Reynolds breaks SPARQ Rating record

After completing 10 of the 11 Nike Football Training Camps, there's no doubt the best linebacker we've seen in the rising senior class is Las Vegas (Nev.) Bishop Gorman's Ryan Reynolds. Reynolds had a monster showing this past weekend breaking the record for the highest *SPARQ Rating we've ever tested.

We first saw Reynolds, 6-2, 216 pounds a year ago at the NorCal Nike Camp. He clocked a 4.72 in the 40, 4.08 in the shuttle, did 32 reps on the bench and jumped 30 inches in the vertical. He put up similar numbers this year with one big exception, the bench press. Reynolds did 47 reps on the bench which was the second most reps by anyone during the Nike tour thus far.

He also clocked a 4.75-40, 4.38 shuttle and jumped 30 inches in the vertical. Reynolds also dominated the position and one on one drills and would have earned Camp MVP honors at just about any other camp we did but came a close second to Arizona defensive tackle Ekom Udofia.

His *SPARQ Rating of 108.7 was not only the highest tested this year, but the highest score ever recorded after we went back and computed the formula for everyone who had ever been to a camp breaking the record of former Miami linebacker D.J Williams.

“He’ll play as a true freshman no matter what school he picks,” Nike camp lead linebacker coach Chris Gizzi said. “He’s an incredible player with speed and the ability to cover and play the run. He’s very coachable and you can tell by looking at him how hard he works. Along with Marcus Ball from the Georgia Tech camp, he’s the best linebacker I’ve coached this year.”

Like Udofia, Reynolds has his pick of schools but mentioned three as his favorites.

“I like Oklahoma, Florida and Miami right now,” Reynolds said. “All three have offered. I wasn’t happy with my 40 time but I’m still excited about having the highest SPARQ Rating. That was actually a big goal of mine and it’s great things worked out that way.”

*Taking the standard measurements of the football combine, the SPARQ Rating weighs and combines the 40-yard dash, 20-yard shuttle, vertical jump and bench press into a single number that measures an athlete’s overall athleticism. Thus, football players can track the progress of their training, through occasional tests, and compare SPARQ Ratings with teammates, training partners and competitors. To learn more about the SPARQ Rating, go to www.sparqtraining.com.