DeKalb County talents need a home

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

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

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

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

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



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

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



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

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



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

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



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

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



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

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



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

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



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

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



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

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



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

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



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

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



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

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



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

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



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

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



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

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



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

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




OTHERS:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Updated 615Report Top 100

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

YouTube Recruiting Videos

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

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

NATE JOHNSON- Stevenson, Ill. (2010 Class)



MARK BEARD- Minor, Ala. (2010 Class)



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



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



DOMINIQUE JOHNSON- DeMatha, Mary. (2010 Class)



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


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



ERIC DAGINELLA- Douglas, Fla. (2010 Class)


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



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



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



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



CEAIRES DRISKELL- Creekside, Ga. (2010 Class)

Memphis prospects rising..

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

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

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

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

The 615Report Updated Top 100

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

So here goes the 615Report100:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Quarterbacks

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

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

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

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

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

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

Running Backs

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

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

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

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

Wide Receivers

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

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

Following the local 2011 class

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

QUARTERBACKS

Jake Overbey- University School of Jackson

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

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

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

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

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


RUNNING BACKS

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Info: 18 carries for 129 yards and 2 tds.

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

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

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

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

WIDE RECEIVERS

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

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

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

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

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

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

DEFENSIVE PLAYERS

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

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