MORE RCS TAMPA: Players weigh in on UCF's rise | Prospects that earned their stripes | Five teams that should be pleased | The Cassidy awards | Thoughts from the sidelines
LAKELAND, Fla - The Rivals Camp Series presented by adidas stopped in the Tampa are over the weekend. Here are six prospects who were a little unknown coming into the camp but are now on the radar.
Anderson qualified for the showcase portion of one-on-ones, winning some impressive reps against highly thought of defensive linemen. Sunday didn’t feature an incredibly deep group of offensive linemen, but Anderson managed to stand out from the pack. That’s all anyone can ask. The 6-foot-3 Anderson is incredibly strong and has the feet to help any number of FBS teams as a guard. He currently holds offers from FIU, USF and Toledo, but should see a Power Five school or two come calling a some point.
Just a freshman, Dindy is the next national recruit at powerhouse Lakeland and already looks the part. The 6-foot-3, 240-pound defensive end can dunk a basketball but his future is clearly on the football field, where he held his own against older, more polished prospects. He’s yet to land his first offer but will likely be swimming in them by the time he’s a senior. Dindy moved to Florida from Louisiana and grew up an Oklahoma fan.
This linebacker has a very bright future. Jordan has great size for a player just finishing his freshman year and doesn’t lack speed. Jordan broke on short passes well and had a knack for knocking down passes. He showed plenty of physicality for a linebacker in the camp setting and had a great feel for how to shadow backs and tight ends in coverage. Southern Miss has already offered him but more should be heading his way.
Long is a massive target for quarterbacks on the outside. He has plenty of twitch to him for a receiver that is about 6-foot-4 and that made it so hard for defensive backs to effectively cover him. Long did a lot of damage in the red zone and will be counted on near the goal line at the next level as well. Over the last two season he has caught 15 touchdowns. Illinois and Indiana are Long’s best offers right now, but Southern Miss and UCF has also offered with plenty of programs waiting in the wings.
A class of 2021 prospect who already holds an offer from Kentucky and UCF, Ransom was one of the day's most impressive quarterbacks. The ball flies off of the left-handed Ransom's hand and he showed nice touch on deep balls while also having enough arm strength to fit it into tight windows. On film, Ransom is also comfortable throwing on the run. With a few offers already in hand, it wouldn't be surprising to see more schools join the mix after getting him a chance to throw over the next few months.
A playmaking wide receiver who was consistently tough to cover all day, Saunders showed nice speed and great hands and was in the discussion for the event's wide receiver MVP award all the way until the end of camp. Saunders looks like he could play out of the slot or on the outside and is the type of player that quarterbacks love to play with thanks to his willingness to put his body on the line to make tough catches. Right now he has a number of Group of Five offers, including Marshall and USF, but is still waiting for the first Power Five school to pull the trigger.
