Class of 2010: Drew Dileo verbals to Michigan

Michigan just landed a verbal from Louisiana slot prospect Drew Dileo.  Here  is what I have on Dileo in my database:

Drew Dileo     WR/DB/RB    5′10     175      4.50     Baton Rouge Parkview Baptist  Louisiana

Verbal:  Michigan

Offers:  MICH, STAN, TULANE, RICE

Junior Rankings/Honors:  42-Juniors-Louisiana (February 2009;  Dandy Don);  1-LSWA-3A-AS (RET);  1-Baton Rouge Advocate-3A-2A-1A-Metro (KR)

One of the top skill athletes in Louisiana………..He committed to Michigan in April………………Junior starter at RB and CB, and he had 102 carries for 760 yards (7.5ypc) and 9 TDs, 21 receptions for 315 yards and 4 TDs, averaged 42.2 yards on 10 KRs and had 237 yards in punt returns……………….Sophomore starter at RB and CB on a strong 15-0 3A team and he had 87 carries for 540 yards (6.2ypc) and 4 TDs, 17 receptions for 305 yards and 3 TDs, and had 154 yards in PRs and 657 yards (31.3 avg) in KRs……..He was the MVP of the 2007 Class 3A state championship game…………. Projected sophomore starter at DB on a 7-4 3A team…………….Best projects as a slot or CB in college…………….Really excels in space with his great quickness and elusiveness.  Does a great job of making people miss.  Very athletic.  Just a slippery player and also very tough.  Also an exciting return man……………Great character……………. 3.75 GPA, 20 ACT……………Also stars in baseball………………Michigan his childhood fave

Class of 2010: Michigan lands Texan Tony Drake

Sometimes commitments happen out-of-the-blue.  So it was whn Dallas Skyline junior all-purpose-back committed to Michigan earlier today.  He is yet another slotback who should be an idel fit into Michigan’s offensive scheme.

Here is some info on the latest Michigan verbal commitment, Tony Drake.

Tony Drake WR/RB 5′9 170 4.35 Dallas Skyline Texas Michigan

Offers: Michigan

2007 honors: 2-District 11-5A (WR)

One of the top junior all-purpose backs in Texas………….As a junior back-up RB to senior James White (Iowa State signee), he was second on the team in rushing with 55 carries for 429 yards (7.8ypc) and 3 TDs. He added 7 receptions for 73 yards………..As a sophomore starter at WR he was a second team All-district choice and had 260 yards receiving……………Skyline’s second and third-leading receivers, juniors Mike Davis (469 yards, 4 TDs) and Tony Drake (260 yards) are back as well…………..5ATexasFootball.com: “Several backfield weapons return in addition to Hall and Frazier. Senior RB James White (5’9 175), junior RB-LB Domonique Patterson, and junior all-purpose talent Tony Drake (5’9 165) combined for 1,857 rushing yards and 30 rushing touchdowns last season. White and Hampton combined for the majority of that production. All of the Skyline backs are good receivers out of the backfield. Junior Mike Davis (6’1 170) led Skyline in receiving as a sophomore and is a dangerous deep threat. Last season, Davis averaged 20.4 yards per reception. Junior Tony Drake, mentioned above, was Skyline’s second leading receiver a year ago. Drake combined for 605 rushing and receiving yards as a sophomore, and averaged 10.5 yards per touch. Senior Jonathan Rivers is another returning letterman that should make a contribution. A real burner.”………….Projects as a slotback in college…………….. Overshadowed by several D-I prospects at Skyline, including receivers Mike Davis (LSU) and Joe Powell (Oklahoma), but a legit big-time talent……………Vype Top 20 DFW Metroplex RBs (Summer 2008): “13. Tony Drake, Skyline The Raiders are in a situation where they are producing multiple Division I recruits each season, and Drake will be another. He only rushed for 300 yards last season, but remember again like White, he had limited opportunities because Skyline has so many talented skill players. Drake is another back with 4.4 speed.”

Class of 2010: Musings

Well, here we are just over a month after Signing Day for the Class of 2009 and things are really rolling with early verbal commitments in the class of 2010.  As of yesterday, 138 Class of 2010 prospects had already made verbal commitments to Division I schools.

Here are some thoughts on where things stand as of March 10, 2009.

Texas

As usual, Texas leads the pack with 19 early verbals, all of them from in-state prospects.  This is a remarkable number, even by Texas standards.  It includes such blue-chippers as quarterbacks Connor Wood and Case McCoy (Colt’s brother), LB Aaron Benson, offensive linemen Dominic Espinosa and Trey Hopkins, RB Traylon Snead and a deep group of defensive backs (including a super one in Ahmad Dixon), defensive linemen and wide receivers.

There is no questioning that this is an outstanding group, however all of the early verbals beg the question as to whether Texas is sort of putting themselves in a corner by limiting their flexibility to sign some of the remaining in-state supers down the road.

For instance, does landing Traylon Shead negatively impact them with Lache Seastrunk?  At the end of the day, will choosing to offer Snead early until waiting to further evaluate him against such other in-state backs as Ben Malena and D.J. Jones backfire?   Texas landed four quality receivers, however perhaps the top receiver in the state, Darius White, is not one of them and they did not pursue another highly touted prospect in Mike Davis, who subsequently committed to LSU.  Will these recruiting decisions backfire?

I don’t have the answers to these questions, but there are perils to receiving commitments from so many prospects who are just in the middle of their junior year.  Just look at the mess that Joe Paterno at Penn State got himself into several years back when he really got the ball rolling in terms of offering juniors.  A lot of these so-called junior all-americans ended up in a sort of stall pattern and not developing as the Nittany Lions would have hoped.

Why?  Simply because we are talking about college offers going out to prospects based on sophomore and junior film, when they have yet to turn 17 years old.  These kids are, for the most part, still maturing.  Early rankings and ratings of these prospects are just a “snapshot” of where things stand at a certain period of time.  And trust me, as I spend a lot of time talking to coaches and rating prospects, there is a tremendous amount of movement in the rankings and ratings of prospects from these early junior year “snapshots” until they sign on the dotted line in February of their senior year.

A lot can happen in a year.  Some kids will continue to mature and get bigger and stronger.  Other kids will stop growing.  Some kids may get lazy after committing and regress as prospects.  Some kids may be injured.  Some kids will exceed expectations at camps and combines.  Some kids won’t.  Some kids will have great senior years.  Others won’t.  Some kids will decommit to other schools

On the other hand, there are advantages to the Texas strategy.  First, as all of the early verbals are from Texas the risk of  decommitments is mitigated.  Moreover, the Texas staff now has 19 Class of 2010 prospects who will be recruiting other top high school kids to Texas, many from the Class of 2011.

Landing so many early verbals also allows the Texas coaching staff to focus more on three things:

1)  The small handful of elite prospects they are still recruiting for the Class of 2010.  They can give these kids the sort of “bespoke” attention that most other schools, who are still evaluating 2010 prospects, cannot provide.

2)   Getting a head start when it comes to evaluating and recruiting Class of 2011 and 2012 prospects.

3)  Most importantly, they will be able to spend more time coaching their current players.

Notre Dame

The Fighting Irish are off to a nice start with three early verbals, including one of the elite prospects in the nation in California LB Chris Martin.  Martin could team up with a certain recent signee from Barack Obama’s alma mater to form one of the most dynamic linebacker duos in the nation.  I have him ranked as the best linebacker in the nation.

What is really scary as that Notre Dame also leads for my third-ranked linebacker, Californian Anthony Barr, who happens to be the son of former Notre Dame player Tony Brooks and nephew of Reggie Brooks.  Whether Barr ends up as a college linebacker, however, is still up in the air.  He had a tremendous season as a running back and with his size and athleticism could also play on the defensive line or at TE.  He’s a splendid prospect and would be a huge get for the Irish.

There are a couple of other sons of former players who are being heavily recruited.  At one time it looked as though Notre Dame’s top recruiting target at quarterback would be Jake Heaps out of Washington.  Heaps, however, reportedly did not impress onlookers at the San Antonio U.S. Army Combine in early January and word is that Notre Dame may be looking in another direction.  Other quarterbacks who have been offered include the fast-rising Blake Bell (at present my top-ranked QB in the nation), Devin Gardner, Austin Hinder and a certain Nick Montana.

Montana, the son of former Irish great Joe Montana, is a fast-rising prospect who plays for the same program that sent Jimmy Clausen to Notre Dame.  He has probably improved more than any other junior QB in the nation over the past year as he has started to fill out and mature.  As a consequence, once his junior film made the rounds the offers came rolling in.   Word is that Notre Dame is making a big push to land him and that the Irish are now the prohibitive favorite.

Georgia WR Tai-ler Jones is another prep star who has a father (Andre Jones) who played at Notre Dame.  He currently has over 30 offers and is one of the most “reported” prospects on various web sites.  He must have a great PR man.  Every year there are three or four kids who I see updates on every time they receive an offer.  This year, Tai-ler is one of those kids.

The other two Notre Dame verbals are outstanding Illinois lineman Christian Lombard, one of the nations best, and local stud WR Daniel Smith (South Bend Clay).

What could really be downright scary for Notre Dame this year is their offensive line recruiting.  It is a great year for top-flight offensive linemen from Catholic Notre Dame feeder schools.  Seantrel Henderson (St. Paul Cretin-Durham) is the best in the nation, but the Irish may have a better chance at landing the nearly as good Brandon Linder, out of a program that is just loaded with D-I prospects this year – Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas.  Matt James out of Cincinnati St. Xavier is another stud who the Irish  could and up battling Ohio State to land.

The Best Quarteback in the Nation?

It is still early, but there has been a lot of movement in my quarterback rankings the past month as I review film and get a feel for the top prospects.  At present, my number one ranked prospects in the nation is Blake Bell (6-6, 215, 4.7) out of Wichita Bishop Carroll in Kansas.  He is a tall and athletic quarterback who only moved to the position as a junior after playing WR as a sophomore.  He has great height, a cannon for an arm, can make all the throws and has the athleticism to flush out of the pocket and make plays.

Others quarterbacks to watch out for include the talented dual-threat QB Devin Gardner out of Inkster, Michigan.  He is a tremendous athlete but needs to work on his throwing mechanics.  Weren’t we saying the same thing about Terrelle Pryor two years ago?

Philip Sims out of Chesapeake Oscar Smith High in Virginia seems like he has been around forever.  He has a great arm but will need to work on his drops as he plays in the shotgun.

The aforementioned Jake Heaps and Nick Montana may lack the stature of some of the other QBs and may be accused of playing against poor competition (Heaps) or being system QBs (Montana), but they have thus far pretty much done everything asked of them and have very impressive film.

Early verbals Connor Wood and Case McCoy (both Texas), Trey Burton (Florida), Scotty Young (Texas Tech) and Paul Jones (Penn State) also rate near the top in this years QB class.

Some others include athletic QBs Terrance Broadway, Blake Sims, Robert Bolden, Jeffrey Godfrey, Anthony Gonzalez and Christian Green, and pro-style QBs Austin Hinder, Pete Thomas, Jesse Scroggins (my favorite “sleeper”; watch for him to move up), Zach Lee and Tyler Arndt.

Last but not least is Sherman Oaks (CA) Notre Dame QB Ryan Kasdorf.  He earns my Kyle Boller award for coming out of relative obscurity to emerge as a star.  Boller did not start until his senior year in high school.  Kasdorf started as a junior after playing JV ball as a sophomore, and he put up HUGE numbers for one of the best programs in California.  Kasdorf completed 69 percent of his passes (171-248) for 3,291 yards and 36 touchdowns.  What I do not understand is why he has yet to receive an offer.  Somebody offer him!  He is outstanding!

I’ll have more tomorrow.

Class of 2010: Some Recent Top Verbals

Below are some recent Class of 2010 verbals. I’ll do separate postings in the next few days on some other recent verbals, including  the Texas, Oklahoma and Cincinnati commitments.

Name:	David Durham
Class:	2010
Projected College Position:	LB
Position:	LB
Height:	6′3
Weight:	226
Forty:	4.75
City/School:	Austin Westlake
State:	Texas
College Commitment:	Ohio State
Top Offers:	WVU, UVA, OHST
National Ranking Position:	78
Rating:	5
National Honors:	100 Juniors to Watch (MaxPreps; August 2008)
Junior Local Honors:	5ATexasFootball.com Super List
Sophomore Local Honors:	18-Sophs-Central Texas (TPR; Spring 2008)
News And Notes:	One of the top junior LBs in Texas…………..He committed to Ohio State in February 2009…………………As a sophomore he recorded 50 tackles and 4 sacks………..A true ILB who moves well and has great instincts. Very effective in coverage…….Fine wrestler…………..One of the top defenders at the 2008 Texas A&M summer camp…………..His father played at Mississippi……………39-6 as a wrestler his junior year………….Impressive at the June 6, 2008 Austin NUC and was invited to participate at the Ultimate 100 NUC: Winner of the LB MVP……………December 2007 MBD: Who\’s got super sophs? In Austin, a couple spring to mind: Westlake: LB David Durham, 6-2, 215, 50 tackles including eight for a loss and four sacks. Started midway through the season, ILB, also played DT. Good motor

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Name:	Jalston Fowler
Class:	2010
Projected College Position:	RB
Position:	RB/LB
Height:	5′11
Weight:	235
Forty:	4.92
City/School:	Prichard Vigor
State:	Alabama
College Commitment:	Alabama
Top Offers:	STH AL, SCAR, MARSH, AL
National Ranking Position:	52
Rating:	5
News And Notes:	One of the top LB and FB prospects in Alabama……..He committed to Alabama in February 2009…………..Reclassified as a Class of 2010 prospect in the winter of 2009 due to his age, but he will be ineligible to play in 2009. He will enroll in college in December 2009……….In 2008 he rushed for 1,182 yards and 25 touchdowns……………..In 2007 he recorded 60 tackles, 5 TFL, 1 INT and 1 FR…………Sophomore starter at OLB………17 bench reps, 31 vertical………April 2008 Under Armour/Scout.com Southeast Elite camp All-Camp Team……His coach claims he has a chance to be as good as teammate Burton Scott…….Camped at Alabama………..October 2007: JUNIORS TO WATCH: For Vigor, a pair of 11th-graders have caught the eyes of college recruiters around the Southeast recently. Keep an eye on both Jalston Fowler, a 6-foot, 230-pound running back, and Kendall Houston, generously listed at 5-11, 195. Alabama, Auburn, and a host of other schools have made inquiries. It\’s easy to see that Houston runs hard, and Fowler hits hard. Runs hard, too. When he joins Houston in the backfiield, its double-trouble. Also standing out was 5-10, 164-pound Keith Ray, who caught a 67-yard pass from the lefty Scott, and then replaced B.J. at QB when the latter was briefly shaken up. Ray is quick…………..Freshman Jalston Fowler (6-0, 205) is the leading candidate at fullback

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Name:	Jay Guy
Class:	2010
Projected College Position:	DL
Position:	DL
Height:	6′0
Weight:	316
Forty:	5.10
City/School:	Houston Aldine Eisenhower
State:	Texas
College Commitment:	California
Top Offers:	KANST, MICH, A&M, STAN, ARMY, BAY, MO, CAL, SMU, UCLA
National Ranking Position:	51
Rating:	5
National Honors:	68-Sophs-Nation (FV Sports, March 1, 2008)
Junior Local Honors:	1-District 19-5A (DT); 5ATexasFootball.com Super List
Sophomore Local Honors:	2-District 19-5A (DT)
News And Notes:	One of the top junior DT prospects in Texas…………He committed to California in February 2009………………..Sophomore starter at DT for a talent-laden team……….Great run stopper………….350 bench, 525 squat…………..3.6 core GPA, 1450 SAT………….As of October, he really likes Texas and Oklahoma over Florida, LSU and Michigan

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Name:	Quinton Spain
Class:	2010
Projected College Position:	OL
Position:	OL/DL
Height:	6′6
Weight:	345
Forty:	5.20
City/School:	Petersburg
State:	Virginia
College Commitment:	West Virginia
Top Offers:	WVU
National Ranking Position:	103
Rating:	5
Junior Local Honors:	14-Juniors-Virginia (December 2008: Doug Doughty, Roanoke Times)
News And Notes:	One of the top junior OT prospects in Virginia…………He committed to West Virginia in February 2009…………..Junior two-way starter at tackle…………..Sophomore starter at OT………..Very impressive at the 2007 Virginia Big Mans Camp………Has a chance to be special if he works at it………….. 380 bench……….The fresh backs will follow 6-6, 300-pound tackle Quentin Spain, a sophomore………..Will start in basketball as a junior………..Early in his junior year he likes West Virginia

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Name:	Kevin “K.P.” Parks
Class:	2010
Projected College Position:	RB
Position:	RB
Height:	5′6
Weight:	187
Forty:	4.60
City/School:	Mt. Ulla West Rowan
State:	North Carolina
College Commitment:	Virginia
Top Offers:	UVA
National Ranking Position:	43
Rating:	5
National Honors:	2-MaxPreps-Medium Schools-AA (RB); 2-MaxPreps-Junior-AA (RB); 1-Orlando Sentinel-Southern; 50 Juniors to Watch (Sporting News)
Junior Local Honors:	1-AP-AS (RB); AP All-State Nominee (Player of Year; RB); 1-Charlotte Observer-Area (OFF PoY; RB); 1-Salisbury Post-Rowan County (OFF PoY); 1-NCPreps.com-PS-3A-AS (RB)
Sophomore Local Honors:	2-Charlotte Observer–Piedmont (RB); 1-NPC (OFF Player of Year)
News And Notes:	One of the top juniors in North Carolina…………He committed to Virginia in February 2009………2-MaxPreps-Medium Schools-AA: “RB – Kevin Parks, West Rowan (Mt. Ulla, S.C.), 5-8, 185, Jr. By the time he’s finished, Parks could be one of the all-time leading rushers in national history. A two-time all-area player of the year, Parks has 7,121 yards and 99 touchdowns in three seasons on the varsity. He ran for 2,864 yards and 43 touchdowns on 386 carries this year in leading West Rowan to the state championship”……………………2-MaxPreps-Junior-AA: “RB Kevin Parks, West Rowan (N.C.), 5-8, 185 North Carolina’s leader in rushing, Parks torched defenses for nearly 2,900 yards and 43 touchdowns, leading West Rowan to a 3A state title”………..1-AP-AS: Elsewhere, West Rowan — a first-time state champion after winning the Class 3-A title at BB&T Field in Winston-Salem — led the voting, with running back Kevin Parks, offensive lineman Tim Pangburn and defensive lineman Chris Smith making the team after helping West to the most successful season in school history. Parks, who finished with 16 votes, rushed for more than 2,800 yards and 43 touchdowns this season…..AP All-State Nominee (Player of Year; RB): KEVIN PARKS, West Rowan, RB, Jr., 5-8, 185 _ Ran 386 times for 2,864 yards and 43 touchdowns while leading team to 3-A championship. Named conference and county player of the year, as well as MVP of the 3-A final. Has run for 7,121 yards in his career with 99 touchdowns……………….1-Charlotte Observer-Area:  “RB Kevin Parks West Rowan Jr. 5-6 185 Sparked N.C. 3A champions by rushing for 2,864 yards and 43 touchdowns. Named most valuable player in state title game”………………As a sophomore, he had 345 carries for 2,563 yards and 33 TDs…………Top sophomore on a 11-2 3A team: KEVIN PARKS (RB) – Kevin ran 232 times for 1,721 yards with 21 TDs as a freshman…………..RUSHING LEADERS (Min. 1,000 yards) 37. Kevin Parks – West Rowan – 232 – 1,721 – 21 TDS*………….300 bench, 470 squat………..Also plays basketball……………Charlotte Observer:  “OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR Plucky postseason run carries Parks to pinnacle Junior fights through injury to lead West Rowan to state title By Cliff Mehrtens Posted: Thursday, Dec. 25, 2008 Kevin Parks, a junior running back at West Rowan, battled through a playoff injury to help the Falcons win the N.C. 3A championship and go 15-1. A sprained ankle couldn\’t stop Kevin Parks. Neither could defenses. Parks, a junior running back at West Rowan, battled through a playoff injury to help the Falcons win the N.C. 3A championship and go 15-1. His final statistics, while impressive, might have been loftier if he hadn\’t been limited early during the playoffs. He rushed for 2,864 yards and 43 touchdowns on 386 carries. The standout carry was his first in the state championship game – 81 yards and a touchdown on the first play, sparking a 35-7 victory against West Craven. Parks, 5-foot-9 and 185 pounds, is the Observer Offensive Player of the Year. His 2,864 yards led North Carolina rushers, and put him above 7,000 in three seasons. “Kevin is just a real tough kid, physically and mentally tough,” West Rowan coach Scott Young said. “He has good vision, balance and adequate speed. But he\’s such a high-character kid, too.” Parks finished with 219 yards and three touchdowns in the final, and set up another score with a 56-yard run. His ankle injury reduced his carries in earlier playoff games, and coaches didn\’t want to risk further injury by overuse. “Every time I\’d ask him, he\’d tell me he\’d be fine to play,” Young said, laughing. “What he did was phenomenal. He\’d go to rehab twice a day, at different locations, and missed some practice. As a staff, we\’d sit down and design game plans with him and without him. It caused some sleepless nights.” The awards began rolling in after the title game, in which he was named most valuable player. Parks was named North Piedmont 3A Player of the Year, and Rowan County Player of the Year. “He is so punishing on tacklers,” Young said. “As the game wears on, that has an effect.”…………..Impressive at the April 19, 2008 Charlotte NUC and was invited to participate at the Ultimate 100 NUC

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Name:	Sean Fitzpatrick
Class:	2010
Projected College Position:	TE
Position:	TE
Height:	6′6
Weight:	205
Forty:	4.68
City/School:	Pittsford Mendon
State:	New York
College Commitment:	Maryland
Top Offers:	MD
National Ranking Position:	34
Rating:	5
Combines:	5/18/2008 Fitzpatrick Sean 538 10 Pittsford Mendon NY Cleveland TE S 77.5 205 98 122 24 8\’2 8\’4 4.83 4.68 4.66 4.78 21 @ 155…..2008: • Fitzpatrick• Sean• NSTC Buffalo Football… • TE• 6050• 0• 2010• 5.1• 4.56• 3306• 26• 194• 60.33
News And Notes:	One of the top juniors in New York…………..He committed to Maryland in February 2009…………..As a junior he had 18 receptions for 275-yards and three touchdowns………………..As a sophomore, he had 21 receptions for 312 yards and3 TDs and also ruhed for a score…………..25 vertical, 4.56 shuttle……………2.9 core GPA. …………………Very impressive at the May 2008 Cleveland NUC (6-5, 205, 4.68 forty, 4.66 shuttle, 22 reps at 155)………….Great frame, very athletic, runs well and has excellent body control and very soft hands. High ceiling………….He wants to major in business

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Name:	Jerald Robinson
Class:	2010
Projected College Position:	WR
Position:	WR/DB
Height:	6′1
Weight:	185
Forty:	4.55
City/School:	Canton South
State:	Ohio
College Commitment:	Michigan
Top Offers:	MICH, OHST
National Ranking Position:	37
Rating:	5
Junior Local Honors:	1-ONN/Ohio High-Ohio (WR); 1-Minerva-Press-News-Area (WR)
Combines:	5/18/2008 Robinson Jerald 258 10 Canton South OH Cleveland WR S 73 170 97 126 29 8′10 8′11 4.64 4.77 4.64 4.59 INJ
Links:	http://scoutingohio.com/index.php/view-profile.html?task=userProfile&user=417&name=Gerald.Robinson
News And Notes:	One of the top overall prospects in Ohio……….He committed to Michigan on February 9, 2009……….As a junior starter at WR and DB, he had 35 receptions for 803 yards and 7 TDs, 52 tackles and 7 INTs………………….1-ONN/Ohio High-Ohio: “WR: Jerald Robinson, junior, Canton South – Robinson (6-2, 175) was a two-way star for Canton South, which went 8-4 and reached the second round of the Division III playoffs. During the regular season, Robinson caught 25 passes for 584 yards and six touchdowns. He also played safety and made 48 tackles with four interceptions and 15 pass break-ups”……………..Through 4 games as a junior he had 8 receptions and 2 TDs, and averaged 31 yards per catch………….1-Minerva-Press-News-Area: “Since we run a spread offense with The Press-News All-Star team, we carry three very talented receivers. They are Canton South’s Jerald Robinson and Sandy Valley’s Zach Mozden and Corey Fisher. Robinson led South in receiving yards and receiving touchdowns this year and was second in receptions. The junior standout caught 34 passes for 756 yards and seven touchdowns. Five of his seven touchdown catches were 20 yards or longer, including an 86-yarder and a 56-yarder. Robinson also recorded 56 tackles in the defensive backfield and led the team in interceptions with seven”…………………Returning junior starter at WR…………….As a sophomore he had about 600 yards receiving and 4 TDs. He was the leading receiver on the team……………..A polished WR. Softs hands, runs crisp routes, is fast and very athletic………..Rated by one analyst as among the top 15 overall sophomore prospects in Ohio…………..Plans to camp at Michigan State and Ohio State in 2009………….Camped at Ohio State in 2008………….As of February he favored Michigan, Ohio State, and Michigan State………….Impressive at the May 18, 2008 Cleveland NUC and was invited to participate at the Ultimate 100 NUC: Winner of the WR MVP. …………Also stars in basketball and track. Has started in basketball since his freshman year………….3.4 GPA…………He really likes Ohio State………………He visited Michigan for the 2008 Northwestern game

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Name:	Sione Potoae
Class:	2010
Projected College Position:	DL
Position:	DL/OL
Height:	6′1
Weight:	268
Forty:	5.27
City/School:	Lakewood Lakes
State:	Washington
College Commitment:	Washington
Top Offers:	WASH, WASHST
National Ranking Position:	40
Rating:	5
Junior Local Honors:	1-Tacoma News Tribune-AS (OL); 1-AP-3A-AS (OL); 1-Seattle Post-Intelligencer-Area; 1-Ron Siegel-PS-Junior-AS (All Classes) (OL)
News And Notes:	One of the top juniors in Washington………….He committed to Washington in February 2009……………1-Tacoma News Tribune-AS:  “OL: Sinoe Potoa’e, Jr., 6-3, 285, Lakes This dominant lineman helped Lakes have two 1,000-yard running backs”……………1-Seattle Post-Intelligencer-Area:  “Sione Potoa’e Lakes, junior WHAT HE DID: The 6-2, 280-pound Potoa’e dominated the interior of the Lakes offensive line all season after missing his sophomore season with a stress fracture in his leg. He’s the SPSL 3A offensive lineman of the year and considered one of the top state recruits in the class of 2010. HOW HE DID IT: When Potoa’e talked about what inspires him to work hard as an athlete, he credits his family and his girlfriend, Victoria, for their unending support. WHAT HE’LL DO NEXT: This winter, Potoa’e will do a lot of weight training and plans on competing in the throws in track this spring. His goal is to help the Lancers win the 3A state football title in 2009″……………..Sophomore two-way starter for a strong 10-1 3A program at DT and OT………….Freshman two-way starter for a strong program………………Could play on either side of the ball in college. On the OL he gets great knee bend, quick off the ball and a real drive blocker………..Very impressive at the May 2008 Kenmore (WA) Competitive Edge Combine (the top lineman at the camp): He ran a 5.27 40, a 4.99 40, jumped 8 feet in the standing broad jump and lifted 185 pounds 24 times…………..Very impressive at the 2007 Barton camp…………..300 bench as a freshman…………Very quick for his size, has soft hands as a TE and is very agile………………400 bench……………TOUTED LINEMAN Lakes junior Sione Potoae is ready for a breakthrough season. The 6-foot-2, 285-pound offensive and defensive lineman shined at the Competitive Edge combine in May at Sumner, showing off his above-average quickness, agility and strength.

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Name:	Derrick Burns
Class:	2010
Projected College Position:	RB
Position:	RB/LB/DB
Height:	5′10
Weight:	195
Forty:	4.50
City/School:	New Wilmington Wilmington Area
State:	Pennsylvania
College Commitment:	Pittsburgh
Top Offers:	PITT
National Ranking Position:	95
Rating:	5
Junior Local Honors:	2-AP-AA-AS (LB); 1-Pennsylvania fotball News-AS (LB); 1-Erie Times-District 10
News And Notes:	One of the top RBs in Pennsylvania………………He committed to Pittsburgh in February 2009…………….As a junior starter at RB and ILB on a 15-1 team, he had 180 carries for 1,487 yards (8.26 ypc) and 23 TDs, 5 receptions for 75 yards and 1 TD, 62 tackles, 80 assists, 2 sacks, 1 INT and 1 FR………..The younger brother of Pitt RB Chris Burns

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Name:	John Fullington
Class:	2010
Projected College Position:	OL
Position:	OL/TE/DL
Height:	6′6
Weight:	270
Forty:
City/School:	Belfair North Mason
State:	Washington
College Commitment:	Washington State
Top Offers:	WASHST
National Ranking Position:	141
Rating:	5
Junior Local Honors:	1-Kitsap Sun-West Sound (DL); 1-Ron Siegel-PS-Junior-AS (All Classes) (DL)
Sophomore Local Honors:	1-Olympic League-Class 2A Division (TE & DL)
Freshman Local Honors:	2-Olympic 2A (TB)
News And Notes:	One of the top junior DL and OL prospects in Washington………….He committed to Washington State in February 2009…………..1-Kitsap Sun-West Sound:  “John Fullington Defensive lineman North Mason, jr., 6-5, 260 Fullington earned All-Olympic/Nisqually League honors at defensive line where he had 52 tackles and four sacks and at tight end with 21 catches 313 yards and four touchdowns”…………….As a junior TE/DE, he had 21 catches for 313 yards (14.91 avg.) and 3 TDs.  On defense, he recorded 52 tackles, 4 sacks and a blocked field goal……………Sophomore two-way starter on a 2-8 2A team…………….As a freshman starter on a 6-4 2A team he had 9 receptions for 112 yards and 3 TDs and 1 carry for 19 yards…………….325 bench…………Tacoma News Tribune:  “BEST DEFENSIVE PLAYER IN NISQUALLY: Touted lineman North Mason’s John Fullington is only a junior, but colleges are paying attention. He’s a tight end, but Washington State covets him as a future offensive lineman”…………………………………That front four will likely be 260-pound senior Jared Rinehart, 210-pound junior Shane Solomon, 245-pound senior Matt Kunick, and the young man who Pugh believes has Pac-10 potential, 6-foot-5, 230-pound John Fullington, a sophomore. \”He is going to be something,\” says Pugh. \”The only liability right now is he\’s not very fast. But with his attitude and willingness to work, I think he\’s going to improve that.\”.

——————–

Class of 2010: Some Recent Top Verbals

Name:	Darius Lipford
Class:	2010
Projected College Position:	TE
Position:	TE/WR/LB
Height:	6′4
Weight:	210
Forty:	4.60
City/School:	Lenoir Hibriten
State:	North Carolina
College Commitment:	Duke
Top Offers:	ECAR, DUKE
National Ranking Position:	19
Rating:	5
News And Notes:	One of the top junior receiver prospects in North Carolina…………He committed to Duke in October 2008……….Projects as a TE or WR in college……….Key junior to watch on a 8-5 2A team and he is a college prospect……….250 bench, 380 squat, 38 vertical……….21-6 long jump (2nd in state as a soph) and 6-5 high jump………Also a fine basketball player who may walk-on at Duke. In AAU ball he plays for the Carolina Flight program which finished finished 6th at 15U AAU Nationals and finished 10th at 16U AAU Nationals

Name:	Matt Elam
Class:	2010
Projected College Position:	DB
Position:	DB/RB
Height:	6′0
Weight:	195
Forty:	4.45
City/School:	West Palm Beach Lakes
State:	Florida
College Commitment:	Florida
Top Offers:	WVU, WISC, FLA
National Ranking Position:	5
Rating:	5
Junior Local Honors:	South Florida Sun-Sentinel Super 11
Sophomore Local Honors:	1-South Florida Sun-Sentinel-6A-5A-4A-Area (ATH); 1-Sophomores-Palm Beach County (September 2007; 561sports.com)
Freshman Local Honors:	HM-South Florida Sun-Sentinel-Palm Beach County (6A-4A); 1-Freshmen-Palm Beach County (561sports.com, October 30, 2006) (DB)
Links:	http://www.athletevault.com/Videos/MattElamAV.html
News And Notes:	One of the top overall junior prospects in Florida and safeties in the nation…………..He committed to Florida in October 2008…………..Junior starter at WR and DB……………Sophomore starter on a 4-6 6A team that did not provide defensive stats, but he had 50 carries for 388 yards and 4 TDs, and 7 receptions for 193 yards and 1 TD……………1-South Florida Sun-Sentinel-6A-5A-4A-Area: Matt Elam Palm Beach Lakes, ATH Ht./Wt: 6-0, 195 Year: Sophomore Comment: Will be one of the premier players in the county next year. Already has college coaches’ attention……………..Returning sophomore starter at safety on a 7-3 6A team…………..Plays hard and fast. Very aggressive. Very physical. Runs well. Great motor. Excellent football instincts…………Scheduled to attend the July 2008 Florida Friday Night Lights Camp………….Very impressive at the June 2008 Central Florida Adidas 7 on 7 Tournament………………Only freshman on a 7-3 6A team (CB)……………………South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com: “Dwyer High’s Matthew Elam turns pain into motivation: Siblings deaths push prep star to live life to fullest Siblings’ deaths push Dwyer star to live life to the fullest August 28, 2008 He doesn’t hesitate to reveal his passion. It’s the one part of his life he doesn’t guard tightly or reserve for only those in his inner circle. He can’t. Football is Matthew Elam’s safe haven. Where in the midst of violent hits, extreme pressure and intense scrutiny, he finds his moment of peace. For some players, the sport is a way of life. For Elam, a junior at Dwyer High, it’s a way to deal with life. And all that life has thrown at him in just 16 years. Many teenagers spend their high school years worrying about fitting in, finding the right person to date and what their future will hold. Elam worries most about having to see his mom in pain again and watching the tears covering her cheeks. He fears attending another funeral of a family member or letting down those closest to him. It bothers him he never said “I love you” to his brother again before he died. “If it wasn’t for God in this family, we wouldn’t be able to face day after day after all we’ve gone through,” said Addie Elam-Lewis, Elam’s mother, who has buried two children. Revisiting the pain As school let out on a Friday in May, Elam received a phone call from a basketball teammate. He’s heard Elam’s older brother Donald Elam, 33, had been shot and killed. A call home confirmed the news. His family refused to let him drive home in his emotional state and sent his sister Mary to pick him up. Suddenly, Elam was thrown into a familiar state: mourning a sibling. Nine years ago, Elam’s sister, Christina, was shot and killed in his Riviera Beach neighborhood. She was 12. Elam will never forget the day Christina died. His older brother Abram, who now plays for the New York Jets, had just settled in at the kitchen table to do his homework. Elam, who was 8, sat quietly in front of the TV. Their tranquil situation was interrupted by a hurried knock on the door. A friend of Abram’s rushed over to tell the family that Christina had been shot. Abram sprinted out the door to find his sister. Elam ran after him before his mother could catch him. For many years, Elam buried the pain of his sister’s death deep inside himself. It was a subject he could rarely talk about, much less deal with. With the murder of his brother this summer, those feelings bubbled to the surface again. Put it to use This time, Elam refused to let the pain eat at him. “I let [his death] motivate me,” Elam said. “I’ve seen my mom lose children and she can’t lose any more, so I have to stay positive. And I have to work hard so my mom can see me make it.” Elam committed himself to the weight room and conditioning like he never has before. He met his half-brother Terry Bradden (quarterback at Inlet Grove) for 6 a.m. beach workouts followed by evenings of more sprints and lifting with his new teammates at Dwyer. The tears turned into sweat and the sweat into 10 additional pounds of muscle on an already-chiseled body. While Elam tries to conceal his pain, it is visible each day. Written on his white cleats are phrases such as: RIP Don II, Donald Runner #2 RIP (a brother who was shot and killed four years before Elam was born), Christyboo #22, Free Kude (a cousin in jail). He changed his number to 22 this season in honor of Christina, who used that number while playing sports. “Let me do this for them,” Elam said. “I don’t feel like I’m only playing for myself. I try hard not to let anyone down. Play like if they would be there to watch me.” To say that Elam completely forgets his past once he steps on the field is far from the truth. “I still carry [the pain] with me every day,” Elam said. “I always have it on my back like a book bag.” Some days it feels heavier than others. As much as his pain is his motivation, it’s also his curse. Top-notch talent. Elam was the first player in the past five seasons at Palm Beach Lakes to start every game as a freshman. Former Lakes coach Dan Sanso said it was obvious Elam’s skill set, ability and physical maturity were extremely advanced for his age. As a sophomore, Elam emerged as one the county’s elite players. He was named first-team All-County for the Sun Sentinel. This summer, Elam transferred to Dwyer through the No Child Left Behind Public School Choice Program. He is the only junior on the Sun Sentinel’s Super 11 team. Florida Football magazine touts Elam as one of, if not the top, prospect out of Florida in the Class of 2010. Major-college offers are already pouring in. Elam’s listed at 6 feet, 205 for this season, but doctors expect him to grow to 6-4 or 6-5. “He could be a candidate for Mr. Florida if everything falls into place,” Sanso said. “There is no doubt in my mind that he has never even touched his potential yet.” Helping Elam to live up to the expectations is Abram. His brother was a standout safety for Cardinal Newman, going on to play for Notre Dame and Kent State. He had two unsuccessful stints with the Cowboys before signing on with and eventually starting last season with the Jets. “I always tell him I don’t want him to be like me, I want him to be better than me,” Abram said in a phone interview from New York. The two are more than brothers, with Abram more like a father to Elam. Abram takes pride in helping to encourage his brother, pass down his football knowledge and teach him right from wrong. There is no one Elam admires more than his brother, having wished he could move to New York at times to be near his sibling. Elam played safety the past two seasons, but the Dwyer coaching staff is considering a move to linebacker. It’s a position Elam played until high school. The prospect of that change has Elam smiling. His favorite part of the game is hitting a running back or blitzing a quarterback. Handing out big hits is what makes him go. “He will be a big help to us because he’s so aggressive with so much speed and is a headhunter on defense,” Dwyer running back Donald Russell said. “It’s nice not to have to worry about playing against him anymore.” Elam also figures to play a bigger role offensively this year. He will line up at receiver, in the backfield as a running back and get to return kicks as well. His ability to dominate on offense as well as defense was obvious last season, but his conditioning kept him from excelling. By the end of the season he accumulated a number of nagging injuries in his back and hips. A new summer workout commitment, a healthier attitude and a change of scenery make Elam feel like he’s ready for a new challenge. “The next day is not promised, so I try to live every day to the fullest and have fun because you never know what’s going to happen tomorrow,” Elam said.”

Name:	Demar Dorsey
Class:	2010
Projected College Position:	DB
Position:	DB
Height:	6′2
Weight:	190
Forty:	4.40
City/School:	Lauderdale Lakes Boyd Anderson
State:	Florida
College Commitment:	Florida
Top Offers:	FLA, MIA, FSU, WVU, RUT, WISC, NCAR
National Ranking Position:	19
Rating:	5
News And Notes:	One of the top junior safety prospects in Florida…………….He committed to Florida in October 2008…………..As a junior, through late October he had 3 INTs, 1 FR and 3 FFs…………Sophomore starter at safety on a 8-2 6A team and he recorded 40 tackles and 5 INTs………….Great combination of size and speed………………10.53 100, 21.48 200 meters

Name:	Betim Bujari
Class:	2010
Projected College Position:	OL
Position:	OL/DL
Height:	6′4
Weight:	290
Forty:
City/School:	Secaucus
State:	New Jersey
College Commitment:	Rutgers
Top Offers:	RUT
National Ranking Position:	29
Rating:	5
Junior Local Honors:	110 New Jersey Juniors to Watch
News And Notes:	One of the top juniors in New Jersey and OL prospects in the East……………He committed to Rutgers in November 2008……………Junior starter at T and DT…………….Sophomore starter at center and played some DT………………..Will start as a sophomore at DT on a 9-1 team and he will also start at center as a sophomore…………Freshman varsity letterman playing OG…………Betim Bujari is the biggest center Voorhees has ever coached……………Is originally from Albania…………A versatile lineman who is effective on both sides of the ball and uses his body well………….Also runs track (section gold medalist in discus and shot put) and plays basketball…………Attended the 2008 Rutgers summer camp

Name:	Sean Tapley
Class:	2010
Projected College Position:	WR
Position:	WR
Height:	6′0
Weight:	175
Forty:
City/School:	Jacksonville Raines
State:	Florida
College Commitment:	South Carolina
Top Offers:	SCAR
National Ranking Position:	39
Rating:	5
News And Notes:	One of the top junior WRs in Florida…………….He committed to South Carolina in October…………As a junior, through November 1 he had 27 receptions for 550 yards…………One of 9 sophomores on a 7-4 3A team that did not provide any stats…..Really wowed Steve Spurrier at the 2008 South Carolina summer camp

Name:	Louis Young
Class:	2010
Projected College Position:	DB
Position:	DB/WR
Height:	6′0
Weight:	177
Forty:	4.56
City/School:	Olney Good Counsel
State:	Maryland
College Commitment:	Stanford
Top Offers:	VT, MD, STAN, BC
National Ranking Position:	15
Rating:	5
Junior Local Honors:	Washington Post Area Top 50 Players
News And Notes:	One of the top juniors Maryland………….He committed to Stanford in October………………..Sophomore starter at DB on a powerful 10-2 team, and he recorded 44 tackles, 12 PBUs, three interceptions, two forced fumbles and 13 deflections …………..Very impressive at the 2008 Boston College summer camp…………Offered by Virginia Tech after an impressive performance at their 2008 summer camp…………… Very impressive at the 2008 Maryland summer camp………..He tested well at the June 2008 Baltimore Scout.com combine………..Also receiving D-I interest in basketball as a star PG. He was a part-time starter as a freshman and as a sophomore averaged 11 ppg and 6 apg…………Wants to major in business or marketing…………..3.25 GPA……………..Falcons’ Young Blossoms Into a Dual Threat By Josh Barr Washington Post Staff Writer Friday, September 5, 2008:  “A starter on the Good Counsel basketball team since his freshman year, Louis Young spent the summer of 2006 on the travel-team circuit, honing his skills as a point guard in gyms across the country. This summer, Young traded his high-tops for cleats, dedicating himself to improving as a football player after starting at cornerback last season as a sophomore. “This year he wants to play offense,” Good Counsel Coach Bob Milloy said with a smile. “So he came to the summer stuff.” Young learned the routes run by the team’s wide receivers. He hit the weight room, hoping to help set an example for the team’s younger players. And when the third-ranked Falcons open their season tonight at D.C. public school defending champion Dunbar, Young will start on both sides of the ball. On a team loaded with talented players — led by All-Met linebacker Jelani Jenkins, considered one of the nation’s best at his position — it is easy to lose track of Young. Maryland recruit Caleb Porzel is one of the Washington area’s fastest running backs and the team’s other starting cornerback, Mike Wallace, also has a handful of college scholarship offers. Increasingly, though, many of those college recruiters are paying attention to Young, whose stock shot up after he stood out at a one-day camp at Maryland this summer. “Evidently he threw some people around,” Milloy said. “They offered him that night.” Virginia Tech, Boston College and Stanford soon followed suit. Clemson and Maryland had been recruiting him to play basketball, Young said, but attention from the football scouts “has picked up recently.” Young said he enjoys both sports. Playing football helps him stay aggressive on the basketball court, he said, while playing basketball improves his footwork at cornerback. And getting in top shape physically will help in both sports. Young said he has added more than 20 pounds to his 6-foot-1 frame since last season by working out more and changing his diet to limit red meat and increase protein consumption. “I’m a peanut butter-and-jelly fanatic,” he said. “I eat those all day.” Combine four PB-and-J’s with a salad that includes turkey, cheese, croutons and ranch dressing and you’ve got quite a lunch. It’s easy to see how Young is up to 190 pounds, while retaining the speed and quickness colleges and Milloy love. “I’m open to every college right now,” Young said. “It really hasn’t sunk in to me, with all the attention from the colleges. I’ll deal with it after the season.”"

Name:	Joe Kruger
Class:	2010
Projected College Position:	DL
Position:	DL/TE
Height:	6′8
Weight:	225
Forty:
City/School:	Orem Timpanogos
State:	Utah
College Commitment:	Utah
Top Offers:	UTAH, BYU
National Ranking Position:	46
Rating:	5
News And Notes:	One of the top juniors in Utah………He committed to Utah in November 2008…………Sophomore starter at TE and DE on a 6-5 5A team and he had 38 tackles, 37 assists and 1 sack ……….Has a great frame and is athletic…………Great bloodlines: One older brother plays at Utah and another, David, is a Class of 2008 blue-chipper……….Already offered by Utah after his freshman year

Class of 2010: Michigan Lands Two Outstanding Wide Receivers

It has been a great week on the recruiting front for Rich Rodriguez and his staff.  Last week they landed versatile Cass Tech prospect Thomas Gordon, who will likely play safety at Michigan.  This week they have picked up early verbals from two of the top junior WRs in the nation – Ricardo Miller and Jeremy Jackson.

Who are some other junior prospects that Michigan fans should keep man eye on?  Prospects such as Dior Mathis, William Gholston, Austin White, Marvin Robinson and Chistian Lombard are names well-known to fans of Michigan recruiting.  What about some off-the-radar prospects who could eventually receive offers?  I’ll be identifying some of these prospects over the next few weeks, starting today.

Below are my bios on the two most recent Michigan verbals and a few “sleepers” to watch out for.

Name:	Ricardo Miller
Class:	2010
Position:	WR
Height:	6′3
Weight:	203
Forty:	4.50
City/School:	Orlando Dr. Phillips
State:	Florida
College Commitment:	Michigan
Top Offers:	USF, MICH, CFU, FLA, UCLA, TEN, STAN
National Ranking Position:	6
Rating:	5
News And Notes:	One of the top overall junior prospects in Florida and WRs in the nation………He committed to Michigan in September…………..Projects as a WR in college………..Through 4 games as a junior he had 8 receptions for 135 yards and 4 TDs…………Sophomore co-starter at TE and also played some DE on a 7-5 6A team. He had 4 receptions for 75 yards and 1 TD……………Runs the sprints in track………..Impressive at July 2008 Florida Friday Night Lights camp…………. Very impressive at the July 2008 USF Sling and Shoot. In fact, he was considered by some to be the top rising junior in attendance……….Very impressive at the 2008 Michigan summer camp (Ran a 4.50 forty and won the WR Smokehouse Award for fastest forty)………….Very impressive at the June 2008 Central Florida 7-on-7 tournament……..Put together well, is fast, quick, physical, great body balance and has soft hands…………His mother is a Michigan alum………….3.7 GPA.

Name:	Jeremy Jackson
Class:	2010
Position:	WR
Height:	6′3
Weight:	188
Forty:	4.58
City/School:	Ann Arbor Huron
State:	Michigan
College Commitment:	Michigan
Top Offers:	MICH, LSU, EMU, MIN, CMU, IA, TOL, NCAR, FLA, TEX, LOU, STAN, NEB
National Ranking Position:	10
Rating:	5
News And Notes:	One of the top junior in Michigan…………..He committed to Michigan in October 2008……..As a sophomore starter at WR, he had 41 receptions for 535 yards and 3 TDs…………..Very impressive as one of the few sophomores at the 2008 U.S. Army Combine………..Nice frame, long arms, soft hands, smooth and good speed. Reminds some of Michigan WR Adrian Arrington………….Was offered a scholarship by Michigan (Lloyd Carr) in the summer of 2007…………………………The son of Michigan RB coach Fred Jackson………….Impressive at the 2008 Michigan (4.58 forty) and Texas camps…………….Scheduled to attend the July 2008 Florida Friday Night Lights Camp……………..Camped at Michigan in 2007……….Attended 2008 Michigan spring game………..Really like Michigan but also thinking about heading south and will camp in 2008 at Texas and Florida (Has a Friday Night Lights invitation)

Name:	DeJoshua Johnson
Class:	2010
Position:	WR
Height:	6′0
Weight:	180
Forty:	4.50
City/School:	Pahokee
State:	Florida
Top Offers:	x
National Ranking Position:	59
Rating:	5
News And Notes:	One of the top junior WRs in southeastern Florida……………….Junior starter at WR in a program loaded with D-I caliber skill athletes……………One of several key juniors to watch…………….One of 12 sophomores on a 14-0 state champion Class 2B team and he had 3 receptions for 104 yards and 1 TD…………..He has great speed and does a nice job with the ball in his hands. A real deep threat……………..Plays for a team that churns out D-I skill talent (Martavoius Odoms, Nurkeese Richardson, Vincent Smith, etc…..)………Not putting up the huge numbers that he should as a senior once some of the talented seniors graduate.

Name:	Malik Cross
Class:	2010
Position:	RB/DB/WR
Height:	5′11
Weight:	186
Forty:	4.55
City/School:	Oxon Hill
State:	Maryland
Top Offers:	OLD DOM
National Ranking Position:	114
Rating:	5
Junior Local Honors:	33 Maryland Juniors to Watch (MdPreps.com; July 2008)
News And Notes:	One of the top junior skill athletes in Maryland………………..As a sophomore, he rushed for 1,653 yards and 9 TDs. He also had 853 yards and 3 TDs as a receiver and made 43 tackles on defense………….His older brother, Walter Cross, played at Michigan…………………..Could play either RB, WR or CB in college

Name:	Brennan Clay
Class:	2010
Position:	RB/DB
Height:	6′0
Weight:	182
Forty:	4.55
City/School:	San Diego Scripps Ranch
State:	California
Top Offers:	BAY, STAN, WISC
National Ranking Position:	32
Rating:	5
Sophomore Local Honors:	6 California Sophomores To Watch (August 2007); Top 100 Area Sophomores (San Diego Union-Tribune; November 2, 2007)
News And Notes:	One of the top juniors in California…………….Plays for the same program as Michigan verbal Tate Forcier…………As a freshman starter, he ran for 8 TDs and returned a kickoff for another…………….An explosive back who possesses fine speed and soft hands……….32 vertical………….21-3 long jumper as a freshman…………Very impressive at the June 2008 B2G Elite Program (All-B2G Team). He was named the Most Versatile Performer as he looked great playing both RB and WR…………In the season-opener he had 10 carries for 60 yards for a team that finished 6-5. Is the only freshman on the roster…………He was offered by Baylor as a sophomore…………..Scripps Ranch (6-4) at (1) Oceanside (8-1): The Falcons have some offensive weapons in sophomore RB Brennan Clay and junior QB Robert Forcier.

Name:	Zak Tait
Class:	2010
Position:	OL/DL
Height:	6′4
Weight:	300
Forty:
City/School:	Knoxville Catholic
State:	Tennessee
Top Offers:	AL, TEN, MARSH
National Ranking Position:	21
Rating:	5
Junior Local Honors:	1-Murphy Fair-PS-3A-AS (DL)
Sophomore Local Honors:	1-TSWA-3A-AS (DL)
News And Notes:	One of the top juniors in Tennessee……………….He is a big Rich Rodriguez fan …….During the 2007 season he suffered a major injury halfway through the season, incurring tears of the ACL, MCL and PCL. Fortunately, there was no meniscus or cartilage damage. He was taken out of school to recover, will re-enroll in September 2008 as a junior and sit out the 2008 season to recover and hopefully play as a “redshirt” senior in 2009. Update: As of September 2008 his rehab is progressing and he expects to return for 2009 spring drills……………Sophomore starter in 2006 at OG and showed fine athletic ability and the quickness to effectively pull while playing in the wing-T…………February 2007 e-mail from his dad: Hi Jim. A friend of mine in Michigan referred me to your blog. Great initiative.I have a 6-4, 300 lb OG/DT that can run. Class of 09. Knoxville Catholic High School. Knoxville, TN. TSSAA 1st Team AAA All-State, All Region, etc. Good program (H. Smith-Safety to ND, and TJ Franklin-OT to Cincinnati). B level competition, but getting stronger each year in the Knoxville area.In the interest of full disclosure…he is my kid. Zak Tait………………..Freshman starter at OG on a 11-2 3A team and was very good……….Excellent leadership skills………….325 bench in March 2008 while recovering from knee surgery………As of September he likes Alabama, LSU, Georgia, Notre Dame, Florida, and Michigan (he likes the way Rich Rodriguez coaches)

Name:	Seth Cunningham
Class:	2010
Position:	DB
Height:	6′0
Weight:	170
Forty:	4.35
City/School:	Lakewood St. Edward
State:	Ohio
College Commitment:
Top Offers:	x
National Ranking Position:	85
Rating:	5
News And Notes:	One of the top junior CB prospects in Ohio………….Will also play WR as a junior……….Sophomore starter at CB for a powerful progam that went just 4-5, and he recorded 37 tackles, 3 INTs and 3 PBUs………..Outstanding speed (10.70 100 meters, 21.69 200 meters) and has good size and strength………..2.7 GPA………..His father is from Michigan and he likes Michigan………….As of August he was hearing from Ohio State, Illinois, Michigan and Notre Dame.

Class of 2010: Recent Verbals

Several great prospects from the Class of 2010 have recently made their college commitments, including two outstanding linemen from Florida.  Here are extracts from my database on these prospects.

Name:	Ian Silberman
Class:	2010
Projected College Position:	OL
Position:	OL
Height:	6′5
Weight:	265
Forty:	5.13
City/School:	Orange Park Fleming Island
State:	Florida
College Commitment:	Florida
Top Offers:	FLA INTL, FSU, FLA, MICH
National Ranking Position:	8
Rating:	5
News And Notes:	One of the top overall junior prospects in Florida and OL prospects in the nation………………He committed to Florida in July 2008……………He had several high quality early offers before his junior year (Florida, FSU, Michigan)…………Great build, long arms, athleticism and quick feet for a sophomore lineman. Already looks college ready………….Gained 25 pounds just after his sophomore season………..He was one of the top performers at the June 2008 NUC Ultimate100 Southeast Camp in Atlanta. Some felt that he was the lineman at th camp with the most upside potential……….The top underclass OL prospect at the 2008 Gainesville Nike Camp………..First Team All-Combine at the March 2008 Jacksonville Scout.com/Under Armour Combine…………One of the top performers at the February 2008 Jacksonville NUC (Ht: 6-foot-5 Wt: 255 lbs Forty: 5.13 secs Vertical: 25 inches Shuttle: 4.71 secs)

Name:	Darious Cummings
Class:	2010
Projected College Position:	DL
Position:	DL/TE/RB
Height:	6′3
Weight:	241
Forty:	4.80
City/School:	Titsville Astronaut
State:	Florida
College Commitment:	Florida State
Top Offers:	FSU, MIA, FLA, USC, ND, TEN, UCLA, AUB
National Ranking Position:	5
Rating:	5
News And Notes:	One of the top overall junior prospects in Florida………….He committed to Florida State in July………….As a sophomore starter at DE, he recorded 78 tackles, 7 TFL, 5 sacks and 3 FFs…………..One of 3 key sophomore newcomers on a 8-3 3A team (DL)…………….A tremendous bull rusher…………….DARIOUS CUMMINGS Sport: Football Position FULLBACK/ TIGHT END/ DEF.END High School: TITUSVILLE ASTRONUT HIGH SCHOOL City: TITUSVILLE State: FL Height: 6-3 Weight: 235 lbs. GPA: 2.9 Graduation Year: 2010

Name:	Aaron Dunn
Class:	2010
Projected College Position:	TE
Position:	TE/DL
Height:	6′6
Weight:	230
Forty:	4.79
City/School:	Spokane Shadle Park
State:	Washington
College Commitment:	Washington State
Top Offers:	WASHST
National Ranking Position:	10
Rating:	5
Sophomore Local Honors:	HM-GSL
News And Notes:	One of the top juniors in Washington……………He committed to Washington State in July 2008……….Could be either a TE, DE or fill out as a OT in college…………Sophomore starter on a 3-7 4A team………..Freshman starter on the line for a 4A team…………..Also started in basketball as a freshman and is the teams star player. First Team All-GSL in basketball as a sophomore………Great frame, long arms, quick feet…….Very athletic…………Lots of upside………He was the TE MVP at the 2008 Washington State summer camp….3.9 GPA

Class of 2010: Commitments List

Name	Pos-Coll	Ht.	Wt.	40	City/School	State	College Commitment	Rk-Nat	Rating	Top Offers	Class
Bronson Kaufusi	TE	6′6	220		Provo Timpview	Utah	BYU	4	5	BYU	2010
Martavis Bryant	WR	6′4	173	4.41	Calhoun Falls	South Carolina	Clemson	1	5	CLEM, KY	2010
Corey Cooper	DB	6′2	195	4.50	Maywood Proviso East	Illinois	Illinois	12	5	ILL, MICHST	2010
James Morris	LB	6′2	205		Solon	Iowa	Iowa	32	5	IA	2010
Curtis White	DL	6′5	240	4.78	Eugene Sheldon	Oregon	Oregon	4	5	ORE	2010
Jackson Richards	DL	6′4	234	4.96	Southlake Carroll	Texas	Texas Tech	2	5	TT	2010
Nicholas Acree	DL	6\’5	292	5.07	King William	Virginia	Virginia Tech	4	5	VT, UVA, MD, PSU, PUR, TEN	2010

Class of 2010 Verbal: Nicholas Acree to Virginia Tech

Acree is an outstanding line prospect, one of the nations best. I initially had him listed as among the top OL prospects in the Class of 2010, but have moved him to the DL as that is the position he plans to play in college.

Name:	Nicholas Acree
Class:	2010
Projected College Position:	DL
Position:	DL/OL
Height:	6′5
Weight:	292
Forty:	5.07
City/School:	King William
State:	Virginia
College Commitment:	Virginia Tech
Top Offers:	VT, UVA, MD, PSU, PUR, TEN
National Ranking Position:	4
Rating:	5
National Honors:
Sophomore Local Honors:	2-Tidewater District (T)
News And Notes:	One of the top sophomores in Virginia and linemen in the nation……..He committed to Virginia Tech in June 2008…….Originally listed by me as an OL due to his huge frame and long arms, but I have moved him to the DL due to his great quiickness and athleticism…….Very impressive at the 2007 Virginia summer camp…….Great combination of size and speed…….Training with former NFL star Mel Gray……..Transferred from West Point High to King William for his sophomore year………….Impressive at DL at the April 5, 2008 Hampton Roads NUC and was invited to participate at the Ultimate 100 NUC (Great 5.07 forty)