Friday, May 24, 2013

ARIZONA HAS RISEN



For years the state of Arizona has been a virtual afterthought in discussions regarding areas that  consistently produce elite high school football talent.
Former Arizona State Sun Devil and current Baltimore Ravens star, linebacker Terrell Suggs is probably the most recognizable name connected to the area. However, in recent years the 'Grand Canyon State' has become a burgeoning source of nationally recruited talent.

2013 NFL first round pick and former Oregon Duck, Dion Jordan, Devon Kennard (USC), Brent Hundley (UCLA), Andrus Peat (Stanford), Devonte Neal (Notre Dame, now at Arizona), Cole Luke (Notre Dame) Priest Willis (UCLA) are some of the more recent local stars who signed with high BCS-level programs.

Let's take a look at four recruits poised to continue the recent trend of elite programs venturing into the area to secure talent.



Jalen Brown, Wide Receiver
Mountain Pointe High School
Phoenix, Arizona

On the heels of a strong junior campaign in which he registered 68 receptions for over 1200 yards and 18 total scores, Brown (6'2" 170) has seen his recruiting stock really spike this spring. His appearances at the New Level Athletics 7 on 7 in Las Vegas (cut short due to a shoulder injury sustained while making an impressive diving catch) and the IMG/NFA 7 on 7 saw him display his talent against an elevated level of competition.

Since then, the four star has garned scholarship offers from such programs as Arizona, Arizona State, Michigan, Michigan State,Ole Miss, Oklahoma, Ohio State, Florida State, in addition to a host of other BCS programs. It's not clear if there's a timetable for a decision.




http://www.hudl.com/athlete/119315/jalen-brown



Dionte Sykes, Wide Receiver
Chandler High School
Gilbert, Arizona

Sykes was exceptional at the Los Angeles NFTC. His smoothness in and out of cuts allowed him to consistently separate from defenders.His combination of size (6'4" 200) and ball skills -along with his film-prompted UCLA to extend an offer for Sykes to join their resurgent program. Sykes subsequently committed to the Bruins on May 16th. He selected them from an impressive offer list that included Arizona, Hawaii, Colorado State, Michigan, Michigan State, and Syracuse.


Per 247 Sports: Sykes does indeed plan to take visits to a few other schools.







Tyler Whiley, Athlete
Chaparral High School
Paradise Valley, Arizona

A versatile athlete,Whiley plays a number of positions for his high school team. He was apart of a contigent of Arizona area athletes who participated in the IMG/NFA 7 on 7 tournament. The six-foot, 185 pounder registered over 600 received yards to go along with 10 touchdowns while playing wide receiver. On defense, Whiley collected nearly 50 tackles, and picked off two passes while playing defensive back and linebacker.

An increasingly hot commodity on the recruiting trail, Whiley has seen interest from the Oregon Ducks and Nebraska Cornhuskers to go along with verbal offers from both in-state programs, UCLA, and  the Oklahoma Sooners. This, to go along with the his most recent offer from Oklahoma State.





Christian Kirk, Athlete (Class of 2015)
Saguaro High School
Scottsdale, Arizona

Just a rising junior,Kirk has quickly become a national recruit. The speedy (5'10" 175) athlete established himself as one of the nation's premiere deep threats -regardless of class-after notching 1003 yards and 12 touchdowns; on only 43 receptions (For a 23.3 yard average) during the 2012 high school football season.


The wide receiver MVP of the Los Angeles NFTC, Kirk has seen his recruitment explode with garnering the interest of schools all over the country. Notre Dame, Florida State, Oregon, Tennessee, Michigan State, Texas A&M are just some of the more prominent programs that have verbally offered in an attempt to position themselves to land the electric pass catcher.



Friday, May 10, 2013

Interview with Mission Bay's Lamarriel Taylor

By Derrell Warren:                      


This week I was able to catch up with Lamarriel Taylor (6'2" 165), an athlete recruit from San Diego (Calif.) Mission Bay High School. An Illinois transplant, Taylor received his first scholarship offer this past week and had some interesting things to say in regards to some of the differences he's observed in regards to mid-west versus  west coast prep football. Enjoy!

  


First off, I understand that you're originally from the state of Illinois. Can you let us how long you've been in Southern California and describe what that transition has been like so far?

I've been in Southern California for almost a year now. Being from Illinois there's a big change of size and speed. It seems as if the players have gotten much smaller but faster.


Now, you've received your first offer from Indiana University during the spring evaluation period. Can you tell us how it felt to receive that offer, and what aspects of your game do you feel impressed the Hoosier coaching staff the most to make them extend the offer?

It felt really great/stress relieving to receive the first one. I really think they extended the offer based on my work ethic, my background, and my size. I really like their coaching staff, they show a lot of love to their recruits.




Do you have a specific game plan in respect to generating more interest from college coaches, and if so can give us an idea of what that plan consist of?

There's not really a specific plan. I’m really just going to continue working hard with my teammates and stay humble.


Have you been in communication with any other schools thus far?

Yeah, but really looking forward to picking up west coast offers. Such as San Diego St, Washington St., and UCLA.


 You're at Mission Bay High School. Fellow alumni include such players as NFL star Arian Foster (Tennessee), Scott White (Washington), and Dillion Baxter (USC) as guys who signed to major colleges after the conclusion of their Buccaneer high school careers. How do you see yourself fitting in to Mission Bay's system, and has the coaching staff outlined a specific plan to implement you at this stage? 

I definitely have a ton of respect for all 3 of those guys. I see myself fitting in very well in this program such as being a leader, taking on responsibilities, and bringing that fire to this program.


 Lastly, what do you feel you would bring to the table for a college team that's considering recruiting you for their program?

 LEADERSHIP
    Fire
    Desire
    The will to work.
    Encouragement
    Etc...






We'll try to catch up with Taylor at least once more during the spring to check on any developments in his recruitment.

Friday, May 3, 2013


For the lead post here are a few notes on some recruits that have caught our attention so far this spring

Brandon Dawkins, Quarterback
Oaks Christian High School
Westlake Village, California

Dawkins, slated to be a three year starter for the Lions this coming fall has become a national recruit. He burst unto the radar of college scouts during a sophomore campaign in which he passed for 2844 yards with 33 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.


After a strong junior season the 6’3” 206 pound signal caller is poised to ascend to the next level in his development. Notre Dame is thought to be the current leader in Dawkins’ recruitment but with roughly nine months remaining until signing day we’ll see if any of the Pac-12 powers begin a more aggressive pursuit of Dawkins in an attempt to close the gap on the Golden Domers.





Jordan Lasley, Wide Receiver
Serra High School
Gardena, California

Lasley began the spring as a lesser heralded member of a loaded Serra ball club coming off a state championship run in 2012. In defending that title the Cavaliers look to be even better in 2013. That expectation will be due in large part to the  emergence of Lasley. At 6’2” 180 pounds, Lasley has taken full advantage of the off-season using his length, separation skills, and deep speed to consistently impress this spring.


Playing at such events such as the B2G elite and 'Best of the West' 7 on 7 has given Lasley a platform to display his skills in a highlight competitive setting. He has parlayed his 7 on 7 performances into an early offer list that includes San Diego State, Colorado State, and San Jose State. He is currently scheduled to take an unofficial visit to SDSU on May 11th.






Naijiel Hale, Cornerback
St John Bosco Prep
Bellflower, California

Hale initially grabbed the attention of scouts last season. During a breakout Junior campaign the 5’10” 175 pound defender notched 53 tackles, four interceptions, returning them for a total of 152 yards and a touchdown return coming in the Pac-5 section playoff versus famed powerhouse Long Beach Poly.
During the spring Hale has continued that momentum. 


As a mainstay on the ‘Snoop Dogg All-Stars’ 7 on 7 team, Hale has competed at several high profile events and has thoroughly established himself as one of the top cover guys on all of the west coast. His offer list includes Arizona, California, Nebraska, Boise State and several other programs




Shay Fields, Wide Receiver
St. John Bosco Prep
Bellflower, Calfornia

Fields (5’11” 165) was the number two receiving option last year for the Braves. He proved himself to be a legitimate big play threat in totaling 576 yards on just 25 receptions (for a 23 yard average) adding four touchdown receptions.

Another standout spring performer, Fields has set himself apart from a crowded mix of wide receivers during the 2013 7 on 7 campaign and has since garnered offers from schools such as Hawaii, Nevada, and San Jose State (which has been very active so far this spring) with more certain to come for the long ball threat. 

Fields' sophomore highlights