RockHill(S.C.)SouthPointe'sBobbyCarrollhascoachedalotoftalentinhis25-plusyearsasahighschoolfootballcoach.ButnothingcouldhavepreparedhimforJadeveonClowney.

The6-foot-6,245-pounddefensiveendhasa4.53-second40-yarddashtime,a300-plus-poundpowerclean,a36-inchverticalleapandhasoneofthemostimpressivehighlightfilmsseenatthepositioninquitesometime.SowhentheRivals.comrecruitinganalystswereaskedwhothebestplayerintheClassof2011was,thedebatelastedatotalofabout30seconds.Clowneyendedupasthechoice.

Carrollagreeswiththedecision.

"IhavecoachedfiveNFLfootballplayersinmy27yearsofcoachinghighschoolfootball,"Carrollsaid."WehadtwoParadeAll-Americans,twoUnderArmourAll-AmericansandtwoShrineBowlplayersherelastyear.IalsocoachedBenWatsonwhenIwasatRockHill.Ithoughtthoseguysgotalotofmailinregardstorecruiting.ThatwasuntilIsawJadeveonClowney.

"Clowneyisanincrediblefootballplayerandagoodguytohavearound.Heisnotsomejuicedup6-foot-4dude,though.Heisalegit6-foot-6.HelookslikeJevonKearse."

Rivals.comrecruitinganalystBarryEveryseestheupsidewithClowney.

"Clowneyhastherarecombinationofsize,speedandathleticismthat'srarelyseenatthedefensiveendposition,"Everysaid."WeallsawhowspecialRonaldPowellwaslastyear,buthewas6-4and240pounds.Clowneyis6-6and245poundsandisoneofthoserarestofrareplaymakers."

ClowneyhasSouthCarolina,NorthCarolinaandAlabamaatophisofferlist.WheredoesClowneyendupplayinghiscollegefootball?TheconsensusseemstobethatSouthCarolinaistheteamtobeatformultiplereasons:Clowneymightwanttostayclosertohome,theGamecockshavedevelopedgoodrelationshipsandformerSouthPointestandoutsStephonGilmoreandDeVonteHollomanplaythere.

NO.2ATOUGHCALL

Aseasyasitwastonamethenation'sbest,theNo.2spotsparkedalengthydiscussion.Intheend,Rivals.comgavethenodtoSt.Augustine(Fla.)PedroMenendezlinebackerTonyStewardoverTampaPlantathleteJamesWilderJr..

"Itwasanagonizingdecision,"Rivals.comanalystBartonSimmonssaid."We'resplittinghairsherebecauseTonyandJamesareamongtheeliteoftheelite.Iknowyoucanmakeagreatargumenteitherwayforeitherplayerandnotbewrong.I'msureit'llbeadiscussionwehavethroughouttheyear."

Inmanyyears,StewardandWilderwouldlikelyrankasthenation'sbestprospect.Infact,theywouldbeeliteinanyrecruitingclass.WilderwasnamedRivals.com'sJunioroftheYearafterhedominatedattheU.S.ArmyAll-AmericaCombineandrushedfor940yardsand14touchdownsin2009.Stewardfinishedhisjuniorseasonwith123tackles,fivesacks,andtwointerceptions-whichwerereturnedfortouchdowns.

"Tonyisjustthecompletepackage,"Simmonssaid."Hehasgoodsize.Everythinghedoes,hedoesitlow.Intheopenfield,Stewardclosesinaflashandthensinkshishipsandbreaksdowntomirrortherunningback.Incoverage,Stewardrunswithrunningbacksandreceiverslikeacorner.

"Freakishisanadjectivethatshouldbeusedsparinglywhendescribingcollegefootballprospects,butifanyonefitsthebillasafreakathlete,Wilderdoes.Helookslikehewasborninaweightroom,andhasanimposingphysicalpresence.Despitebeingbigandmuscledup,Wilderisnotstiffatall.Hecaneasilyrunwithrunningbacksandtightends,changesdirectionswellandhasgreathips."

RoundingoutthetopfivearetwoCaliforniastars-receiverGeorgeFarmerofGardena(Calif.)SerraatNo.4andrunningbackDe'AnthonyThomasofLosAngelesCrenshawatNo.5.They'refollowedbyoffensivelinemenLa'ElCollinsatsix,offensivelinemenCyrusKouandjioatseven,linebackerCurtisGrantateight,linebackerBrentCallowayatnineandrunningbackMalcolmBrownat10.

SUNSHINESTATERULES

It'snosurprisetothosethatfollowrecruitingtoseeFloridaisthetopstatefortalentinthisfirsteditionoftheRivals100.Buttheoverwhelmingtalentinthestatethisseasonisstillsomethingthat'squitenoteworthy.

Floridahas20playersintheRivals100.What'sevenmorestaggeringisthat12ofthose20playersareinthenationaltop50.Withoutquestion,thisisoneofthedeepestandbestyearsfortalentinFloridainalongtime.

"TheFloridaspeedclichéisprovingtrueonceagainthisyear,"Simmonssaid."Thegroupofrunningbacksreallypunctuatesastrongyearinthestate.Thedepthatthatposition-alongwiththetalentatthetopwithWilderandSteward-makethisFloridaclassoneofthebettergroupswe'veseenfromtoptobottom."

TexasandCaliforniaarethenexthighestinnumbersintheRivals100with12and10,respectively.AfterBrowninTexas,thetoprankedplayersintheLoneStarStateareoutsidelinebackerSteveEdmondatNo.14,runningbackAaronGreenatNo.21andreceiverTreyMetoyeratNo.24.BehindFarmerandThomasinCaliforniaarerunningbackBrendonBigelowatNo.26,defensiveendGregTownsendJr.atNo.35andathleteDevonBlackmonatNo.41.

ETC.

Some states that don't traditionally produce top talent had players land in the Rivals100. Arizona has three players in the Rivals100, and all three are offensive linemen (Christian WestermanClick There are no quarterbacks in the top 30. The first quarterback is at No. 31, where Jeff DriskelClick Behind Thomas and Brown at running back are Mike BellamyClick Here to view this Link. at 13, Kenny HilliardClick Here to view this Link. at 16, Isaiah CrowellClick Here to view this Link. at 17, Green at 21 and Mike BlakelyClick Here to view this Link. at 22. All in all there are seven running backs in the top 25, making it the strongest position in this year's class. Linebacker is right behind the backs with six in the top 25. Here to view this Link. of Oviedo (Fla.) Hagerty lands. Braxton MillerClick Behind Thomas and Brown at running back are Mike BellamyClick Here to view this Link. at 13, Kenny HilliardClick Here to view this Link. at 16, Isaiah CrowellClick Here to view this Link. at 17, Green at 21 and Mike BlakelyClick Here to view this Link. at 22. All in all there are seven running backs in the top 25, making it the strongest position in this year's class. Linebacker is right behind the backs with six in the top 25. Here to view this Link. of Huber Heights (Ohio) Wayne was the second-ranked quarterback at 56. All in all, there are only six quarterbacks in the Rivals100. Here to view this Link., Cyrus HobbiClick There are no quarterbacks in the top 30. The first quarterback is at No. 31, where Jeff DriskelClick Behind Thomas and Brown at running back are Mike BellamyClick Here to view this Link. at 13, Kenny HilliardClick Here to view this Link. at 16, Isaiah CrowellClick Here to view this Link. at 17, Green at 21 and Mike BlakelyClick Here to view this Link. at 22. All in all there are seven running backs in the top 25, making it the strongest position in this year's class. Linebacker is right behind the backs with six in the top 25. Here to view this Link. of Oviedo (Fla.) Hagerty lands. Braxton MillerClick Behind Thomas and Brown at running back are Mike BellamyClick Here to view this Link. at 13, Kenny HilliardClick Here to view this Link. at 16, Isaiah CrowellClick Here to view this Link. at 17, Green at 21 and Mike BlakelyClick Here to view this Link. at 22. All in all there are seven running backs in the top 25, making it the strongest position in this year's class. Linebacker is right behind the backs with six in the top 25. Here to view this Link. of Huber Heights (Ohio) Wayne was the second-ranked quarterback at 56. All in all, there are only six quarterbacks in the Rivals100. Here to view this Link. and Andre YruretagoyenaClick There are no quarterbacks in the top 30. The first quarterback is at No. 31, where Jeff DriskelClick Behind Thomas and Brown at running back are Mike BellamyClick Here to view this Link. at 13, Kenny HilliardClick Here to view this Link. at 16, Isaiah CrowellClick Here to view this Link. at 17, Green at 21 and Mike BlakelyClick Here to view this Link. at 22. All in all there are seven running backs in the top 25, making it the strongest position in this year's class. Linebacker is right behind the backs with six in the top 25. Here to view this Link. of Oviedo (Fla.) Hagerty lands. Braxton MillerClick Behind Thomas and Brown at running back are Mike BellamyClick Here to view this Link. at 13, Kenny HilliardClick Here to view this Link. at 16, Isaiah CrowellClick Here to view this Link. at 17, Green at 21 and Mike BlakelyClick Here to view this Link. at 22. All in all there are seven running backs in the top 25, making it the strongest position in this year's class. Linebacker is right behind the backs with six in the top 25. Here to view this Link. of Huber Heights (Ohio) Wayne was the second-ranked quarterback at 56. All in all, there are only six quarterbacks in the Rivals100. Here to view this Link.). Arkansas had two players in the top 65 with Brey CookClick There are no quarterbacks in the top 30. The first quarterback is at No. 31, where Jeff DriskelClick Behind Thomas and Brown at running back are Mike BellamyClick Here to view this Link. at 13, Kenny HilliardClick Here to view this Link. at 16, Isaiah CrowellClick Here to view this Link. at 17, Green at 21 and Mike BlakelyClick Here to view this Link. at 22. All in all there are seven running backs in the top 25, making it the strongest position in this year's class. Linebacker is right behind the backs with six in the top 25. Here to view this Link. of Oviedo (Fla.) Hagerty lands. Braxton MillerClick Behind Thomas and Brown at running back are Mike BellamyClick Here to view this Link. at 13, Kenny HilliardClick Here to view this Link. at 16, Isaiah CrowellClick Here to view this Link. at 17, Green at 21 and Mike BlakelyClick Here to view this Link. at 22. All in all there are seven running backs in the top 25, making it the strongest position in this year's class. Linebacker is right behind the backs with six in the top 25. Here to view this Link. of Huber Heights (Ohio) Wayne was the second-ranked quarterback at 56. All in all, there are only six quarterbacks in the Rivals100. Here to view this Link. and Kiehl FrazierClick There are no quarterbacks in the top 30. The first quarterback is at No. 31, where Jeff DriskelClick Behind Thomas and Brown at running back are Mike BellamyClick Here to view this Link. at 13, Kenny HilliardClick Here to view this Link. at 16, Isaiah CrowellClick Here to view this Link. at 17, Green at 21 and Mike BlakelyClick Here to view this Link. at 22. All in all there are seven running backs in the top 25, making it the strongest position in this year's class. Linebacker is right behind the backs with six in the top 25. Here to view this Link. of Oviedo (Fla.) Hagerty lands. Braxton MillerClick Behind Thomas and Brown at running back are Mike BellamyClick Here to view this Link. at 13, Kenny HilliardClick Here to view this Link. at 16, Isaiah CrowellClick Here to view this Link. at 17, Green at 21 and Mike BlakelyClick Here to view this Link. at 22. All in all there are seven running backs in the top 25, making it the strongest position in this year's class. Linebacker is right behind the backs with six in the top 25. Here to view this Link. of Huber Heights (Ohio) Wayne was the second-ranked quarterback at 56. All in all, there are only six quarterbacks in the Rivals100. Here to view this Link.. New Mexico had a representative with Matthew HegartyClick There are no quarterbacks in the top 30. The first quarterback is at No. 31, where Jeff DriskelClick Behind Thomas and Brown at running back are Mike BellamyClick Here to view this Link. at 13, Kenny HilliardClick Here to view this Link. at 16, Isaiah CrowellClick Here to view this Link. at 17, Green at 21 and Mike BlakelyClick Here to view this Link. at 22. All in all there are seven running backs in the top 25, making it the strongest position in this year's class. Linebacker is right behind the backs with six in the top 25. Here to view this Link. of Oviedo (Fla.) Hagerty lands. Braxton MillerClick Behind Thomas and Brown at running back are Mike BellamyClick Here to view this Link. at 13, Kenny HilliardClick Here to view this Link. at 16, Isaiah CrowellClick Here to view this Link. at 17, Green at 21 and Mike BlakelyClick Here to view this Link. at 22. All in all there are seven running backs in the top 25, making it the strongest position in this year's class. Linebacker is right behind the backs with six in the top 25. Here to view this Link. of Huber Heights (Ohio) Wayne was the second-ranked quarterback at 56. All in all, there are only six quarterbacks in the Rivals100. Here to view this Link. at No. 32, and Kansas got one with Bubba StarlingClick There are no quarterbacks in the top 30. The first quarterback is at No. 31, where Jeff DriskelClick Behind Thomas and Brown at running back are Mike BellamyClick Here to view this Link. at 13, Kenny HilliardClick Here to view this Link. at 16, Isaiah CrowellClick Here to view this Link. at 17, Green at 21 and Mike BlakelyClick Here to view this Link. at 22. All in all there are seven running backs in the top 25, making it the strongest position in this year's class. Linebacker is right behind the backs with six in the top 25. Here to view this Link. of Oviedo (Fla.) Hagerty lands. Braxton MillerClick Behind Thomas and Brown at running back are Mike BellamyClick Here to view this Link. at 13, Kenny HilliardClick Here to view this Link. at 16, Isaiah CrowellClick Here to view this Link. at 17, Green at 21 and Mike BlakelyClick Here to view this Link. at 22. All in all there are seven running backs in the top 25, making it the strongest position in this year's class. Linebacker is right behind the backs with six in the top 25. Here to view this Link. of Huber Heights (Ohio) Wayne was the second-ranked quarterback at 56. All in all, there are only six quarterbacks in the Rivals100. Here to view this Link. at No. 99.

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