www.soflafootball.com/homepage-hot-news/video-greg-dent
DE/LB. Darius Wallace- Crestwood High, Sumter, SC (AthleteVault.com)
http://www.athletevault.com/Videos/DariusWallace2AV.html
I'll always recommend videos to my readers, so expect this to be a weekly thing.
Humor
You see things in recruiting...especially when you're dealing with 16-17 year old kids and such a high volume of them (there's generally close to about 5,000 prospects that will get coverage on Rivals.com, alone, every year).
I've been paying attention to this stud in Florida named Jeff Luc. He's 6-foot-1, 240 pounds, looks like a big time beast...I'm sure he'll be in the Rivals100. Still, I've noticed something in all of his Rivals interviews:
http://footballrecruiting.rivals.com/content.asp?cid=921974
Seriously, what's up with the purple backpack guy?
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Flashback: EA Sports NCAA Dynasty
As elluded to before, here's a recap of my EA Sports NCAA College Football Dynasty if I was to build it specifically from national recruits in the 2009 recruiting class. Remember, I went by EA's 70 player roster limit in doing this so though a real team would have 85 scholarship players, I only have 70 to work with.
Also, these are not my picks for the Top 70 players in the country from the 2009 class, merely this is how I would build a team with certain prospects. I also purposely did not include Vanderbilt signees.
Quarterbacks (4)
1. Allan Bridgford- Mission Viejo, Cal. [signed with California]
2. Russell Shepard- Cypress Ridge, Tx. [signed with LSU]
3. Zach Mettenberger- Oconee County, Ga. [signed with Georgia]
4. Drew Allen- Alamo Heights, Tx. [signed with Oklahoma]
Running Backs (5)
5. David Wilson- George Washington, Va. [signed with Virginia Tech]
6. Christine Michael- West Brook, Tx. [signed with Texas A&M]
7. Al-Terek McBurse- Winter Springs, Fla. [signed with Purdue]
8. Dasarte Yarnway- Sacred Heart Cathedral, Calif. [signed with California]
9. Mike James- Davenport Ride, Fl. [signed with Miami]
Fullback (1)
10. Dominique Allen- Henry County, Tn. [signed with LSU]
Wide Receiver (7)
11. Rueben Randle- Bastop, La. [signed with LSU]
12. Andre Debose- Seminole, Fla. [signed with Florida]
13. Marlon Brown- Harding Academy, Tn. [signed with Georgia]
14. Bryce McNeal- Breck School, MN [signed with Clemson]
15. Nu'Keese Richardson- Pahokee, Fla. [signed with Tennessee]
16. Logan Heastie- Great Bridge, Va. [signed with West Virginia]
17. De'Von Flournoy- Birmingham, Cal. [signed with Southern Cal]
Tight End (3)
18. Morrell Presley- Carson, Col. [signed with UCLA]
19. Ra'shede Hageman- Washburn, MN. [signed with Minnesota]
20. Trey Graham- Midway, TX [signed with Texas]
Offensive Tackle (6)
21. Eric Shrive- West Scranton, PA [signed with Penn State]
22. Xavier Nixon- Jack Britt, NC. [signed with Florida]
23. DJ Fluker- Foley, Ala. [signed with Alabama]
24. Garrett Porter- Odessa Permian, TX. [signed with Texas]
25. Michael Schofield- Sandburg, IL. [signed with Michigan]
26. Xavier Su'a Filo- Timpview, UT [signed with UCLA]
Offensive Guard (5)
27. Chris Burnette- Troup, Ga. [signed with Georgia]
28. Corey Linsley- Boardman, OH [signed with Ohio State]
29. Ivory Wade- Dickinson, TX [signed with Baylor]
30. Johnnie Farms- Perry, Ga. [signed with North Carolina]
31. Will Jackson- Farragut, TN [signed with Georgia Tech]
Offensive Center (2)
32. Jack Mewhort- St.Johns, OH [signed with Ohio State]
33. John Martinez- Cottonwood Senior, UT [signed with Southern Cal]
Defensive Tackle (5)
34. Sheldon Richardson- Gateway, Mo. [signed with Missouri]
35. Jacobbi McDaniel- Madison County, Fla. [signed with Florida State]
36. Arby Jones- Northside, Ga. [signed with Georgia]
37. Jared McAdoo- Chapel Hill, NC [signed with North Carolina]
38. Jordan Kohout- Waupun, Wis. [signed with Wisconsin]
Defensive End (6)
39. Mallicah Goodman- West Florence, SC [signed with Clemson]
40. Ryne Giddins- Armwood, Fla. [signed with South Florida]
41. Devon Kennard- Desert Vista, Az. [signed with Southern Cal]
42. William Ming- Athens, Ala. [signed with Alabama]
43. Emanuel Dieke- North Clayton, Ga. [signed with Georgia Tech]
44. Sean Stanley- Gaithersburg, Md. [signed with Penn State]
Outside Linebacker (6)
45. Jelani Jenkins- Good Counsel, Md. [signed with Florida]
46. Shayne Skov- Trinity Pawling, NY [signed with Stanford]
47. Marquis Simmons- Dominguez, Cal. [signed with Southern Cal]
48. Dexter Moody- ECI, Ga. [signed with Georgia]
49. Jamal Merrell- Newark, Del. [signed with Rutgers]
50. Tom Wort- New Braunfels, TX [signed with Oklahoma]
Middle Linebacker (4)
51. Vontaze Burfict- Centennial, Cal. [signed with Arizona State]
52. Nico Johnson- Andalusia, Ala. [signed with Alabama]
53. Trevor Erno- Lakewood, Cal. [signed with Arizona]
54. Dan Mason- Penn Hills, Pa. [signed with Pittsburgh]
Cornerback (6)
55. Dre Kirkpatrick- Gadsden City, Ala. [signed with Alabama]
56. Branden Smith- Washington, Ga. [signed with Georgia]
57. Corey Brown- Gateway, Pa. [signed with Ohio State]
58. Eryon Bennett- Euless Trinity, TX [signed with Texas]
59. Janzen Jackson- Barbe (La.) [signed with Tennessee]
60. Sheldon Price- Bishop Amat, Cal. [signed with UCLA]
Strong Safety (3)
61. Jawanza Starling- Tallahassee Lincoln, Fl. [signed with Southern Cal]
62. Daytawion Lowe- Carl Albert, OK [signed with Oklahoma State]
63. DJ Swearinger- Greenwood, SC [signed with South Carolina]
Free Safety (3)
64. Craig Loston- Eisenhower, TX [signed with LSU]
65. Justin Turner- Washington, OH [signed with Michigan]
66. Tevin McCaskill- Miami Northwestern, Fla. [unsigned at this time, probably going prep]
Athlete (2)
67. Patrick Hall- St.Bonaventure, Cal. [signed with Southern Cal]
68. Marsalis Teague- Henry County, TN [signed with Tennessee]
Kicker (1)
69. Anthony Fera- St.Pius X TX [signed with Penn State]
Punter (1)
70. Ben Turk- St.Thomas Aquinas, Fla. [signed with Notre Dame]
Maybe I make a team comprised of the attributes that these players have. That would be interesting haha.
Also, these are not my picks for the Top 70 players in the country from the 2009 class, merely this is how I would build a team with certain prospects. I also purposely did not include Vanderbilt signees.
Quarterbacks (4)
1. Allan Bridgford- Mission Viejo, Cal. [signed with California]
2. Russell Shepard- Cypress Ridge, Tx. [signed with LSU]
3. Zach Mettenberger- Oconee County, Ga. [signed with Georgia]
4. Drew Allen- Alamo Heights, Tx. [signed with Oklahoma]
Running Backs (5)
5. David Wilson- George Washington, Va. [signed with Virginia Tech]
6. Christine Michael- West Brook, Tx. [signed with Texas A&M]
7. Al-Terek McBurse- Winter Springs, Fla. [signed with Purdue]
8. Dasarte Yarnway- Sacred Heart Cathedral, Calif. [signed with California]
9. Mike James- Davenport Ride, Fl. [signed with Miami]
Fullback (1)
10. Dominique Allen- Henry County, Tn. [signed with LSU]
Wide Receiver (7)
11. Rueben Randle- Bastop, La. [signed with LSU]
12. Andre Debose- Seminole, Fla. [signed with Florida]
13. Marlon Brown- Harding Academy, Tn. [signed with Georgia]
14. Bryce McNeal- Breck School, MN [signed with Clemson]
15. Nu'Keese Richardson- Pahokee, Fla. [signed with Tennessee]
16. Logan Heastie- Great Bridge, Va. [signed with West Virginia]
17. De'Von Flournoy- Birmingham, Cal. [signed with Southern Cal]
Tight End (3)
18. Morrell Presley- Carson, Col. [signed with UCLA]
19. Ra'shede Hageman- Washburn, MN. [signed with Minnesota]
20. Trey Graham- Midway, TX [signed with Texas]
Offensive Tackle (6)
21. Eric Shrive- West Scranton, PA [signed with Penn State]
22. Xavier Nixon- Jack Britt, NC. [signed with Florida]
23. DJ Fluker- Foley, Ala. [signed with Alabama]
24. Garrett Porter- Odessa Permian, TX. [signed with Texas]
25. Michael Schofield- Sandburg, IL. [signed with Michigan]
26. Xavier Su'a Filo- Timpview, UT [signed with UCLA]
Offensive Guard (5)
27. Chris Burnette- Troup, Ga. [signed with Georgia]
28. Corey Linsley- Boardman, OH [signed with Ohio State]
29. Ivory Wade- Dickinson, TX [signed with Baylor]
30. Johnnie Farms- Perry, Ga. [signed with North Carolina]
31. Will Jackson- Farragut, TN [signed with Georgia Tech]
Offensive Center (2)
32. Jack Mewhort- St.Johns, OH [signed with Ohio State]
33. John Martinez- Cottonwood Senior, UT [signed with Southern Cal]
Defensive Tackle (5)
34. Sheldon Richardson- Gateway, Mo. [signed with Missouri]
35. Jacobbi McDaniel- Madison County, Fla. [signed with Florida State]
36. Arby Jones- Northside, Ga. [signed with Georgia]
37. Jared McAdoo- Chapel Hill, NC [signed with North Carolina]
38. Jordan Kohout- Waupun, Wis. [signed with Wisconsin]
Defensive End (6)
39. Mallicah Goodman- West Florence, SC [signed with Clemson]
40. Ryne Giddins- Armwood, Fla. [signed with South Florida]
41. Devon Kennard- Desert Vista, Az. [signed with Southern Cal]
42. William Ming- Athens, Ala. [signed with Alabama]
43. Emanuel Dieke- North Clayton, Ga. [signed with Georgia Tech]
44. Sean Stanley- Gaithersburg, Md. [signed with Penn State]
Outside Linebacker (6)
45. Jelani Jenkins- Good Counsel, Md. [signed with Florida]
46. Shayne Skov- Trinity Pawling, NY [signed with Stanford]
47. Marquis Simmons- Dominguez, Cal. [signed with Southern Cal]
48. Dexter Moody- ECI, Ga. [signed with Georgia]
49. Jamal Merrell- Newark, Del. [signed with Rutgers]
50. Tom Wort- New Braunfels, TX [signed with Oklahoma]
Middle Linebacker (4)
51. Vontaze Burfict- Centennial, Cal. [signed with Arizona State]
52. Nico Johnson- Andalusia, Ala. [signed with Alabama]
53. Trevor Erno- Lakewood, Cal. [signed with Arizona]
54. Dan Mason- Penn Hills, Pa. [signed with Pittsburgh]
Cornerback (6)
55. Dre Kirkpatrick- Gadsden City, Ala. [signed with Alabama]
56. Branden Smith- Washington, Ga. [signed with Georgia]
57. Corey Brown- Gateway, Pa. [signed with Ohio State]
58. Eryon Bennett- Euless Trinity, TX [signed with Texas]
59. Janzen Jackson- Barbe (La.) [signed with Tennessee]
60. Sheldon Price- Bishop Amat, Cal. [signed with UCLA]
Strong Safety (3)
61. Jawanza Starling- Tallahassee Lincoln, Fl. [signed with Southern Cal]
62. Daytawion Lowe- Carl Albert, OK [signed with Oklahoma State]
63. DJ Swearinger- Greenwood, SC [signed with South Carolina]
Free Safety (3)
64. Craig Loston- Eisenhower, TX [signed with LSU]
65. Justin Turner- Washington, OH [signed with Michigan]
66. Tevin McCaskill- Miami Northwestern, Fla. [unsigned at this time, probably going prep]
Athlete (2)
67. Patrick Hall- St.Bonaventure, Cal. [signed with Southern Cal]
68. Marsalis Teague- Henry County, TN [signed with Tennessee]
Kicker (1)
69. Anthony Fera- St.Pius X TX [signed with Penn State]
Punter (1)
70. Ben Turk- St.Thomas Aquinas, Fla. [signed with Notre Dame]
Maybe I make a team comprised of the attributes that these players have. That would be interesting haha.
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Welcome to the 615 Report
Hello VandySports.com members and welcome to my new blog, the 615 Report. My focus for the 615 Report is to not only give you more information about Vanderbilt recruiting but to also give you other assorted thoughts on national recruiting as well. I figure we have many recruiting enthusiasts on the site, so why not start a blog on various topics that might not always just pertain to Vanderbilt's recruiting.
Hopefully this blog will be an extension of the War Room and VandySports.com members will enjoy some of the topics and prospects I will address in this blog.
Hopefully this blog will be an extension of the War Room and VandySports.com members will enjoy some of the topics and prospects I will address in this blog.
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