ATLANTA - Day three of Rising Seniors practice is in the books, and the teams are now in game prep mode.
If you missed any of our coverage of the event, you can catch it all right here:
Team Commitment Practice - Day 1
Team Dedication Practice - Day 2
Today, however, we split up and went to see each team one last time. We now want to give some love to players who may not be on your radar yet, but ought to be, moving forward.
This is the All "Get to Know" Team:
THE UGASPORTS.COM 'GET TO KNOW' TEAM
Wright has 12 offers, so he's not an unknown by any stretch. But there's still plenty of room to add to his list. We think he's primed to do so. He's a leader on and off the field, one of the best studies at the showcase, and is unafraid to be vocal with his teammates. This is to say nothing of his game, which features a strong arm, a fake handoff that had defenses biting hard, and the ability to scramble when the pocket breaks down. Wright should see his stock climb in a major way before the fall if he keeps up what he's doing.
Griffin was the back we knew least about coming into this week, but he proved he belongs with the group in a major way. His burst and ability to see the hole make him a threat each and every play, but he needs to be careful about outrunning his blocking. Once he settles in and trusts the guys ahead of him, Griffin can really set himself apart as one of the state's best. He's got all the ability to do so, and teams beyond Louisville will take notice.
Baylor is Williams' standout offer currently, but once spring evaluations and camps get going, he'll see his numbers climb. With his size and speed, he looks like a prototypical outside linebacker. With a little more weight on his frame, he could even take on a hybrid role. Williams has a devastating first step and an array of pass rush moves. Once he gets by the big uglies, there's no catching up. He's hits top speed quickly and will be a great addition for someone.
Swinson is a bit more of a power rusher than a speed guy, but the way he does it is plenty effective. The Chapel Hill defender is strong enough, particularly in his lower half, to walk back even the biggest offensive linemen. When that happens, he's got the quicks to find an opening and make a move toward the quarterback. He's also got great film to back it all up, and that's as important as anything.
Smith was effective at the cornerback position on day 1, but on day 3 was he really made a name for himself, carrying on the Hapeville tradition in the secondary. He was blanketing receivers throughout, and on the few opportunities he was shaken off, his recovery speed allowed him to get back into the play and contest the ball. Quarterbacks didn't look his way often as a result, and when they did, he made them pay.
Bradwell Institute offensive tackle De'Leon Madria
In a tough event for offensive linemen to shine, Madria was among the most consistent of the showcase. His footwork is advanced, and he's a tough matchup when he's able to sit down into his block. Throw in his ample power, and you've got an under-the-radar gem at one of the most important positions on the field.
Arnold currently has no offers; however, we fully expect that to change. The Lovejoy quarterback has likely been the top performer this week of the three Commitment signal-callers. Arnold has a quick release, throws a fast ball, and has excellent accuracy. Big in stature at 6-foot-3, 220 pounds, he is tough to bring down when he decides to tuck it and run. Notably, when Arnold does make a mistake, which isn’t that often, rest assured he won’t make the same mistake twice in a row.
Appearing just shy of 200 pounds and 6-foot-0 in height, Martin may be slightly undersized to play middle linebacker at the next level. Still, whatever the Arabia Mountain defender lacks in size, he more than makes up in effort. If there was one player who gave 110 percent on every snap this week, it was Martin, who holds an offer from Florida A&M. He reads defenses well, has quick feet, and seemed to especially excel in pass coverage. During a particular scrimmage, his quickness and ability to read defenses were more than evident when he blew by a blocker on a blitz and nailed the quarterback for one of the few sacks in the showcase.
Mays cornerback Durante Jones
It’s quite a surprise that Jones, a talented 6-foot-2, 185-pound cornerback, has yet to receive a single offer. The Mays High product has excellent coverage skills, back pedals well, and superbly reads defenses. He is also like a coach on the field, often making checks in the defensive secondary. For Rising Seniors, Jones covered a lot of ground on plays, routinely getting at least a hand on the ball, while making an interception or two during the three practice sessions.
North Clayton wide receiver Onuma Dieke
Dieke, who entered Rising Seniors without an offer, will battle with three-star Ja’Cyais Credle as Team Commitment’s top wideout. Although probably needing to bulk up his 182-pound frame, the North Clayton receiver is long at 6-foot-4. Dieke made a number of receptions up high over his defender, particularly in the third session, while grabbing a couple of balls where he literally had to turn around to make the reception. Still, his best catch was on a underthrown ball which was then tipped in the air, only to have Dieke somehow come down with it in the end zone for a score.
North Paulding kicker Brock Travelstead
We’re going to go ahead and declare that North Paulding’s Travelstead is one of the better placekickers Rising Seniors has ever showcased. He has an exceptional smooth, fluid motion when kicking and is extremely accurate, as evident even before this week, when he made all 39 of his PATs and all but one of his 19 field-goal tries for the Wolfpack last season. In the few practices we observed, nearly all of Travelstead’s kickoffs went for touchbacks, and he’s an adequate punter—good hangtime—as well.
HONORABLE MENTIONS
Tate Rodemaker (Valdosta) - A live arm and a hairpin trigger release. Two offers isn't enough for him, and more will be on the way.
Trevian Thomas (Americus) - A speed freak from the cornerback position.
Ethan Dirrim (Creekview) - Coaches loved his work, and he's a versatile athlete as a quarterback and wide receiver.
Ja'Marquis Johnson (Berrien) - Long and physical, he could be a dream at the safety position.
Nate Howard (Mary Persons) - A big man with big upside. Someone will find a use for a guy with his tools.
Tyson Meiguez (Creekside) - Meiguez's frame screams inside linebacker, and he's got the feet for it. He'll be an intriguing prospect to watch.
PLAY OF THE DAY
We knew Alabama commit Javon Baker was supposed to be one of the top players in the showcase this week, and he certainly did not disappoint. The rising senior doesn't drop much, but it's really his ability to adjust and control his body that make him such a deadly weapon. Baker bends in ways folks shouldn't, and it often leaves defenders wondering what just happened as he reels in seemingly impossible grabs. We selected a trio of his best from the day as our play of the day.
COACH SPEAK
Eric Parker, Burke County head coach, Team Dedication head coach
Q: What was different in today’s practice—the final session prior to tomorrow’s game—compared to the first two practices?
A: Today was more about high reps, a lot of organization stuff, so we didn’t do quite the physical stuff that was evident in day one—and day two wasn’t quite as physical as we planned because of the [rainy] weather. Today’s practice would be like your average high school team’s Thursday practice, where it’s more mental than anything else.
Q: Assess your team entering tomorrow’s game—and how it might compare to other all-star teams you’ve coached before.
A: You know, I’ve been involved in this game (Rising Seniors) over the course of some years—and I don’t mean any disrespect to any of these great kids out here, but the very high-profiled kids, for the most part, aren’t here. This game has featured Alvin Kamari, Deshaun Watson, and others, but there just aren’t any big-time five-star kids here. However, you can tell, these are all great high school football players, and a lot of them are coming from programs with a lot tradition. I’m excited about coaching them. This has been a very coachable group—probably the most coachable group I’ve been around—and that’s made it a lot of fun.
Q: A good portion of your team consists of prospects with few offers—if any. Of those less-touted recruits, which of those have really stood out to you—perhaps surprised you—this week?
A: As a high school coach, I have basically accepted the fact that I no longer know what the college [programs] are looking for (laughing)—and as far as which of the kids have offers or not, I’m totally unaware except for maybe one or two guys. But, I’m going to tell you, Durante Jones, the cornerback from Mays, I love him. He broke on a ball earlier today, and I was shocked that he nearly picked it off. He’s got great length, and great instinct. When the ball is in the air, he’s comfortable—and I think that’s a big-time trait to have for big-time corners. I like the running back from Cedartown, Kobe Pryor. I love the way he runs the football. I also like Kellen Autenrieth, a little receiver from North Paulding. As far as the quarterbacks, I like Khalil Arnold from Lovejoy. In the right system, he can definitely play at the next level. He’s a leader—you can tell—when he’s on the field. Those are the kids who’ve stood out to me as far as guys I would think someone is definitely on. And, if colleges aren’t looking at them yet, they probably should be.
Zach Grage, Thomasville head coach, Team Commitment head coach
Q: After three days with these guys, who are some that caught your eye?
A: You could pick out the entire defense. I think when you go and look at what we've got on the defensive side, you kind of question what you're doing on offense, because they're so good. Kevin Swint and Sergio Allen, who had a lot of pregame accolades, have really shown up. Offensively, you can't single out many, but the wide receiver from Creekview, Ethan Dirrim, has really played well. (Javon) Baker, the Alabama commit, has been unbelievable all week. We've got three great running backs and three great quarterbacks. When I did this last time, our quarterbacks were a little lower on the ability level, but all three of these guys can play. The game's won upfront, so hopefully the OL can hold it up.
Q: What's this experience been like for you?
A: It's been awesome. You get to work with these kids, and they're all unbelievable. We've had a little adversity with the weather, but they've responded great. You also get to work with these coaches, and the networking and the ability to form connections that we can use for the rest of our lives. It's awesome, and I'm glad to be part of it.
THIS AND THAT
- Dutchtown defensive end Will Anderson has 30 offers already and says the likes of Florida, Florida State, Auburn, and Mississippi State are the most consistent in their recruitment of him. While no one is leading the way yet, it sounds as though Auburn is doing well here. Georgia, however, hasn't offered yet. The Bulldogs, particularly Tray Scott, have been in touch, and they like Anderson's ability at the outside linebacker position. He says that an offer from the Bulldogs would definitely give him something to think about and the in-state edge could be compelling.