National Recruiting Thread

[KyfightingIrish36]

Haha I loved seeing it.

 

[WakeUpEchoes]

Hahahaa did everyone see Damian Lillard call out Loy

Oh my god. Look at all those RT's.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/TomLoy247">@TomLoy247</a> ... Thank you <a href="http://t.co/OYK8WV8aqz">pic.twitter.com/OYK8WV8aqz</a></p>— Damian Lillard (@Dame_Lillard) <a href="https://twitter.com/Dame_Lillard/statuses/439641456282591232">March 1, 2014</a></blockquote>
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[dublinirish]

He has improved his passing skills somewhat but he will need much more work in order to be a threat with his arm. Being Fitzpatrick's teammate may help Bama have a little more of an inside track but in the end I don't think he commits.

On a side note, whispers coming out of T Town that Issac Luatua may be on his way out the door. Bama's current roster has 88 scholly players and it is expected that he, along with McLeod are the two likely candidates to go. If they ever want to play college ball, they probably should. Neither is going to see any meaningful playing time on the field at Bama. Tyren Jones at RB may be another that considers his chances of seeing the field. He is a stud and deserves a shot somewhere if not Bama.

roster cuts! gotta love the SEC.

 

[koonja]

roster cuts! gotta love the SEC.

I'm surprised at how consistently quiet this is always done. I suppose the kids don't want to go to the media and let everyone know they weren't good enough, but eventually it has to be more transparent.

 

[GBdomer]

Hahaha I was seriously sitting there laughing my ass off. I am sure Loy will pin this to the board so he can get some page views and comments

 

[ResLife Hero]

Kid only has a Houston offer, but those are some wheels if this is legit:
<iframe class="vine-embed" src="https://vine.co/v/M6BHTU5gEUr/embed/simple" width="600" height="600" frameborder="0"></iframe><script async src="//platform.vine.co/static/scripts/embed.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[IrishLax]

Kid only has a Houston offer, but those are some wheels if this is legit:
<iframe class="vine-embed" src="https://vine.co/v/M6BHTU5gEUr/embed/simple" width="600" height="600" frameborder="0"></iframe><script async src="//platform.vine.co/static/scripts/embed.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Seems completely fake. Looks like he tosses other ball off screen, and then someone else tosses a ball deep that he catches.

 

[ResLife Hero]

Seems completely fake. Looks like he tosses other ball off screen, and then someone else tosses a ball deep that he catches.

99.99% chance you're right.

 

[PANDFAN]

Seems completely fake. Looks like he tosses other ball off screen, and then someone else tosses a ball deep that he catches.

COMPLETELY FAKE, IF he did this, the person videoing would have filmed the ball in air to prove that it was him doing it and would have been further back to capture the whole thing...

 

[WakeUpEchoes]

My only question is if that's not the ball he threw, where did it go?

 

[Ndaccountant]

My only question is if that's not the ball he threw, where did it go?

Aliens

 

[NDBoiler]

My only question is if that's not the ball he threw, where did it go?

It looks like he threw it way off to his right, out of the frame.

 

[PANDFAN]

My only question is if that's not the ball he threw, where did it go?

watch it again...the moment he releases it the camera is pointed down at the ground and he throws it way to the right out of view and the throw if you keep watching it appears to barely go far..it flutters far right

its almost like the trick when you have something in your hand and as you throw it, you let it come out at the top but you have a follow through so the person thinks you are throwing it at them

 

[WakeUpEchoes]

watch it again...the moment he releases it the camera is pointed down at the ground and he throws it way to the right out of view and the throw if you keep watching it appears to barely go far..it flutters far right

its almost like the trick when you have something in your hand and as you throw it, you let it come out at the top but you have a follow through so the person thinks you are throwing it at them

Right. You can also see the shadow of the ball way out on the left when it's coming down. Seems as if someone is standing behind him out of the frame and throwing it from the left.

 

[zelezo vlk]

Y'all just haters

 

[arrowryan]

.

 

[TheChosen1]

@SWiltfong247: Top100 OT Sterling Jenkins and Top247 QB Brandon Wimbush both announcing tomorrow. Looks good for #Penn State (VIP): Jenkins Domino Perhaps Tips Wimbush Domino

 

[ResLife Hero]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Three-star QB Nick Johns has committed to <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23UVa&src=hash">#UVa</a> over UMd, NCSU. He’s the No. 15 pro-style QB nationally, 3rd commit of Virginia's 2015 class.</p>— CavsCorner (@Cavs_Corner) <a href="https://twitter.com/Cavs_Corner/statuses/463679859336957952">May 6, 2014</a></blockquote>
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[ResLife Hero]

A lot of talk about Barnett in this as well:
SoCal QB class of 2015 has chance to be best ever | FOX Sports on MSN

What used to seem early now has become perilously late. That's how much the recruiting calendar has shifted in the past few years for college football coaches as they crisscross the country scouring for talent as part of this year's spring evaluation period that began on April 15.

Need a quarterback? You're probably too late if you haven't already locked in on one. A few of the top QB recruits actually committed before their junior seasons were over. Most of them had already announced which school they wanted to attend before the spring evaluation period started.

One college offensive coordinator still trying to zero in on the quarterback he hopes to land calls the 2015 group a better crop than what has come out of high school in the past few years. The biggest thing that stood out to him as he sized up the QB crop of 2015? How loaded Southern California is with elite quarterback prospects.

"Five of the eight quarterbacks we liked the most are L.A. kids," the coach said. "Usually that area's overrated for quarterbacks. This year, it seems to be the opposite."

FOX Sports asked seven college coaches who they saw as the best quarterback prospect in the country. Five of them named Josh Rosen, a UCLA commit from Manhattan Beach, Calif., as the top guy. Blake Barnett, a Notre Dame commit from Corona, Calif., and Kyler Murray, an uncommitted recruit out of Allen, Texas, got the other two first-place votes.

Rosen and Barnett are just two of the many SoCal QBs who have generated a lot of buzz this spring with college coaches and recruiting analysts. Ricky Town (St. Bonaventure), a one-time Alabama commit now committed to USC, Brady White (Hart), who just committed to Arizona State last week, and Travis Waller (Servite) are the other L.A. area quarterbacks who are consensus Top 100 recruits.


Welcome Bruce Feldman

Bruce Feldman is a senior college football reporter and columnist for FoxSports.com and FOX Sports 1. Click here for his introduction and welcome him to the team.
Town, who draws raves from college coaches for his pocket presence and football savvy, is ranked by 247Sports not only as the nation's No. 1 QB but also as the top prospect in the entire 2015 recruiting class, with Rosen ranked second overall. Sheriron Jones from Rancho Verde High in Moreno Valley, a 6-foot-2 dual-threat QB, is ranked by the recruiting sites just outside the Top 100.

Greg Biggins, a Southern California-based national recruiting analyst for scout.com, who spent over a decade evaluating quarterbacks for the Elite 11, viewed as many as six or seven of the area’s quarterbacks as potential Top 100 recruits, when the norm is to have only one such prospect.

Biggins says right now he ranks Rosen as the nation's No. 1 QB prospect, crediting how much he has matured, but adds that Travis Waller's stock is soaring and he could actually end up as his No. 1 guy. The 6-3, 195-pound Waller, who doubles as a standout triple jumper and sprinter on the Servite track team, is still uncommitted but has seen his offer list swell in the past few weeks as colleges have flocked to his high school to check him out.

"Travis and Barnett are the most raw," says Biggins. "Travis has only really played quarterback for like a year. I saw him play in Week 3 against (Bay Area powerhouse) De La Salle and he was good. He made some plays, hung in there, but then to see how much better he was in the playoffs against Alemany. The jump he's made is astronomical.

"Then, I saw him a few weeks ago (at a Las Vegas 7-on-7 tournament, where Rosen, Town and the other touted SoCal QBs also competed). Travis was the guy that everyone wanted to play with. He just keeps getting so much better. His floor isn't as high, but his ceiling is the highest."

Said one college QB coach of Waller, who saw the Servite star's film for the first time only a few weeks ago: "He's a 'wow' kind of athlete. I am really curious to see what he blossoms into."


Both Waller and Barnett say they do pay attention to the online recruiting rankings, which has served as a motivator for them knowing how many other elite QB prospects are in their backyard and as a measuring stick of sorts. (Rosen's team and Waller's team are Trinity League rivals, and the future Bruin won that meeting 42-21 last season behind Rosen's three TDs passing and a fourth rushing.)

Barnett said all of the top quarterbacks are friends and it's created an "awesome" dynamic. "I like it a lot because I get to come out here and compete with all of them at camps and even in games,” he said.

The 6-4, 205-pound Barnett, a gifted dual-threat quarterback, who has worked diligently to tighten up an elongated delivery from his days as a pitcher, was under the radar before the start of his junior season, but then in the season opener on a nationally televised game on FOX Sports West, he matched the touted Brady White of QB factory Hart High in a 56-49 shootout. White completed 35 of 46 passes for 471 yards and three touchdowns in a winning effort while Barnett threw for five touchdowns and ran for 100 yards.

"That kind of sparked it for me, and then coaches started to coming to my games and then the offers started to come in," Barnett said. "Before the season my name was nothing. It wasn't relevant at all to be honest."

Rosen's rise has been even more head-spinning. The son of parents who were both champion ice skaters from the East Coast, Rosen grew up as a standout competitive tennis player. But at 12, he grew weary of the solitary life of a budding tennis star, his mom Liz says. Last season, he led St. John Bosco to a 16-0 season and the California state championship. On the season, he threw for 3,200 yards and 39 touchdowns, completing 69 percent of his passes.

"I think his physical tools are awesome," says former USC assistant coach-turned-Pac-12 Network analyst Yogi Roth, who also works as a coach for the Elite 11. In early March, Rosen's performance at the NIKE Football Training Camp in Redondo Beach earned him a "Golden Ticket" to the Elite 11 finals in Oregon later this summer. Barnett actually landed the Elite 11's first Golden Ticket with his showing at a regional event in early January.


"I don't know what Troy Aikman looked like in high school, but I bet this is what he looked like," Roth said of Rosen. "The ball rips out of his hand. He's got a good frame, and on tape he's athletic."

One college coach who has seen Rosen throw in person said his arm is already better than some NFL quarterbacks playing in the league.

Says another college OC, "He's the best high school deep-ball thrower I've ever seen."

Brian Stumpf, who has been evaluating talent for Elite 11 and traveling the country while helping Nike football training camps for 15 years as Student Sports' VP of football events, said he doesn't recall a year where there's been as many as five quarterbacks picked for the Elite 11 like he expects there will be this year. Stumpf, a former wideout at Cal, said Murray, a 5-10 dual-threat quarterback, probably had the best individual workout for the Elite 11 staff this year, but noted that Murray -- the son of former Texas A&M star Kevin Murray -- is not 6-4.

"Rosen is, and he's really good physically,” Stumpf says. “He's probably the safest bet."

Just where this group could rank is a tough proposition. Long-time reporter Eric Sondheimer of the Los Angeles Times has been covering high school football since 1976. He says he doesn't think this group is the best he's seen.


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His choice: the 1999 group led by Kyle Boller (Cal), Chris Lewis (Stanford) and J.P. Losman (UCLA, Tulane). Both Losman and Boller ended up as first-round draft picks. Lewis battled through an injury-plagued career and spent the 2004 season on the Arizona Cardinals' practice squad.

Sondheimer actually covered future Hall of Famer John Elway of Granada Hills when he was a top prospect in the area along with two other QBs who ended up in the NFL, Tom Ramsey and Jay Schroeder. Former CFL QB Steve Clarkson, who has made a fortune as a private quarterback coach, and trains White and Waller, among others, also was a record-setting local star from Wilson High in that '79 class. That group, especially given the magnitude of Elway's career, would seem tough to beat.

Another QB group of note: the 1987 class led by Todd Marinovich (USC via Capistrano Valley); Bret Johnson (UCLA and Michigan State via El Toro) and Darian Hagan (Colorado via Locke High). The QB who had the best football career of the '87 group was former Washington star Mark Brunell, who played two hours north of L.A. in the Santa Barbara area.

"Potentially, this is an all-time year for (Southern California quarterbacks)," Stumpf says. "But we'll have to see five or six years down the road to really know."

One SEC offensive coordinator pointed out that for as gifted as Barnett, Rosen and company are, it's a different SoCal high school quarterback that he thinks may be better than all of them. That kid? Malik Henry, a baby-faced 6-2 quarterback from Westlake Village, but he's in the 2016 recruiting class.

"He can throw the (bleep) out of it," said the coach. "Now he really could be special."

 

[Bishop2b5]

It's still a crap shoot to a great degree. So many can't-miss 5-star recruits never do jack, and lots of no-name 3-star recruits win Heismans and become All-Americans. Clearly, you get a lot more All-Americans from a class full of 4- & 5-star recruits than a class full of 3-stars, but...

I love looking at the ESPN 150 from previous years and seeing how many top 10 recruits were busts and how many guys who went on to be major stars didn't even make the list coming out of HS.

 

[ResLife Hero]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>4-star LB Darrell Williams <a href="https://twitter.com/CollegeAndMag">@CollegeAndMag</a> RT <a href="https://twitter.com/darrellw_">@darrellw_</a>: I am officially committed to Auburn University 🐯💙🔶 <a href="http://t.co/3jlTULc1Ll">pic.twitter.com/3jlTULc1Ll</a></p>— SB Nation Recruiting (@SBNRecruiting) <a href="https://twitter.com/SBNRecruiting/statuses/464045253524074496">May 7, 2014</a></blockquote>
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[ResLife Hero]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23ICYMI&src=hash">#ICYMI</a>: <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23PSU&src=hash">#PSU</a> wins the night by landing two <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Rivals250&src=hash">#Rivals250</a> commits - <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23NittanyLions&src=hash">#NittanyLions</a> trail only <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Bama&src=hash">#Bama</a> in team rankings. <a href="http://t.co/obiC6nH7Ts">http://t.co/obiC6nH7Ts</a> ($)</p>— Rivals.com (@Rivals) <a href="https://twitter.com/Rivals/statuses/464057180623085570">May 7, 2014</a></blockquote>
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Sterling Jenkins and Brandon Wimbush

 

[ResLife Hero]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>I'm hearing 3-star OT David Moorman has committed to <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Wisconsin&src=hash">#Wisconsin</a> <a href="http://t.co/3Ak0o49BkG">http://t.co/3Ak0o49BkG</a> (FREE) <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Bolts&src=hash">#Bolts</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/SWiltfong247">@SWiltfong247</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Badgers&src=hash">#Badgers</a></p>— Evan Flood (@Evan_Flood) <a href="https://twitter.com/Evan_Flood/statuses/464085433195196417">May 7, 2014</a></blockquote>
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[ResLife Hero]

Trey Wolfe is ready: A long and complicated journey to NFL Draft obscurity - SBNation.com

This article, as a whole, may be better suited for the 2014 Draft thread, but I thought this part was interesting:

There was no dodging disappointment when Wolfe learned during his senior year that he had spent the last four years on the track for a technical diploma, the equivalent of a GED. He had tested poorly on a freshman year aptitude exam, and never took the necessary steps to get on the college prep path. Wolfe dropped out of high school to get his GED early. He couldn't convince schools of his eligibility, however. UCF was the last school to tell Wolfe it could not accept his Letter of Intent.

It seems like every year we have to pass on a guy we really want because he's missing a foreign language or math credit, and I was wondering how much of that starts off as a school-recommended curriculum based off aptitude tests. I'm not saying the kids and parents don't have a responsibility to protect their futures, but how hard is it for an incoming Junior who just received a D1 scholarship to all of a sudden correct 2 years of non-college-prep coursework? I'd imagine it's pretty difficult, but I really don't know.

 

[PANDFAN]

Trey Wolfe is ready: A long and complicated journey to NFL Draft obscurity - SBNation.com

This article, as a whole, may be better suited for the 2014 Draft thread, but I thought this part was interesting:



It seems like every year we have to pass on a guy we really want because he's missing a foreign language or math credit, and I was wondering how much of that starts off as a school-recommended curriculum based off aptitude tests. I'm not saying the kids and parents don't have a responsibility to protect their futures, but how hard is it for an incoming Junior who just received a D1 scholarship to all of a sudden correct 2 years of non-college-prep coursework? I'd imagine it's pretty difficult, but I really don't know.

i remember reading something about this kid...i believe his mom is a teacher also...things that make you go hmmmmm

 

[ResLife Hero]

One more domino in the QB game is about to fall. Gamecocks are the favorites to land him.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>I will be announcing my commitment tomorrow at 6:30 pm.... between. NC state, South Carolina, Ohio State</p>— Lorenzo Nunez (@Zodabeast10) <a href="https://twitter.com/Zodabeast10/statuses/464229709275234304">May 8, 2014</a></blockquote>
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[johnnycando]

Zach Gentry

Zach Gentry

Proud of a New Mexi-CAN.

Zach Gentry

Most of these kids from here fly way under the radar.

 

[ResLife Hero]

Proud of a New Mexi-CAN.

Zach Gentry

Most of these kids from here fly way under the radar.

Looks like a huge kid and has an incredible offer list. Surprised I haven't heard anything about him (or maybe that just goes to your "under the radar" point).

 

[ResLife Hero]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Cincinnati&src=hash">#Cincinnati</a> has landed a commitment from 3* LB Emmitt Smith <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23UC&src=hash">#UC</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Bearcats&src=hash">#Bearcats</a></p>— BearcatReport.com (@BearcatReport) <a href="https://twitter.com/BearcatReport/statuses/464417158622367746">May 8, 2014</a></blockquote>
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Didn't know he had any juice left.

 

[ResLife Hero]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>RT <a href="https://twitter.com/ChrisFisher247">@ChrisFisher247</a>: Youngstown (Ohio) Cardinal Mooney 3-star LB Jordan Jones has committed to Kentucky <a href="http://t.co/ze8eXpZRWM">http://t.co/ze8eXpZRWM</a> via <a href="https://twitter.com/247Sports">@247Sports</a></p>— Steve Wiltfong (@SWiltfong247) <a href="https://twitter.com/SWiltfong247/statuses/464426715230773248">May 8, 2014</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>LB Jordan Jones is commit No. 3 from Ohio for <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Kentucky&src=hash">#Kentucky</a>. TE C.J. Conrad expected to join tomorrow. 11 signed in 2014: <a href="http://t.co/LGGgXf14US">http://t.co/LGGgXf14US</a></p>— Steve Wiltfong (@SWiltfong247) <a href="https://twitter.com/SWiltfong247/statuses/464428992507150337">May 8, 2014</a></blockquote>
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I wonder if we'll start to see more UK/OSU/ND battles since they're clearly making Ohio a priority.