AC100 On Campus: ERIC GORDON

I had a chance to shoot practice and sit down with Hillsboro's Eric Gordon.

here is the link to the video...

ATH Eric Gordon

Gordon does a litte bit of everything for Hillsboro. He will be used as a wideout, a running back, cornerback and safety. He will also return kicks.

He was easily the best athlete on the field when I watched practice. He was also much thicker than I anticipated, particularly in the lower body. He strength should really develop on the next level. Its the mental side of things that he will need the most work on. He reads, progressions and maturity must be improved if he expects to star in a conference like the SEC or ACC.

Top 25 Prospects to Watch for 2009

The 2008 class is in the books, at least for the most part, and coaching staffs everywhere have already turned their attention to their 2009 classes. Some schools already have strong starts on the recruiting trails.

USC already has ten committed prospects for the ’09 class – eight of which are top-100 type players. Quarterback Matt Barkley (Santa Ana, Calif.) is considered by many as the top signal-caller in this class, and he is already committed to the Trojans. He is also the early favorite for the No. 1 spot on the 2009 Athlon Consensus 100.

Florida State has six commits thus far but the quality is astounding. Five of the six have the potential to be top-100 players. Taking care of the local markets and keeping kids at home is essential for FSU in a year where the Tallahassee area is well-stocked. Wide receiver Willie Downs, corner JaJuan Harley, end Brandon Jenkins and linebacker C.J. Mizell all hail from Tallahassee, Fla.

Ohio State already has eight verbal pledges, three of which are almost locks for the AC100. John Simon (Youngstown, Ohio) led his team to the Ohio high school state title game last season only to lose by a single point to Coldwater. Rest assured he will be fired up for his senior season. Chris Fields (Painesville, Ohio) is eerily similar to return specialist Ted Ginn Jr. Fields will be a much better wide receiver and should impact the return game as well.

Texas, however, is off to arguably the best start of anyone for 2009. They already have 15 commitments. Garrett Gilbert (Austin, Texas) is an incredibly productive high school passer. He threw for nearly 5,000 yards and 52 touchdowns in his junior campaign. Chris Whaley (Madisonville, Texas) looks exactly like Super Bowl champ Brandon Jacobs when he runs through tacklers with his 6-3, 225-pound frame. Mack Brown has once again pushed the recruiting calendar to the limits.

North Carolina and Butch Davis are also off to a great start with a solid group of local talents. Michigan State, Stanford and LSU are also off to great starts for ’09.

A few mid-major programs are making waves as well. BYU and TCU are two of the top non-BCS programs in the nation and it is showing in this recruiting season.

2008 saw maybe the most talented collection ever of wide receiver prospects in one class. This season quarterback and defensive tackle are the two positions that really stand out so far. Both are premium positions and normally very scarce. Not in 2009, both are loaded with talent.

Also, look to the Midwest for extra talent this year. The state of Wisconsin is poised to have its most talented class of seniors in two decades. Minnesota, Michigan and Illinois are also stacked with talent for the 2009 class.

The state of Louisiana also boasts an above average class, with possibly five or six AC100 members.

It is very early but here are some names that will become household very early in the recruiting process:

Matt Barkley - QB - Santa Ana, Calif. (6-3, 225) USC
Shevodrick Beaver - QB - Wichita Falls, Texas (6-3, 190)
Dorian Bell - LB - Monroeville, Pa. (6-1, 220)
Bryce Brown - RB - Wichita, Kan. (6-0, 215) Miami
Marlon Brown - WR - Memphis, Tenn (6-5, 208)
Vontaze Burfict - LB - Corona, Calif. (6-2, 230) USC
William Campbell - DL - Detroit, Mich. (6-4, 320) Mich
Chris Davenport - DT - Mansfield, La. (6-3, 315)
D.J. Fluker - DT - Foley, Ala. (6-7, 325) Alabama
Garrett Gilbert - QB - Austin, Texas (6-3, 190) Texas
Kevin Graf - OL - Agoura, Calif. (6-6, 305) USC
Devon Kennard - DE - Phoenix, Ariz. (6-4, 240)
Dre Kirkpatrick - DB - Gadsden, Ala. (6-2, 185)
Jacobbi McDaniel - DT - Greenville, Fla. (6-0, 285) FSU
Jamarkus McFarland - DT - Lufkin, Texas (6-3, 290)
Lamar Miller - RB - Miami, Fla. (5-11, 208)
Rueben Randle - WR - Bastrop, La. (6-3, 200)
Tyrik Rollison - QB - Sulpher Springs, Texas (6-2, 195)
Tom Savage - QB - Philadelphia, Pa. (6-3, 230)
Russell Shepard - QB - Houston, Texas (6-2, 195) LSU
John Simon - DT - Youngstown, Ohio (6-3, 280) Ohio St
Frankie Telfort - LB - Miami, Fla. (5-11, 195)
Manti Te'o - LB - Honolulu, Hawaii (6-2, 230)
Chris Whaley - RB - Madisonville, Texas (6-3, 225) Texas
Cierre Wood - RB - Oxnard, Calif. (6-0, 195)

Team Recruiting Countdown: No. 1 Alabama Crimson Tide

No. 1 Alabama Crimson Tide (SEC No. 1)

2008 Haul: 32 signees, 5 Athlon Consensus 100

Scouting Report:

Congratulations are once again in order to Nick Saban and the Alabama coaching staff for putting together the best recruiting class of the 2008 campaign. What makes this class so special is its balance. From top to bottom and at nearly every position on the field, the level of ability is astounding. It was terribly difficult just to pick 10 names for the ‘Best of the Rest’ section. It could have been 20 names long and some players would have still been left out. 

With so much balance, it becomes difficult to really narrow down areas of focus for this class. The defensive front seven and offensive playmakers might have been the two main areas of concern for Saban. Not only has he addressed those issues with flying colors but also any other small area of weakness as well.

With the implementation of the 3-4 defense, Saban has placed a premium on smaller, faster, more aggressive linebackers and bigger, stronger defensive lineman. Four defensive ends, four tackles and potentially five linebackers head to the Capstone in ’08.

Glenn Harbin (Mobile, Ala.) and Undra Billingsley (Birmingham, Ala.) are the two most talented end prospects and bring with them great size at 6-6 and 6-4 respectively. At tackle, size is the first word to come to mind when dealing with Terrance Cody (Perkinston, Miss.). He is listed at 6-5 and a ridiculous 395 pounds. Throw in the 6-5, 320-pound Kerry Murphy (Chatham, Va.) and the athletic Marcel Dareus (Birmingham, Ala.) and the Bama D-line should be well-stocked – and well fed – for the next few years.

At linebacker, there is a plethora of talent. Athlete Devonta Bolton (Norcross, Ga.), Don’ta Hightower (Lewisburg, Tenn.), Courtney Upshaw (Eufaula, Ala.) and Jerrell Harris (Gadsden, Ala.) are as strong a group of backers as any in the nation. Harris is the best of the group as he plays with complete disregard for bodily safety. He is a missile. Hightower is a perfect fit for that hybrid DE/OLB position that Saban calls the ‘Jackback.’ He can drop into coverage like a linebacker but put his hand in the dirt and rush the passer. The DeMarcus Ware, Shawn Merriman type player is certainly an important fit for a 3-4 scheme. Bolton could also play that role, but, like athlete Chris Jordan (Brentwood, Tenn.), could find himself on offense. Upshaw also will get a look at ‘Jackback.’

Playmakers on the offense were also a key focus of the Bama staff. With current suspensions hanging over certain unnamed players and senior graduation really hitting the wide receiver group hard (D.J. Hall, Matt Caddell and Keith Brown), the Tide had to add some playmakers to the offense. They added, potentially, 11 new faces to the offense skill positions – not counting quarterback.

Julio Jones (Foley, Ala.) is the best wideout in the nation, period.

Burton Scott (Prichard, Ala.), Mark Barron (Mobile, Ala.), Mark Ingram (Flint, Mich.) and Jordan can all be threats as wide receivers as well as running backs. They all are dangerous in the open field and are all very comfortable and successful with the ball in their hands. Scott and Barron are both return men that could make an immediate impact on special teams. Jordan is more a pure runner than the rest but could end up at linebacker. Ingram is simply a game breaker; he just makes plays.

Melvin Ray (Tallahassee, Fla.) and Destin Hood (Mobile, Ala.) join Jones as the top pure pass catchers in the class.

John Paker Wilson is likely to keep his starting job this fall, but he may be on a short leash. Star Jackson (Lake Worth, Fla.) steps onto campus and is immediately the most athletic and legit passing option on the roster. Whoever is starting, the offensive line should be able to offer solid protection. Tyler Love (Mountain Brook, Ala.) may not be the most physically gifted tackle prospect in the nation but he may be the best football player at his position. Barrett Jones (Memphis, Tenn.) has wonderful versatility and John Michael Boswell (Northport, Ala.) adds great depth to the O-line.

Defensive back is also well represented in this class. Alonzo Lawrence (Lucedale, Miss.) late meteoric rise up recruiting rankings was due to the excellent job he did on fellow signee Julio Jones in the Mississippi-Alabama all-star classic. Robby Green (River Ridge, La.) and Robert Lester (Foley, Ala.) add talented depth to the defensive backfield.

The state of Alabama was loaded in 2008 and the Tide took advantage. The Tide signed 18 players from the Heart of Dixie. Tennessee was also very kind to the Crimson Tide sending three of its top-5 to Alabama including the top player, Barrett Jones. 

Top Prospect: Julio Jones – WR – Foley, Ala. (6-4, 220) AC100 No. 2

Jones is the most physically gifted wide receiver in this year’s class of pass catchers. That is a monster statement as the 2008 wide receiver class might be the best and deepest group of wideouts ever.

He has a rare blend of size, speed, agility and natural instincts. He can do it all. As a deep threat, he has great leaping ability and ball-tracking skills. Over the middle he has the size and toughness to make the catch and take the big hit. At the line of scrimmage, his long arms and quick feet make him very difficult to jam. In the open field he has the elusiveness to make people miss and accelerate quickly for extra yards. In the running game, Jones can be a dominant blocker, using his big frame and long arms to shield defenders from the ball-carrier.

He is mentally tough as well. In a game against rival high school Daphne, Jones hurt his ankle in the first half and came out in the second half and played through the pain and caught a bomb to win the game. He is a leader on the field.

Best of the Rest:

Burton Scott – ATH – Prichard, Ala. (5-11, 190) AC100 No. 22
Tyler Love – OL – Mountain Brook, Ala. (6-7, 295) AC100 No. 23
Mark Barron – WR – Mobile, Ala. (6-2, 200) AC100 No. 58
Jerrell Harris – LB – Gadsden, Ala. (6-2, 220) AC100 No. 75
Alonzo Lawrence – CB – Lucedale, Miss. (6-1, 190)
Barrett Jones – OL – Memphis, Tenn. (6-5, 280)
Star Jackson – QB – Lake Worth, Fla. (6-3, 190)
Devonta Bolton – ATH – Norcross, Ga. (6-3, 220)
Don’ta Hightower – LB – Lewisburg, Tenn. (6-3, 250)
Mark Ingram – ATH – Flint, Mich. (5-10, 200)

Sleeper: Marcel Dareus – DL – Birmingham, Ala. (6-4, 275)

In a 3-4 scheme, the nose tackle is asked to basically play two gaps. Dareus, although very raw, could have that ability. Developing consistent pad level and strong hand technique will be his primary areas of focus. The rest of the ability is there, though. He has solid athleticism for his size and he plays with great strength at the point of attack. Dareus is a guy that could end up playing head up on the center, which in the game of football, is a rare commodity.

Alabama Crimson Tide: 2008 Recruiting Champions

The phrase “Roll Tide” has never been more appropriate than today. After a very late flurry on the part of Nick Saban and his staff -- including landing six prospects in the last week -- congratulations are due to the Alabama Crimson Tide and their 2008 Athlon Sports Recruiting National Championship.

This whole process started back in February of 2007 when Reform, AL defensive end Michael Williams became the first to join the Crimson Tide’s 2008 class. Nearly one full year later, the reform was complete at 3 pm ET today when Gadsden, AL linebacker Jerrell Harris announced his intentions to play for Alabama.

In between, 30 prospects decided that Tuscaloosa would be where they would play their college ball. This class is easily the most balanced class in the nation but it really begins and ends with one young wide receiver from Foley, Alabama: Julio Jones. Jones, No. 2 in the AC100, is a mythical blend of size, speed, toughness and natural instincts. He has a chance to be an immediate impact threat on the outside.

Jones is not the only playmaker in this class, though. Burton Scott, Mark Barron, Mark Ingram and Chris Jordan all have the ability to make things happen with the ball in their hands. All four are listed as athletes and could make instant impacts at a number of positions.

More importantly for Tide fans, however, was the excellent job Nick Saban did addressing the obvious lack of talent in the defensive front seven. Potentially five linebackers (including the incredibly talented Harris), four defensive tackles and five defensive ends clearly add needed depth to the defensive front for Kevin Steele and Co.

Saban and Steele did not stop there. They also landed four, possibly five, defensive backs. With names like Alonzo Lawrence – who actually shut down Julio Jones in the Ala-Miss All-Star Classic – and Robby Green, the Tide did a masterful job of reaching into surrounding states and pulling talent. Green is from Louisiana and Lawrence hails from Mississippi.

Last but certainly not least is the new star quarterback, literally. Lake Worth, Florida product Star Jackson signed his letter of intent today to play for Alabama. Jackson is a 6-3, 190 pound scrambling dynamo that could find himself pushing John Parker Wilson for the starting job.


Signing Day Winners:

Clemson Tigers

The Tigers had a great day today, closing very strong with some expected names and a few surprises. Jacksonville running back Jamie Harper is an outstanding prospect and will likely continue the recent trend of very talented ball carriers for Clemson. They also added a big offensive lineman from Alabama in Antoine McClain. Tommy Bowden was not satisfied, however, as he dipped in the Georgia Bulldogs’ class and stole tight end Dwayne Allen from Mark Richt and Co.

Arkansas Razorbacks

Bobby Petrino is known for his offensive prowess and he made strong moves on signing day to ensure that there will be firepower in Fayetteville. Already with top in-state runner DeAnthony Curtis in the fold, Petrino stole two other talented prospects that could help rebuild his offense. Jerico Nelson, formerly a Purdue commit, and Joe Adams, formerly a USC Trojan pledge, both switched today and are headed to Arkansas.

North Carolina Tar Heels

Last season Butch davis did a masterful job of putting together a crazy talented recruiting class. Until today, the 2008 version could have been considered a complete bust. Snagging four very talented kids – Christian Wilson, Robert Quinn, Herman Davidson and Quinton Coples -- really boosted an average class today.

Miami Hurricanes

The flag planting that was south Florida recruiting this season for the Hurricanes came to fruition today. Lineman Ben Jones and wide receiver Tommy Streeter completed the sweep of Miami-Northwestern High, giving Randy Shannon seven signees from one local high school. They were not done, however. The U also landed arguably the most ready-to-play corner in the nation, Brandon Harris, and then stuck it to Urban Meyer and the Gators when they stole back Ramon “Cookie” Buchanan. Cookie had been committed to Miami, then switched to Florida before finally signing with the Hurricanes.

Losers:

Anyone involved in the Terrelle Pryor sweepstakes not named Oregon

The most important letter of intent still remains unsigned. Jeannette, PA quarterback Terrelle Pryor held his noon press conference today just as he planned, but it left everyone wanting more. He announced today that he was not ready to announce. A supposed trip out west to Eugene and the Oregon Duck campus is in the works for this weekend. This is not good news for Ohio St, Michigan and Penn State who all felt they had a chance at the record-breaking athlete. Ohio State is still the team to beat but the Pryor saga will continue for a few more days… at least.

Purdue Boilermakers

It has been a rough couple of weeks for Joe Tiller’s program. Arguably the top two prospects in their class jumped ship today. Wide receiver Roy Roundtree and athlete Jerico Nelson both made 13th hour switches and headed elsewhere. The hits just keep on coming for a coach who was basically told that he is finished after this season.

The Big East

With the obvious exception of Pittsburgh, every team in the Big East underachieved in recruiting this season. Cincinnati could not capitalize on success during the season, nor could UConn The big three -- WVU, Rutgers, and Louisville – didn’t come close. WVU lost nearly every top prospect (although they did get good news with Josh Jenkins’s commitment today) once Rich Rodriguez left for Michigan. Rutgers lost most of the top in-state talent to bigger, more prestigious programs. Louisville’s class is loaded with JUCO talent, which can be a very dangerous proposition.

Auburn Tigers

This one is more of a compilation of issues. Five-star running back Enrique Davis, who signed with Auburn last season, scorned the Tigers for divisional rival Ole Miss. Not only that but new offensive coordinator Tony Franklin lost out on one his would-be future weapons in Jarmon Fortson. He signed with Florida State today and will be a star in Tallahassee. Last but not least is the story written above: the Crimson Tide dominated inside the state this year, landing nearly every major prospect in Alabama.

Julio! Julio! Julio!

Its over! Julio Jones, the top prospect in the south and the arguably the best player in the nation has finally ended his recruiting process.

And the winner is...Alabama!

Shocking.

Jones is the most physically gifted wide receiver in this year’s class of pass catchers. That is a monster statement as the 2008 wide receiver class might be the best and deepest group of wideouts ever.

He has a rare blend of size, speed, agility and natural instincts. He can do it all. As a deep threat, he has great leaping ability and ball-tracking skills. Over the middle he has the size and toughness to make the catch and take the big hit. At the line of scrimmage, his long arms and quick feet make him very difficult to jam. In the open field he has the elusiveness to make people miss and accelerate quickly for extra yards. In the running game, Jones can be a dominate blocker, using his big frame and long arms to shield defenders from the ball-carrier.

He is mentally tough as well. In a game against rival high school Daphne, Jones hurt his ankle in the first half and came out in the second half and played through the pain and caught a bomb to win the game. He is a leader on the field.

This is the most talented player on the outside that Alabama has probably ever signed - at least in 10 years. Julio Jones automatically makes Alabama dangerous on the edge and in the vertical passing game.

If Bama lands Jerrell Harris they will lock up the top class in the SEC and maybe the nation.

Signing Day Watch List:

There will be fans of every school in America wasting many man (or woman) hours at the office Wednesday.

That is because tomorrow is college football’s National Signing Day. It is the first opportunity for head coaches to officially claim players as their own. It is also the first time head coaches can publicly comment on recruits.

Needless to say, it is an exciting time for everyone involved. Fans, coaches, players and recruiting junkies everywhere will be glued to a medium of choice waiting for those faxed letters of intent to come in.

This season, more so than in recent years, the names left yet to commit are extraordinarily talented. The top quarterback, running back and wide receiver have yet to pick a school. The 2008 recruiting national championship, very much so, still hangs in the balance.

The big three are obvious:

Terrelle Pryor - QB - Jeannette, PA
Finalists: OSU, Michigan, Oregon, Florida, LSU, PSU
Prediction: if it happens tomorrow...OHIO STATE

Julio Jones - WR - Foley, AL
Finalists: Alabama, FSU, Florida, Oklahoma, Texas Tech
Prediction: ALABAMA

Darrell Scott - RB - Ventura, CA
Finalists: Colorado, Texas
Prediction: COLORADO

Pryor is set to announce on ESPNU at 12:05 pm ET. Pryor has hinted at taking a visit to Oregon this upcoming weekend, which would push back his announcement past Signing Day. Jones is set to announce at 12:30 pm ET on ESPNU. Scott is set to announce at 12:50 pm ET on ESPNU.

Here is a list of some of the other big names announcing Wednesday, my prediction is in bold:

E.J. Abrams-Ward - ATH - Thomasville, NC
Finalists: Tennessee, North Carolina

Aaron Boyd - WR - Lexington, KY (10:30 am)
Finalists: Kentucky, Oregon

T.J. Bryant - CB - Tallahassee, FL
Finalists: USC, FSU, Miami, Florida, Alabama, LSU

Quinton Coples - DE - Chatham, VA (10:45 am)
Finalists: North Carolina, Tenn, NC St, FSU

Enrique Davis - RB - Chatham, VA
Finalists: Maryland, Oregon, Auburn, Ole Miss, Tenn

Roderick Davis - DT - Aldine, TX
Finalists: Texas A&M, Texas, Florida

J.B. Fitzgerald - LB - Princeton Junction, NJ
Finalists: Michigan, Rutgers

Jarmon Fortson - ATH - Columbus, GA (12:45 pm)
Finalists: Florida St, Auburn

Jamie Harper - RB - Jacksonville, FL (12:20 pm)
Finalists: Clemson, FSU, Florida, Miami

Brandon Harris - CB - Miami, FL
Finalists: Florida, Miami, Ohio State

Jerrell Harris - LB - Gadsden, AL (3 pm)
Finalists: Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Tenn, USC

Josh Jenkins - G - Vienna, WV (9 am)
Finalists: Ohio St, WVU, Florida State

Ben Jones - OL - Miami, FL
Finalists: Clemson, Miami

Datone Jones - DE - Compton, CA
Finalists: Oregon, UCLA

T.J. Lawrence - WR - Lakeland, FL
Finalists: S. Car, Va. Tech, Florida, Michigan

Antoine McClain - OL - Anniston, AL
Finalists: Tenn, LSU, Clemson

Charles Mitchell - S - Clarksdale, MS
Finalists: Southern Miss, Nebraska, Miss St

Nick Perry - DE - Detroit, MI (3 pm)
Finalists: Michigan, USC, Mich St, Miami

Robert Quinn - DE - North Charleston, SC (10:30 am)
Finalists: Auburn, Alabama, North Carolina

Hamani Stevens - C - Hemet, CA (3 pm)
Finalists: UCLA, BYU, Oregon

Tommy Streeter - WR - Miami, FL
Finalists: Miami, Oregon, S. Car, USF

Note: Time = Player's expected announcement. All times Eastern.

Tide Pushes for Top Class

Alabama is making a strong case for the No. 1 class in the nation. With some help they could easily get there. That obviously depends on names like Foley's Julio Jones - who would shock me if he did not pick Alabama - and Gadsden's Jerrell Harris.

Nick Saban and company have set themselves up for that top slot over the last week. Lucedale, Miss., cornerback Alonzo Lawrence ended his recruitment and committed to Alabama over the weekend. He was followed closely by a commitment from defensive end prospect Glenn Harbin.

Lawrence saw his stock soar near the end of the recruiting season - he ranked just outside the Athlon Consensus 100. He played in the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star game and was a major part of the Magnolia state ending Alabama's winning streak. He was forced to guard none other than the best wideout in the nation, Jones, and played very well. So well, in fact, that Jones had little-to-no impact on the outcome of the game.

His meteoric rise up the rankings is well warranted. Lawrence has great size and athleticism for a player with his ability to play on the outside. He has great quickness and his closing speed is remarkable. He should have the ability to turn and run with faster wideouts on vertical routes.

He is not just a lock down cover corner either. He shows a nice physical edge when playing near the line of scrimmage. He possesses solid instincts and will come up and fill hard against the run. This makes him an ideal fit in a cover-2 scheme.

To me, cornerback is the least coached position on the field. Generally, coaches point at the other team's best player and say "Stick 'em." So rarely does one see finely tuned technique and fundamentals from a high school corner. Lawrence is no exception. There are some areas that solid defensive back coaching - a la Nick Saban - will be able to correct. His pedal and zone coverages could use some polish.

Make no mistake, his physical tools and the job he did against Julio Jones are simply amazing. Saban will turn him into a star in the SEC.

Harbin, a big defensive end from Mobile, is no slouch of a consolation prize. The 6-5, 250 pounder has a massive frame and room to grow. He is not overly explosive and agile off the ball so a move to tackle is possible. If he adds 25-30 pounds he could be a dynamic 'zero' technique tackle. He will also need work on his pass rush repertoire. But you cannot coach Harbin's size and strength. It will be interesting to see if he makes it at defensive end.

The thing I love about this class and Harbin, is that Saban has done an excellent job addressing the Crimson Tide's needs along the defensive line. Wallace Gilberry aside, the level of talent in the front seven - post-DeMeco Ryans - has been lacking. Add Jerrell Harris and Bama has dramatically upgraded its defensive front.

Photos by Athlon Sports

Athlon Sports Recruiting Blitz:

This week's edition of the National Recruiting Blitz is up on the site.

Mitch and I break down twenty more prospects from the Athlon Consensus 100.

The overall success of the PAC-10 during this 2008 recruiting class, Florida's controversial recruiting tactics and updates on Terrelle Pryor, Darrell Scott and Julio Jones all highlight this week's edition of the National Recruiting Blitz.

National Recruiting Blitz: 01.23.08

Athlon Sports Podcasts

Every time Athlon releases 10 more names on the AC100, I look a little deeper into those ten names...

Deeper Look: No. 21-30 Notre Dame and the offensive tackle position are very well represented in this group...

Mountain Brook's Tyler Love is just one of the names I break down in this release.

Pre-Signing Day Team Recruiting Rankings:

In the middle of November, the first edition of The UV's Unofficial Team Recruiting Rankings debuted. Notre Dame was the best class in the nation after the first unofficial rankings. Things have changed a bit since then.

Athlon's ranks were USC-1, UGA-2, OSU-3, ALA-4, MIA-5. Our rankings only act as one-fourth of the overall team rankings. Much in the same way that the Athlon Consensus 100 works, these team rankings are compiled using four expert sources. ESPN, Rivals, Scout and Athlon.



Rivals and Scout use a computer system that calculates a point total based on individual rankings and quantities. ESPN's list is a subjective group put together based on one man's opinion. Athlon's rankings are obviously subjective as well. This gives The Unofficial Team Recruiting Rankings equal parts computer and human.

Georgia's consistency at No. 2 across the board gave the Bulldogs enough to overcome Notre Dame's two No. 1's. USC and OSU have the best bang for their buck with the highest level of quality. But schools like Miami and Alabama have put together much bigger classes at the moment so they got the nod in most rankings.

Texas has the top running back class with five nice prospects. They would have one of the best classes at the position in history if land Ventura (Cali.) running back Darrell Scott, whom they seem to be leading for after Longhorn tailback Jamaal Charles declared for the draft. Scott is the No. 1 running back prospect in the nation. If the Gators were to add Jacksonville star Jamie Harper and DeSoto (Tx.) product Cyrus Gray, they might be able to challenge. If the experts want to count USC transfer Emmanuel Moody, Florida might be leading.

USC is pulling off the same feat along the offensive line with six outstanding prospects. Ohio State could challenge if they were to land a kid like Josh Jenkins and Notre Dame might have something to say if they could snag Kenneth Page from the southeast.

The depth of this wide receiver class is special and there is still a lot of work to be done. With names like Muskogee's (Okla.) Jameel Owens and Foley's (Al.) Julio Jones still hanging in the balance, any number of teams could claim the title.

Florida would certainly clinch this position if they can somehow pull the upset and land Jones. Carl Moore, Omarius Hines and Frankie Hammonds round out a very well-balanced class for the Gators.

USC's class is special. D.J. Shoemate is Percy Harvin plus two inches and 30 pounds. Brice Butler might be the most polished wideout in the entire class. Oklahoma would challenge if they land Owens - which seems likely. Notre Dame recently pulled Deion Walker off the east coast and Michael Floyd is a very special player. Miami could join the action if the 6-6 Tommy Streeter gives The U a clean sweep of the Northwestern-7. (Ben Jones would have to commit as well...work with me here)

Spain Park defensive end William Green would give Alabama the best defensive line class. Miami boasts the best interior group led by Marcus Fortson, Texas A&M leads on the edge with six commits. Georgia has the second best overall class. Clemson and Oklahoma bring in the best two defensive line prospects in DaQuan Bowers and R.J. Washington respectively.

Miami has the linebacker class locked up. This class is so deep that the Canes might have five starters in the group: three linebackers, one safety and one defensive end. Michigan and Virginia Tech both have great depth in the linebacker corp. If the Buffaloes can hang onto Lynn Katoa, Colorado will have a dynamite group at linebacker.

LSU is atop the list of defensive back classes, led by Ely's (Fl.) Patrick Johnson. If Rick Nueheisel can hang onto Rahim Moore, E.J. Woods and company, UCLA might get my nod, however. It just seems so unlikely that will happen. The Gators claim the top safety group with New Jersey product Will Hill and Auburn High's Dee Finley.

The final team rankings will be released post-signing day.

Athlon Consensus 100: 71-80

The third release of the Athlon Consensus 100 has hit the presses...

71. Chris Tolliver - WR - Rayville, LA (LSU)
72. Matt Meyer - OT - Stockton, CA (USC)
73. Lynn Katoa - LB - Salt Lake City, UT (Colo)
74. Brandon Barnes - ATH - Bunn, NC (NC St)
75. Antoine McClain - OL - Anniston, AL (und.)
76. Josh Jenkins - OG - Vienna, WV (und.)
77. Mark Barron - WR - Mobile, AL (Bama)
78. Jordan Futch - S - Hollywood, FL (Mia)
79. Mike Glennon - QB - Centreville, VA (NC St)
80. Gerell Robinson - WR - Chandler, AZ (ASU)

This is a tremndously versatile group of prospects. Futch could play LB but wants to play safety. Barnes, Tolliver, Barron and Robinson could all end up at wide receiver. But then again, three of them could be playing safety as Tolliver is the only pure pass catcher of the group. McClain and Meyer could end up at guard or tackle.

It is startling to me that it took almost thirty names to get to our first QB. And he is a good one. Mike Glennon is one of the best pure pocket passers in this class. He will never wow anyone with his mobility but once he gets on a roll in the passing game, he is very tough to stop.

Stay Tuned to Athlon Sports as we release ten names every Monday and Thursday.



The Athlon Consensus 100

Deeper Look: 71-80
Deeper Look: 81-90
Deeper Look: 91-100

Athlon Consensus 100: 81-90

The latest ten names of the Athlon Consensus 100 have been released.

81. Lamaar Thomas - ATH - Friendly, MD (OSU)
82. Garrett Goebel - DT - Lombard, IL (OSU)
83. DeSean Hales - ATH - Klein, TX (Texas)
84. D.J. Monroe - CB - Angleton, TX (Texas)
85. E.J. Woods - S - Culver City, CA (UCLA)
86. Brandon Thompson - DT - Thomasville, GA (und.)
87. Jerrell Harris - LB - Gadsden, AL (und.)
88. Nick Perry - DE - Detroit, MI (und.)
89. Josh Jarboe - WR - Ellenwood, GA (und.)
90. Joe Adams - ATH - Little Rock, AR (USC)

This is a very athletic group. Thomas, Hales and Adams will all find themselves on offense although Adams could be used in both defensive and offensive capacities. Woods and Harris play like missiles and can really hit.

The state of Georgia is off to a great start with five players in the first 20 names. Cali and Texas both have three.

Corner and the mysterious 'athlete' position each have four prospects. However, this might be a bit misleading as at least Thomas and Hales will be playing WR, which has two players. WR might be the deepest position in the AC100.

Ohio State and UCLA each have three prospects committed. Texas and UGA have two.

The Big Ten and Pac-10 each have four commits. The SEC and Big XII have three each.

MOST UNDERRATED: Lamaar Thomas, this kids is a bigger version of Percy Harvin. Expect him to get the ball out of the backfield (maybe in a few sets as QB), as a wide receiver and especially a return man. He is a game-changer.

MOST OVERRATED: Goebel/Thompson. Now, they both could end being good. Goebel needs what Thompson has and Thompson needs what Goebel has. Goebel is very technically sound and plays very smart football but lacks burst and raw athleticism. Thompson has great explosion and athletic ability but lacks fundamentals and technique. Both could be good though. I actually like all ten of these kids but these two seem to have the most work to do.

Stay tuned to AthlonSports.com every Monday and Thursday as we release ten more names each day until Signing Day on Feb. 6th.

Athlon Consensus 100: 91-100

The first release of the AC100 went live this morning...

91. Justin Johnson - RB - Gilmer, TX (Okla)
92. Charles Whitlock - CB - Chester, SC (S. Car)
93. Andrew Sweat - LB - Washington, PA (OSU)
94. Brandon Smith - ATH - New Brunswick, NJ (und.)
95. A.J. Harmon - OG - Louisville, GA (Clem)
96t. Toby Jackson - DE - Griffin, GA (UGA)
97t. Aaron Hester - CB - Compton, CA (UCLA)
98. Tavarres King - WR - Mt. Airy, GA (UGA)
99. Anthony Dye - CB - Corona, CA (UCLA)
100. Trevor Robinson - OG - Elkhorn, NE (ND)

Right off the bat, Georgia and California take an early lead in state race, with Ga, already with three prospects.

Two corners and two offensive guards are in this first ten as well. Do not expect too many more guards. Corners there will be plenty of.

UCLA and UGA each have two kids committed. The UCLA ones we will have to wait and see about. Now that they finally have a new coach.

The SEC jumps out ahead of the other big leagues with three commits already. The Pac-10 and Big Ten/ND both have two each.

Three names really stand out to me. Tavarres King, Aaron Hester and Andrew Sweat. But not all for the same reason.

Andrew Sweat is limited in his top end speed and can be too aggressive. He needs to work on his control and discipline. He will be a solid player but should not be in the top-100.

King and Hester are much different. Tavarres King will be a star. In the open field, he is unstoppable. He will need to get stronger and thicker but has a chance to be great. Aaron Hester is just a really smooth defensive back. He plays wonderful trail technique and shows a burst when the ball is in the air. Both of these kids should be ranked in the 50-60 range.

Athlon Consensus 100

Alabama v. LSU: Heavyweight Bout

LSU-Bama. Nick Saban v. Louisiana. Les Miles v. Himself. Aside from the national historic traditional rivalries (OSU-MICH, USC-ND, Ala-Aub etc), I am willing to argue that LSU-ALA is the best current rivalry in NCAA football, at least in the south.

Let's put the fact the game was a solid game to fans not wearing crimson or purple aside. The rivalry runs so much deeper than that.

Les Miles drops F-bombs about Alabama and Nick Saban openly laughs at the Cajun culture. Both of these incidents were way overblown, but it still does indicate the true feelings of these two fan bases. On the field it should be a battle every year. Off the field, its only beginning.

Nick Saban went into Louisiana and John Curtis HS to snag an explosive little cornerback named Robby Green a short time ago. If the verbal sparrings were the warm-up jabs, LSU's win in Tusky was a right hand to the body and Mr. Green was a left hook to Mike The Tiger's right eye.

LSU's counter punch was Chris Tolliver. The highly sought after Rayville, LA wide receiver shunned Alabama and stayed home with the Tigers.

In a year loaded with pass-catchers, Tolliver's acceleration and explosion stand out. His separation speed combined with the ability to get vertical very quickly is a dangerous weapon. He also plays very well in small spaces. He has a knack for making people miss and then exploding up field. Give Chris Tolliver a crease on a slant route and he is gone.

Alabama is not hurting by any means for wideouts however. The Tide poached a bit on Georgia Tech's class and yanked Chris Jackson away. It came as no surprise as the GT coaching turmoil obviously was the reason. Throw in Devonta Bolton, Melvin Ray, Destin Hood and Burton Scott and maybe a dash of Julio Jones (sources say they would be shocked if he goes anywhere but Alabama).

Seeing as how Alabama has a much deeper class with more high level prospects at the bottom as compared with LSU, you can expect the retaliatory blow sometime around...let's say...February 6th when Alabama has the top class in the SEC and maybe the nation.


My vote in this showdown goes to LSU based strickly on quantity. Alabama will be back to fight another day, I promise.

National Recruiting Blitz: 12.18.07

This week's national recruiting blitz is up on the site.

AthlonSports.com

This week I am joined by Gary Ferman of CaneSport.com.

Ferman breaks down the Arthur Brown commitment. Tells us where Patrick Johnson and Matt Patchan will be headed. And dissects the Northwestern-7.

The Shrine Bowl, Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Classic, Trevor Robinson and much more!!

Athlon Sports Recruiting Blitz 12.18.07

Tide Continues to Roll: Robby Green

Nick Saban and Alabama are as hot as it gets right now on the recruiting trail. Bama took three of the top-7 from the state of Tennessee - Donta Hightower, Barrett Jones, Chris Jordan - landed a 400 lb JUCO D-lineman and to top it of Saban got a commitment from D.J. Fluker, who is considered by many one of the top defensive tackles for 2009 (#35 overall).

River Ridge, LA native Robby Green committed to Alabama at a press conference at his high school Tuesday afternoon over USC, Penn St, Michigan, Florida and Arizona St to name a few.

According to Rivals, he does not currently hold an LSU offer.

All the services are in agreement: Rivals-#16 CB, Scout-#13 CB, ESPN-#14 CB

The 6-foot, 180 lb has very few physical flaws. He has good enough size and once he puts on 10-15 pounds he will be big enough to compete with most wideouts. He has great hip-turn and a very quick back pedal. His plant and reaction speed out of his pedal to underneath routes, particularly in zone schemes, is incredibly fast and explosive. He has great all-around athleticism playing very smoothly in open-field situations.

He also plays the run very well. He is not afraid of contact and brings his legs when he tackles. This makes him a great fit for a 'Tampa-2' zone, where the scheme calls for the cornerback to be the main run stopper on the outside gaps.

Fundamentally, he could use some work on his line-of-scrimmage jam technique. Adding some weight and having a defensive backs coach as his HC (Saban) will obviously help that. Also, his pure recovery speed on deep routes against speedy wide receivers is still a question mark as well as his lateral quickness when matched-up in man-to-man situations. Sitting back in coverage and tracking the deep ball is where he is more comfortable.

Green went to John Curtis High School, that name might sound familiar to Alabama fans as Saban was unable to land high school superstar Joe McKnight last season. The efforts on McKnight and of course coaching at LSU, undoubtedly aided in the relationship between Saban and the John Curtis coaching staff. If Bama were to nab more of Louisiana's top-10 - Chris Tolliver, Tyler Edwards, Jerico Nelson - it would be safe to say it did not take long for Saban's influence in that state to become VERY apparent.

National Recruiting Blitz: 12.11.07

My weekly recruiting podcast for Athlon Sports is up on the site.

This week I speak with Rick Kimbrel of BruinBlitz.com, the officially licensed site of the Rivals network covering all things UCLA.

I asked him about the coaching search and the status of some of the big names on a really solid class. Aundre Dean, EJ Woods and Derick Coleman's name all came up.

Other topics on the show:

The Pittsburgh Panthers' recent run on the recruiting trail, the Florida Gator's recent wide receiver commits, LSU and Alabama got big time commits and Texas A&M stole one from Oklahoma.

All the decommitments, the Shrine Bowl and the future of Athlon Sports recruiting coverage all came up.

You can check it out on Athlon Sports Podcasts or just click on the link below...

Athlon Sports Recruiting Blitz 12.11.07

Chris Jordan heads to Alabama

Alabama is pushing Georgia for the top recruiting class in the SEC for 2008. The race got very interesting this weekend as Brentwood, TN athlete Chris Jordan committed to Alabama.

The Brentwood Academy running back (6-1, 210) chose Alabama over Clemson. Those two schools had been his finalist because they told Jordan that he could play running back. We will see if that is true but he certainly wants to play RB. How he ranks:

Rivals: #24 athlete
Scout: #30 running back
ESPN: #19 outside linebacker

Clearly, there is dissension about where young Chris Jordan will be playing.

The transfer from Norcross, GA plays his high school ball not even three miles from my house. I have watched him in person twice this season play against the very powerful Montgomery Bell Academy, including the state championship game.

Jordan is as naturally a gifted athlete I have ever seen in the state of Tennessee. His blend of size, speed and fluidity is startling. He is a very gifted runner for his size. There is no wasted movement as he picks his whole and he hits it. Coaches love that. He throws his body around as he will always fall forward.

Even as gifted as Jordan is at running the ball, he is just as solid at outside linebacker. He has great range and can really run sideline-to-sideline. He is not a huge speciman at OLB but with solid play in front of him he can be a monster. He flies to the football with solid instincts and good overall feel for the game of football.

One of the really impressive things about his defensive game is his pass coverage. He is very mature in his technique when it comes to getting his drops in zone schemes. His football IQ is great in coverage, something that most kids just do not have coming out of high school. He also has the speed to match-up with any tight end and a lot of running backs in man-to-man action.

Since he is so set on playing running back it will be interesting to see where he ends up. I can see Nick Saban salivating about him playing a rover type weakside linebacker in that 3-4 scheme he runs.

Georgia beware, if Alabama lands Julio Jones, Jerrell Harris or William Green they will likely take the 2008 SEC recruiting crown.

Alabama gets HUGE commitment...literally

Huge might not be the right word. Massive? Gi-normous? At 6-5 and one jelly donut shy of 400 pounds, Gulf Coast Community College (Perkinston, MS) defensive tackle Terrence Cody is truly a large commitment for Nick Saban and Alabama. It has been no secret that Alabama has been focused on upgrading the defensive front in the class of '08. Cody went with Alabama over Tennessee, Ole Miss, Auburn and Mississippi St.

With four defensive end commits and three defensive tackle pledges, Nick Saban has most certainly addressed that need. Alabama even has a commitment from a top notch 2009 defensive tackle, DJ Fluker of Biloxi, MS. At 6-7, 335, Fluker is still no comparison to Terrence Cody. Fluker is ranked the #35 prospect in the preliminary 2009 Rivals top-100.

Like most humans that weigh 4-bills, Terrance Cody is not incredibly fleet of foot. But relatively speaking, he can move. For a man his size, the JUCO shows a surprising lack of power at the snap of the football. However, it is impossible to coach two things on a football field: speed and size. Cody absolutely has size. Once the play gets going he uses his size to basically clog holes wherever he goes.

In a Saban 3-4 defense, the nose tackle must be able to play head-up on the center and man both A-gaps. He can fill both of those holes by just standing there much less firing off the football. With the depth of this class along the defensive front, Cody should be a nice role player.

Saban will have him lose a few pounds and that will allow Cody to utilize the "relative" quickness that he could possess if he did not weigh as much as a small Volvo.

JCGridiron.com has him ranked as the #23 JUCO player in the nation for 2008.

This Week's Podcast

Each week The Visitor, yours truly, does four podcasts for his current employer Athlon Sports. The National Recruiting Blitz will be posted permanently on this here front page. I am joined by old friends from throughout the Rivals.com network to bring you the latest and hottest news in the world of recruiting.

This week I am joined by Tim O'Halloran of EdgyTim.com to break down the hot streak the Illinois Fighting Illini are on. Alabama, Georgia and Virginia are also discussed.

The other three can be found in the Audio Catalog on AthlonSports.com

The College Fantasy Red Zone is a weekly trip through the NCAA Fantasy landscape. We give you sleeper picks, updates on every BCS game, injury reports and start-or-sit discussions.

The NFL Fantasy Scouting Report is look around the world of NFL fantasy football. Athlon Sports' own Kelly and Dan Grogan join me every week to give you free agent pick-ups, the "Can't Miss-High Risk" segment and always injury reports and start/sit discussions.

Inside The Paint is Athlon Sports brief trip around the nation within the world of College Hoops. Senior editor Mitch Light joins me each week to talk NCAA hoops.

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: