December 10, 2008

Jamie Newberg
Recruiting Analyst

The new Rivals100 has been released, and there is a new prospect standing atop the rankings: Rueben Randle of Bastrop, La., replaces quarterback Matt Barkley of Santa Ana, Calif.

Randle, an electrifying 6-foot-3, 195-pound wide receiver prospect, played quarterback this season and led Bastrop to the state semifinals.

As a junior last season, Randle hauled in 55 passes for 1,058 yards and 11 touchdowns.

"Randle is an athlete that is a cross between A.J. Green and Julio Jones," said Barry Every, a national recruiting analyst for Rivals.com. "He should have a similar impact at the next level."

Barkley dropped 10 spots to No. 11 overall. He's still the nation's top-rated, pro-style quarterback prospect. Barkley struggled at times this season, throwing 18 interceptions. He completed 54.5 percent of his passes for 2,877 yards and 22 touchdowns.

"Barkley has all the tools, great mechanics and a strong arm," Every said. "But he has struggled with decisions and has just forced too many passes this season. This is something that he must improve at the next level because the defensive backs in the Pac-10 are exponentially better than those he has faced in high school."

Naming a new top prospect in the country is not unprecedented for Rivals.com. It has happened one time before, in 2001.

"We moved Vince Young to No. 1 at midseason," Rivals.com Editor in Chief Bobby Burton said. "I think it's always a fluid decision, but there is a particular scrutiny that comes with the top spot. This year, I think everybody said Barkley was the hands-down top prospect to start, and he may still turn out to be the best in the end. However, his season has just not been representative of what you look for."

Rounding out the Rivals.com top 10 are running back Bryce Brown, linebacker Jelani Jenkins, defensive lineman Sheldon Richardson, dual-threat quarterback Russell Shepard, defensive end Devon Kennard, running back Trent Richardson, linebacker Manti Te'o, athlete Patrick Hall and cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick.

Three players made big moves up the Rivals100 and are now five-star prospects. Two are from the southwest in defensive end Alex Okafor from Pfugerville, Texas, and defensive back Janzen Jackson from Lake Charles, La. Okafor and Jackson are Nos. 14 and 16, respectively.

"You're not going to find senior film for the cornerback position that's more impressive than Jackson's," Simmons said. "He is the most physical corner in the country and hits like a safety. He also has legit speed, great ball skills and the hips to be an elite cover man.

"Okafor has continued to transform his body and prove that he is more than just an edge rusher. He's put on some weight and is maturing physically. He is still an explosive pass rusher off of the edge and his dominating senior season has eliminated any doubts about consistency."

The third new five-star player is Andre Debose from Sanford (Fla.) Seminole High School. He now stands at No. 24 overall and is also being moved from wide receiver to athlete because he can do so many things - and beat you in so many ways.

"Debose reminds me of Peter Warrick with more speed," Every said. "This is a guy you want the ball in his hands. He can do so much for you like a Percy Harvin. He's just very reminiscent of Harvin, Warrick and guys like that."

Wide receiver Rodney Smith (No. 62) and athlete Donavan Tate (No. 81) are two new prospects who have emerged in the Rivals100.

July 15, 2008

Jeremy Crabtree
Rivals.com Football Recruiting

Joining the list of already confirmed players are Tajh Boyd of Hampton (Va.) Phoebus, Raymond Cotton of Fort Meade (Md.) Meade High School, Andrew Maxwell of Midland, Mich., and Bryn Renner of Lorton (Va.) West Springfield.

Rivals.com gives high marks to the new additions to the camp.

Boyd is ranked by Rivals.com as the No. 3 dual-threat quarterback in the nation and the No. 124 player in the nation. He began to impress evaluators at the Chapel Hill Nike Camp in May where he earned camp quarterback most valuable player honors. He also threw well at the State College Elite 11 regional camp.

Boyd joins Renner as the seventh Virginia quarterback to make the Elite 11 in its 10 years. It also marks a third consecutive year that two Commonwealth State quarterbacks have been selected to the Elite 11. Boyd committed to West Virginia in March over offers from Boston College, Michigan, Tennessee, Virginia, Virginia Tech and many more.

Cotton is a three-star prospect according to Rivals.com. The 6-foot-4, 216-pounder ranks as the No. 12 dual-threat quarterback in the nation and the third best scrambler. He committed to Auburn in early April, turning down offers from Kentucky, Mississippi State, Purdue and Troy.

"This is a big honor," Cotton said. "Being selected to the Elite 11 has always been one of my biggest goals going into my senior season."

Maxwell ranks among the nation's top pro-style passers at No. 11 overall at the position. The 6-foot-3, 192-pounder also ranks as the No. 229 player overall and the No. 6 player in Michigan.

He jumped out to evaluators at the NIKE Camp and the Elite 11 regional camp in Fort Worth. He earned MVP honors for quarterbacks at the event and really impressed camp coaches like Bob Johnson.

"He says that he likes my arm strength and how accurate I am when I deliver the ball," Maxwell said. "They also say that they like the way I have an idea where I want to go with the ball on every play."

Renner, a North Carolina, was the biggest surprise at the Las Vegas Elite 11 regional camp. The nation's No. 16 dual-threat quarterback was an all-state receiver as a sophomore and last year he threw for 2,749 yards and 32 touchdowns.

However, his resume wasn't as big as others in the nation. That changed after his strong day in Las Vegas. Along with looking great in drill work, Renner, who is a North Carolina commitment, won the EA Sports Golden Gun award for the most accurate passer in the camp.

"I stayed within myself and threw it smooth," Renner said.

"I didn't try to do too much fancy. I just had to get the ball in the targets. I stayed within myself in the drills, did what the coaches asked of me and tried to have the best day that I could."

Rivals.com will have full coverage of the camp, which starts next Monday, July 21 and continues through the 24th at Soka University in Aliso Viejo, Calif. To qualify for this event passers had to attend either a NIKE Camp or an Elite 11 regional camp.

Rivals.com Michigan Preseason Top 40 2009 | Rivals.com Football Recruiting | last sorted on 7/11/2008

2009 Rank			Pos	Ht/Wt	Schools
1	William Campbell Detroit (MI) Cass Tech		DT	6-5/317	Michigan
	Campbell carries a 3.2 GPA.
2	Edwin Baker Oak Park (MI) Oak Park		RB	5-10/204	Michigan State
	Won the County 100 meters as a sophomore with a time of 10.5.
3	Chris Norman Detroit (MI) Renaissance		LB	6-2/207	Michigan State
	Has a 450 pound squat.
4	James Jackson Grand Ledge (MI) Grand Ledge		WR	6-0/175	Ohio State
	Jackson finished seventh nationally in the 100-meter dash at the 2006 AAU Junior Olympics.
5	Cameron Gordon Inkster (MI) Inkster		WR	6-2/211	list
	Played his junior season at Melvindale High School.
6	Andrew Maxwell Midland (MI) Midland		QB	6-3/192	Michigan State
	A 2007 Michigan all-state Honorable Mention and all-area dream team selection.
7	Blake Treadwell East Lansing (MI) East Lansing		OL	6-2/270	Michigan State
	He was named all-league, Lansing State Journal dream team and all-state special mention in 2007.
8	Dion Sims Orchard Lake (MI) St. Mary's		TE	6-5/230	list
	One of the top two-sport stars - football and basketball - in the nation.
9	Larry Caper Battle Creek (MI) Battle Creek Central		RB	5-10/215	Michigan State
	Rushed for 1,473 yards on 160 carries in 2007.
10	Donald Spencer Ypsilanti (MI) Ypsilanti		WR	6-4/197	Michigan State
	Spencer caught 18 passes and averaged 19.1 yards per catch as a junior and he scored 8 touchdowns for Ypsilanti.
11	Teric Jones Detroit (MI) Cass Tech		RB	5-8/186	Michigan
	Rushed for 808 yards as a junior.
12	Reid Fragel Grosse Pointe (MI) South		TE	6-8/251	Ohio State
	Caught 24 passes for 328 yards and scored three touchdowns in 2007.
13	Jeremy Gainer Detroit (MI) Clarenceville		LB	6-1/215	Indiana
	As a junior Gainer recorded 97 tackles, seven interceptions, seven forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries.
14	Hersey Jackson Allendale (MI) Allendale		RB	5-11/206	list
	Won the state 100 meters title as a junior. Has timed a 10.80 100 meters and a 22.23 200 meters.
15	Zac Matthias Hemlock (MI) Hemlock		OL	6-4/297	Wisconsin
	Earned second team all-conference honors as a sophomore in 2006 and earned all-conference honors again in 2007.
16	Robert Bell Grand Rapids (MI) East Grand Rapids		LB	5-11/225	list
	Impressed at the Columbus NIKE Camp.
17	Dylan Farrington Adrian (MI) Adrian		DE	6-4/217	list
	Has thrown 150-feet in the discus and has high jumped 6-0 as a junior in track.
18	Adam Fenton Birmingham (MI) Seaholm		LB	6-2/204	Central Michigan
	Earned all-area honors as a junior and was a team captain.
19	Shamari Benton Birmingham (MI) Brother Rice		DB	6-0/194	list
	Had 85 tackles in 2007.
20	Micajah Reynolds Lansing (MI) Sexton		OL	6-5/310	Michigan State
	Helped team advance all the way to the regional finals in 2007.
21	Charles Chapman S.Rockwood (MI) Airport		OL	6-6/274	list
	Earned all-area honors as a junior.
22	Jeff Fantuzzi Macomb (MI) Dakota		OL	6-4/276	list
	Played on state championship team in 2006 and 2007.
23	Thomas Gordon Detroit (MI) Cass Tech		ATH	5-10/199	list
	Played quarterback as a junior.
24	Dana Dixon Detroit (MI) Renaissance		DB	6-2/171	Michigan State
	In 2007, led the team in turnovers, picking off two passes, forcing two fumbles and recovering three more.
25	Justin Semmes Orchard Lake (MI) St. Mary's		RB	6-2/222	list
	Rushed for 699 yards as a junior.
26	Jamonne Chester Redford (MI) Covenant		WR	6-1/194	Indiana
	Played receiver, quarterback, and free safety for Redford Covenant in 2007.
27	Will Schwarz Troy (MI) Troy		LB	6-4/212	list
	Earned all-league honors in 2007.
28	Kenneth Watkins Birmingham (MI) Brother Rice		DB	6-0/185	Indiana
	Father was a four-year letterman as a defensive back at Northwestern.
29	Anthony Baskin South Lyon (MI) South Lyon		DB	5-11/197	list
	Baskin transferred to South Lyon from Wayne Memorial and will be fully eligible to play the 2008 season.
30	Bennie Fowler Detroit (MI) Country Day		WR	6-2/185	list
	Was sidelined for several games in 2007 with a broken collar bone but was able to return during the playoffs and scored the game-winning score against Zeeland West in the state semifinals.
31	Mitch Kessel Birmingham (MI) Seaholm		OL	6-5/245	Cincinnati
	A 2007 all-league, all-Detroit North and all-Oakland County selection.
32	Isaiah Grimes South Haven (MI) South Haven		QB	6-6/222	list
	Threw for 1,700 yards as a junior.
33	Rodney Woodland Detroit (MI) St. Mary's		WR	5-7/170	list
	Plays on one of the top teams in the state.
34	Aaron McCord Detroit (MI) Crockett		DT	6-3/270	list
	Impressed at the Columbus NIKE Camp.
35	Edison Vushaj Wixom (MI) Walled Lake		DE	6-5/232	list
	Had 76 tackles in 2007.
36	Ali Alaboody Dearborn (MI) Fordson		RB	5-8/168	list
	Was running back MVP at the Columbus NIKE Camp.
37	Kenny McDaniel Muskegon (MI) Muskegon Heights		LB	6-0/270	list
	Had a strong performance at the Columbus NIKE Camp.
38	Ricky Clemons Flint (MI) Carman Ainsworth		OL	6-4/298	list
	Earned all-area honors as a junior.
39	Tevon Conrad Detroit (MI) Pershing		OL	6-7/315	list
	One of the biggest linemen in Detroit.
40	Shaquille Marshall Birmingham (MI) Brother Rice		LB	6-0/225	list
	Wants to have 1,000 yards rushing and 100-plus tackles as a senior.

Jeremy Crabtree
Recruiting Editor

MORE: Class of 2009 Rivals100 | The Rivals250 | Rivals.com Position Rankings | 2008 Team Rankings

It is still relatively early in the recruiting process for the Class of 2009, but several schools are already beginning to fill up their recruiting classes with commitments from some of the nation's top prospects.

Rivals.com national recruiting editor Jeremy Crabtree takes a look at how the top 25 currently stands and gives us his take on those teams' efforts.

This first sampling of the team rankings is based strictly on rated high school players - neither junior college nor prep school prospects have been ranked at this time.

Team rankings top 25
1. Ohio State
2009 total commits: 23 Headliner: Dorian Bell 2008 class rank: 4	The Buckeyes have assembled the nation's best class with one five-star commitment and 16 four-star pledges. They also have a whopping 23 commitments, the most in the nation. But the class isn't just about quantity. It's about quality. Five-star linebacker Dorian Bell is a major catch, as are Jamie Wood, Justin Green and C.J. Barnett.
2. USC
2009 total commits: 14 Headliner: Matt Barkley 2008 class rank: 8	The Trojans are in a familiar spot - near the top of the recruiting rankings. The class is headlined by the nation's No. 1 player, quarterback Matt Barkley, but he's not the only future star. Five-star prospect Vontaze Burfict is a headhunter at linebacker, two-way star Randall Carroll is one of the nation's fastest players and some insiders believe five-star athlete Patrick Hall is the best prospect in the class - including Barkley. USC also has reloaded at receiver.
3. Texas
2009 total commits: 19 Headliner: Garrett Gilbert 2008 class rank: 14	The Longhorns are always near the top of the rankings at the start and at the finish, so it's no surprise to see them at No. 3 now. The class features one five-star player, 11 four-star prospects and seven three-star guys. Five-star quarterback Garrett Gilbert is back from an injury that has kept him on the shelf for a while, and he should have a big senior season. End Alex Okafor is one of the best defensive players in the nation. Texas has gone heavy on defense early and has landed some quality players, especially at tackle with Calvin Howell and Derek Johnson.
4. Michigan
2009 total commits: 12 Headliner: William Campbell 2008 class rank: 10	Who said Rich Rodriguez was going to struggle recruiting top players to Ann Arbor? After seeing what he was able to do down the stretch - and then to start off this way - there should be no doubt that he's going to be a successful recruiter in the Big Ten. Michigan's class is only 12 deep at this point, but it has top-shelf recruits. Five-star defensive tackle William Campbell has been as impressive as anybody in the nation this offseason. The Wolverines have added play-making receivers for the future with Bryce McNeal and Dewayne Peace. Running back looks to be solid for the future, too, with Jeremy Gallon and Fitzgerald Toussaint on board.
5. LSU
2009 total commits: 13 Headliner: Russell Shepard 2008 class rank: 11	The Tigers always are a factor when it comes to national recruiting rankings, so it's no shocker to see LSU at No. 5. The 13 players include one of the best players to come out of Houston since Vince Young in quarterback Russell Shepard. The Tigers also have done a lot of damage in Texas with the additions of four-star athlete Dexter Pratt and four-star defensive end Michael Brockers. They've also cleaned up in their backyard with big pledges from cornerback Janzen Jackson, offensive lineman Chris Faulk and running back Michael Ford. What's also impressive is that LSU continues to go into rival SEC schools' territories and do damage.
6. Florida State
2009 total commits: 12 Headliner: Jacobbi McDaniel 2008 class rank: 9	The Seminoles are off to a solid start. Five-star defensive tackle Jacobbi McDaniel is one of the most dominating players in the nation, and offensive standouts such as four-star prospects Willie Downs, Chris Thompson and Willie Haulstead give this class plenty of punch. FSU also has a pledge from arguably the nation's top kicker in Dustin Hopkins. FSU fans have to be pleased with the way things have started.
7. Georgia
2009 total commits: 11 Headliner: Aaron Murray 2008 class rank: 7	Georgia again has done a great job landing many of the top players in its backyard, such as four-star offensive lineman Chris Burnette, four-star running back Washaun Ealey and four-star defensive tackle Abry Jones. But what makes this class even more special is Georgia's ability to go out and pull in highly touted quarterback Aaron Murray out of Florida. Georgia also landed a potential star in four-star offensive lineman Austin Long out of Memphis.
8. Clemson
2009 total commits: 10 Headliner: Craig Loston 2008 class rank: 12	The Tigers continue to do wonders on the recruiting front, and not just in their home state. What also gives this class a nice early boost is the commitment from the nation's No. 1 safety prospect, Craig Loston, from Houston. In-state, Clemson has scored four-star pledges from Malliciah Goodman, DeVonte Holloman and J.K. Jay. There's still plenty of work to do - there are just 10 commitments - but it's a good start.
9. Oklahoma
2009 total commits: 14 Headliner: Ronnell Lewis 2008 class rank: 6	While this group might not contain the typical star power we've seen in years past for the Sooners, this group still is solid enough to rank in the top 10. The Sooners have 14 commitments, headlined by eight-man star Ronnell Lewis, Las Vegas defensive end Justin Chaisson and cover man Steve Williams. Insiders also are excited about the linebacker class of Lewis, Tom Wort, Jaydan Bird, Gus Jones and Brandon Mahoney.
10. Michigan State
2009 total commits: 9 Headliner: Edwin Baker 2008 class rank: 47	For all the headlines that have been grabbed in Columbus and Ann Arbor, Mark Dantonio and the Spartans have been overlooked a bit. Michigan State has tapped into the in-state talent in one of the deepest years in Michigan in recent memory. Running back Edwin Baker and linebacker Chris Norman are outstanding players. But when you see other talented guys such as Andrew Maxwell, Blake Treadwell, Larry Caper and Donald Spencer aboard, you know things are going well. Michigan State also will do well in Ohio this season, as evidenced by the addition of fast-rising receiver Patrick White.
11. Rutgers
2009 total commits: 18 Headliner: Tom Savage 2008 class rank: 46	The Scarlet Knights have done a tremendous job of reeling in some of the top talent in the East. It's a large class so far - 18 commitments - and it should be fun to see where Rutgers finishes with a late run of talent from the South.
12. Texas A&M
2009 total commits: 17 Headliner: Ivory Wade 2008 class rank: 16	A&M has 18 commitments and the class is loaded with help on the offensive line and in the secondary. The Aggies should close strong if they show signs of progress on the field.
13. Florida
2009 total commits: 7 Headliner: Nick Alajajian 2008 class rank: 3	This probably is only a temporary spot for the Gators - there just is too much talent interested in playing in The Swamp for UF not to finish in the top 10. The early class of seven is flat-out scary.
14. Tennessee
2009 total commits: 11 Headliner: Josh Nunes 2008 class rank: 35	Nobody in the SEC gets into recruiting more than Phillip Fulmer. UT's class of 11 features two solid quarterbacks, tremendous depth at running back and a solid offensive line group.
15. Mississippi State
2009 total commits: 10 Headliner: Fletcher Cox 2008 class rank: 44	The days of Mississippi State being down seem to be over. The Bulldogs have improved on the field and now they are making strides on the recruiting front. The defensive class so far is special.
16. Miami
2009 total commits: 8 Headliner: Bryce Brown 2008 class rank: 5	The Hurricanes have just eight commitments, but it's a really nice start. Expect Miami to climb the charts as things go deeper into the season, especially with the way it has had success in south Florida recently.
17. North Carolina
2009 total commits: 12 Headliner: Donte Moss 2008 class rank: 32	UNC has 12 pledges, and what it has done on defense has been impressive. Two solid defensive backs, a standout linebacker and stars on the defensive line make this a great start for the Heels.
18. Virginia
2009 total commits: 18 Headliner: Dominique Wallace 2008 class rank: 61	Virginia has 18 commitments, including some who aren't ranked yet. But the ones that are ranked should help boost the talent on campus quickly, especially on defense.
19. Penn State
2009 total commits: 12 Headliner: Eric Shrive 2008 class rank: 43	The class of 13 commitments is loaded with some big-time talent on defense. The defensive back class should rank among the nation's best, and plenty of help on the offensive line is on the way.
20. Notre Dame
2009 total commits: 9 Headliner: Cierre Wood 2008 class rank: 2	Notre Dame should close strong, and its current class of nine commitments is solid. A good start has been made at linebacker and defensive tackle, and the committed running backs have chances to be special for the Irish.
21. West Virginia
2009 total commits: 11 Headliner: Tajh Boyd 2008 class rank: 42	WVU's class hasn't been talked about, but there is plenty of offensive firepower - which should help keep the Mountaineers near the top of the rankings.
22. UCLA
2009 total commits: 7 Headliner: Richard Brehaut 2008 class rank: 13	The Bruins took a hit when Byron Moore decommitted in favor of USC, but UCLA still is off to a nice start. The defensive back class definitely is one of the nation's best so far.
23. Auburn
2009 total commits: 14 Headliner: Rodney Scott 2008 class rank: 20	The Tigers' class of 17 players definitely is defense-oriented. Auburn always does a great job of finding - and developing - defensive talent, and this group should be no exception. Watch out for unranked Reggie Taylor. He's a potential star.
24. Stanford
2009 total commits: 7 Headliner: Shayne Skov 2008 class rank: 50	Quietly, Jim Harbaugh is putting together one of the nation's best classes. Much as with West Virginia, nobody is talking about Stanford. But things definitely look like they're on the way up in Palo Alto.
25. Alabama
2009 total commits: 8 Headliner: Trent Richardson 2008 class rank: 1	Last year's recruiting national champions start off at No. 25 in the first edition of the rankings. The offensive line class is solid, and the Tide look to have their quarterback and running backs of the future.
JUST MISSED:
Missouri, Kansas, Wisconsin, USF, Georgia Tech, TCU and Texas Tech. Missouri and Kansas have put together the best classes in the Big 12 North, which isn't a big surprise based on last season's results. Wisconsin has been on a nice run lately after a strong group of players attended the Badgers' camp. USF continues to be one of the nation's most overlooked programs, but Jim Leavitt continues to bring in top talent in Tampa. Georgia Tech has done a nice job locally and added plenty of offensive playmakers. TCU and Texas Tech have done a nice job of keeping in-state talent at home.