RCS Newark: Top offensive performers
PISCATAWAY, N.J. -- Rivals.com Mid-Atlantic recruiting analyst Adam Friedman presents the top offensive performers from the Rivals Camp Series presented by Under Armour event in the Garden State.
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RIVALS CAMP SERIES NEWARK TOP OFFENSIVE PERFORMERS
1. ATH Noah Brown Sparta (N.J.) Pope John XXIII
It would be hard to argue that there has been a more talented group of wide receivers at any of the previous stops on Rivals Camp Series Presented by Under Armour. That makes what Brown did Saturday all the more special. Brown has come a long way from last offseason, putting on about 20 pounds of good weight, becoming a better athlete and being much more physical. Listed as an athlete, Brown can play on defense as well but Saturday, he showed he is a high-level BCS talent on offense. He was consistently able to break press coverage, run routes without getting bumped off track and was explosive enough out of his breaks to create separation. At most, Brown may have dropped one catchable ball all day.
On Saturday, Nelson cemented his place among the top offensive tackles in the country. He has cut off the baby fat from last season and replaced it with some needed upper-body strength and it showed when he was able to withstand bull-rushes from defensive linemen. From his left tackle position, Nelson had the lateral quickness to jump out to stop an edge rush and stop on a dime to move back inside and bury the defensive lineman. Two things about Nelson that were very impressive were his strong, wide base and his patience while waiting for the perfect time to punch and extend his powerful, long arms to stop the rusher dead in his tracks.
3. ATH Curtis Samuel Brooklyn (N.Y.) Erasmus Hall Campus
Samuel has not competed in many camps this offseason but he played like a veteran Saturday. He has a very good frame to be able to bulk up, which will help keep from getting bumped off his routes. Samuel has pretty good explosiveness off the line and he is a long strider once he gets into the open field, which allows him to cover a lot of ground without looking like he is running very fast. One of the more impressive things about Samuel was his ability to make acrobatic catches. He was able to pull in throws that other receivers may not have because of his long arms.
Williams was the victim of some errant throws Saturday, but still showed the explosiveness and big-play ability that we have come to expect from him. A tough receiver, Williams was often seen diving to make a catch. His route-running continues to improve each time he comes to a camp, adding more head fakes and making his cuts more fluid. On more than one occasion, Williams was seen breaking press coverage and making a tough catch while tight-roping the sideline.
Penn StateClick 5. WR Chris Godwin Middletown (Del.) Here to view this Link.'s most recent commitment, Godwin proved that he very worthy of his four-star rating. He is a big, strong receiver with very reliable hands. Godwin runs very crisp routes but needs to continue to work on being more explosive coming off the line and while making his cuts. Godwin's best assets are his size and very good hands. He uses his size to shield defenders from the ball on short routes and is able to go above them on the deep routes.
6. OL Connor Dintino Wallingford (Conn.) Choate Rosemary Hall
Dintino was one of the most pleasant surprises of the day. He blended in with the other offensive linemen when looking at the group, but when the play started it was easy to see Dintino has been very well-coached. He has a very strong base and easily shrugged off bull-rush attempts. When the defenders tried moves to his left or right, Dintino was able to quickly adjust and get a good punch on the opposing lineman. It's very surprising more teams have not offered him.
Mustipher, a Notre DameClick 7. OL Sam Mustipher Olney (Md.) Our Lady of Good Counsel Here to view this Link. commit, is a veteran on the camp circuit and he has definitely been improving as the years have gone on. He has transformed his body, losing baby fat and adding lean muscle. Mustipher has the tools to be successful from a technical standpoint and, while he didn't lose many reps, there are one or two things he still needs to work out. The defender beats him when he lunges and over extends his arms. Mustipher can also stop his feet when he gets overextended. These things are easily correctable with repetition.
8. WR Freddy Canteen Elkton (Md.) Eastern Christian Academy
There may not have been a better route-runner on the field than Canteen. If he gets a clean release from the line, the defensive backs were rarely able to catch up and make a play on the ball. One of the things that stood out about Canteen was his explosiveness out of his breaks. One multiple occasions, Canteen fooled the defensive back with a hitch-and-go route and ending up with a wide open touchdown catch. Two things Canteen can work on are breaking press coverage and getting stronger so that he doesn't get bumped off his route.
9. ATH D.J. Moore Philadelphia (Pa.) Imhotep Inst. Charter School, 2015
For a while today Moore, only a sophomore, was the best receiver on the field until he went up for a jump ball and fell hard on his leg. He had a limp for the rest of the day and his performance tailed off after that. Regardless of an injury, Moore has really bulked up since his last camp about a month ago. This helped him in the weakest parts of his game, breaking press coverage and not getting bumped off his routes. Moore had very good quickness and show some very good speed, repeatedly beating cornerbacks downfield. He will be one to watch in the future.
10. WR Juwan Johnson Glassboro (N.J.)(2015)
Another receiver to watch as he progresses, Johnson has all the tools to be a dominant target on the outside. He is already pretty strong but he has a big frame to add even more strength and, if he can stay fast and shifty, Johnson could be unstoppable. Another benefit of his big frame is that it makes him an easy target for quarterbacks. One of the things Johnson should work on is his route-running. He would be nearly impossible to cover is he was more explosive out of his breaks.
11. WR Delane Hart Philadelphia (Pa.) Germantown
The best thing about Hart is his combination of size and speed. He runs like a receiver but has the size of a tight end. His route-running could use a little work but his hands are pretty good despite playing with a broken pinky finger. Finding a position to play could end up being the biggest problem for Hart. If he gets in the gym and adds some strength and bulk, Hart could end up being a very quality tight end.
12. WR Chris Jones Hyattsville (Md.) DeMatha
Jones is a very technically sound receiver that can get off the line of scrimmage and run pretty good route. He is a little bit of a long strider so it looks like he almost glides when running in the open field. Jones can make some very sharp cuts but he could come out of them a little faster. He is rangy and has pretty good length, which helps him show off his very good hands. One of the best things about him is that he always catches with his hands, away from his body.
13. OL Jamie Herr Elkton (Md.) Eastern Christian Academy
Herr has progressed very nicely from last year. He has gotten a lot stronger and slimmed down, which has helped his lateral quickness, but he could still improve in the area. He was caught holding a few times but he's a competitor and will not let the defender beat him without a fight. He is also a finisher. Herr will play until the echo of the whistle to get that last shove in before the play is dead.
14. RB Ray Lawry Woolwich (N.J.) Kingsway Regional
What looked to be a promising running back group faded as the day went on. Lawry was the most consistent of the ball-carriers and showed flashes of a BCS tailback. He is a little short, but he has everything schools want from the speed perspective, straight-line speed, change-of-direction speed and a good burst. During one-on-ones, Lawry proved that he can be a viable option out of the backfield.
The quarterback group also looked very promising and also faded toward the end. Guarantano's mechanics and arm strength allowed him to continually throw quality passes. His consistent mechanics and footwork helped keeps his passes accurate. One of the best things about Guarantano, who has an early RutgersClick 15. QB Jarrett Guarantano Oradell (N.J.) Bergen Catholic (2016)Here to view this Link. offer, is the touch he has on his deep passes.
16. QB Chris Chugunov Skillman (N.J.) Montgomery (2015)
Another nice surprise at the camp Saturday was the emergence of Chugunov, a sophomore quarterback. He had the best mechanics of all the quarterbacks and had very good arm strength. Chugunov can make all the throws and had very good accuracy, especially on the short and intermediate routes. He had a very quick release as well.
17. TE Garrett Dickerson Oradell (N.J.) Bergen Catholic
Dickerson, a Rivals250 tight end, added good muscle mass since the end of last season. He had a little trouble getting off the line and gaining separation Saturday, but he was still able to make some impressive catches in traffic. Dickerson showed excellent concentration on a few catches with a defender all over him. The best thing about Dickerson is his overall athleticism for a guy as big as he is.
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