All-American Bowl: Top young prospects at the combine
SAN ANTONIO – Each year the All-American Bowl showcases the future of the game with more than 600 prospects from across the country with its underclassmen combine. Many of the players in this year’s All-American Bowl previously competed in the underclassmen combine, and the 2020 version of the combine will contribute players to next year’s game. Here are 20 prospects who caught the attention of the Rivals team of analysts and put themselves in consideration for future All-American Bowls.
MORE ALL-AMERICAN BOWL: Predicting the in-game announcements | Prospects give recruiting updates | Day 3 practice thoughts | Day 2 practice thoughts | Rival Views on TEs Arik Gilbert and Michael Mayer | Mind of Gorney on Media Day | Prospects that could earn a fifth star | Lavon Bunkley-Shelton | Jahmyr Gibbs | Dwight McGlothern | Bryan Bresee | Alfred Collins
CLASS OF 2020 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | Team | State
CLASS OF 2021 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | Team | State
*****
Listed as an athlete because of his abilities on both sides of the football, Allen worked out at safety exclusively during Friday’s combine. Despite being just a sophomore, the 6-foot-1, 200-pounder was one of the biggest defensive backs in attendance. He also proved to be one of the most athletic, staying with receivers throughout their routes and breaking up several passes. Allen is expected to make a decision on Jan. 20 between his two offers from Iowa and Wisconsin.
*****
Listed as a safety, Anderson showed off his man-coverage skills at Friday’s combine, dominating the competition and giving up little to opposing receivers. After the first few reps you could see wide receivers ducking Anderson because of his suffocating coverage. Just a sophomore, Anderson is already well put together and he gave up nothing in the physicality department, even to bigger receivers. LSU locked down the Texan early, grabbing his commitment at the beginning of September.
*****
Running back vs. linebacker 1-on-1s are already skewed in favor of the offense, and when you have a skill set like Blue’s it becomes even more unfair. The sophomore is a solidly built back with plenty of shake and he has a second gear that leaves defenders in the dust. Blue changed direction so quickly that linebackers never had a chance to stay with him. Oklahoma State, Texas and SMU have extended early offers.
*****
It was at this combine a year ago that I first saw Brown in person. He earned a top performers nod that day, and he repeated with his performance Friday. Although linebackers are at a disadvantage in camp settings, Brown thrives because he is so adept in space and has the speed to run with backs. He got his hands on a lot of footballs and also came away with an interception Friday. Brown made an early commitment to Oregon in November.
*****
When it comes to future potential, no offensive lineman was as intriguing as Chamblee. The class of 2022 lineman has that long, lean frame you look for in left tackle prospects, and he combines it with a healthy level of aggression that college coaches love. Chamblee’s recruitment is already reflecting that potential, with the home-state Arkansas Razorbacks joined by Oklahoma State, TCU, Tennessee and Virginia Tech as early offers.
*****
We list Edwards as a defensive end because as a 6-foot-2 and 225-pound sophomore he has a frame that looks like it will continue to grow. However, from a performance standpoint, Edwards showed on Friday that he has the athleticism and ability to play in space that might keep him at linebacker. He picked off two passes that we saw, which is an impressive feat in a setting that is difficult for linebackers to excel. Mississippi State was Edwards' first Power Five offer last summer.
*****
A four-star prospect in the 2021 class, Fidone stood out immediately both in stature and with his play. The Iowan has good size for the tight end position, but what was maybe most impressive was how well he caught the football on Friday. His speed is good and he knows how to use his body to shield defenders from the football, but his abilty to track footballs down and reel them in was eye-catching. Fidone holds more than a dozen offers from the likes of Iowa, LSU, Michigan and Nebraska.
*****
It is easy to see why schools like Arkansas, LSU and Texas A&M have made early offers to Guillbeau. The sophomore plays beyond his years in both technique and swagger. It takes confidence to succeed in these settings, and Guillbeau oozes confidence. He stays on receivers like a wet blanket, covering them every step of the way. We saw him intercept more passes than he gave up on this day, which is an impressive feat.
*****
Howard is an interesting prospect because he has yet to start a varsity game, but he is considered one of the top quarterback prospects in the 2022 class. Friday’s combine showcase did nothing to dissuade those who have high expectations for Howard. The Louisiana native is an accurate passer who spun a good ball and was hitting receivers on stride pass after pass. An LSU legacy, Howard holds offers from the Tigers, Alabama, Nebraska, Texas A&M and others early in his recruitment.
*****
The 2022 class is going to be the year of the defensive back if this underclassmen combine is any indication. Humphrey, a Houston native, was another sophomore standout among defensive backs. Listed as a cornerback, Humphrey played outside but also moved down to the nickel and manned up some bigger pass catchers. He was able to shadow receivers throughout their routes, and has the long arms that knocked down several passes. Baylor and Indiana are among his early offers.
*****
Friday was an impressive showing for Leigh, a Rivals250 offensive tackle who made the long trip from Virginia to compete in the Alamodome. If we were ranking performances just from Friday, Leigh very well may have been the best overall offensive lineman in attendance. He has plenty of room on his 6-foot-5 frame to add good weight, but is surprisingly strong for his size and his athleticism is a definite plus. Clemson and Penn State are among more than 20 offers for Leigh.
*****
It was hard not to notice Martin on Friday. He is a big, barrel-chested young man with the frame to be an outstanding three-technique defensive tackle. On this day his size allowed him to overpower most of the offensive linemen he faced, but size and strength are not his only attributes. Martin just keeps coming after you, and is fairly light on his feet. He has earned early offers from Kansas, Southern Miss and Virginia.
*****
An early Texas commit, Milroe was one of the most physically developed prospects in attendance. It took him some time to showcase to his fullest potential on Friday, but once he settled in the Rivals100 passer spun a nice ball and was the cream of the quarterback crop in the early session. Milroe is a little deliberate with his motion and that limits his arm strength on shorter throws, but he spotted his deep ball well and was overall pretty accurate.
*****
The class of 2022 featured some outstanding defensive backs Friday, but Ohioan Kaden Saunders represented for the wide receiver position as well. The sophomore speedster is one of the fastest prospects in the Midwest, regardless of class, and showed that speed Friday by running by defensive backs with regularity. He is not a big receiver, but uses his speed to create separation. Michigan, Michigan State and Penn State are among Saunders' early offers.
*****
Another prospect who made the long trip from out east, Skinner took advantage of the opportunity to perform at the underclassmen combine and was one of the best tight end prospects at the event. He is a big, long pass catcher who knows how to use his body as a shield to keep defenders away from the football. Skinner was able to make a lot of catches Friday by outreaching defenders. Early offers have come in from South Carolina and Virginia Tech for the sophomore.
*****
As a junior, Taylor played offensive tackle and defensive tackle, but it is apparent his future home when he gets to college will be offensive guard. The massive Mississippian is impressively athletic for his size and he plays with a healthy level of aggression. That combination - with his strength - makes Taylor a formidable foe for opposing defensive tackles. College programs have yet to find Taylor en masse, and he still awaits his first scholarship offer.
*****
While most of the top defensive linemen on Friday were inside, Turner was an impressive defensive end performer. Listed as a three-star linebacker, Turner’s frame is currently in that ‘tweener spot between linebacker and defensive end, not too unlike 2021 All-American Bowl end Donell Harris. Turner is undersized, but he's so fast off the edge that offensive tackles could not get to him. The home-state Florida Gators are among the nearly dozen scholarship offers for Turner.
*****
Wells and fellow Arkansan Andrew Chamblee both make our top performers list after good performances by both prospects. Whereas Chamblee is definitely an offensive tackle at the next level, Wells looked best in an interior lineman role. He sets a strong anchor and has active hands, allowing him to handle both the speed and strength from defensive linemen. His day was capped when Wells landed his third offer of the process from Arkansas, which joined previous offers from Kansas and Ole Miss.
*****
West is a young prospect with plenty of physical development ahead of him, but we are already starting to see progression in that area since the last off-season. West has shed some of the bad weight and that has allowed him to play quicker off the snap. He may not have lost a rep the entire day during 1-on-1s and he showed an array of pass-rush moves in his arsenal. Colorado and Tulane are among those in with early scholarship offers for West.
*****
Yeoman made a strong case to bump up from his current two-star rating with Friday’s performance. He possesses great size for the linebacker position at 6-foot-3 and 217 pounds, but he does not give anything away in the athleticism department. Yeoman used his length and quickness to break up several passes and he also made a ridiculous one-handed interception. Temple is in with an early offer.