Class of 2008: Some Elite Defensive Backs (Part II)
A.J. Alexander DB/WR/QB/ATH 5'11 197 4.31 Altoona Pennsylvania A.J. is one of the nation’s elite DBs……..As a junior, being the team’s best athlete he primarily played QB and received some All-State mention after carrying the ball 121 times for 854 yards and completing 36 of 69 passes for 393 yards, 4 TDs and 4 INTs. He also returned 2 kicks for scores…………An outstanding sprinter who made the state championships in the 100 (10.71), 200 (21.5 best) and relays and is one of the nation’s fastest football players………Not just a track star as he also is solidly built to play football……Due to his outstanding speed he projects at either CB or WR in the college……A combine warrior who tests through the roof, recording marks such as a 4.31 forty, 4.12 shuttle, 9 bench reps and 43-inch vertical as a sophomore……As of early January 2007 he had offers from Penn State, Pittsburgh, Michigan, Louisville and several others.
Rahim Moore DB 6'2 190 4.45 Los Angeles Dorsey California Moore is possibly the top DB prospect on the West Coast and among the nation’s best........As a junior, he earned First Team All-Los Angeles and First Team Junior All-State honors after tallying almost 100 tackles and 7 INTs………A rare sophomore starter for a talent-laden Dorsey squad, registering 56 solo tackles, 33 assists and 8 INTs in earning Second Team All-City honors…….A very young Class of 2008 prospect. He won’t turn 18 until after his freshman season of college football. Still has room to get a lot bigger…….He has great football instincts, outstanding range, and is very aggressive. A real defensive playmaker……….Fine speed. As a freshman, he won the Los Angeles freshman-sophomore championship for 400 meters………An outgoing, personable and mature youngster…..By the end of 2006 he had offers from UCLA, Washington and Washington State
Jarred Holley DB/RB 6'0 160 4.40 Easton Pennsylvania One of the nation’s top CB prospects………..A First Team AP Class AAAA All-State DB selection as a junior after tallying 9 INTs, 5 PBUs, 27 solo tackles and 24 PBUs from his CB spot. As a RB, he had 35 receptions for 549 yards and 8 TDs and carried the ball 127 times for 650 yards and 12 TDs.……Has been a First Team All-Area selection since his freshman year…………In 2006 he was the best defensive player on the best defensive team in the state…….. As a freshman, Holley carried the ball 37 times for 277 yards and a touchdown while backing up Ovid Goulbourne, now at West Virginia. He also caught 10 passes for 233 yards and a TD, and tallied 5 INTs……..Has great recovery speed and outstanding athletic ability as a CB, displaying great hips and a smooth back-peddle. Has nice technique for a youngster…….Really impressed at the 2007 U.S. Army Combine, earning All-Combine honors…….Some compare him to Penn State CB Justin King……..By mid-January 2007 he had reported offers from such schools as Pittsburgh, Penn State, Virginia and Northwestern.
Robert Blanton DB 6'2 175 4.78 Charlotte Butler North Carolina Blanton is one of the top DB prospects in the nation.....As a junior he earned First Team AP All-State honors and was a Charlotte Observer All-Area selection after helping Butler reach the state 4A semifinals with 147 tackles, 7 INTs and 3 blocked punts……..As a sophomore he was a Second Team All-Mecklenburg selection after registering almost 100 tackles and picking off 6 passes…..Leads a very talented troika of Class of 2008 DBs at Butler……Impressed at the 2006 Michigan summer camp…..Looked very good at the 2007 U.S. Army Combine……..Has the height to play safety once he fills out a bit and the quickness and hips to play CB. A very fluid runner who changes direction well and has good football instincts……On tape, he shows great field awareness, opens his hips and has very good closing speed and ball skills. A gamer……Tested well as a sophomore, including a 4.25 shuttle and 32-inch vertical…….Loads of early offers, about 15 as of mid-January, including Michigan, North Carolina, N.C. State, Virginia Tech, Louisville and Clemson.
Ronnell Grixby DB/RB 5'10 200 4.50 Omaha Central Nebraska One of the top safety prospects in the nation……It seems as though Ronnell has been a big-time prospect forever, as he already made a name for himself as a freshman starter for in-state power Omaha Central (the school that produced Gale Sayers)…...A two-way prep star at RB and safety……As a sophomore he rushed for 1,005 yards and had 370 yards receiving………As a freshman he tallied over 70 tackles on defense……..At RB, he has great vision, hands, burst and power. He’s gotten much bigger and more powerful..........Some feel he could be the best prospect to emerge out of Central in years…….Projects as a free safety in college due to his instincts, physical style of play and hard-hitting nature……..Very gifted athlete who runs well, has surprising strength and had a 34-inch vertical as a freshman. Just lacks ideal height…….Solid bloodlines as he is the younger brother of Nebraska CB Cortney Grixby and former Nebraska RB Deante Grixby…….Also stars in basketball, averaging 14 points and 5 assists per game as a sophomore point guard………….Nebraska was the first school to offer
Class of 2008: Some Elite Offensive Linemen (Part II)
Kyle Long OL/DL 6'7 280 4.80 Charlottesville St. Anne's-Belfield Virginia One of the nation’s elite offensive linemen……..Great height and frame with excellent quickness and agility. Has the athleticism to play on either side of the ball in high school, but with his great frame and wingspan is ideally suited for the LT position…..Plays low for a big guy, bending his knees well and showing the quickness to block through the DL and get to the next level of defense. Very effective blocking in open space…...He has outstanding bloodlines. His father, Howie Long, is a former All-Pro DT and his older brother, Chris Long, plays DE at Virginia……His sophomore season was his first year of prep football as he was rehabbing his knee as a freshman due to some growth problems……Also a star left-handed pitcher in baseball with a 92 mph fastball. As a sophomore, he had a 6-1 record and an ERA under 2.00. He also hit .481 with 37 RBI and six home runs in leading his team to the state title. He is a major league baseball prospect……2.7 GPA…..Had 15 offers as of early January 2007, including such powers as Oho State, Notre Dame, Florida and Florida State. Also has some Division I offers in baseball.
Stephen Good OL 6'5 265 5.06 Paris Texas One of the nation’s top linemen and has the versatility and athleticism to ply OG or OT in college, although most like him as a LT…..A First Team AP Class 4A All-Stater as a junior, Good graded out at 93 percent in addition to posting 87 pancakes, and allowing no sacks. In fact, he has not given up a sack since his freshman year…..Also named Offensive Lineman of the Year for his district and First Team All-East Texas……Was already an eight game starter as a freshman…….One of the top players in northeast Texas…………Impressed at Oklahoma (only beaten once in one-on-one pass rushes) and Texas 2006 summer camps……..Very effective both run and pass-blocking. Very physical and a great finisher. Excellent combination of footwork, long arms and strength (425-pound bench press)…….Very imnpressive at the 2006 Texas A&M Nike camp, running a 5.06 40-yard dash and a 4.49 time in the shuttle, in addition to 32 reps on the bench press and a 26-inch vertical…….Was approaching double-digit offers by mid-January 2007, including such top programs as Oklahoma, Nebraska and Texas A&M.
Michael Brewster OL 6'6 280 5.10 Orlando Edgewater Florida Many feel that Mike is the top offensive lineman in Florida……An Orlando Sentinel First Team All-Central Florida selection as a junior…..From a program that has produced some outstanding talent in recent years, including Michigan WR Greg Matthews and Florida pledge Lorenzo Edwards………..Helped lead the way for an outstanding running game in 2006 after transferring into Edgewater from a small private school……..Very impressive at the 2006 Ohio State ad Michigan camps…..Looked very good as a center prospect at the U.S. Army Combine, although many also project him as an outstanding college guard…..He’s very quick off the ball and really plays low and gets effective leverage when blocking defensive linemen….Very athletic, he also plays basketball and lives in the weight room…..Looks very impressive on film. He has a great body with powerful calves, long and powerful arms and very little body fat. Moves very well and is effective getting to the second line of defense. His motor is always running. Nice technique……A great student who is on schedule to graduate from high school in December 2007…..As of mid-January 2007 he had double digit offers, including such programas as Ohio State, Miami, Michigan, Florida , Florida State and Tennessee.
Baker Steinkuhler OL/DL 6'6 270 4.93 Lincoln Southwest Nebraska Nebraska One of the nation’s top overall linemen and possibly the top prospect in Nebraska…..Two-way star who recorded 94 tackles as a junior in earning consensus First Team All-State honors on the defensive side of the ball…….Has been a starter since his freshman season……Projects on the OL in college……Rare combination of size, speed (4.93 combine forty) and quickness (great shuttle at U.S. Army Combine)……Great bloodlines, as his father, Dean Steinkuhler, was an All-American center at Nebraska…..His coach has had a couple of players go on to the NFL and says that Baker is a superior prospect to both of them…..He committed to Nebraska in September 2006.
Khaled Holmes OL/DL 6'5 285 5.30 Santa Ana Mater Dei California One of the nation’s elite OL prospects……Khaled is a man-child of a prospect who earned First Team All-Area honors from such publications as the Los Angeles Times and Orange County Register in addition to being named First Team Junior All-State……Plays for a powerful program that regularly produces top-flight talent (only high school school to have two Heisman winners as alumni) and was a rare sophomore starter for Mater Dei……Fine bloodlines, as older brother Alex was a TE at USC and his father, Mike Holmes, was a starting DE for the late Bo Schembechler at Michigan in the mid-1970s. In addition, Pttsburgh Steelers safety Troy Polamalu is married to Holmes' sister………Has great footwork and speed. Also uses his hands very well in pass protection from his LT spot. Tremendous pass blocker and is improving his run blocking. Well coached……..Very intense on the field, showing a nasty streak, and he just loves the game……Also plays some DE…..Already bigger than older brother Alex….3.5 GPA......As of late 2006 he already had early offers from such programs as Nebraska and Mississippi
Class of 2008: Some Elite Tight Ends
Terrelle Pryor TE/ATH/QB 6'6 215 4.50 Jeannette Pennsylvania Pryor is a special, special prospect and one of the nation’s truly elite athletes. He started as a junior at QB and safety, and wants to play QB in college. He’s talented enough to excel at the position, just as he could also excel at OLB, DE, WR or TE. He’s that sort of athlete. I’m initially ranking him as a TE, and the nation’s best at that!...........Earned First Team All-State as an all-purpose offensive threat as a junior after earning Second Team honors on the other side of the ball after his sophomore season………..Talk about being a dual-threat QB. As a junior, he led his team to the PIAA Class AA title game by passing for 1,720 yards and 15 TDs and running for another 1,703 yards and 23 TDs. As a safety, he had 5 INTs and quite a few sacks heading into the PIAA playoffs…....As a sophomore QB, he completed 53-of-106 passes for 719 yards and 6 TDs, and rushed for 663 yards and 10 TDs. On defense, he started at DE and OLB………Pryor has unusual quickness and speed for a big man (he runs the sprints in track) and possesses a strong arm (can throw the ball 70 yards in the air). His coach compares him to Vince Young with his great size, rocket arm and superb athleticism……As a quarterback, he’s still a bit raw but made tremendous strides between his sophomore and junior years and would be ranked among the nation’s very best (albeit it in a down year for the position)…….I like him best as a receiver due to his great frame, speed, athleticism, hands and ability to go vertical and get the ball……..Also stars in hoops and is one of the nation’s better prospects in that sport as well. He projects as a wing man. He has early offers to play basketball from the likes of Connecticut, Michigan, Clemson, Penn State and Pitt……….As of early January he had offers for football from such programs as Ohio State, Penn State, Michigan, Florida, Pittsburgh, Clemson, West Virginia and Nebraska…….Wants to play both sports in college, and he’s unique enough to be able to do it…….Had initially committed to play basketball at Pittsburgh back in January 2006, but he recanted a couple of months later…….3.5 GPA through his sophomore year……Will be remembered as one of the best athletes ever produced by Pennsylvania and will be rolling in money sooner rather than later.
Blake Ayles TE/DL 6'4 235 Orange Lutheran California Blake is one of the top overall prospects in California and among the nation’s elite tight ends……In consecutive years he has been named First Team Sophomore and Junior All-State by CalHiSports.com and as a junior he was also named First Team All-Area by the Los Angeles Times and First Team All-County by the Orange County Register……..Plays for a strong team loaded with talent and had the advantage of having USC verbal Aaron Corp throwing him the pigskin……..Was hampered a bit by a shoulder injury his junior season, but still managed to snare 43 passes for 617 yards and 3 TD……As a sophomore, he had 36 receptions for 469 yards and 6 TDs………Has a knack for making big plays at crucial moments against the best competition……Has a good frame with long arms, nice, soft hands and runs well……A real physical blocker, his motor is always running…..He has really started to fill out and should b equally effective catching the ball and blocking at the next level.……By the end of 2006 he had offers from such programs as USC (Aaron Corp and Michael Reardon are teammates headed there), UCLA, Nebraska, Notre Dame (he’s Catholic), Colorado, California and Arizona State.
Chase Clement TE/DL 6'6 240 4.70 Thibodaux E.D. White Catholic Louisiana Clement is a two-way standout who some analysts consider to be the top prospect in Louisiana……Was an Honorable Mention Class 3A All-State selection as a junior MLB, tallying 79 tackles and 3 sacks. He added 12 receptions for 182 yards and 2 scores from his TE spot……Could play on either side of the ball in college, either at TE or DE…….He has a great frame and the speed and quickness to play effectively in space. In fact, he plays linebacker in high school, pretty unique for an athlete his size……A tough kid who not only has the computer numbers but who also always has his motor running…….Has solid strength, with a 325+ bench, 400+ squat and 285+ clean……31-inch vertical.....As a sophomore, he tallied 65 tackles, 7 sacks, 2 forced fumbles and 1 INT…….He was very impressive at the 2006 LSU summer camp……Nice bloodlines as his uncle, the late former LSU lineman Eric Andolsek, played in the NFL……By late 2006 he had already received offers from LSU, Florida and Mississippi.
Austin Holt TE/LB 6'6 220 4.90 South Jordan Bingham Utah Holt is one of the nation’s very best tight ends……He first became a national name after putting on an impressive display at the 2006 U.S. Army Combine and he followed that up with another outstanding performance at the 2007 combine……….As a junior, he was a consensus First Team All-State selection at TE after hauling in 21 passes for 372 yards and 4 TDs……As a sophomore, he had 3 receptions for 72 yards and a score…....He has an excellent frame that has room to fill out, soft hands and is particularly effective at adjusting his body to the ball in making the catch…….Sophomore year combine results include a 4.90 forty, 4.40 shuttle, 31.5-inch vertical and 18 bench reps…...May graduate early and enroll in college in January 2008……3.9 GPA and scored a 20 on the ACT as a sophomore……….As of mid-.anuary 2007 he had early offers from BYU, Utah, Oregon and Stanford:
Kyle Rudolph TE 6'7 220 4.70 Cincinnati Elder Ohio Rudolph leads a strong contingent of Ohio tight ends and ranks among the nation’s best………..As a junior, he was named Second Team All-Southwest District for Division I in his first year as a starter, hauling in over 40 passes and scoring 8 TDs………His best football is ahead of him as he has great height and a frame with lots and lots of room to fill out. He also has great hops, so he’s especially effective in going up and grabbing lob passes over outmatched DBs……….Very athletic with solid speed……Once he focuses just on football and hits the weight room he should add the additional strength needed to effectively block at the college level…..Runs solid routes and has nice hands………. Stars on the basketball team and was already starting as a freshman in the playoffs. He’s receiving Division I interest in that sport as well…..3.2 GPA…….By the end of 2006 he had offers from Ohio State, Notre Dame, Boston College, Virginia, Wake Forest and Akron.
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.
Class of 2008: Some Elite Running Backs
Darrell Scott RB/DB/ATH 6'2 190 4.40 Ventura St. Bonaventure California As of mid-January I have Scott ranked as the nation’s top RB.......He’s just an outstanding talent who has had a very productive prep career that should continue at the college level due to his unique combination of size, power, speed, quickness, toughness, cutting-ability, vision, balance, and running instincts……As one area coach said, he can run through you, around you and by you……Earned many, many honors as a junior and sophomore, to many to name, but the most impressive were being named First Team All-State by CalHiSports, the Los Angeles Daily News’ Offensive Player of the Year and First Team All-America by MaxPreps…….. As a junior, he carried the ball 337 times for an amazing 3194 yards (9.48 ypc) and 45 TDs. He was the first L.A.-Area large-school running back - and one of 15 players in state history - to run for 3,000 yards in a season………. As a sophomore, he rushed for 1,988 yards and 19 TDs………….Compared by some to Eddie George.…..Ran a 10.68 100-meters as a sophomore……By mid-January he had well over 20 offers, including from such top programs as USC, UCLA, and Michigan…….A unique talent.......Announced on January 23 that he will be leaving Moorpark and transferring to Ventura St. Bonaventure for his senior year.
Justin Johnson RB/LB 6'3 210 4.50 Gilmer Texas Johnson is among the nation’s elite RBs and part of a deep and talented Class of 2008 stable of Texas RBs…..One of several highly touted juniors at Gilmer……..A First Team Class 3A All-District selection as a sophomore and a Second Team Class 3A All-Stater as a junior…..Could also project as a LB in college, but he’s too special with the ball in his hands……..As a sophomore, he carried the ball 91 times for 793 yards and 8 TDs and had 9 receptions for 162 yard. On defense, he recorded 75 tackles from his OLB position……With his combination of size and speed, some have compared him to Adrian Peterson (lacks his top-end speed). I wouldn’t quite put him in that category, but he isn’t too far behind……Needs to get more experience playing RB and improve his technique, but there is no questioning his raw talent…….Very physical and aggressive on the field…..Well-built, he certainly passes the eyeball test…..As of mid-January 2007, he had over 25 offers, including such programs as Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Texas A&M, Baylor and Mississippi.
Jermie Calhoun RB/DB 6'0 195 4.49 Van TexasConsidered by many to be the top RB in Texas and among the elite beakc in the nation…………Earned First Team Class 3A All-State honors as a sophomore Honorable Mention as a junior………..A two-way starter at RB and safety, Calhoun had already rushed for almost 1,500 yards through late October of his junior season, averaging over 8 yards per carry and scoring 20 TDs……..As a sophomore, he rushed for 1,653 yards and 23 TDs in 10 games and tallied more than 50 tackles……As a freshman, he rushed for 980 yards, had 134 yards in receptions and registered 64 tackles from his safety position…….Has nice size, and is capable of running between the tackles and outside due to his nice combination of power, speed, quickness, cutting ability and vision…..Catches the ball well out of the backfield….Solid leadership qualities and a hard worker……Good student……Already playing varsity basketball as a freshman for a state championship team….250+ bench, 460+ squat……As of late 2006 Kansas State and Mississippi had offered.
Eric Smith RB 6'0 235 4.68 Seffner Armwood FloridaEric is among the very best RBs in the nation and probably the best pure power back………He was a Second Team Class 4A All-State RB as a sophomore but didn’t earn many honors his junior season as he was out for several weeks early in the season due to a dislocated elbow. When he returned, he was back to his old amazing self, displaying the power and innate running ability to rank among the nation’s top prospects…………He plays for a powerful program that regularly churns out D-1 talent (most recently, Torrey Davis)………As a sophomore, Smith rushed for over 1,600 yards and 23 TDs. He also had 24 receptions and 4 more scores….….Has surprising speed and agility for a power runner. It’s amazing to see how elusive the big guy is in the open field. Sort of a young Jerome Bettis in terms of his style…….Great bloodlines, as his father, Eric Sr., once held the state one-game rushing record with 502 yards. Younger brother Petey (Class of 2009) could be the best linebacker in the nation in a couple of years………. Florida was the first school to offer back in September 2006 and he will have his pick of schools when all is said and done.
British Footman RB/DB 6'0 190 4.50 Tallahassee Godby Florida There are several elite national caliber RBs in Florida in the Class of 2008 and Footman ranks up there with the best of them……As a junior, he had 178 carries for 1,296 yards (7.28 ypc) and 18 TDs for the city champions and was named Second Team Class 3A All-State and First Team Tallahassee Democrat All-Big Bend………..As a sophomore, he earned Honorable Mention All-Big Bend honors after rushing for 962 yards and 13 TDs……….. He is a slasher with very good speed and runs tough….Plays in an area that produces quite a bit of D-1 talent…..One of the nation’s top backs
Class of 2008: Some Elite Quarterbacks
Landry Jones QB 6'5 215 4.75 Artesia New Mexico One of the nations elite quarterbacks…..Great student: 4.0 core GPA and scored a 19 on the ACT……..40 time: 4.85 (combine) Bench: 260 Squat: 340 Vertical: "34 and a great 4.32 shuttle (combine)…….. As a junior, Jones completed 211 of 310 passesfor 3,433 yards and 45 TDs while throwing only 9 INTs. He also rushed 57 times for 249 yards and 9 TDs……..Jones was named the state 4A player of the year……Versatile athlete. As a sophomore, he played both WR and QB (passed for 661 yards on just 31 pass attempts)…………Great size, a very strong arm and accurate passer. Also runs pretty well for his size. A real playmaker. Numerous early offers…..Looked impressive during 2006 summer camp/combine circuit, especially at the Texas A&M Nike Camp…..Best player to emerge from New Mexico since Alan Branch and will be much more highly recruited than Branch……A top national recruit.
Jacory Harris QB/ATH 6'4 180 4.80 Miami Northwestern Florida Harris is one of the nation’s elite quarterbacks. He enjoyed a splendid junior season, leading Northwestern and a talent-laded junior class to the state Class 6A title……As a junior, he completed 194 of 285 passes for 2,920 yards, 37 TDs……..First Team All-Dade County selection…………. A dual-threat quarterback with nice height and big-time ability…… As a sophomore on a 9-1 13-6A team he backed up a senior at QB, completing 8 of 11 passes for 97 yards, 2 TDs and no INTs, while carrying the ball1 time for 99 yards……………. Core GPA: 3.3…….Won the junior leadership award at the 2006 Miami summer camp…..Already received his first D-1 offers in 2006…….The best QB Dade County has seen since Brian Griese, and he will be much more highly recruited than the former Michigan walk-on.
Andrew Luck QB/P 6'3 205 4.80 Houston Stratford Texas Probably the top QB in Texas…….As a junior, he completed 140 of 220 passes (63.6%) for 2,269 yards, 19 TDs and just 4 INTs during the regular season. He also carried the ball 81 times for 537 yards (6.6 ypc) and another 7n TDs………As a sophomore starter, he completed 116 of 229 passes for 1,529 yards and 7 TDs and also rushed for about 700 yards……..Played some varsity ball as a freshman before breaking his collarbone……A pocket-passer who can run the ball… He has great arm strength and excellent footwork, showing great technique in his dropbacks. Can make any throw…..Impressive at the 2006 Texas A&M summer camp and at the 2006 state 7-on-7 tournament…….Plays basketball and runs the hurdles in track……..Outstanding student, he was the junior class valedictorian…………Looking for a quality education and possibly majoring in civil engineering……….Received offers after his sophomore year, including an early offer from Nebraska………..Great QB smarts, leadership skills and bloodlines. His father, Oliver Luck, was a star QB at West Virginia before playing in the NFL. He is a long-time NFL executive, including serving a stint as the president of NFL Europe......As of mid-January 2007 he had 10 D-1 offers, as many as any QB in the nation.
Riley Dodge QB 5'11 170 4.59 Southlake Carroll Texas Dodge is just an outstanding prep QB, as good as they come. If he were just a few inches taller he would be the consensus top QB in the Class of 2008 as he has it all except for height…………..Led the machine known as Southlake Carroll to yet another Texas 5A title and in the process was named First Team Class 5A All-State and the AP’s 5A Offensive Player of the Year. He was also named All-South by the Orlando Sentinel and First Team All-American by MaxPreps…….As a junior, he completed 166 of 255 passes for 2,642 yards and 36 TDs and carried the ball 118 times for 1,019 yards (8.6 ypc) and another 12 TDs………..As a sophomore, he had over 700 yards in total offense in a back-up role……A true dual-threat QB who can beat you with his arm and with his feet. Was a middle school area 200-meter champion, so he has some legs……Great mechanics, which is no surprise as his father, former Texas QB Todd Dodge, was the Southlake Carroll coach through his junior season before taking the head coaching position at North Texas……During the 2006 combine circuit he posted marks of 4.59 in the forty, 4.35 in the shuttle and a 30.5-inch vertical……A tremendous playmaker and leader in running the offense…….The most polished QB in the nation, was an ideal fit for his father’s passing-focused spread offense at Carroll.
Dominique Blackman QB 6'5 225 5.34 Carson CaliforniaOne of the nation’s top QB prospects and Southern California’s best athletes…..He really shined at the 2007 San Antonio U.S. Army Combine, making All-Combine Team. He looked much more developed than he did during the 2006 spring combine circuit………As a junior, this lefthander completed 123 of 215 passes for 1,673 yards and 14 TDs in earning Second Team All-City honors……..Transferred from Gardena to Carson for his junior year…..Has outstanding size and athleticism, but is more of a dropback passer with a very strong arm. Gets excellent velocity on his throws and has really improved his mechanics and accuracy since his sophomore year……As of early January he had received offers from Texas Tech and Kansas State.
