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football Edit

RCS St. Louis: Best of the Rest

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Recruiting wrap: The versatile athlete has several offers, including Michigan, Indiana and Illinois.
Performance: Akinribade is listed in the Rivals.com database as an athlete, but he impressed at running back during Sunday's camp. The big-bodied back is built like a tank, and when he gets moving downhill, he's a defender's worst nightmare. He excelled more in running back drills than he did when asked to run routes as a pass catcher, but it's clear he's got the physical ability to play at a Power Five program.
3
DB
Shedrick Kirk
Nashville (Tenn.) McGavock
Recruiting wrap: Kirk awaits his first offer.
Performance: Kirk is a big safety at 6-foot-1 and 195 pounds, but he is a very easy mover on the football field and plays with the grace of a smaller defensive back. The fluid hips and easy change of direction he displays allowed Kirk to excel in the one-on-one portion of the camp, and he was able to check even the quickest wide receivers and sharpest route-runners. Earlier in the day he moved through position drills with ease, earning positive reviews from the coaches working the camp.
4
WR
Cordell Finley
Palatine (Ill.) Fremd
Recruiting wrap: Finley still awaits his first offer.
Performance: Finley is listed at 6-foot-1 and 175 pounds, and while those numbers looked correct on appearance, he seemed to play bigger than that. A true outside receiver, Finley builds to top speed quickly and pops in and out of his cuts. He ran precise routes and created separation both with that precision and his speed. There were not many chances for Finley to show off his playmaking skills because he usually had plenty of space between himself and the defensive back by the time the ball arrived.
5
WR
Jadan Blue
Baltimore (Md.) Mount St. Joseph
Recruiting wrap: Blue still awaits his first offer.
Performance: Blue trekked halfway across the country to get his opportunity to perform in a Rivals Camp, and then delivered a very solid performance. The 5-foot-11, 170-pound receiver did most of his damage downfield. He showed the ability to track the football in the air and haul in the difficult over-the-shoulder catch down the sidelines, while also proving stronger than his lanky frame would suggest and being able to haul in passes with defenders draped on his back.
6
WR
Kerrick Jones
Memphis (Tenn.) Whitehaven
Recruiting wrap: Jones waits on his first offer, but is hearing from Duke, Northwestern, Vanderbilt and Wake Forest.
Performance: The 5-foot-11, 180-pound Jones is rated as a three-star wide receiver, but also worked out on the defensive side of the football as well during one-on-ones. On the offensive side, we had a chance to see Jones flash a skill set that looks to fit best at the slot role in college. The Memphis native is quick in small space and able to create separation right off the line of scrimmage. He also worked outstanding routes in both the intermediate and deep passing game.
7
CB
Rodney Saulsberry Jr
Memphis (Tenn.) Whitehaven
Recruiting wrap: Saulsberry still awaits his first offer.
Performance: Although he has grown from his listed sophomore size of 5-foot-8 and 153 pounds, Saulsberry is still on the smaller side for the cornerback position. However, he makes up for it by being very fundamentally sound and having outstanding speed. We first noticed Saulsberry during position drills where he showed off a smooth backpedal and great break on the football. He carried that momentum over to the one-on-one session where wide receivers had trouble shaking him in coverage.
8
WR
Al Young
Cape Girardeau (Mo.) Central
Recruiting wrap: Young holds an offer from Southeast Missouri State.
Performance: Like Ballard, Young has outstanding junior season film but cannot seem to generate the college interest his talent should evoke. Young made another case on Sunday, working exclusively on the offensive side of the football even though he has two-way abilities. Listed at 6-foot and 170 pounds, Young showed outstanding ball skills and an exceptional pair of hands, making several fingertip grabs. He is a quick, elusive route-runner and tough for cornerbacks to handle in space.
9
QB
Brandon Wildman
Monticello, Ill.
Recruiting wrap: Wildman is waiting on his first offer.
Performance: Wildman is another player having a terrific spring and hoping that an offer comes in after a few auditions this spring and summer. The 6-foot-3 prospect stands tall in the pocket and has a nice delivery. His specialty is the touch pass and he showed terrific accuracy during drills. He battled the wind during one-on-ones and his arm strength could use some improvement, but it's a surprise that he's still waiting for an opportunity at the next level to open up.
10
DE
Noah Fant
Omaha (Neb.) South
Recruiting wrap: Fant has a top four of Iowa, Iowa State, Nebraska and Vanderbilt, and plans to decide by late May.
Performance: Sunday was an interesting performance from Fant, who has exploded with offers this spring. The 6-foot-5, 210-pound Fant is being considered for multiple roles by different colleges, and obliged by working out at both defensive end and tight end in St. Louis. He showed a great first step at defensive end, but gave up quite a bit in the strength department to offensive linemen. As a tight end, Fant gets a good release from the line of scrimmage and showed soft hands.
11
WR
Keion Wakefield
Louisville (Ky.) Male
Recruiting wrap: Wakefield holds offers from Cincinnati, Indiana and Kentucky and plans to make a decision after taking official visits.
Performance: Wakefield has been a known name on the recruiting trail since early in his sophomore year, and he is enjoying a very good off-season this year. The 5-foot-9, 165-pound receiver has the skill set that fits well in the slot role, but shows the ability to stretch the field vertically and make the tough catches downfield. He had one of the few successful reps against eventual Defensive Back MVP Roderick Campbell during the one-on-one session.
12
ATH
Juwuane Parchman
Rockford (Ill.) Auburn
Recruiting wrap: Parchman committed to Illinois last October.
Performance: Parchman played running back, wide receiver and safety as a junior, but worked out at wide receiver on Sunday. The 6-foot-1, 190-pound Illinois commit has a great size/speed combination. As a receiver, he can get on top of defensive backs in a hurry, then has the strength to out-muscle them for the football. But Parchman also flashed exceptional playmaking ability, making a ridiculous leaping catch in which he had to turn 180 degrees in the air and keep his feet inbounds.
Josh Helmholdt
Midwest Recruiting Analyst
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Rivals Camp Series
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