RCS Orlando: Top defensive performers
WINTER PARK, Fla. - The Rivals Camp series rolled into the Sunshine State over the weekend and Saturday’s stop in Orlando saw some of the country’s top defensive players take the field. In addition to the stars shining, there were also a few sleepers who turned heads. Here’s a breakdown of the top defensive performers.
Note: The players are listed in order of performance
MORE: Rivals Camp Series home | Rivals Recap | Team notes | Top offensive performers
Recruiting Wrap: Parks is committed to Florida State.
Performance: Parks came into the camp looking to earn a return trip to the Rivals100 Five-Star Challenge, and that’s exactly what he did with his performance Saturday. Parks was far and away the most dominant defensive lineman in attendance, using a variety of moves to win rep after rep. Parks doesn’t necessarily look like the biggest defensive lineman on the hoof, but he certainly made his presence felt.
Recruiting Wrap: Pryor is committed to Ohio State.
Performance: Pryor and Parks were actually teammates at least year’s Five-Star Challenge and the two have a chance to be reunited after Pryor also won an MVP and earned a Five-Star Challenge invite. Pryor played with his usual physicality but continues to gain confidence and look like he expects to dominate against even the best wide receivers.
Recruiting Wrap: Virginia Tech, Miami, UCF, LSU and others are in the mix for DeShazor.
Performance: Because of his size, DeShazor is a bit of a tweener between linebacker and safety but in a camp setting his quickness and athleticism allows him to shine. He did a terrific job during one-on-ones and has the speed to match up with running backs and tight ends very well.
Recruiting Wrap: Hines has offers from Old Dominion and Temple.
Performance: The three-star defensive back was a favorite of the defensive backs coaches, drawing praise for his aggressiveness and quickness. What really stood out about Hines was his ability to close on the ball in a hurry, resulting in several pass deflections.
Recruiting Wrap: Green has offers from FAU and UMass.
Performance: Green is another player who could fall into the “tweener” category, but he worked out at linebacker and definitely looked the part. There were several reps where opposing backs and tight ends couldn’t even get off the line thanks to strong jams from Green and even if they did get off the line he was there to make a play on the ball down the field. Green’s offer list is light at the moment, but it's likely to grow down the road.
Recruiting Wrap: Indiana, USF, Colorado State and others have offered Allen.
Performance: Allen is the son of Indiana defensive coordinator Tom Allen and it’s clear he’s been coached well throughout his development. He consistently made plays in one-on-ones and was also praised by the coaching staff for his proficiency in drills. His highlight of the day was a diving interception on an underthrown ball and it was one of several plays he made on the ball throughout the day.
Recruiting Wrap: Jones has offers from N.C. State and Tulane.
Performance: Jones was dubbed by the event’s defensive backs coaches to have the “whole package” and he showed that he was one of the quickest defensive backs in attendance as the day went along. His speed helped him make several plays on the ball, but it also led to him taking some unnecessary gambles. Size is a bit of an issue for the 5-foot-9, 175-pound prospect, but he showed Saturday that he’s capable of lining up against bigger receivers and having success.
Recruiting Wrap: Pate has an offer from Charlotte.
Performance: On a day where the defensive line play left a lot to be desired, Pate stepped up as the second-best performer behind Rivals100 star Parks. Not only did he take a ton of reps, but he won most of them, using his quickness off the ball to blow by slower offensive linemen. With his get off and array of moves, schools would be wise to take a longer look at Pate.
Recruiting Wrap: Roberts is committed to Miami.
Performance: Roberts is becoming a fixture on top performers lists with his play this spring and he can add another line to his resume after his showing on Saturday. Roberts is very physical at the line and his toughness is what makes him a handful for wide receivers. He battled several times with five-star wide receiver James Robinson, with his crowning victory coming on a play where he beat Robinson to the ball for an interception.
Recruiting Wrap: Williamson is committed to Ohio State.
Performance: Williamson might have been higher on this list or perhaps even challenged Pryor for MVP honors if it weren’t for a minor injury that caused to miss the better part of the afternoon session. He showed tremendous speed and athleticism in the Under Armour illSpeed event and followed that up with a good showing in one-on-ones. Williamson isn’t the biggest corner in the world, but he’s very fluid and his coverage skills are impressive.
Recruiting Wrap: Mathis has offers from FAU, Southern Miss and UMass.
Performance: Mathis had a very good day, showing fluid hips and solid footwork during drills and then following it up with a solid performance during one-on-ones. He has multiple pass breakups and has good instincts when it comes to anticipating the arrival of the ball down the field.
Recruiting Wrap: Owens has offers from UCF, Tulane, Georgia Southern and several others.
Performance: Owens was good during one-on-ones, using a swim move to consistently get by opposing offensive linemen. He’s listed in the Rivals.com database as a defensive end, but at 6-foot-2 and 286 pounds, he’s looking more and more like his future might be playing as a defensive tackle. Assuming he can keep adding strength and refine his technique, he could be a player to watch going forward.
Recruiting Wrap: Sanders is waiting for his first offer.
Performance: At 5-foot-8 and 168 pounds, Sanders is a bit undersized, but he had success while working out at cornerback and as a slot receiver. He has very quick feet and nice hands, a pair of attributes that will serve him well if he decides to focus on defensive back full-time going forward.
Recruiting Wrap: Hansen has offers from Charlotte and Marshall.
Performance: The big-bodied Hansen had some of the camp’s most impressive wins during one-on-ones -- his only problem was stringing a good run of wins together. Either way, it’s clear the potential is there, and for a player his size (6-foot-3, 320 pounds) he moves very well.
Recruiting Wrap: The three-star has offers from Miami, Nebraska, North Carolina and several other Power Five programs.
Performance: Miller had a very good day, both in drills and in one-on-ones. He moves well in space and looks like he has a future playing as an outside linebacker. He also has pretty good hands for a player at the position and he flashed them during one-on-ones when he confidently snagged an interception. It’s easy to see why several teams are already lined up for his services.