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.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Thursday, May 21, 2009
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.
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.
Saturday, May 16, 2009
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.
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.
Monday, May 11, 2009
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.
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.
Saturday, May 9, 2009
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.
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.
Monday, May 4, 2009
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.
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.
Friday, May 1, 2009
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.
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.
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