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Five-Star Challenge: Ranking the West

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Jones came to the Rivals100 Five-Star Challenge to prove a point -- that he's a fantastic cornerback, maybe one of the best in the 2016 class -- and he did just that by winning DB MVP honors. The four-star, who could also play receiver, didn't back down from competition (he actually searched it out by going against Sam Bruce time and again) and he shut down top receivers all day. His instincts and ability to break on the ball really make him special.
3
CB
Byron Murphy
Scottsdale (Ariz.) Saguaro
Murphy was overshadowed by his teammate Jones during the 7-on-7 portion of the event, but he fared very well on his own side of the secondary. The No. 2-rated cornerback in the nation had a few pass breakups in the end zone and also intercepted a pass where he read the route perfectly and jumped into the passing lane. He has the hands of a receiver and moves well in and out of breaks to keep up with wideouts down field.
4
WR
N'Keal Harry
Chandler, Ariz.
The pressure was on Harry, who was participating in his first event since gaining a fifth star in the Rivals.com rankings, and he certainly showed some of the same glimpses in Baltimore that earned him that billing. He is a big target with a wide catching radius, and Harry did a lot of his work inside the red zone where he could body up smaller defensive backs. The most impressive thing Harry showed, though, might have been his body control and ability to adjust to poorly thrown footballs.
5
WR
Tyler Vaughns
La Puente (Calif.) Bishop Amat
No one from the region was as fluid as Vaughns, who seemingly glides past defenders that are often caught off guard by his burst in open space. Vaughns is long and lanky, and he has a great feel for the position. The ball hardly makes a thud when it reaches him and Vaughns proved in Baltimore that he is as sure-handed a receiver as there is on the West Coast.
6
LB
Caleb Kelly
Fresno (Calif.) Clovis West
Kelly proved he's one of the top players in California and one of the best linebackers in the country, especially during 7-on-7 when he picked off a pass and was generally very disruptive in pass coverage. For someone his size, the five-star can run with anybody in the slot and he does a nice job using his physical ability against smaller players.
7
OL
Wyatt Davis (2017)
Bellflower (Calif.) St. John Bosco
Davis might be an offensive tackle, he might be an offensive guard, but at either position he did a standup job against some really talented defensive linemen. The four-star is barrel-chested, has really strong legs and is super aggressive. He doesn't back down from anybody and did a great job of handling speed to the outside and power right at him during one-on-one drills.
8
DB
Lamar Jackson
Elk Grove (Calif.) Franklin
Jackson is such an imposing safety that windows for quarterbacks get much smaller when he matches up with receivers one-on-one. As a roaming defensive back, he has the length to make it difficult to throw over the top, but he is also quick to the football on completions underneath. A move to outside linebacker might be in store if Jackson continues to get bigger, but he has the mobility and footwork to excel there, too.
9
QB
Victor Viramontes
Norco, Calif.
The scholarship offers have been rolling in all spring at both quarterback and linebacker for the strong-armed Viramontes, and he definitely showed why he has college coaches excited. Though his future position has yet to be determined, Viramontes continued a solid offseason with an MVP performance in Baltimore, making not only the smart, accurate throws to move the chains but also the soft touch on the deep ball.
10
LB
Breland Brandt
Los Angeles (Calif.) Windward School
There is still some debate whether Brandt should move back to a hand-down defensive end or remain at outside linebacker. The high four-star proved he could be a major contributor at linebacker because he moves well and covers ground, especially going deep against receivers. Brandt has a lot of physical abilities and whether it's on the line or in coverage, he can be a big asset to any defense.
11
QB
Devon Modster
Rancho Santa Margarita (Calif.) Tesoro
Accuracy is the biggest asset Modster brings to the game and it was on display this past weekend. He can fire the ball into tight spaces because he has the arm strength and the special thing about the Arizona commit is that he can also delicately place the ball over the hand of a linebacker or a defensive back right to his receiver. He has excellent touch on his passes and the four-star can make all the throws necessary.
12
ATH
Brandon Burton
Gardena (Calif.) Serra
Burton has had better showings this offseason, but he was still consistent and productive, especially at defensive back. During one-on-ones, the four-star played receiver and was not as dominant, but in 7-on-7 he was mainly back at safety, patrolling the field and then breaking on the ball to force incomplete passes. The debate rages whether he's better on offense or defense.
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Rivals100 Five-Star Challenge:
Complete Coverage
Blair Angulo
West Recruiting Analyst
Adam Gorney
West Recruiting Analyst
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