SoCal Nike Camp offensive preview
By Greg BigginsThe Nike Football Training Camp tour heads West after earlier stops in talent-rich Miami, Fla. and Fort Worth, Texas. Led by a strong crop of players in the Southern California area mixed in with several talented out of state players, this year's SoCal Nike Camp has a chance to be the best in years.
Here's a look at some of the top offensive players expected to be in attendance and we'll take a look at the defensive stars later on.
Quarterbacks
Jake Heaps (Sammamish, Wash./ Skyline)
He was expected to be the headliner at the quarterback position, but a back injury suffered earlier in the week will prevent him from throwing this weekend. The position will still be loaded led by a handful of Cali quarterbacks.
Pete Thomas (El Cajon, Calif./ Valhalla)
He is a strong-armed athlete with a lot of tools. He has great size, a big arm and has worked hard to increase his mobility in the last year. Thomas has an effortless release and shows nice accuracy on his deep ball.
Jesse Scroggins (Lakewood, Calif./ Lakewood)
He has seen his stock soar in the past few months and deserves to be mentioned with the top signal callers in the region. He has a very live arm, spins it as consistently as anyone we've seen and knows when to put some nice touch on his passes as well.
Nick Montana (Westlake Village, Calif./ Oaks Christian)
This Under Armour All-American just gets better every time you see him. He was an Elite 11 ball boy two years ago and didn't project at the time as much more than a mid-major prospect. Fast forward a few years later and Montana is among the most heavily recruited quarterbacks in the nation. The signal caller will attend Notre Dame's spring weekend, but plans to head straight to USC from the airport to show he belongs among the nation's elite.
Tyler Shreve (Redlands, Calif./ Redland East Valley)
Speaking of Elite 11 ball boys, Shreve is a player we expect to have a strong camp. Shreve was a ball boy a year ago and should be very comfortable with the drills and the different throws he'll have to make. We saw the signal caller a week ago at the Nike Combine in Los Angeles and he looks to be in great shape and could surprise a few people on Sunday.
Ryan Kasdorf (Sherman Oaks, Calif./ Notre Dame)
In terms of numbers, no one had a bigger year than Kasdorf. He was the state junior of the year by CalHisports.com a year ago after throwing for 3,296 yards and 36 touchdowns. Mechanically, Kasdorf has a bit of a hitch in his release causing it to be a bit long, but he's a gamer and shows great toughness on the field.
Other quarterbacks who could make some noise
Bryan Bennett (Encino, Calif./ Crespi), Brandon Connette (Corona, Calif./ Santiago), Logan Meyer (Ventura, Calif./ St. Bonaventure) and Chase Rettig (San Clemente, Calif.).
Running backs
We've said it before, but it bears repeating, the crop of running backs in California is one of the best the state has seen in the last decade. For comparison's sake, the top back in the Golden State for the class of 2009 on many recruiting boards was Notre Dame-signee Cierre Wood. If Wood was part of the 2010 class, he would likely rank No. 7 or No. 8 in the state. The class is that loaded. Like Heaps, USC-commit Dillon Baxter (San Diego, Calif./ Mission Bay) suffered an injury (sprained knee) that will knock him out of the camp, but the position is still loaded.
Anthony Barr (Los Angeles, Calif./ Loyola)
He is arguably the premier power back in the region and he will show that he has the ability to play running back at the college level. Barr looks to be all of 6-3, 225 pounds and many feel he'll be moved to the defensive side of the ball in college. That may definitely be the case, but Barr showed a year ago that he can definitely run the rock and you don't see too many defensive backs anxious to take him on in the open field.
Malcolm Jones (Westlake Village, Calif./ Oaks Christian)
Another power back with a nice combination of size, speed and power is Jones. We've been high on Jones since his freshman year and he brings a ton of tools to the table. He can run between the tackles, but has the speed to kick it outside as well. He also shows the ability to catch the ball out of the backfield and is a talented linebacker on the defensive side of the ball as well.
Jordon James (Corona, Calif./ Corona Senior)
The Under Armour All-American missed half of his junior season with an injury, but looks 100 percent healthy. He has great running back instincts and a natural feel for the position, you just can't teach. He runs downhill, is a decisive runner and won't be caught in the open field. Jones can make you miss, but isn't afraid to lower his shoulder either. He is a home run threat from anywhere on the field.
Trajuan Briggs (Van Nuys, Calif./ Birmingham)
He just picked up an offer from USC earlier in the week and is really beginning to emerge as an elite football player. He's a powerful kid and is very tough to bring down. He also has better speed than most give him credit for and has clocked a 10.84-100m this year. He doesn't juke or dance around much, but gets down the field and is always falling forward on contact. Some have compared Briggs to former Cal All-American Marshawn Lynch.
Brennan Clay (San Diego, Calif./ Scripps Ranch)
He is easily among the top all-purpose backs in the region. He had over 1,000 yards rushing and receiving as a junior and is a matchup nightmare for defenses. He has great feet and is very shifty. He's at full speed by the time he hits the line of scrimmage and is the big-play threat every college is looking for.
Deontae Cooper (Moreno Valley, Calif./ Citrus Hill)
He is one of those backs that jumps off the screen when you watch his tape. He earned first-team, all-state underclass honors a year ago after rushing for 2,948 yards and 43 touchdowns. Cooper gets knocked for playing in a small class division, but his talent is obvious. He's as explosive as any back in the state, has a nice wiggle to him.
James McConico (Compton, Calif./ Compton)
He averaged almost 20 yards a carry as a junior. He is a very intriguing player who shows great hands out of the backfield, the ability to hit the home run from anywhere and the versatility to play on either side of the ball in college.
Taylor Walstad (Chandler, Ariz./ Chandler)
The Arizona State-commit is a powerful runner with good feet and balance. He has a great frame and is the kind of back that can wear a defense down late in games. He's also faster than he looks and is a solid all-around athlete.
Anthony Wilkerson (Tustin's, Calif./ Tustin)
He has been one of the state's best since his sophomore season. He's another power back with speed. He can go inside the tackles and really finish his runs. Wilkerson has plenty of speed as well and is a tough, physical kid. Coming from Tustin, he has drawn comparisons to former Tiller and current 49ers running back Deshaun Foster.
Others backs to watch
Anthony Brown (Fontana, Calif./ Kaiser), Jordan Butler (North Las Vegas, Nev./ Cheyenne), Kyle Middlebrooks (Fountain Valley, Calif.), Adam Muema (Covina, Calif./ Charter Oaks), Joshua Quezada (La Habra, Calif.), Emery Schexnayder (Riverside, Calif./ JW North), Jerry Stone (Lakewood, Calif.) and rising junior De'Anthony Thomas (Los Angeles, Calif./ Crenshaw), who could be the top back in the West in two years.
Wide receivers
Robert Woods (Gardena, Calif./ Serra)
Woods headlines a strong crop of receivers. He is a talented two-way athlete, who could play a number of positions in college. Wide receiver could be his best because his body control and overall athleticism remind many of former USC and New York Giants standout Steve Smith.
Kevin Anderson (Lakewood, Calif./ Lakewood)
He has seen his stock soar this past spring and is nearing double-digit offers. He had 13 touchdowns a year ago and can get behind a defense, but also has the hands to be a solid possession receiver. Anderson is very quick off the ball and runs well after the catch.
DeShawn Beck (Los Angeles, Calif./ Los Angeles Jordan)
He is one of the fastest players in the state and is a two-time, all-state underclass selection. He's coming off a great showing at the Nike Combine in L.A a week ago and looks to be in great shape right now. The only thing holding him back from having double digit offers right now.
Anthony Jefferson (Los Angeles, Calif./ Cathedral)
He is a standout on both sides of the ball and is getting recruited as a receiver and corner. USC just offered him as a corner, but Jefferson will likely work out with the receivers. He has very good size and hands.
Davonte Neal (Laveen, Ariz./ Cesar Chavez)
Freshman rarely, if ever, get invited to a Nike Camp, but Neal is no ordinary freshman. He has a chance to be a very special player down the line and his YouTube highlights of his football exploits as well as his workouts have caused a major buzz. Neal has also put up some incredible numbers on the track and it will be very interesting to see this talented youngster go up against a strong crop of much older defensive backs on Sunday.
Paul Richardson (Los Alamitos, Calif.)
He has been nursing a sore ankle all spring, but will give it a go on Sunday. He is a two-time, all-state underclass selection and has been called by the Griffin coaches, the best receiver the school has produced. He has superior leaping ability and although he's not a burner, he does have enough speed to make plays down the field.
Kenneth Scott (Ontario, Calif./ Colony) and Tyler Slavin (Corona, Calif./ Roosevelt)
Both are very similar in their size, hands and athleticism. Scott had a great showing at the Nike camp a year ago and will look to duplicate that performance. Slavin has seen his recruitment really pick up in the last month and most of the Pac 10 is showing interest.
Kenny Stills (Carlsbad, Calif./ La Costa Canyon)
He is an elite player and one of the top players in the West, regardless of position. He's hearing from schools all over the country and is a true deep threat. He scored 17 touchdowns a year ago to earn first-team, all-state honors.
Kasen Williams (Sammamish, Wash./ Skyline)
He is just a junior, but already has a college body. In fact, Williams could be the top junior in the region and he was already drawing scholarship offers as a freshman. He's big, fast, catches everything and should be an absolute monster in two years.
Others receivers to watch include
Dres Anderson (Riverside, Calif./ J.W North), Kaelin Clay (Long Beach, Calif./ Poly), Marcell Peoples (Corona, Calif./ Santiago), Bobby Ratliff (Etiwanda, Calif.), Blake Stanton (Encino, Calif./ Crespi) and John Timu (Long Beach, Calif./ Jordan).
Tight ends
The tight end position is loaded as well with the three best in the region all coming out to compete.
Xavier Grimble (Las Vegas, Nev. Bishop Gorman)
The Under Armor All-American has all the tools. He has a great frame and seems to actually enjoy the blocking part of the position. He also runs very well and is a sure-handed receiver.
Randall Telfer (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif./ Rancho Cucamonga)
The USC-commit had a big junior season with 42 catches for 678 yards and five touchdowns. He's very athletic and plays more like a big receiver and can make plays down the field.
Christian Thomas (Palmdale, Calif./ Highland)
He doesn't have the length of Grimble or Telfer, but he could be the best athlete. He's a legit 4.6-40 guy and is very strong as well. He jumped over 30 inches at the Nike Combine in Long Beach a year ago and is a major matchup problem for opposing linebackers or safeties because of his speed and strength.
Offensive linemen
The offensive line might be the one position a bit down this year, but there will still be several players to watch.
Alex Crosthwaite (San Diego, Calif./ Cathedral)
He is a road grader who could play guard or tackle. He earned first-team, all-state underclass honors last year and was a key reason Cathedral won a Division II state title.
Giovanni Di Poalo (Ventura, Calif./ St. Bonaventure)
He could be the Seraphs top prospect next year on what looks like a loaded roster. Di Poalo will be a three-year starter.
Ben Gottschalk (Sherman Oaks, Calif./ Notre Dame)
He earned first-team, all-state underclass honors a year ago and has seen his recruitment pick up nicely in recent weeks and just landed his first two offers earlier in the week.
Roman Sapolu (Huntington Beach, Calif./ Edison)
The Oregon State-commit has great bloodlines, but is a talented player in his own right. His father Jesse played for the 49ers back in the '80s and Sapolu is one of the most athletic linemen in the region.
Wade Yandall (Carson, Calif./ Carson)
He is a big kid, who can really move. He has worked hard in the weight room and has dropped almost 30 pounds in the last few years after being over the 300-pound mark as a freshman. Like Sapolu, Yandall has a volleyball background, which has really helped him with his feet and overall athleticism.
Other offensive linemen to watch
Lamar Bratton (Riverside, Calif./ J.W North), Mike Christie (Mission Viejo, Calif.), Eduardo Nevarez (Compton, Calif.), David Peterson (Redlands, Calif./ Redlands East Valley), Avery Paotes (Moreno Valley, Calif./ Rancho Verde), Derek Stickney (Placentia, Calif./ El Dorado).