Top players for 2009 released

Rivals.com released its top-100 prospects for 2009 today. It is the earliest release of a top-100 for the website ever. Who is the early favorite for No. 1 player in the nation? A 6-3, 225 lb quarterback from the football powerhouse Mater Dei high school (Santa Ana, CA) Matt Barkley gets the nod as Rivals' top prospect.

Back on October 4th, I had the pleasure of watching a truly epic battle between the #1 team in the state of California - Mater Dei - and the #2 ranked team Centennial (Corona, CA).

In a nationally televised showdown, Matt Barkley and Mater Dei took Centennial's best shot and won a shootout 51-37.

Barkley was very impressive. Not only does he show the arm strength to make all the throws but his intangibles are off the charts. His poise and toughness are what won him that game. He stood tall in the pocket and delivered the football in the face a potent Centennial blitz. A blitz that involves the #17 player in 2009, the hard-hitting linebacker Vontaze Burfict. Barkley has great downfield vision as he had the patience to work through his progressions even in the face of pressure. If Barkley does not choose USC it would be a shock to everyone.

Rivals top-10:
1. Matt Barkley - QB Mater Dei (Santa Ana, CA)
2. Jamarkus McFarland - DT Lufkin (Lufkin, TX)
3. Cierre Wood - RB Santa Clara (Oxnard, CA)
4. Russell Shepard - ATH Cypress Ridge (Houston, TX)
5. Dre Kirkpatrick - DB Gadsden City (Gadsden, AL)
6. Manti Te'o - LB Punahou (Honolulu, HI)
7. Rueben Randle - WR Bastrop (Bastrop, LA)
8. Devon Kennard - DE Desert Vista (Phoenix, AZ)
9. Jacobbi McDaniel - DT Madison (Greenville, FL)
10. Bryce Brown - RB Wichita East (Wichita, KS)

That last name might look familiar as Bryce Brown is the younger and more talented brother of 2008 star LB Arthur Brown.

7 of the top-100 are already committed. Go figure, USC has three of them.

#35 DJ Fluker - DT (Alabama)
#52 Jordan Whiting - LB (Ohio St)
#55 William Campbell - DT (Michigan)
#65 Randall Carroll - WR (USC)
#78 Morrell Presley - TE (USC)
#86 Marlon Pollard - DB (UCLA)
#88 Kevin Graf - OL (USC)

The aforementioned #1 versus #2 battle: