Jersey juniors ready

The annual Rivals.com New Jersey Junior Day always has one of the biggest turnouts of the year, graced by players from as many as nine different states. This year will be no different as the top juniors from New Jersey, New York, New England, Pennsylvania and Maryland are ready to learn more about the recruiting process and eye up the competition from the Northeast. At the top of the list are Camden (N.J.) Woodrow Wilson teammates Andrey Baskin and Antwine Perez.

The Junior Day kicks off at noon this Saturday, March 26, and will feature speakers Greg Toal Sr. (Don Bosco Prep), speed trainer and sponsor of the event Bill Parisi (www.parisischool.com), New York Giants defensive lineman De Osi Umenyiora (highest player ever drafted not invited to NFL Combine), recruiting specialist Lee McDonald and 2005 Rutgers signees Dave McClain and Jabulani Lovelace.

Topics covered will include how to handle yourself in front of college coaches, what camps and combines to attend, the importance of academics, how to balance time between recruiting and school and tips to make players stronger and faster during the summer.

Top players expected to attend in addition to Baskin and Perez include New York wide receiver Vidal Hazelton, New Jersey studs Brett Brackett, Jaslee Rouson, Kenny Britt, Mike Gee and Johnnie Troutman and New England standouts Brandon Flanagan and Junior Penn.

In addition, some top Pennsylvania prospects will be on hand including tight end Jeff Minemyer, defensive lineman Tom McEowen and quarterbacks Mike Callahan and Travis Miller. Maryland prospects Brandon McDonald and Jamahn McCollough are also expected.

Top 2007 prospects are also expected to attend including quarterback/athlete Tony Logan, offensive lineman John Elliott, defensive end Corey Eason and wide receiver Karon Robinson. Always a step ahead, there will also be some top 2008 prospects on hand as well.

This is the fourth Rivals.com Junior Day in New Jersey dating back to 2002. Former high school standouts like Greg Olsen, Dorien Bryant, Andre Callender, Brian Toal, Eugene Monroe, Kade Weston, Brian Cushing and others have attended in the past.