RCS Miami: Top defensive performers
MIAMI -- The Rivals Camp Series Presented by Under Armour stopped in Miami on Sunday. As always, the south Florida event attracted large group of talented players with college futures. Below are the top 15 individual defensive performances from the camp.
Note: The players are listed in order of performance
MORE: Top offensive performers | Rivals Camp Series | RCS Miami video interviews | Team notes | Coverage
Recruiting wrap: Reese has offers from Mississippi State, Syracuse and Louisville.
Performance: Reese was the most active linebacker at the event. He was hard to beat in coverage and even stayed with smaller running backs on double moves. Reese has a long frame and will likely grow into an effective run-stopper as he adds weight. Reese moves well laterally and changes directions quickly.
Recruiting wrap: Carney has offers from Miami, Kansas State, FIU, Cal, Syracuse, Duke and others. The Hurricanes, K-State, Duke and Syracuse seem to be his current favorites.
Performance: Carney wasn’t the most celebrated defensive lineman at the event, but he was the most effective. He lost just two reps all afternoon and soundly beat some highly ranked offensive lineman. Carney’s power is his calling card, but the quickness of his first step is also notable.
Recruiting wrap: A one-time Miami commit, Blades is still collecting offers. The class of 2018 cornerback will see his offer list grow over the next year, but his family ties to Miami will be tough for other programs to overcome.
Performance: Blades was one of three defensive backs in the running for MVP honors. Blades, about whom the event’s coaches raved, was beaten by five-star wide receiver Trevon Grimes on a couple of occasions, but locked up nearly every other receiver he went up against. The long, athletic Blades took more reps than any defensive back at the camp and came out on the right side of most of them.
Recruiting wrap: Florida State holds a slight lead for Samuel but Miami, Florida and others remain involved.
Performance: Samuel could have easily been the defensive back MVP and was at the center of what was a very tough debate. Pure cover corners don’t get much better than Samuel. He may be a little shorter than ideal, but is coverage skills are undeniable. Samuel was rarely beaten and looked great in his backpedal.
Recruiting wrap: Bandy is committed to Oklahoma but will likely visit Tennessee, Clemson and Alabama in the future.
Performance: Bandy continues to overcome his limited height to look like an elite cornerback. His coverage skills are well-documented, but he surprises with his physicality. Bandy may be short, but he excels in press coverage nevertheless. He jams larger wide receivers at the line and uses the sideline well downfield.
Recruiting wrap: Chatfield has offers from USF and Mississippi State.
Performance: Chatfield’s long arms and devastating first step had him in the MVP discussion. Offensive linemen struggled to contain his quickness as he got around the edge on nearly every rep. Chatfield could stand to become more versatile with his pass rush maneuvers, but the rip move he used often on Sunday was incredibly effective.
Recruiting wrap: Haslem holds offers from Michigan, South Carolina, West Virginia and others.
Performance: The son of Miami Heat veteran Udonis Haslem, Kedonis Haslem has an impressive build and incredible power. Haslem spent the entire afternoon hovering around the periphery of the MVP discussion and won a handful of reps in dominant fashion. Haslem, who relies too heavily on bull rushes at times, is a massive prospect that showed some impressive quickness for a player of his size.
Recruiting wrap: Henderson is committed to Miami.
Performance: Henderson was one of the few defensive backs that successfully covered Trevon Grimes on Sunday and he rode the five-star prospect toward the sideline and out bounds. Henderson had his lapses, sure, but there’s no question that he’s capable of covering elite receivers.
Recruiting wrap: Cowan is committed to Florida State but still considering LSU and Alabama.
Performance: Cowan has the build of a college junior and moves well for his massive size. He worked out at linebacker, and while he moved well laterally, it’s hard to avoid imagining him as a defensive end. Cowan is a versatile athlete that could do a number of things within the Seminoles’ defense.
Recruiting wrap: Fuller holds an offer from FAU.
Performance: Fuller has incredible size, and it’s unclear whether he’ll play safety or linebacker at the next level. That said, he showed some impressive coverage skills on Saturday. Fuller moves well laterally and has a decent backpedal for a player of his size. His long arms and strong frame allow him to close in a hurry.
Recruiting wrap: Troutman holds an offer from Cincinnati.
Performance: Troutman’s thick frame makes him formidable in press coverage. He lost a few reps on Sunday but won many more, including two against Rivals100 wide receiver Jerry Jeudy. Troutman’s physicality is his calling card, but he covers downfield relatively well. His future could be at safety if he adds much more size.
Recruiting wrap: Silvera holds offers from FAU and Mississippi State.
Performance: Silvera has a mean streak that showed through during one-on-one drills. He’s a wide prospect that finishes plays aggressively. Silvera didn’t win every rep he took Sunday, but he was dominant more times than he looked overmatched.
Recruiting wrap: Haynie has offers from Vanderbilt, Wisconsin and others.
Performance: A defensive back with nice size, Haynie could land at safety at the next level if a college so chooses. He is solid in coverage and recovers incredibly well because of his long arms. Haynie went up against some top wideouts on Sunday. He was beaten at times, but won his share of reps as well.
Recruiting wrap: Nebsitt holds offers from schools such as Florida, Florida State, Auburn, Washington and others.
Performance: Nesbitt’s athleticism is what pops off the page. It’s the reason for his versatility and why he is able to recover after being seemingly beaten. Nesbitt matched up with some other top-level athletes and held his own on most occasions.
Recruiting wrap: Hicks holds a number of offers including ones from Auburn, Georgia and Kentucky.
Performance: Hicks covers well for a player of his size. He’s added some weight in the last few months but has maintained his level of agility. Hicks shined during drills on Saturday and made a handful of impressive plays during the one-on-one portion of the camp.