RCS Atlanta: What to watch for
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Last year's Atlanta stop of the Rivals Camp Series Presented by Under Armour featured 16 members of the 2014 Rivals250 and 16 members of the current 2015 Rivals250. This year's event is expected to have just as much talent, if not more, at the Marist School. Here's a look at the five biggest storylines heading into one of the top camps on the entire series.
1. Will Chuma Edoga prove he's a five-star?
There's a lot of buzz surrounding Edoga, who continues to dominate marquee events this offseason. Now the question is will the 275-pound guard do it again against some of the Southeast's best defensive line prospects? Already firmly established in the Rivals100, Edoga could push his way to a fifth star with another dominating performance. Last year, he held his own against a talented defensive line group, but how will he hold up with a target on his back? If any of his other performances in big games or all-star events over the past six months are any indication, the answer is likely well.
2. Which 2015 defensive end will take the state's top spot?
There are seven four-star defensive ends registered for the event, highlighted by Rivals250 prospects Jonathan Ledbetter and Austin Bryant. Ledbetter has already committed to Alabama, while Bryant's offer list is a who's who in terms of college football. Many of the prospects at the position group are friendly off the field, but when it comes to competition, they can be as cutthroat as it comes. Also in the mix at the position is Rivals250 defensive end Chauncey Rivers, who dominated at the Under Armour Combine at the beginning of the year. He's already committed to Georgia, but that hasn't stopped him from trying to improve his stock at offseason events. Other four-stars expected at the event include Tennessee commit Andrew Butcher and Rivals100 prospect Natrez Patrick.
3. Can anyone catch Taj?
Rivals100 all-purpose back Taj Griffin is one of the fastest prospects in the country, regardless of position, and he thrives in a camp setting. That doesn't mean that he's just going to have his way on Saturday. There will be a talented group of linebackers looking to slow him down, led by Rivals250 prospects Adonis Thomas, Roquan Smith and Quarte Sapp. There is also a number of top running backs looking to show they belong in the discussion with Griffin, including three-stars Ruben Garnett and Mikell Lands-Davis. Griffin is another player who lives for competition, and there's no better setting for him to display his talents than in the open field.
4. Which quarterback will shine?
Rivals100 quarterback prospect Lorenzo Nunez leads the way at a surprisingly deep position group that includes many of the Southeast's top 2016 signal-callers as well. Nunez made a name for himself in 2013 by going toe-to-toe with then five-star Deshaun Watson, and now he'll be the prospect others measure themselves against. One player to keep an eye on is 2016 Marietta (Ga.) Walton quarterback Josh White, a 6-foot-5 prospect who already has an offer from Mississippi State. Last year as a sophomore, he played behind a senior. Now as he prepares to be the main man for his school, he has a chance to make a name for himself with a strong showing. Other intriguing prospects include Cartersville (Ga.) 2016 prospect Miller Forristall and 2015 Alpharetta, Ga., signal-caller Austin King, who has a handful of smaller offers already.
5. Which underclassmen defensive linemen will emerge?
Last year, Trenton Thompson came into Rivals Camp Series Atlanta with one offer. Now he's the No. 1 player in the country. With a talented crop of underclassmen defensive linemen expected to attend, at least one figures to vault himself into the spotlight. Among the candidates are 2016 Sugar Hill (Ga.) Lanier defensive tackle Derrick Brown, who has seen his recruitment explode over the past few months as Alabama and Auburn have added to his offer list. Also looking to make a name for himself is Edoga's high school teammate, 2016 defensive tackle Julian Rochester. Both players are legit 6-foot-5, 280+ pounds and appear to just be scratching the surface of their talent. If they can stand out in a defensive line group that includes several 2015 four-stars, it could be a precursor to a high ranking in 2016.
Woody Wommack is a Southeast Region football recruiting analyst for Rivals.com. You can click here to follow him on Twitter.
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