MORE: Takeaways from Saturday's Rivals adizero Combine
ALDIE, Va. -- The Rivals 3 Stripe Camp presented by Adidas returned to the Washington D.C. area on Sunday for the first time since 2014. Some of the area’s top prospects turned out to compete in the latest regional stop of this year’s tour. With so much talent on hand, there were plenty of impressive performances, but only a select few can win position MVP awards or earn a much-coveted invite to the Rivals100 Five-Star Challenge presented by adidas. We run through the players who won awards and earned their stripes at Sunday’s event.
QUARTERBACK MVP
The wind and a light rain made throwing the football a challenge during Sunday’s competition, but Griffis handled it better than anyone and was rewarded with MVP honors for his efforts. The Wake Forest commitment displayed the physical tools as well as the mental make-up and moxie that the Demon Deacons are sure to appreciate when he arrives in Winston-Salem for the 2020 season. What he lacks in height, Griffis more than makes up for in velocity. The three-star prospect has a lot of pop in his arm, but also showed the ability to throw the football with touch and accuracy.
RUNNING BACK MVP
When James committed to North Carolina last month he did so as a defensive back, but on Sunday the three-star athlete prospect stood tallest among a strong group of running backs. James actually took reps at both running back and defensive back, with success in both roles. He plays both positions for his Indian River team, and on offense fills more of an all-purpose back role. The ability to be an asset as a receiver out of the backfield was definitely on display Sunday, but James is also a solidly-built kid who has a frame that should translate well no matter which position he ultimately lands at in college.
WIDE RECEIVER MVP
It was no surprise that Jarrett ended up winning the wide receiver MVP award. We always knew what he was capable of doing but he really went out and earned the award today. Jarrett took on all comers. Tall, short, fast, or physical, he had a way to beat all of them. Leaping catches down the sidelines were no problem for him and neither was creating separation on short and intermediate routes. Jarrett was better at breaking press coverage and keeping defensive backs from holding him than the last time we saw him. Jarrett‘s performance also aren’t him an invitation to the Five-Star Challenge.
OFFENSIVE LINE MVP
Parks took home the MVP honors out of a loaded crop of offensive lineman. He was the most dominant and consistent offensive tackle and proved as much in his showcase battles with five-star Bryan Breese. Parks used every inch of his 76-inch wingspan to beat Breese on two one-on-one reps. The four-star already ranks inside the Rivals100 and will be a prospect due for a rise after punching his ticket to the Five-Star Challenge this summer.
DEFENSIVE LINE MVP
Bresee was the headliner of the camp and lived up to that billing. His combination of strength, quickness, and various pass rushing techniques made it extremely hard for offensive linemen to slow him down. Bresee used an inside spin move on a number of occasions and always seemed to have a way of knocking the offensive lineman’s hands off of him. He did have some great battles with Parks but it was pretty clear that he was the best defensive lineman in attendance and earned his invitation to the Five-Star Challenge.
LINEBACKER MVP
Jacobs is a Rivals250 athlete that showed up on the camp roster as a wide receiver. However, he's committed to Penn State and is beginning to transition to a linebacker role for the Big Ten and flashed some truly promising signs of his progress at camp. Jacobs was physical with opposing running backs during one-on-ones without holding. The athleticism he used to use at receiver translated well at linebacker in coverage, where he was able to shadow opposing pass-catchers with ease. He shined with his agility and ability to cover all over the field, earning his invitation to the Five-Star Challenge.
DEFENSIVE BACK MVP
Grimes will be a name to know for sure when Rivals releases its 2021 class rankings. The rising junior cornerback measured in at about 6-foot-1 and 174 pounds with 33-inch arms and a 77-inch wingspan. The talented defensive back dominated his one-on-one reps and was arguably the MVP of the entire camp. His performance earned him an invitation to the Five-Star Challenge. Grimes boasts an impressive offer sheet that includes Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Florida and LSU, among others, and looks the part of a lockdown cornerback that can thrive in coverage and cancel out an entire side of the field.
GATORADE AWARD WINNER
The Gatorade Award goes to the player that showed the most effort throughout the camp and that was easily Achumba. He took a ton of reps and played every rep until the echo of the whistle. The Penn State commit has a tough playing style and he wasn’t afraid to mix it up with the defensive linemen. When he wasn’t in the drill Achumba was talking to the other offensive linemen, giving words of encouragement and dissecting his previous rep. His performance was one of the best of the day.
ADDITIONAL FIVE-STAR CHALLENGE INVITES
Harrison surprised many at last year's Five-Star Challenge by being one of the better performers among the offensive line group despite being an underclassman. The 2019 version of Harrison immediately looks better from a physical standpoint, and his skill set is developing as well. Measuring over 6-foot-4, Harrison has leaned out his frame and has the length to play on the edge. With a deep group of offensive linemen, the four-star did not get a ton of reps but took advantage of his opportunity and regularly handled opponents with a combination of strength, technique and footwork.