From the Road: Arizona
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Recruiting wrap: Murphy holds nine offers and plans to take an unofficial visit to UCLA in the near future. He has not named a favorite in the process, but Arizona State and UCLA seem to be most active in his recruitment for now.
Performance: Murphy is the next big thing at Saguaro. That has been clear for months. He was a standout again on Thursday. At one point in the first half, he caught a ball with his back to a defender, instinctively spun away from a tackle untouched and sprinted 25 yards for a score. The touchdown drew a visual reaction from USC coaches that were on the sideline. Murphy is probably better at cornerback, where he is capable of shutting down top-level receivers. He took his man out of the play all game long. The knock on Murphy now is his play at the line of scrimmage, where he struggled to jam bigger players at time. Still, he's as good in coverage as anyone.
Grade: B+
DB
Isaiah Oliver (2016)
Phoenix (Ariz.) Brophy Prep
Recruiting wrap: Oliver's lone offer is from New Mexico.
Performance: Oliver was the weekend's most pleasant surprise. He was everywhere on Friday night, making plays on offense, defense and blocking a field goal. But while he was effective at wide receiver, his future on the college level is likely at defensive back. Oliver, who made a game-clinching interception, played cornerback on Friday night and was effective in man coverage but also showed a knack for ball hawking and delivering a big hit. There's plenty to like about Oliver, even if he doesn't have top-level speed. His motor, instincts and ability to change directions quickly make him an under-the-radar prospect to watch.
Grade: B+
OL
Kayden Lyles (2017)
Scottsdale (Ariz.) Saguaro
Recruiting wrap: Just a sophomore, Lyles already holds 12 scholarship offers. He has invites from Oklahoma, UCLA, Ohio State, Arizona, Arizona State and others.
Performance: The wave of early recruiting interest that continues to wash over Lyles is a product of his massive 300-pound frame and his upside. That said, he is developing nicely. It's clear that Lyles is getting stronger in the upper body. He drew a few triple teams and was double-teamed on nearly every snap. That said, he still almost always managed to get a push. Ideally, you'd like to see the young lineman become more agile but he seems to be coming along. He is on pace to be a truly elite prospect by this time next year.
Grade: B
OL
Phoenix (Ariz.) Mountain Pointe
Recruiting wrap: A Utah commit, Carman chose the Utes over a host of small school offers and an opportunity to play for Boise State.
Performance: Carman has added significant weight since the spring and is possibly one of the more physically improved players in Arizona. He could stand to add some more muscle and will likely play guard at the next level. That said, his strength is coming along and his footwork is also improving. Some snaps are better than others for the 6-foot-4 tackle. He could see his recruitment pick up a late jolt down the stretch of his senior season. He's probably more than a touch undervalued as things stand now.
Grade: B
ATH
Scottsdale (Ariz.) Saguaro
Recruiting wrap: Johnson holds six scholarship offers, including one from Wisconsin, which is the only power conference school to make things official thus far.
Performance: Johnson's recruitment might have a different feel if he were a few inches taller. That said, his athleticism lends itself to versatility. He plays both linebacker and running back in high school and is getting some looks as a safety at the next level. He has long arms for his size and an incredible motor that allowed him to make plenty of plays on both sides of the ball against Williams Field. There's a lot to like about Johnson, but the fact that he seems caught between positions is unfortunate.
Grade: B-
RB
Phoenix (Ariz.) Mountain Pointe
Recruiting wrap: Lucas lists a number of major Pac 12 offers and seems to be particularly high on UCLA, Arizona State and Oregon State.
Performance: Lucas was obviously limited in his first game back from an ankle injury. He still looked like the fastest player in Arizona, but his cuts weren't as sharp as they normally were and he wasn't as involved in the offense as he was a season ago. Lucas' track speed makes him dangerous no matter what, though, and he was still at least somewhat effective despite his limitations and a fourth-quarter fumble on Friday.
Grade: B-
WB
Cade Knox (2016)
Phoenix (Ariz.) Brophy Prep
Recruiting wrap: Major colleges are aware of Knox and he is getting light interest from FBS programs. He has yet to garner an offer, though.
Performance: Knox has a live arm and a nice build. He's also quite elusive. He could stand to become more patient in the pocket and not decide scramble as quickly as he does. That may come with time, but the physical tools are there. His footwork seemed solid enough, but he also made some questionable decisions with the football. And while there was zip on his passes, he rarely attempted to stretch the field with a deep ball. Though when he did, he connected on a 44-yard score to Robert Brooks
Grade: B-
OL
Phoenix (Ariz.) Mountain Pointe
Recruiting wrap: Perrott lists offers from California, Colorado State, Indiana and others. He is in the process of planning official visits.
Performance: Perrott has a nice frame and carries very little bad weight. He's probably the most imposing looking player on the Mountain Pointe roster and boasts ample upper body strength. His footwork will need to develop before he is ready to contribute on the FBS level but schools like his upside because he has the sort of frame and power that can't be coached. For the time being, Perrott is much more effective blocking for the run than he is when it comes time to protect the quarterback.
Grade: C
LB
Walker Adams (2016)
Phoenix (Ariz.) Brophy Prep
Recruiting wrap: Adams is getting looks from a number of major colleges but he has yet to receive an offer.
Performance: Adams has not played in a single game this season because of an ACL injury he suffered in a preseason scrimmage. He was in attendance at Friday's contest but did not play. His recruiting value will be determined by his senior season and how well he bounces back.
Grade: Incomplete
OTHER PROSPECTS
DE
Connor Murphy (2016)
Phoenix (Ariz.) Brophy Prep
Murphy's arms are long and his frame is solid. He looks impressive in warmups and has a nose for the football. Even when he isn't making a play, he seems to be around the ball. The knock on him for now is his upper body strength. When engaged, Murphy can be tossed aside. On occasion he beat his man with swim or a spin, but he won't be a dominant prospect until he adds power. As he fills out, his length will serve him well.
TE
Phoenix (Ariz.) Brophy Prep
Bates was relatively quiet on Friday, but his long arms and blocking ability make it easy to see why he has a scholarship offer from Air Force. Bates has active hands in blocking situations and also when a defender attempts to jam him at the line of scrimmage. He's a combination of quickness and physicality that will play well in an offense like Air Force's should he decide to accept the offer.
QB
Kare' Lyles (2016)
Scottsdale (Ariz.) Saguaro
Lyles is not asked to do much within the framework of Saguaro's loaded offense, so getting a feel for what he can do is tough at times. What is clear is that he is capable of making good decisions under pressure and is incredibly accurate when given the time to throw. He didn't go deep often on Thursday night but was incredibly effective getting the ball to Saguaro's host of playmakers.
WR
Phoenix (Ariz.) Brophy Prep
Brooks' long body and longer strides allow him to stretch the field for Brophy. He did so on a 44-yard touchdown catch in the third quarter. He isn't as consistent a wide receiver as there is in Arizona, but his build along with his ability to high-point the ball and catch passes in stride make him worth watching at the very lest. The physical tools are there in spades.
RB
Phoenix (Ariz.) Mountain Pointe
Lucas gets all the fan fare and the four-star rating, and rightfully so. Still, Leonard has a tremendous game on Friday. He easily eclipsed 100 yards and found the end zone on three occasions. Lucas has elite speed, but Leonard is no slow poke, either. Nobody came close to catching him on a 73-yard touchdown run in the first half. He could be more patient waiting for holes to open, but it's hard to critique the stellar performance he turned in against Brophy.
Rob Cassidy
Midlands/Southwest Recruiting Analyst
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