Ask Jamie: Will the Hurricanes bounce back
Jamie Newberg is a football recruiting analyst for Rivals.com. He tackles your questions in his weekly mailbag feature.
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Miami missed on some local talent in the Class of 2010. How well will the Hurricanes recruit the south Florida talent in the 2011 class?
Find out in this week's mailbag.
Hurricanes in the hunt
It looks like another solid year in south Florida. Will Miami do a better job keeping these players at home?
- Dan from Tampa, Fla.
I believe the answer to be a solid yes for one reason - I expect Miami to have a great year on the field. As long as the Hurricanes keep QB Jacory Harris healthy, they should contend for the ACC title and a BCS berth.
This is a talented team that's growing up. We saw signs of Miami getting back to its winning ways last season. The Hurricanes may not have finished like they started, but the signs were there.
Just like last season, the first month of their schedule is brutal. Games 2-4 are at Ohio State, at Pitt and at Clemson, respectively. That's pretty brutal. But another start like last year and Miami will be on its way - which should provide a huge boost in terms of recruiting.
I want to clarify one thing. I have always stated I thought Miami had a solid 2010 class. But look at all that talent that elected to sign elsewhere in February. Too many big-time prospects said no to Randy Shannon and the Hurricanes. That can't happen.
I would suspect a big year on the field and a new contract for Shannon will go a long way toward boosting Miami's recruiting for the 2011 class.
One of Georgia's best
Just how good is James Vaughters from Tucker, Georgia?
- Steven from Atlanta
It's a big year in Georgia for the Class of 2011, and one of the top prospects in the Peach State is Vaughters. He has very good size (6 feet 2, 233 pounds) and looks like an outside linebacker or defensive end at the next level. The school and scheme he chooses could ultimately decide his position, but I think his versatility only adds to his stature as a prospect.
Vaughters looks very athletic on film and runs well. He's physical and gets off blocks. He looks very comfortable playing around the line of scrimmage and navigating through traffic. While watching film you see him play very effectively at inside and outside linebacker, as well as putting his hand down at defensive end.
Vaughters will be one of those players who will likely be able to name his school. Right now he has 20-plus offers, including Georgia, Georgia Tech, Alabama, Florida, Ohio State, North Carolina, USC, Auburn, Florida State, Clemson, Miami, Notre Dame, UCLA and others.
Vaughters may not be quite as explosive as some other players out there, such as Tony Steward, but he's just as effective. There's no question Vaughters will be one of the top defensive prospects from Georgia - and the country.
Peach State prospects
Where do you see Corey Moore and Christian Harris being rated among the players at their positions?
- Billy from Chattanooga, Tenn.
I love Moore, from Griffin, Ga. I think he has to be one of the better defensive prospects in Georgia and very underrated nationally at strong safety.
What I really like about him are his instincts and playmaking ability. It always seems like he's around the ball making something happen. He's physical, runs well enough and just looks like a very heady player.
Harris, like Moore, seems underrated in terms of the talk you hear out there about linebackers from Georgia or from the south. While he looks like a guy who won't blow you away with his top-end speed, Harris certainly gets from point A to point B very quickly. At 6-2 and 230 pounds, he has very good size. Harris gets off blocks and is very aggressive and physical at the point of attack.
This Tennessee commitment, from Woodstock, Ga., should do well for the Vols. He is the first commitment of their 2011 class. Moore, meanwhile, is headed to Georgia. He should see the field quickly in Athens.
I believe Moore is a mid-to-high four-star player, while Harris is a high three-star to low-four star prospect.
Big get
How excited should we Michigan fans be with the commitment of Shawn Conway?
- Mickey from Detroit
Conway, a wide receiver from Birmingham, Mich., looks like a big-time recruit and one of the better wideout prospects from the Midwest.
At 6-4 and 183 pounds, Conway has great size and decent speed. He's big and rangy and great in air, showing very good body control and concentration. Conway has a knack for catching the ball well, especially in traffic. He can get behind the secondary and is not afraid to go over the middle. Conway also has a long stride and deceptive speed, and he looks like a very good outside receiver. He's also productive; Conway caught 70-plus passes last season as a junior, and is a good punt return man.
Yes, Michigan fan, you should be excited to have this wide receiver.
Jamie Newberg is a recruiting analyst for Rivals.com. Click here to send him a question or comment for his mailbag.
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