Midwest Spotlight: Defenders who would've benefited from camps

Class of 2021 and 2022 prospects across the country were counting on spring and summer camp opportunities to raise their recruiting stock, but those camps have all been wiped out by the coronavirus shutdown. Here are five defensive prospects from the Midwest who would have benefitted from the spring and summer camp circuit.

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CLASS OF 2021 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | Team | State

CLASS OF 2022: Top 100

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Konga was virtually unknown in recruiting circles before he attended a camp in Michigan in January. His performance that day, and the film that came out of that event, led to the Canadian’s first scholarship offer, from Rutgers. Konga did attend the Best of the Midwest Camp in Indianapolis the following month, but then the world shut down and he has not been able to build upon that early momentum. With no further chances to showcase his skills, Konga has only added three additional offers - from UConn, Massachusetts and Toledo - since that first one came in January.

Coming out of the winter it felt like McNeal was on the verge of seeing his offer list take off. He has been a prospect we have followed for a couple years already, and his performances as a junior and at a couple winter combines proved he was a Power Five-caliber player. Speed and agility were likely the final questions college coaches wanted to get answered before offering, but without a chance to address those in-person McNeal’s recruiting momentum has slowed. For now, McNeal is biding his time, waiting for his offer list – which consists of two FBS offers and a handful of FCS offers – to grow.

Riven made the decision to stay and play for his hometown team on Mother’s Day. That may have always been his decision, but had spring camps and the spring evaluation period gone on as usual Riven likely would have had more options. From a size and skill standpoint, Riven definitely has the goods to play at the Power Five level. He did generate one Power Five offer from West Virginia before making his commitment, but he would have had more suitors at that level if college coaches would have been able to visit his school this spring.

We made Robinson an early four-star in the 2022 class because we got to see him in-person this winter compete against, and dominate, some top competition at a pair of camps in Chicago. Without getting that live look to pair with film evaluation, we would not have rated Robinson this early. Similarly, with only sophomore year film to go off, most college coaches are waiting to offer Robinson until there is more evaluation points to consider. Spring and summer camps would have provided that additional information, but without it Robinson holds just one offer, from Indiana.

After collecting a sprinkling of FBS offers before and after his junior season, Watson was poised to make some noise this off-season once college coaches were able to put him through the paces in-person. College coaches do not take chances on 5-foot-9 corners, though. They take chances on 6-foot-1 corners, and without a spring and summer to get a look at prospects in-person, new offers are taking a chance. Watson has been diligent about posting videos of himself doing drills during quarantine, but nothing compares to seeing a prospect live and in-person when considering them for an offer.