Advertisement
Published Mar 24, 2018
Five predictions for Rivals 3 Stripe Camp Dallas
Default Avatar
Josh Helmholdt, Nick Krueger
Rivals.com

CLASS OF 2019 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | State | Position | Team

DALLAS -- The second camp in the Texas swing of the Rivals 3 Stripe Camp Series presented by adidas will take place at Coppell High School on Sunday. This week’s camp promises to bring another exciting collection of talent to compete and possibly earn an invitation to the Rivals100 Five-Star Challenge presented by adidas this summer. Here is a look at the biggest storylines Rivals.com analysts will have their eyes on during the event.

MORE: Full Rivals Camp Series Schedule

FIVE-STAR SHOWDOWN: ARJEI HENDERSON VS. THEO WEASE

Last weekend, five-star wide receiver and the sixth-ranked player overall in the nation, Arjei Henderson, ended up not being able to attend the Rivals 3 Stripe Camp event in Houston, but has confirmed that he will be in Dallas this weekend in pursuit of his invite to the Rivals100 Five-Star Challenge. While Rivals.com was hoping to see him on his own in an unofficial Round One of what was to be a battle between he and fellow five-star wide receiver Theo Wease in the pair’s back-and-forth for top honors at wide receiver in the state - and likely the nation as well.

Now, instead of having to compare notes over two weeks, both should be in attendance and will try and outdo each other at one event. Both were at Under Armour’s Future 50 event in January, but an ankle injury caused Henderson to sit out the competition portion. This weekend, all things should be equal and both should put on a show in one-on-ones.

NORTHERN INVASION

The majority of prospects who attend Sunday’s Rivals 3 Stripe Camp will be Texans, but a strong contingent will be crossing the Red River from places like Oklahoma, Missouri and Kansas looking to make their mark in Dallas.

On the defensive line, the three highest rated prospects expected to attend are Wichita four-star Marcus Hicks and Oklahoma-based four-stars Collin Clay and Trace Ford. In last year’s Dallas camp, Oklahoma City defensive ends Jalen Redmond and Ron Tatum were just edged out for position MVP honors, but the Sooner State has a good shot to pick up the prize this time around.

The offensive side of the ball will see talented non-Texans as well. Four-star 2019 offensive tackle Danielson Ike will make his way down from Kansas City in the midst of a surge in his recruitment, while offensive tackle Eli Russ is among the top prospects in the state of Oklahoma’s 2020 class with early offers from in-state programs Oklahoma State and Tulsa. Among skill position prospects, four-star wide receiver Demariyon Houston and three-star running back Marcus Major should be in contention for MVP honors at their respective positions.

SOONER SHOWCASE

Last weekend, the pair of Kori Roberson and Isaiah Spiller showed well in their appearance at the Houston camp and gave Oklahoma fans something to look forward to in a few of their 2018 commitments. This weekend, Sooners fans should be paying extra-close attention with Rivals100 wide receiver Trejan Bridges, Austin Stogner - the second-ranked tight end in the nation - both expected to be in attendance.

In addition, 2020 OU commits Jase McClellan and Drew Sanders are also anticipated campers. Through both Texas events, all but two of Oklahoma’s eight commitments in 2019 and 2020 are likely to have participated, and when you include the number of targets that the Sooners are involved with, the past two weeks have been valuable to catch up with and catch a glimpse of the possible future of Sooners football.

Both Henderson and Wease have kept Oklahoma high in their recruitment, and former Sooners commit, Jeffery Carter - who has kept OU in his recently released Top 10 - should be in action on Sunday as well.

TEXAS' 2020 CLASS WILL BE ON FULL DISPLAY

McClellan and Sanders are certainly two of the state’s best in next year’s class, but they’ll be joined by an exciting supporting cast of rising juniors that have already made waves on the recruiting trail. Darius Snow, Ja’Quinden Jackson, and RJ Mickens are all in the neighborhood of double-digit top Power Five offer lists. Meanwhile, players like Chris Thompson, Seth McGowan, Jaxon Smith and EJ Smith - son of NFL Hall of Famer Emmitt Smith - and Branard Wright, are all closing fast on the same status.

Also, local power program Bishop Dunne High School will have a number of players at the camp, including 2019 Rivals100 athlete Marquez Beason, but it’s group of 2020 players is also noteworthy. Brennon Scott, Elijah Yelverton and Beason’s cousin, Zeriah Beason, are all expected to compete and are floating around the double-digit offer mark as well. Other important prospects that are primed to become big names in the 2020 class are quarterback Ken Seals, defensive end Prince Dorbah and wide receiver Marvin Mims, among others.

LEWIS CINE WILL SHINE IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Rivals100 defensive back Lewis Cine transferred to Cedar Hill’s Trinity Christian Academy this spring and is making a debut of sorts competing against some of the top pass-catchers in his new state. Wide receiver is arguably the strongest position group in Texas, and Cine will have a great opportunity to show what he’s got after dominating the competition where he came from in Massachusetts.

Cine’s offer count has reached 30 total and includes many of the nation’s top programs. All of them will no doubt be very interested to see how he holds up against elite-level talent this weekend, but even as a safety, he’s an exciting watch in pass coverage.

Advertisement
Advertisement