Wednesday, January 24, 2007

Class of 2008: Some Elite Wide Receivers

A.J. Green WR 6'4 184 4.56 Summerville South Carolina Georgia

One of the most highly touted prospects in the Class of 2008 and most productive WRs in the nation............Some feel he is the top overall prospect in the nation…….Green has been a consensus First Team All-Stater since his freshman season and in 2006 was the only junior named to the USA Today All-American team……..As a junior, he had 60 receptions for 1,203 yards and 14 TDs……..As a sophomore, he caught 75 passes for 1,422 yards (19 yards per catch) and 16 TDs………As a freshman, he had 57 receptions for 1,217 yards and 8 TDs……..An extraordinary playmaker who has the complete package to excel in college and beyond: Nice height, excellent leaping ability, very good speed, quick feet, exceptional hands, outstanding route-running and is physical…….A very polished receiver and has exceptional technique and timing when going up to get the ball……….Extremely competitive and a very fine all-around athlete………Can make the acrobatic catch……Tested well on the 2006 combine circuit, posting marks of 4.56 in the forty, 4.56 in the shuttle, a 32-inch vertical and 10 bench reps…..He committed to Georgia in the spring of 2006 and went public in October over early offers from such programs as Notre Dame, Ohio State, LSU, Clemson, Tennessee, Nebraska, South Carolina and Maryland.


Julio Jones WR 6'3 202 4.56 Foley Alabama

Jones is the top college prospect in Alabama and one of the nation’s very best wide receivers…….He has the complete package: outstanding size, strength (305 bench, 505 squat, 315 power clean as a sophomore), speed (4.49 forty) and athleticism…..Jones was a consensus All-Stater as a junior and was named to the ASWA Super 12 Team…………As a junior, he had 72 receptions for over 1,500 yards and 15 TDs………As a sophomore, he had 51 receptions for 805 yards and 8 TDs in earning First Team Press-Register Region honors…….Also starts at free safety and returns punts and kicks……His sophomore year he won the 6A state championships in the long jump and triple jump and had to scratch in the high jump…….Plays basketball…..A hard worker…..Excellent ball skills…..Really exploded onto the national scene at the 2006 LSU Nike combine, where he dominated in one-on-one drills and tested exceptionally well (4.56 forty, 39-inch vertical, 4.69 shuttle, 13 bench reps)……Very impressive at the 2006 Auburn summer camp…..By the end of 2006 he had offers from the likes of Florida, Miami, Alabama, LSU and Auburn.


Dennis "D.J." Shoemate WR/DB 6'1 212 4.50 Anaheim Servite California USC

Shoemate is the top receiver in California and among the nation’s top overall prospects……He lacks the great height of most of the other elite national receivers, but he more than makes up for it with his great athleticism, speed, quickness and strength…….He missed virtually all of his junior season after breaking a bone in his foot in the 2006 season-opener…….Was named the California Sophomore Player of the Year by CalHiSports, First Team All-County by the Orange County Register and First Team CIF-Division I in the Southern Section after putting together an outstanding sophomore campaign for one of the area’s top programs (he beat out, among others, teammate Chris Galippo for 2005 Serra League co-MVP honors)…….As a sophomore, he had 46 receptions for 930 yards (20.22 ypc)and 8 TDs. He also carried the ball 71 times for 604 yards (8.51 ypc) and 13 TDs. He registered 22 tackles and 2 sacks on defense. He also scored 4 TDs on blocked punts. He played WR, RB and safety and could play any of those positions in college……He is very explosive off the line of scrimmage and runs with authority. He’s difficult for a defender to jam due to his fine strength. Also runs good routes and has fine hands.…….Looked very impressive against top competition, including an outstanding showing against Long Beach Poly as a sophomore…..Fine student…..Hard worker…..He committed to USC in April 2006, after receiving a quite rare sophomore offer from the Trojans.


Kenny Tate WR/DB 6'4 215 4.50 Hyattsville DeMatha Maryland

Talented WRs abound across the nation in the Class of 2008 and Tate ranks right up there with the best. He challenges A.J. Green as the top receiver in the Atlantic Coast region……….He was a consensus First Team All-State selection and First Team Washington Post All-Metro choice as a junior…..As a sophomore, he was named First Team Big School All-State by AP………..Playing in a balanced offense for one of area’s most powerful programs, as a junior he had 17 receptions for 365 yards and 6 TDs. He also returned 2 punts and 2 kicks for scores…….As a sophomore, he had 24 receptions for 529 yards and 4 TDs……..Also starts at safety and is a big-timer at that position as well….His coach calls him the best prospect to emerge out of DeMatha in quite a few years (since LB Andre Jones went to Notre Dame in 1986)…….Yet another elite WR in the Class of 2008 who possesses excellent height and a great frame……A real playmaker who is a threat to go the distance every time he touches the ball. Can really go up and get the ball, however what really stands out on tape is his agility and ability to juke out defenders together with outstanding straight-line speed (he runs track)…..His coach said he was already good enough to play Division I college ball as a prep sophomore…..Some have called him a taller Derrick Williams……..Also a fine basketball player for the tradition-laden DeMatha team and is receiving college interest as a hoopster…..2.5 GPA…..As of mid-January he had received offers from such programs as Notre Dame, Michigan, Ohio State, Florida, Maryland and Virginia Tech.


Aldarius Johnson WR 6'3 195 4.50 Miami Northwestern Florida

Johnson is Florida’s candidate in the great debate as to who the top WR is in the Class of 2008…………Part of the nation’s best collection of Class of 2008 prospects at 6A state champion Miami Northwestern……Transferred to Northwestern from Miami Jackson after his sophomore season……..As a junior, he was named First Team Class 6A All-State and First Team All-Dade County after hauling in 72 passes for 1,361 yards and 19 TDs…….As a sophomore at Jackson, he was named Third Team Class 4A All-State and Second Team All-Dade County after catching 24 passes for 461 yards and 5 TDs……….Johnson has nice height and has the speed and quickness to easily create separation from Dade County’s best DBs. He runs nice routes and has surprising strength. Has the hands and leaping ability to make acrobatic catches on a routine basis…Also a fine punter.....Great work ethic…..3.8 GPA…..One of the nation’s best.

posted by Jim Stefani @ 6:20 PM