Pac-12 Spotlight: Five players that emerged this spring
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Mark Pszonak contributed to this report.
Spring football is in the books and many players across Power Five conferences took the next step forward or in some cases their first step towards stardom. This week we look at some of those standouts and we continue with the Pac-12.
The skinny: UCLA was the first school to offer Blaylock during his junior season, and the relationship he was able to develop with the coaching staff helped the Bruins grab a commitment in May. He did take an official visit to Washington following UCLA's coaching transition, but eventually re-confirmed his pledge to the Bruins.
While the UCLA defense still has question marks, the defense has the potential to carry the team. The steady improvement of Blaylock is just one of the reasons, as he looks poised to grab a starting corner spots this season for the Bruins.
Farrell’s take: Blaylock was a four-star coming out of high school from a great program with good size and power. He’s developed quickly and he’ll be a guy they lean on at one of the corner positions this year it appears. He was always a smart and heady player and a leader and those traits will help him in college.
The skinny: Fotheringam committed to Utah in August, but the Utes had to fight off rival BYU over the final two weeks to keep him in the fold. After he took official visits to both schools in January, he ended up sticking with the Utes. This spring he arrived at camp noticeably bigger, and to go along with his athleticism, made him one of the more productive players for the Utes. All of this, combined with very reliable hands, should make him a consistent threat during the 2019 season for Utah.
Farrell’s take: Sam Darnold’s top target his last year in high school, Fotheringham wasn’t the biggest tight end coming out but he was very athletic and he could play wide or flex. He’s added some bulk and power and should be a big part of the Utes' passing game. He’s a natural pass-catcher.
The skinny: Holding offers from BYU, plus FCS programs like Montana, Eastern Washington and Idaho, Irish quickly claimed Oregon State as his leader when the Beavers offered in January. After taking his official visit, he ended his recruitment with a commitment.
When injuries hit a specific position during the spring, it always gives younger players an opportunity the shine. That was the case with Irish, who impressed throughout the spring after receiving an increased look after both Trevon Bradford and Isaiah Hodgins missed camp. He finished up with five receptions for 81 yards during the spring game, which could be a sign of things to come.
Farrell’s take: Irish was a two-star out of high school from Washington who wasn’t heavily recruited but could be a diamond in the rough. He’s shown solid route-running ability and good hands and he will be a big part of the depth at wide receiver at Oregon State this upcoming season.
The skinny: Parkinson was already picking up top level offers during his junior year, but when Stanford offered in December, it took him less than two days to end his recruiting process with a commitment. He never wavered over the next year.
Parkinson had always shown the ability to be a top tight end, but with Kaden Smith on the roster it was difficult to get ample playing time. Now with Smith making his move to the NFL, Parkinson had the spotlight to himself during the spring and as expected, he excelled. He has all the tools to have a huge season, so expect to hear plenty of his name in 2019.
Farrell’s take: Parkinson has proven to be a good red zone threat and his size is key to the offense because he’s a big and reliable target. Stanford produces good tight ends and Parkinson, who was rated very highly out of high school for his hands and size, should be the next one.
The skinny: Stepp initially committed to Notre Dame, but then re-opened his recruitment a couple of weeks before the early signing period. USC immediately became his leader, and the Trojans' position was further strengthened after his official visit to Los Angeles.
The Trojans experienced their fair share of offensive inconsistencies in 2018, so the hope was that a running back would seize the opportunity during the spring. Making that move was Stepp, who showed an impressive burst for his 6-foot-0, 230-pound frame, while continuously impressing throughout the spring and then the spring game.
Farrell’s take: Stepp taking the next stride would be huge for USC and take some pressure off JT Daniels and the offense. He’s a big, physical back who also has good speed and nifty feet, so he could have a breakout season next year. He had a ton of talent coming out of high school and needed to add some speed. He’s done that based on his spring performance.