Diarse will put WR skills on display at Challenge

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Dallas JacksonClick Here to view this Link. is the National High School Sports Analyst for Rivals. Email him your questions and comments at DallasJ@Yahoo-Inc.comClick Here to view this Link. and follow him on TwitterClick Here to view this Link..

John Diarse ran the football 142 times for 1,266 yards and 17 scores as a junior.

He also threw for 745 yards and nine touchdowns while completing 46 of his 90 passes.

The 6-foot, 202-pound athlete from Monroe (La.) Neville did all that, while being one of the most highly recruited wide receivers in the country.

Come June 22-24, Diarse will be heading to Lakewood Stadium in Atlanta to test his skills at the invitation-only Rivals100 Five-Star Challenge.

"I am just there for the competition," he said. "I don't go into any event looking to be better than anyone else or prove that I am whatever people say, you know, I just want to work hard and do my best.

"I don't measure myself against anyone else I just want to work hard."

While he may not measure himself against others, Rivals.com does.

The LSU commit is ranked as the No. 3 athlete in the country and the No. 66 overall player.

Diarse does not waste much time breaking down his own game; he prefers to share the secret of his success.

"There are a lot of guys that have to do their thing before I can do anything," he said. "I am more of a guy that gives the other guys all the credit. I don't sit around and think about how good I am or whatever.

"What I am good I can keep getting better (at) because others are trying to get better at the same time."

Diarse will be working with the receivers at the Rivas100 Five-Star Challenge and he knows that the spotlight will be on him.

He also knows the full team of Rivals.com evaluators and videographers will be there to break down each rep.

"That is exciting," Diarse said. "It will be an indicator where I am. I am excited to be a part of that and to take away some points that I can (bring) home and get to work on."

Getting in his work at a position he likely will play in college -- and finally see significant time at this fall -- is what Diarse is looking forward to.

He will try to mix work and play at the inaugural event featuring 100 of the best players in the country.

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"I am going to have some fun and maybe meet some future teammates," he said. "But I think this will be a good dose of what is to come for me and my game.

"It is important to do good while I am out there; I would like to play well and come home in a successful state of mind."

Mike Farrell's take

Diarse is another in a long line of top athletes in Louisiana that play a position that they don't project at in college. This will be a great chance for him to work out at wide receiver after playing quarterback as a junior. He is so athletic that he will be dangerous after the catch, and he could also pitch in on defense if needed. But the big question is, how are his ball skills? We will find out the answer in Atlanta.

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