Rivals.com Midseason Scouting Report
MORE: Rivals250 | 2013 Team Rankings
Rivals.com analysts detail the top prospects they've scouted in person so far this fall. Here's the rundown of 49 elite recruits who have impressed over the first half of the 2012 high school season.
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Rivals.com Mid-Season Scouting Report
Rob Cassidy, West Region Analyst
1. ATH Jalen Brown, Phoenix (Ariz.) Mountain Pointe (2014): Brown seems to get more impressive every time out. He's a consistent playmaker on both sides of the ball and is one of the top 2014 prospects in Arizona. If he continues on his current pace, he'll make a push for the state's top spot.
2.
OL Casey Tucker Chandler (Ariz.) Hamilton (2014): Tucker looks to be as polished a lineman as there is in the region and his upper-body strength is a big reason why. His raw power allows him to compensate for occasional missteps and lapses in footwork.
3.
OL Natrell Curtis Phoenix (Ariz.) Mountain Pointe (2014): His teammate Kenny Lacy, a UCLA offensive line commit, gets a lot of the publicity, but Curtis has the chance to be every bit the player. He's big, physical and possesses a stunning initial punch that Lacy does not.
4.
CB Cole Luke Chandler (Ariz.) Hamilton: The knock on Luke has always been his lack of physicality. He seems to have improved in the area during his senior season, though. The Hamilton defensive back is more prone to successfully jam receivers at the line of scrimmage than he was a junior, but his real strength is his blanket-like coverage.
5.
WR Mark Andrews Scottsdale (Ariz.) Desert Mountain (2014): Andrews is a 6-foot-6, 225-pound handful of a player that routinely trucks over high school cornerbacks and shrugs off linebackers. He's as close to automatic as it gets on short routes and could easily play tight end in college.
6.
CB Priest Willis, Tempe (Ariz.) Marcos de Niza: Sometimes a player is what you thought he was, and that's the case with Willis. The 6-foot-2 defensive back is a nice blend of size, physicality and athleticism. He looks truly elite in camp settings, but on some occasions gets lost in the shuffle on game days. He has the skill set to be one of the top safeties in America, but insists on playing corner, where he's still plenty capable of contributing on the next level.
7.
DE Qualen Cunningham Chandler (Ariz.) Hamilton (2014): Minor injuries have bothered Cunningham this season, but the junior defensive end keeps plugging along and impressing in the process. His combination of speed and aggression equals chaos in opposing backfields more often that not.
Kynon Codrington, Southeast Region Analyst
1. RB Dalvin Cook, Miami (Fla.) Central (2014) : The Clemson recruit gets overshadowed by teammate Joseph Yearby, but I think Cook brings more versatility for the next level. The athletic back has lined up at corner in addition to being a dangerous kick returner.
2.
QB Cord Sandberg, Bradenton (Fla.) Manatee: Sandberg is a crafty, productive player with excellent mobility and great pocket presence.
3.
RB Jordan Scarlett, Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) University School (2015): Scarlett has proven his breakout game on national TV against Trotwood wasn't a fluke as he continued to show why he may be the top running back in Florida for the Class of 2015.
4.
APB Daryl Chestnut, Miami (Fla.) Columbus: Huge performance against Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas has some thinking he deserves a ratings bump.
5.
LB Skai Moore, Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) University School: Moore is making a strong claim to move up in the next rankings release. He was the defensive star in the Suns' win over reigning state champ Trotwood-Madison earlier this season.
6.
DL Khairi Clark, Hollywood (Fla.) Chaminade-Madonna (2014): Clark is very active inside and does a good job with his hands. Has a chance to be a four-star prospect because of his effort and motor.
7.
LB Matthew Thomas, Miami (Fla.) Booker T. Washington: The five-star swarms ball carriers and quarterbacks. He is constantly in the backfield and has proven his lofty status thus far.
Mike Farrell, National, Mid-Atlantic Region Analyst
1. DE Jonathan Allen, Ashburn (Va.) Stone Bridge: Allen is all over the field and played defensive end and defensive tackle when scouted. He has a nonstop motor, is a tackling machine and is a leader on and off the field.
2.
QB Ryan Burns, Ashburn (Va.) Stone Bridge : Burns has the best throwing motion and mechanics of any quarterback I've seen this year. The ball comes out quickly, with a lot of zip and he has good accuracy to go along with his mobility.
3.
DB Quin Blanding, Virginia Beach (Va.) Bayside (2014): Blanding was clearly the top performer for his team in a blowout loss. He was a threat on offense, and on defense he was always around the ball and was very physical and aggressive.
4.
DB Kendall Fuller, Olney (Md.) Good Counsel: Fuller was his usual lockdown self on defense and broke on the ball very well while showing excellent tackling ability. On offense he was the only dynamic playmaker on the field and won the game with a long catch and run.
5.
DT Henry Poggi, Baltimore (Md.) Gilman: Poggi was very strong at the point of attack, shot the gap well all night and worked his way down the line of scrimmage well against a physical Don Bosco team. Defensively, he was the biggest reason his team won against a team that rarely loses.
6.
DB Kirk Garner, Olney (Md.) Good Counsel: Garner was a solid offensive contributor but on defense he was very impressive. He had a great one-handed interception that was one of the highlights of the game and he was a sure tackler.
7.
DE Rashaun Smith, Towson (Md.) Calvert Hall (2016): Smith was very impressive going against much older offensive linemen and has the appearance of a manchild with his frame, quickness off the ball and great motor.
Adam Gorney, West Region Analyst
1. RB Terrell Newby, West Hills (Calif.) Chaminade: One of the fastest backs this recruiting cycle who can also catch the ball. He has great cutback ability and gets tougher as the game progresses.
2.
LB Viliami Latu, Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.: Vicious hitter who puts his body on the line to make plays. He's great at reading plays and then making the tackle.
3.
CB Adoree' Jackson, Gardena (Calif.) Serra (2014): Jackson is useful at cornerback, in special teams or at wide receiver. He's a terrific athlete who has a knack for making plays.
4.
CB Chris Hawkins, Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.: Slightly undersized but a big hitter who loves to prove he's one of the top players on the field at all times. He can also make things happen in the return game.
5.
DE Joe Mathis, Upland, Calif.: Bull-rusher extraordinaire who plays with toughness, grit and fierce competitiveness. He could also move to inside linebacker if necessary.
6.
ATH Kevin Dillman, La Mirada, Calif. (2015): The sophomore will probably be a college quarterback but he's an outstanding safety and great in kick returns. There is a lot to like about him so far.
7.
RB Khalfani Muhammad, Sherman Oaks (Calif.) Notre Dame: Small but shifty and tough. Muhammad hits an open hole and is tough to bring down and he uses his lack of height to sneak behind blockers and stay hidden.
Josh Helmholdt, Midwest Region Analyst
1. WR Laquon Treadwell, Crete-Monee, Ill.: The 6-foot-2, 198-pound Treadwell is unstoppable in the passing game at the high school level, but he also is dominant as a blocker on the edge and proves to be a complete receiver.
2.
ATH Jalin Marshall, Middletown, Ohio: There are few players in the country more exciting to watch than Marshall and he rushed for more than 300 yards and three touchdowns while throwing for another touchdown in his season-opener.
3.
LB Nyles Morgan, Crete-Monee, Ill. (2014): We knew the 6-foot-2, 220-pound Morgan was athletic, but seeing him in a game situation showed his field vision, playmaking ability and ability to effectively flow to the football.
4.
OG David Dawson, Detroit (Mich.) Cass Tech: We did not get to see Dawson play more than a half because of a blowout, but the four-star lineman was flawless in that half of play and dominates with his strength and athleticism.
5.
OT Jake Campos, West Des Moines (Iowa) Valley: Although Campos has a lot of weight to add to his 6-foot-7 frame, we saw him overpower defensive linemen who outweighed him and play with a nice mean streak.
6.
RB Mikel Horton, West Chester (Ohio) Lakota West (2014): The 6-foot-1, 228-pound Horton started by pounding out three to four yards at a time and eventually wore down the opposing defense to the tune of 43 carries for 236 yards and two touchdowns.
7.
LB Josh Banderas, Lincoln (Neb.) Southwest: Banderas did not practice the entire week before the game we saw due to an ankle injury, then was asked to carry the football 34 times and play full-time at linebacker, both of which he did very effectively.
Jason Howell, Southwest Region Analyst
1. CB Tre'Davious White, Shreveport (La.) Green Oaks : A very smooth player, White makes it look so easy. With the ball in his hands, he is a touchdown waiting to happen and on defense he is sticky in coverage and plays very physical.
2.
S Jamal Adams, Lewisville (Texas) Hebron (2014): Big, physical defensive back with great ball skills and the ability to play both corner and safety.
3.
DT A'Shawn Robinson, Fort Worth (Texas) Arlington Heights: Huge and athletic are the two words that come to mind. He covers a lot of ground quickly and is very powerful. Consistency is the key with Robinson.
4.
OL Zach Rogers, Lewisville (Texas) Hebron (2015): Mean and nasty, Rogers played left tackle, but his size makes him more of an interior prospect. Either way he's very impressive and he is only a sophomore.
5.
CB Ranthony Texada, Frisco (Texas) Centennial: Small but aggressive, physical, and confident. He can lock up the best and overcomes his lack of size with tremendous athleticism.
6.
WR Laquvionte Gonzalez, Cedar Hill, Texas: Gonzalez is a gamebreaker. He is not textbook, but he makes some great plays on the field. He lines up at several positions and is not a refined receiver but he has his own style.
7.
RB Justin Stockton, Cibolo (Texas) Steele (2014): Speed has been the name of the game with Stockton and he has plenty of it, but he's running with better vision and power and has put on some nice weight.
Woody Wommack, Southeast Region Analyst
1. DE Robert Nkemdiche, Loganville (Ga.) Grayson: Nkemdiche lived up to the hype when I saw him, albeit against so-so competition. He's gotten bigger but didn't appear to have lost any of his quickness.
2.
RB Kelvin Taylor, Belle Glade (Fla.) Glades Day: Taylor didn't with the battle in his matchup with Derrick Henry, but came away looking like a much more polished running back who should transition nicely to college.
3.
RB Adam Choice, Thomasville (Ga.) Thomas County Central, 2014: Choice lines up at quarterback but his skills as a running back are hard to deny. He has great speed and vision.
4.
RB Wayne Gallman, Loganville (Ga.) Grayson: Gallman looked terrific running the ball, showing nice speed and the ability to get by the initial defender.
5.
ATH J.J. Green, Kinglsand (Ga.) Camden County: Green has good quickness and doesn't shy away from contact, either when toting the ball or delivering hits on defense.
6.
DE Jack Banda, Loganville (Ga.) Grayson: Lining up opposite of Nkemdiche sure helps, but Banda showed a nice array of moves while consistently getting in the backfield to blow up plays.
7.
WR J.C. Jackson, Immokalee (Fla.), 2014: Jackson displayed his elite speed with a 93-yard kickoff return for a touchdown as well as versatility and toughness while also starting at defensive back.
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