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.

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

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

Charles Whitlock a Gamecock?

There has been a bit of dissension from all parties about whether or not Charles Whitlock has officially committed to South Carolina or not. GameCockCentral.com is reporting the 5-11, 175 athlete from Chester, SC has indeed pledged to play ball for Steve Spurrier.

The Chester High School product is one of the top in-state targets as Whitlock goes with the Cocks over Alabama, Clemson, Kentucky, Florida and North Carolina.

How he ranks:

Rivals: #9 cornerback
Scout: #6 cornerback
ESPN: #4 cornerback, #35 overall

This is a huge pick-up for Spurrier and Cocky. Charles Whitlock is dynamic in the open field. Like most high level athletes they play quarterback in high school, he is no quarterback. Defensive back or wide receiver is where he will find a home. He also will be a game-breaking return man. He is incredibly elusive in the open field. His feet are comparable to Will Hill or Darron Thomas.

He plays a lot of zone coverages allowing him to play up top in the secondary, roam, and read the quarterback. He has great closing speed and his ability to break on the ball is solid. How will he do at his size jamming wide receivers at the line? Can he play bump-and-run coverage? The transition down to cover corner should not be a tough one because of his pure agility and natural athletic ability. He will need to get bigger but he has all the physical tools to be a standout cornerback.

He also works hard in the weight room (270 lb bench), making that transition to an high level collegiate weight program that much easier for him.

And as I have said before, South Carolina puts out NFL defensive backs as well as any team in the nation. He will be well coached. Great job by Spurrier to lock-up an in-state stud like Charles Whitlock.

Photo by Scout.com

Darrell Simmons highlights big weekend for South Carolina

Banneker high (College Park, GA) safety Darrell Simmons joined five other prospects on campus at South Carolina this past weekend. Jay Spearman and Kenny Davis are both already committed. T’Sharvan Bell, Devin Taylor and Kenneth Page have yet to make their decisions but enjoyed their visits. Darrell Simmons loved it. The 6-1, 180 lb prospect goes with South Carolina over some other major offers from Tennessee, Miami, Ohio St, Michigan, Alabama, Auburn, Georgia and Oklahoma. That is an incredible offer sheet.

South Carolina has turned Banneker high school into a pipeline recently. Simmons joins three current players from the College park program. Carlos Thomas, Addison Williams, Ladi Ajiboye are all current Gamecocks.

How Simmons ranks:

Rivals: #35 safety
Scout: #26 safety
ESPN: #28 safety

Simmons is a phenomenal athlete. He plays a bit faster than his combine times, but his speed is not elite. Having said that, he is constantly around the ball. He simply makes plays. Although he does not possess that elite closing speed, he absolutely explodes when he gets to the ball. And he knows how to get to the ball, especially from the edge where he is more comfortable than inside the tackles. He relies heavily on great instincts. He plays the outside force very well.

Like most high school players his technique (back pedal, hip turn etc) in coverage needs work. Can he cover the sideline in a 2-deep set-up? He may have the ability but it is still a unknown. As is the case with most defensive backs, playing the pass is the biggest question mark.

South Carolina has been great at producing NFL defensive backs though with names like Dunta Robinson and Ko Simpson. This means he will get great coaching.

One major question mark. Where is his head? Kids get in trouble all the time and learn from it and grow up. Simmons was arrested this summer with three other kids for burglary. Will he?