The 2010 recruiting period still has nearly 6 months to go, but it's never too early to look at the 2011 pool of talent, and I have already had my eyes on a number of 2011 prospects in the middle/west Tennessee area. I've broke it down to a few positions and what they've done so far this season.
QUARTERBACKS
Jake Overbey- University School of Jackson
Info: Passed for 255 yards and three touchdowns in season opener against Trinity Christian. He did throw one INT that was returned by fellow junior Jabriel Washington for a 24 yard TD.
Landon Grooms- LaVergne (6-foot-2, 205 pounds)
Info: Has completed 27-of-44 passes for 457 yards and 5 TDs through the first two games. He's also ran for 39 yards and a score on 5 carries.
Blake Mitchell- Ezell-Harding (5-foot-11, 180 pounds)
Info: Has thrown for 330 yards and 3 TDs while completing 22-of-30 passes with just one INT. He's also rushed for 187 yards and 3 TDs on 25 carries while leading the Eagles to a 2-0 start.
RUNNING BACKS
Stanley Hagan- Maplewood (6-foot-1, 175 pounds)
Info: Had 162 yards and 2 TDs on 18 carries against Hillsboro in Week Zero. However, he missed Maplewood's game against MBA.
Tez Humphreys- Overton (5-foot-11, 205 pounds)
Info: Has rushed for 325 yards and seven touchdowns on 59 carries in Overton's 2-0 start over Father Ryan and Stratford.
Justin Williams- Davidson Academy (5-foot-9, 185 pounds)
Info: Rushed for 271 yards and 4 TDs on 25 carries in Week Zero.
Markeise Lockeridge- Page (6-foot-1, 165 pounds)
Info: Has rushed for 352 yards and two touchdowns on 30 carries in the first two games. Also had a 97 yard kick return for a TD against David Lipscomb in Week Zero.
DeAnte Hughes- MBA (5-foot-8, 175 pounds)
Info: 18 carries for 129 yards and 2 tds.
Derek King- Brentwood Academy (5-foot-10, 177 pounds)
Info: Had 106 yards and two touchdowns on six carries in the Eagles season opener.
D'Anthony Hall- Pearl-Cohn (5-foot-9, 173 pounds)
Info: Has rushed for 58 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries and also had a 97-yard touchdown return on a kickoff against MBA.
WIDE RECEIVERS
Vaughn Cornelia- Mt. Juliet (6-foot-1, 185 pounds)
Info: 3 catches for 125 yards in Mt.Juliet's win over McGavock.
Nick Hill- Pearl-Cohn (6-foot-1, 185 pounds)
Info: Had 6 catches for 97 yards against Clarksville NE.
Joshua Pleasant- Brentwood Academy (5-foot-11, 175 pounds)
Info: 1 catch for 56 yards and a touchdown against Southwind.
DEFENSIVE PLAYERS
Jeremy Cole- Whites Creek (DE/LB, 6-foot-2, 230 pounds)
Info: 17 tackles and two sacks during WC's 2-0 start.
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Friday, August 21, 2009
Southern Cal lands the nation's top athlete
Why does it seem as though the term "the rich get richer" seem to always apply to the Southern Cal Trojans? Well, because they land some utterly impressive high school prospects such as Robert Woods every year, that's why.
Woods, a multiple position athlete from Gardena, California's Junipero Serra High, is one of those "no-brainer" recruits that comes along every few years that just absolutely jumps out at you as a likely future NFL player. The 6-foot-1, 185-pound sleek performer chose the Trojans recently over offers from virtually every college program in the nation. The elite level prospect is seriously dangerous with the football in his hand, whether as a versatile playmaking receiver or a game-changing defensive back. Woods caught 19 touchdowns and averaged over 17 yards per catch last year as a receiver for Serra while also picking off seven passes as a safety and racking up nearly 90 tackles. At almost any program next year, Woods could line up at either receiver or safety and likely start as a true freshman. He's that good.
However, at USC, Woods is going to come in and likely back up the outstanding Damian Williams as the Trojans "Z-receiver" next year and he could even possibly redshirt. Though most Southeastern Conference and Southern Cal fans will often get into debates and arguments over what would happen if the Trojans had to play a SEC schedule every year, there is no argument that Pete Carroll gets some seriously talented players every year. The fact that Woods could possibly not play next year, even at USC, is just eye-popping to me as I have him rated as the second best overall player in the 2010 class. For all the talk about Tennessee's Eric Berry being a amazing safety and overall athlete, Woods is taller and possibly quicker and is going to go into a world class training program next year to boot. He will likely be a name we hear in the coming years in terms of All-American status unless the Trojans bring in another amazing athlete to beat him out. And judging by the way they recruit, that just might happen.
Time will tell if the Trojans ever win another national championship under Carroll, but one thing is for sure, Southern Cal is going to continue to win conference titles and put lots of guys into the pros with the kind of elite talent they bring in every year.
Woods, a multiple position athlete from Gardena, California's Junipero Serra High, is one of those "no-brainer" recruits that comes along every few years that just absolutely jumps out at you as a likely future NFL player. The 6-foot-1, 185-pound sleek performer chose the Trojans recently over offers from virtually every college program in the nation. The elite level prospect is seriously dangerous with the football in his hand, whether as a versatile playmaking receiver or a game-changing defensive back. Woods caught 19 touchdowns and averaged over 17 yards per catch last year as a receiver for Serra while also picking off seven passes as a safety and racking up nearly 90 tackles. At almost any program next year, Woods could line up at either receiver or safety and likely start as a true freshman. He's that good.
However, at USC, Woods is going to come in and likely back up the outstanding Damian Williams as the Trojans "Z-receiver" next year and he could even possibly redshirt. Though most Southeastern Conference and Southern Cal fans will often get into debates and arguments over what would happen if the Trojans had to play a SEC schedule every year, there is no argument that Pete Carroll gets some seriously talented players every year. The fact that Woods could possibly not play next year, even at USC, is just eye-popping to me as I have him rated as the second best overall player in the 2010 class. For all the talk about Tennessee's Eric Berry being a amazing safety and overall athlete, Woods is taller and possibly quicker and is going to go into a world class training program next year to boot. He will likely be a name we hear in the coming years in terms of All-American status unless the Trojans bring in another amazing athlete to beat him out. And judging by the way they recruit, that just might happen.
Time will tell if the Trojans ever win another national championship under Carroll, but one thing is for sure, Southern Cal is going to continue to win conference titles and put lots of guys into the pros with the kind of elite talent they bring in every year.
Sunday, August 2, 2009
615 Report Team Rankings
Rivals.com recently started up its Team Rankings and based off of the 615 Top 100 I did last week, I wanted to do the same. I eventually plan to do a Top 300 player ranking, and after I do that, I'll have these team rankings updated. Here's what I've got out in terms of team rankings based off of the 615 100:
1. Georgia [5 top 50 commits]
2. Florida [5 in the 100]
3. USC [4 in the 100]
4. Texas [4 in the 100]
5. Alabama [3 in the 100]
6. LSU [3 in the 100]
7. Texas A&M [2 in the 100]
8. Tennessee [2 in the 100]
9. Oklahoma [2 in the 100]
10. UCLA [2 in the 100]
11. Ohio State [2 in the 100]
12. Clemson [2 in the 100]
13. North Carolina [1]
14. Notre Dame [1]
15. N.C. State [1]
16. Florida State [1]
17. South Carolina [1]
18. Michigan State [1]
19. BYU [1]
20. Illinois [1]
21. Penn State [1]
22. Iowa [1]
1. Georgia [5 top 50 commits]
2. Florida [5 in the 100]
3. USC [4 in the 100]
4. Texas [4 in the 100]
5. Alabama [3 in the 100]
6. LSU [3 in the 100]
7. Texas A&M [2 in the 100]
8. Tennessee [2 in the 100]
9. Oklahoma [2 in the 100]
10. UCLA [2 in the 100]
11. Ohio State [2 in the 100]
12. Clemson [2 in the 100]
13. North Carolina [1]
14. Notre Dame [1]
15. N.C. State [1]
16. Florida State [1]
17. South Carolina [1]
18. Michigan State [1]
19. BYU [1]
20. Illinois [1]
21. Penn State [1]
22. Iowa [1]
Sunday, July 26, 2009
My own version of the Rivals100...
While I fully support Rivals in its effort to do a ranking of the top prospects in the country, I do have my own version of the Rivals100.
So here goes the 615Report100:
1. Sharrif Floyd (DT)- Philadelphia (Pa.) George Washington High
2. Robert Woods (ATH)- Gardena (Cal.) Junipero Serra
3. Seantrel Henderson (OL)- Saint Paul (Minn.) Cretin-Derham Hall
4. Jackson Jeffcoat (DE)- Plano (TX) Plano West
5. Michael Dyer (RB)- Little Rock (Ark.) Little Rock Christian
6. Ronald Powell (DE)- Moreno Valley (Cal.) Rancho Verde
7. Matt Elam (Ath)- West Palm Beach (Fla.) Dwyer
8. Darius White (WR)- Fort Worth (TX) Dunbar
9. James Hurst (OL)- Indianapolis (Ind) Plainfield
10. DeMarcus Milliner (DB)- Millbrook (Ala.) Stanhope Elmore
11. Lache Seastrunk (RB)- Temple (TX)
12. D.J. Morgan (RB)- Woodland Hills (Cal) Taft
13. Chris Martin (DE)- Princeton (NJ) Hun School
14. Jonathan Dowling (DB)- Bradenton (Fla.) Southeast
15. Jordan Hicks (LB)- West Chester (OH) Lakota West
16. Brennan Clay (RB)- San Diego (Cal) Scripps Ranch
17. Latwan Anderson (DB)- Cleveland (OH) Glenville Academic
18. Brent Benedict (OL)- Jacksonville (Fla.) Bolles
19. J.R. Ferguson (DE)- Chatham (Va.) Hargrave Military
20. Alec Ogletree (DB)- Newnan (Ga.)
21. Jeff Luc (LB)- Port St.Lucie (Fla.) Treasure Coast
22. T.J. Stripling- Decatur (Ga.) Southwest Dekalb
23. Owamagbe Odighizuwa (DE) - Portland (Ore.) David Douglas
24. Anthony Barr (Ath)- Los Angeles (Cal.) Loyola
25. Martavis Bryant (WR)- Anderson (SC) TL Hanna
26. Kyle Prater (WR)- Hillside (Ill.) Proviso West
27. Robert Crisp (OL)- Chapel Hill (NC)
28. Da'Rick Rogers (WR)- Calhoun (Ga.)
29. Marcus Lattimore (RB)- Duncan (SC) Byrnes
30. Lamarcus Joyner (DB)- Ft.Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas
31. Malcolm Jones (Ath)- Westlake Village (Cal) Oaks Christian
32. Khairi Fortt (LB)- Stamford (CT)
33. Brandon Willis (DE)- Duncan (SC) Byrnes
34. Dillon Baxter (RB)- San Diego (Cal.) Mission Bay
35. Cody Riggs (DB)- Ft.Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas
36. Ivan McCartney (WR)- Miramar (Fla.)
37. Corey Nelson (LB)- Dallas (TX) Skyline
38. Corey Miller (DE)- Duncan (SC) Byrnes
39. Reggie Wilson (DE)- Haltom City (TX)
40. Christian Green (Ath)- Tampa (Fla.) Tampa Catholic
41. Andrew Norwell (OL)- Cincinnati (OL) Anderson
42. James Stone (OL)- Nashville (TN) Maplewood
43. Eduardo Clements (RB)- Miami (Fla.) Booker T. Washington
44. Gabe King- Greensboro (NC) Page
45. Mack Brown- Lithonia (Ga.) M.L. King
46. Kelcy Quarles (DT)- Greenwood (SC)
47. Garrison Smith (DL)- Atlanta (Ga.) Douglass
48. Markeith Ambles (WR)- McDonough (Ga.) Henry County
49. Phillip Sims (QB)- Chesapeake (Va.) Oscar Smith
50. Jaylen Watkins (DB)- Cape Coral (Fla.)
51. Keenan Allen (Ath)- Greensboro (NC) Northern Guilford
52. Jacques Smith (DE)- Ooltewah (TN)
53. Nick Forbes (LB)- Frederick (MD) Thomas Johnson
54. Brett Nottingham (QB)- Danville (Cal) Monte Vista
55. John Fulton (DB)- Manning (SC)
56. Eric Reid (DB)- Geismar (La.) Dutchtown
57. Trovon Reed (WR)- Thibodaux (La.)
58. Xavier Grimble (TE)- Las Vegas (NV) Bishop Gorman
59. Joshua Shaw (DB)- Palmdale (Cal)
60. Cullen Christian (DB)- Pittsburgh (PA) Penn Hills
61. Damien Robinson (OL) Olive Branch (Miss.)
62. Tony Jefferson (LB)- Chula Vista (Cal) Eastlake
63. Dion Bailey (DB)- Lakewood (Cal.)
64. Jake Matthews (OL)- Missouri City (TX) Elkins
65. Justin McCay (Ath)- Shawnee (Kansas) Bishop Miege
66. William Gholston (DE)- Detroit (Mich.) Southwestern
67. Trey Hopkins (OL)- Galena Park (TX) North Shore
68. Christian Jones (LB)- Winter Park (Fla.) Lake Howell
69. Bronson Kaufusi (DE)- Provo (UT) Timpview
70. C.J. Fiedorowicz (TE)- Johnsburg (Ill.)
71. Austin Hinder (QB)- Steamboat Springs (Colo.)
72. Marquis Flowers (Ath)- Goodyear (Az) Millennium
73. Nick Demien (OL)- Wentzville (Mo.) Timberland
74. Chris Jones (WR)- Daingerfield (TX)
75. Roderick Smith (RB)- Fort Wayne (Ind.) Harding
76. Matt James (OL)- Cincinnati (OH) St.Xavier
77. Ian Silberman (OL)- Fleming Island (Fla.)
78. George Uko (DT)- Chino (Cal) Don Lugo
79. Silas Redd (Ath)- Stamford (CT) King & Low Heywood Thomas
80. LaDarius Owens (LB)- Bessemer (Ala.) Jess Lanier
81. Chris Dunkley (WR)- Pahokee (Fla.)
82. Terrence Mitchell (DB)- Tampa (Fla.) Hillsborough
83. Corey Lemonier (DE)- Hialeah (Fla.)
84. Jarrick Williams (DB)- Eight Mile (Ala.) Blount
85. DeMarco Cobbs (Ath.)- Tulsa (OK) Tulsa Central
86. Michaelee Harris (WR)- Miami (Fla.) Northwestern
87. Chaz Green (OL)- Tampa (Fla.) Tampa Catholic
88. Carlos Thompson (DE)- Hollandale (Miss.) Simmons School
89. Shakim Phillips (WR)- Wayne (NJ) DePaul Catholic
90. Andrew Donnal (OL)- Whitehouse (OH) Anthony Wayne
91. Marcus Lucas (WR)- Liberty (Mo.)
92. Jordan Allen (DE)- West Monroe (La.)
93. Jawuan James (OL)- Suwanee (Ga.) North Gwinnett
94. Ashton Dorsey (DT)- Tyler (TX) John Tyler
95. Evan Washington (OL)- DeSoto (TX)
96. Roy Finch (RB)- Niceville (Fla.)
97. Josh Shirley (LB)- Fontana (Cal) Kaiser
98. DeAndre Hopkins (Ath.)- Central (SC) D.W.Daniel
99. Dominique Easley (DE)- Staten Island (NY) Curtis
100. Lynden Trail (DE)- Miami (Fla.) Booker T. Washington
Obviously, my biggest change was at QB where I had the two guys I was most high about in Brett Nottingham and Austin Hinder, not only in the 100 like they deserve, but higher. I think both are going to have pretty solid college careers. I also think my ranking of James Stone is more indictive of how good he really is. It's kind of laughable that he dropped because of one workout. The guy is a true Top 50 player, and top lineman and that's where he should be.
I think my top 100 here is closer to be the top 100 players in 3-5 years than the one Rivals currently has, though again, it's hard to rank so many prospects.
Also, my No.1 was Sharrif Floyd. Ranked only 9th by Rivals right now, I think Floyd is a DT that you can build a program around, moreso than Henderson is at OT.
Also, my No.2, Robert Woods, who's only ranked 16th by Rivals, is a guy that we could see on the cover of magazines and on ESPN in a couple of years. He's a two-way threat that is kind of like a bigger Eric Berry. Whoever gets him, is getting a superstar in the making in my opinion.
So here goes the 615Report100:
1. Sharrif Floyd (DT)- Philadelphia (Pa.) George Washington High
2. Robert Woods (ATH)- Gardena (Cal.) Junipero Serra
3. Seantrel Henderson (OL)- Saint Paul (Minn.) Cretin-Derham Hall
4. Jackson Jeffcoat (DE)- Plano (TX) Plano West
5. Michael Dyer (RB)- Little Rock (Ark.) Little Rock Christian
6. Ronald Powell (DE)- Moreno Valley (Cal.) Rancho Verde
7. Matt Elam (Ath)- West Palm Beach (Fla.) Dwyer
8. Darius White (WR)- Fort Worth (TX) Dunbar
9. James Hurst (OL)- Indianapolis (Ind) Plainfield
10. DeMarcus Milliner (DB)- Millbrook (Ala.) Stanhope Elmore
11. Lache Seastrunk (RB)- Temple (TX)
12. D.J. Morgan (RB)- Woodland Hills (Cal) Taft
13. Chris Martin (DE)- Princeton (NJ) Hun School
14. Jonathan Dowling (DB)- Bradenton (Fla.) Southeast
15. Jordan Hicks (LB)- West Chester (OH) Lakota West
16. Brennan Clay (RB)- San Diego (Cal) Scripps Ranch
17. Latwan Anderson (DB)- Cleveland (OH) Glenville Academic
18. Brent Benedict (OL)- Jacksonville (Fla.) Bolles
19. J.R. Ferguson (DE)- Chatham (Va.) Hargrave Military
20. Alec Ogletree (DB)- Newnan (Ga.)
21. Jeff Luc (LB)- Port St.Lucie (Fla.) Treasure Coast
22. T.J. Stripling- Decatur (Ga.) Southwest Dekalb
23. Owamagbe Odighizuwa (DE) - Portland (Ore.) David Douglas
24. Anthony Barr (Ath)- Los Angeles (Cal.) Loyola
25. Martavis Bryant (WR)- Anderson (SC) TL Hanna
26. Kyle Prater (WR)- Hillside (Ill.) Proviso West
27. Robert Crisp (OL)- Chapel Hill (NC)
28. Da'Rick Rogers (WR)- Calhoun (Ga.)
29. Marcus Lattimore (RB)- Duncan (SC) Byrnes
30. Lamarcus Joyner (DB)- Ft.Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas
31. Malcolm Jones (Ath)- Westlake Village (Cal) Oaks Christian
32. Khairi Fortt (LB)- Stamford (CT)
33. Brandon Willis (DE)- Duncan (SC) Byrnes
34. Dillon Baxter (RB)- San Diego (Cal.) Mission Bay
35. Cody Riggs (DB)- Ft.Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas
36. Ivan McCartney (WR)- Miramar (Fla.)
37. Corey Nelson (LB)- Dallas (TX) Skyline
38. Corey Miller (DE)- Duncan (SC) Byrnes
39. Reggie Wilson (DE)- Haltom City (TX)
40. Christian Green (Ath)- Tampa (Fla.) Tampa Catholic
41. Andrew Norwell (OL)- Cincinnati (OL) Anderson
42. James Stone (OL)- Nashville (TN) Maplewood
43. Eduardo Clements (RB)- Miami (Fla.) Booker T. Washington
44. Gabe King- Greensboro (NC) Page
45. Mack Brown- Lithonia (Ga.) M.L. King
46. Kelcy Quarles (DT)- Greenwood (SC)
47. Garrison Smith (DL)- Atlanta (Ga.) Douglass
48. Markeith Ambles (WR)- McDonough (Ga.) Henry County
49. Phillip Sims (QB)- Chesapeake (Va.) Oscar Smith
50. Jaylen Watkins (DB)- Cape Coral (Fla.)
51. Keenan Allen (Ath)- Greensboro (NC) Northern Guilford
52. Jacques Smith (DE)- Ooltewah (TN)
53. Nick Forbes (LB)- Frederick (MD) Thomas Johnson
54. Brett Nottingham (QB)- Danville (Cal) Monte Vista
55. John Fulton (DB)- Manning (SC)
56. Eric Reid (DB)- Geismar (La.) Dutchtown
57. Trovon Reed (WR)- Thibodaux (La.)
58. Xavier Grimble (TE)- Las Vegas (NV) Bishop Gorman
59. Joshua Shaw (DB)- Palmdale (Cal)
60. Cullen Christian (DB)- Pittsburgh (PA) Penn Hills
61. Damien Robinson (OL) Olive Branch (Miss.)
62. Tony Jefferson (LB)- Chula Vista (Cal) Eastlake
63. Dion Bailey (DB)- Lakewood (Cal.)
64. Jake Matthews (OL)- Missouri City (TX) Elkins
65. Justin McCay (Ath)- Shawnee (Kansas) Bishop Miege
66. William Gholston (DE)- Detroit (Mich.) Southwestern
67. Trey Hopkins (OL)- Galena Park (TX) North Shore
68. Christian Jones (LB)- Winter Park (Fla.) Lake Howell
69. Bronson Kaufusi (DE)- Provo (UT) Timpview
70. C.J. Fiedorowicz (TE)- Johnsburg (Ill.)
71. Austin Hinder (QB)- Steamboat Springs (Colo.)
72. Marquis Flowers (Ath)- Goodyear (Az) Millennium
73. Nick Demien (OL)- Wentzville (Mo.) Timberland
74. Chris Jones (WR)- Daingerfield (TX)
75. Roderick Smith (RB)- Fort Wayne (Ind.) Harding
76. Matt James (OL)- Cincinnati (OH) St.Xavier
77. Ian Silberman (OL)- Fleming Island (Fla.)
78. George Uko (DT)- Chino (Cal) Don Lugo
79. Silas Redd (Ath)- Stamford (CT) King & Low Heywood Thomas
80. LaDarius Owens (LB)- Bessemer (Ala.) Jess Lanier
81. Chris Dunkley (WR)- Pahokee (Fla.)
82. Terrence Mitchell (DB)- Tampa (Fla.) Hillsborough
83. Corey Lemonier (DE)- Hialeah (Fla.)
84. Jarrick Williams (DB)- Eight Mile (Ala.) Blount
85. DeMarco Cobbs (Ath.)- Tulsa (OK) Tulsa Central
86. Michaelee Harris (WR)- Miami (Fla.) Northwestern
87. Chaz Green (OL)- Tampa (Fla.) Tampa Catholic
88. Carlos Thompson (DE)- Hollandale (Miss.) Simmons School
89. Shakim Phillips (WR)- Wayne (NJ) DePaul Catholic
90. Andrew Donnal (OL)- Whitehouse (OH) Anthony Wayne
91. Marcus Lucas (WR)- Liberty (Mo.)
92. Jordan Allen (DE)- West Monroe (La.)
93. Jawuan James (OL)- Suwanee (Ga.) North Gwinnett
94. Ashton Dorsey (DT)- Tyler (TX) John Tyler
95. Evan Washington (OL)- DeSoto (TX)
96. Roy Finch (RB)- Niceville (Fla.)
97. Josh Shirley (LB)- Fontana (Cal) Kaiser
98. DeAndre Hopkins (Ath.)- Central (SC) D.W.Daniel
99. Dominique Easley (DE)- Staten Island (NY) Curtis
100. Lynden Trail (DE)- Miami (Fla.) Booker T. Washington
Obviously, my biggest change was at QB where I had the two guys I was most high about in Brett Nottingham and Austin Hinder, not only in the 100 like they deserve, but higher. I think both are going to have pretty solid college careers. I also think my ranking of James Stone is more indictive of how good he really is. It's kind of laughable that he dropped because of one workout. The guy is a true Top 50 player, and top lineman and that's where he should be.
I think my top 100 here is closer to be the top 100 players in 3-5 years than the one Rivals currently has, though again, it's hard to rank so many prospects.
Also, my No.1 was Sharrif Floyd. Ranked only 9th by Rivals right now, I think Floyd is a DT that you can build a program around, moreso than Henderson is at OT.
Also, my No.2, Robert Woods, who's only ranked 16th by Rivals, is a guy that we could see on the cover of magazines and on ESPN in a couple of years. He's a two-way threat that is kind of like a bigger Eric Berry. Whoever gets him, is getting a superstar in the making in my opinion.
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Linebackers, Survivor style
The linebacker position has always been an important one for the Vanderbilt football program and heading into this recruiting period, it would certainly be important to find the "right" type of linebacker that Vanderbilt needs.
Top in-state recruits such as Fred Harvey, Ferlando Bohanna and Jonathan Brown might have the look of definite BCS level prospects, but for Vandy, they don't exactly fit the mold of what Vandy needs.
In the Commodores 4-3 base defense, VU needs more linebackers with speed and quickness. More linebackers that can get to the edge and make plays on the perimeter. In short, VU's looking for overall athletes for the position.
For this, linebackers like Florida's Vinnie Mauro and Indiana's Joe Gilliam are considered 1 and 2 in terms of need. Both have the overall athleticism, the speed, the quickness, that Vanderbilt feels they must get this recruiting period.
Mauro and Gilliam both have Vanderbilt in their top group and they plan to visit Vanderbilt next week. The Commodores will try their best to impress both to join the fold. Mauro could fit as either a MIKE or WILL linebacker for the Dores, where as Gilliam looks like the prototypical WILL. Another prospect with an offer who could fit into the WILL mold is Michigan's Ishmael Thomas. So far, the Detroit resident hasn't visited VU, so it remains to be seen as to if he'll really fit into VU's recruitment come September.
Should VU not secure commits from some of these talents, there are others to watch. Milan (Tenn.)'s Avery Williamson had a strong showing at VU's first camp in June and has now picked up an offer from Kentucky. He may be the next in line for an offer. Local products Brad Bars and Fitz Lassing also appear to be possibilities, while the true darkhorse could be Birmingham (Ala.)'s Zeke Walters. The brother of current Mississippi State linebacker Bo Walters and former teammate of incoming freshman Walker May, Zeke impressed the VU coaches when he camped at the school during it's rising stars camp in June. Though known more for his exploits at receiver, the staff really seemed to like his 6-foot-3 frame and overall quickness he brings to the position.
Other guys who might be worth watching include Josh Harrison of Wayne High in Ohio, Cortez Brown of Memphis Trezevant, Andre Whitemire of Spartanburg (S.C.), Jordan Poole of Wilson Central in Lebanon, Lawrence Peterson of Memphis Melrose, Mitch Osborne of Southlake Carroll in Texas and DeVaghn Millington of Ridgefield, Conn. All appear to be on the radar and may move up as things progress.
Two other prospects to watch could be Virginia's Aramide Olaniyan and New Jersey's Cleo Robinson.
Olaniyan's long been on Vandy's radar but the staff has made a stance that it will not offer until he comes to campus. He may be in town at some time this month. The biggest news with the current Duke soft commitment is that he is not likely to add a Notre Dame offer to his portfolio.
Robinson has not officially been linked to VU before, but that could change as he appers to have the speed and quickness that would fit with VU's approach at WILL, so we may see his name surface soon.
Vanderbilt is likely to take only two linebackers this year, but if they get a hybrid end/linebacker like a Holmes Onwukaife or a Prince Shembo to visit and make a commitment, they may just take three.
Top in-state recruits such as Fred Harvey, Ferlando Bohanna and Jonathan Brown might have the look of definite BCS level prospects, but for Vandy, they don't exactly fit the mold of what Vandy needs.
In the Commodores 4-3 base defense, VU needs more linebackers with speed and quickness. More linebackers that can get to the edge and make plays on the perimeter. In short, VU's looking for overall athletes for the position.
For this, linebackers like Florida's Vinnie Mauro and Indiana's Joe Gilliam are considered 1 and 2 in terms of need. Both have the overall athleticism, the speed, the quickness, that Vanderbilt feels they must get this recruiting period.
Mauro and Gilliam both have Vanderbilt in their top group and they plan to visit Vanderbilt next week. The Commodores will try their best to impress both to join the fold. Mauro could fit as either a MIKE or WILL linebacker for the Dores, where as Gilliam looks like the prototypical WILL. Another prospect with an offer who could fit into the WILL mold is Michigan's Ishmael Thomas. So far, the Detroit resident hasn't visited VU, so it remains to be seen as to if he'll really fit into VU's recruitment come September.
Should VU not secure commits from some of these talents, there are others to watch. Milan (Tenn.)'s Avery Williamson had a strong showing at VU's first camp in June and has now picked up an offer from Kentucky. He may be the next in line for an offer. Local products Brad Bars and Fitz Lassing also appear to be possibilities, while the true darkhorse could be Birmingham (Ala.)'s Zeke Walters. The brother of current Mississippi State linebacker Bo Walters and former teammate of incoming freshman Walker May, Zeke impressed the VU coaches when he camped at the school during it's rising stars camp in June. Though known more for his exploits at receiver, the staff really seemed to like his 6-foot-3 frame and overall quickness he brings to the position.
Other guys who might be worth watching include Josh Harrison of Wayne High in Ohio, Cortez Brown of Memphis Trezevant, Andre Whitemire of Spartanburg (S.C.), Jordan Poole of Wilson Central in Lebanon, Lawrence Peterson of Memphis Melrose, Mitch Osborne of Southlake Carroll in Texas and DeVaghn Millington of Ridgefield, Conn. All appear to be on the radar and may move up as things progress.
Two other prospects to watch could be Virginia's Aramide Olaniyan and New Jersey's Cleo Robinson.
Olaniyan's long been on Vandy's radar but the staff has made a stance that it will not offer until he comes to campus. He may be in town at some time this month. The biggest news with the current Duke soft commitment is that he is not likely to add a Notre Dame offer to his portfolio.
Robinson has not officially been linked to VU before, but that could change as he appers to have the speed and quickness that would fit with VU's approach at WILL, so we may see his name surface soon.
Vanderbilt is likely to take only two linebackers this year, but if they get a hybrid end/linebacker like a Holmes Onwukaife or a Prince Shembo to visit and make a commitment, they may just take three.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
The present might only be a footnote...
As Vanderbilt continues to pick up impressive verbal commitments, such as one on Wednesday from 6-foot-2 cornerback Karl Butler, a lot of excitement is brewing in Commodoreland. Players like Butler, like Kyle Woestmann, like Jonathan Krause, Nash Nance and Davis Dudchock, give creedence to those that felt like Vanderbilt was really starting to get better prospects into the program, especially after coming off the success that was the 2009 recruiting class.
However, Vanderbilt fans and the rest of the SEC might not be even able to comprehend what might very well happen next. Currently, the Commodores have 12 talented public commitments, but underneath it all, we at VandySports.com believes they could have as many as 18 prospects committed to the program at this time. While the identity of some of these prospects would seem to be just pure speculation at this time without the prospects own verbal confirmation, the prospects we suspect are definitely prospects that would ring high in Commodore fans ears and possibly even make them dance in the streets with excitement. Prospects at important positions, who have been targets for quite sometime, have not only given VU an extended "time of day" but some are seeing that Vanderbilt is building a winner at possibly the last, great, untapped program in all of Division 1-A football. Case in point, Vanderbilt plays in the best conference in the nation, graduates close to 100 percent of it's players, is putting more and more players into the pros and now, is competing on the football field with every other powerhouse in the league. Basically, Vanderbilt has the ingredients to be the next great, success story out of "nowhere". Vanderbilt has the chance to be the program to rise out of the abyss and capture something that very few programs truly can: be something new and exciting.
While pundits around the nation, jot down their preseason predictions, with a large dose of history noticeably behind most of their picks, they will use the same old line as "Vanderbilt just can't get the horses to win a championship in the SEC". But, in the underground, beneath it all, on the level that is rarely seen by outsiders to the recruiting world, a lot of highly talented prospects are starting to believe that if they went to Vanderbilt, the program would have the horses to compete for a championship. VandySports.com knows that three Top 50 players are definitely giving Vanderbilt more than just "the time of day" right now and all three may pull a "shocker" to the nation and decide to don the Black and Gold in 2010. Also, some of the top rising juniors around the nation, have started to turn a serious eye to the Commodores due to the buzz that the program has started to make with some of the big time prospects from the current class.
While Vanderbilt is still going to have to deal with its past history in the public from time to time, and even some long suffering Commodore fans wouldn't even be able to fathom the possibility of a Top 50 or better kid signing with Vanderbilt, the fact is that with each passing day, Vanderbilt recruiting is getting that much stronger. Just like last year, when February comes around, the VU coaching staff might just have to shove away some impact level prospects that simply missed the cut line for committing. Turning away the very type of kids that the program would've begged for just over 5 years ago.
Years ago, a motto was said at Vanderbilt, "Have fun, expect to win". Now, the motto that many fans and media alike don't hear is "We're building for a championship". The recruits are hearing this message every day and some are starting to take strong notice to it.
In the next few months, there might truly be a new dawn in Vanderbilt football, both on the football field as well as in the future. The 2009 Commodores expect to not only get back to a bowl game this year but get to an even better bowl than the one they played in the year before. And, if things continue to build underneath the surface, soon, we could see some mega surprises in store for the 2010 class.
Regardless of how things ultimately turnout, the message appears to be coming loud and clear: "This is a new Vanderbilt and we are not here to lose anymore. We are also not to just here for bowl games, we are here for a championship."
However, Vanderbilt fans and the rest of the SEC might not be even able to comprehend what might very well happen next. Currently, the Commodores have 12 talented public commitments, but underneath it all, we at VandySports.com believes they could have as many as 18 prospects committed to the program at this time. While the identity of some of these prospects would seem to be just pure speculation at this time without the prospects own verbal confirmation, the prospects we suspect are definitely prospects that would ring high in Commodore fans ears and possibly even make them dance in the streets with excitement. Prospects at important positions, who have been targets for quite sometime, have not only given VU an extended "time of day" but some are seeing that Vanderbilt is building a winner at possibly the last, great, untapped program in all of Division 1-A football. Case in point, Vanderbilt plays in the best conference in the nation, graduates close to 100 percent of it's players, is putting more and more players into the pros and now, is competing on the football field with every other powerhouse in the league. Basically, Vanderbilt has the ingredients to be the next great, success story out of "nowhere". Vanderbilt has the chance to be the program to rise out of the abyss and capture something that very few programs truly can: be something new and exciting.
While pundits around the nation, jot down their preseason predictions, with a large dose of history noticeably behind most of their picks, they will use the same old line as "Vanderbilt just can't get the horses to win a championship in the SEC". But, in the underground, beneath it all, on the level that is rarely seen by outsiders to the recruiting world, a lot of highly talented prospects are starting to believe that if they went to Vanderbilt, the program would have the horses to compete for a championship. VandySports.com knows that three Top 50 players are definitely giving Vanderbilt more than just "the time of day" right now and all three may pull a "shocker" to the nation and decide to don the Black and Gold in 2010. Also, some of the top rising juniors around the nation, have started to turn a serious eye to the Commodores due to the buzz that the program has started to make with some of the big time prospects from the current class.
While Vanderbilt is still going to have to deal with its past history in the public from time to time, and even some long suffering Commodore fans wouldn't even be able to fathom the possibility of a Top 50 or better kid signing with Vanderbilt, the fact is that with each passing day, Vanderbilt recruiting is getting that much stronger. Just like last year, when February comes around, the VU coaching staff might just have to shove away some impact level prospects that simply missed the cut line for committing. Turning away the very type of kids that the program would've begged for just over 5 years ago.
Years ago, a motto was said at Vanderbilt, "Have fun, expect to win". Now, the motto that many fans and media alike don't hear is "We're building for a championship". The recruits are hearing this message every day and some are starting to take strong notice to it.
In the next few months, there might truly be a new dawn in Vanderbilt football, both on the football field as well as in the future. The 2009 Commodores expect to not only get back to a bowl game this year but get to an even better bowl than the one they played in the year before. And, if things continue to build underneath the surface, soon, we could see some mega surprises in store for the 2010 class.
Regardless of how things ultimately turnout, the message appears to be coming loud and clear: "This is a new Vanderbilt and we are not here to lose anymore. We are also not to just here for bowl games, we are here for a championship."
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Back from hiatus, what have we missed?
Well, what a difference two weeks makes. As I stated on our last entry, there was going to be a lot of action in Vanderbilt recruiting and needless to say, Vanderbilt's "Cookout with the Dores" did not disappoint. Though we still haven't learned of every visitor during the day, we do know that seven commitments basically came from the event as well as possibly a few others. Also, prospects such as Bradley Roby, Karl Butler, Andre Simmons, Tony Jones and others seem to be very close to making a decision in favor of the Commodores.
Roby has seemed to all but commit, with only a Ohio State visit pending. Butler was about the same, leaning towards the Dores and waiting to visit Virginia before making a decision. Both have had their visits, so we should know more soon. Also, Simmons visited Rutgers this week and said he may have more of a idea of his top schools upon that trip. Jones has basically cut his list down to 7 schools and Vanderbilt appears to be firmly on it.
While the BBQ may be the only of its kind this summer, the week leading up to Vanderbilt's final Senior Elite camp on July 19th could also be important too. A number of recruits are expected to make an unofficial trip to the school, including top linebacker prospects like Joe Gilliam, Ishmael Lewis and hopefully Zachery Allen. These visits will not likely take place on the same day as like the BBQ did, but VU does plan to have some special things planned for the visitors.
The camp that weekend is also shaping up to be quite a good one, as several prospects who are close to securing offers, have stated they plan to workout for the VU coaches.
Vanderbilt could have the majority of the 2010 class secured before they even take the field on September 5th.
Roby has seemed to all but commit, with only a Ohio State visit pending. Butler was about the same, leaning towards the Dores and waiting to visit Virginia before making a decision. Both have had their visits, so we should know more soon. Also, Simmons visited Rutgers this week and said he may have more of a idea of his top schools upon that trip. Jones has basically cut his list down to 7 schools and Vanderbilt appears to be firmly on it.
While the BBQ may be the only of its kind this summer, the week leading up to Vanderbilt's final Senior Elite camp on July 19th could also be important too. A number of recruits are expected to make an unofficial trip to the school, including top linebacker prospects like Joe Gilliam, Ishmael Lewis and hopefully Zachery Allen. These visits will not likely take place on the same day as like the BBQ did, but VU does plan to have some special things planned for the visitors.
The camp that weekend is also shaping up to be quite a good one, as several prospects who are close to securing offers, have stated they plan to workout for the VU coaches.
Vanderbilt could have the majority of the 2010 class secured before they even take the field on September 5th.
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