Rivals Recap: Adidas Chicago Showcase
The Adidas CHI Showcase powered by P.R.O. brought talent from throughout the Midwest to the McCook Exposition Center on Saturday. It also attracted top prospects from as far away as Florida and Texas.
Top Five
It is easy to see why Irving-Bey has accumulated a dozen offers, many coming in the last couple months. Listed 6-foot-4 and 245 pounds, there are so few weaknesses in his game. Irving-Bey has the size and strength to handle the point of attack, he has an explosive first step that allows him to get into offensive linemen before they set and he has a great feel for what rush moves to make in which situation.
WR Caleb Thomas
Coming into the camp Thomas was overshadowed by better-known teammates like De’Andre Wilder and Camron Davis, but the 5-foot-9, 164-pound slot receiver served notice on Saturday that he was worthy of greater attention. Thomas was essentially un-guardable throughout the event with exceptional change of direction and the speed that left defenders in the dust. He also showed great hands and tremendous ball skills.
Like Thomas, Hamler is nearly un-guardable in camp settings. The difference is we have seen this a lot out of Hamler over the last couple years and his offer list is extensive. The 5-foot-9, 160-pound slot receiver posted easy win after easy win during the one-on-one portion of the event. The three-star is also starting to add needed bulk to his frame, which further helps his release from the line of scrimmage.
OT Larry Boyd
The 6-foot-5, 320-pound Boyd was arguably the most physically impressive linemen at Saturday’s camp. He has a massive frame but carries little bad weight. We watched Boyd work at both tackle and guard and he showed equally well from both positions. The three-star prospect is light on his feet, plays with a healthy level of aggression and just needs to be a little heavier with his hands to further dominate.
There were a lot of worthy wide receivers who could have made this list, but I am putting Smith on here because his performance was one of the most surprising. Honestly, this is a player I was not familiar with coming into the event, but the 6-foot-4, 185-pound wideout showed he deserved recognition. Besides great size, Smith is a smooth glider who has a strong pair of hands and excellent body control.
TOP VIDEO
NEWCOMER TO KNOW
Just a freshman, Dobbs looks more like a defensive end than an offensive tackle right now at 6-foot-4 and 240 pounds. Once the whistle blew, though, Dobbs’ potential as an offensive tackle was evident. The southeast Michigan native is well ahead of the curve from a technique standpoint, displaying a devastating initial punch and the ability to reset his hands. What size he will be in three years is unknown, but Dobbs is going to draw a lot of attention between now and then.
NEWS AND NOTES
Midwest college programs benefited from having the Chicago Showcase in the area this past weekend. A large group of prospects from south Florida, including four-star De’Andre Wilder and three-stars Kevaughn Dingle and Naytron Culpepper, visited Michigan, Michigan State, Notre Dame, Eastern Michigan, Western Michigan and Northern Illinois during their stay in the Midwest. A group of prospects from the Detroit area visited Western Michigan and Northern Illinois before taking part in Saturday’s camp.
Class of 2018 running back Camron Davis of Miami Gardens (Fla.) Carol City made an early commitment to Oregon State despite having never visited Corvallis and living on the other side of the country. Davis has heard good feedback from his cousin, Deltron Sands, who attended Oregon State and also developed a close relationship with running backs coach Telly Lockette. He sees Oregon State as a place he can become his own man and does plan to visit the school this summer. In the meantime, Davis is checking out other schools. He utilized his time in the Midwest to visit a half dozen schools and said Michigan and Notre Dame were two programs that stood out to him. He is expecting offers from both programs this spring.
Orchard Lake (Mich.) St. Mary’s three-star wide receiver Kahlee Hamler said he is being patient with his recruitment and is not sure when he will announce his commitment. He wants to get out to West Coast schools like Cal, UCLA and USC this summer, and was particularly impressed with a winter Junior Day visit to Penn State where he loved the atmosphere, coaches and new offense. Michigan State has always been considered the team to beat in Hamler’s recruitment, and he confirmed that the Spartans are definitely one of his top schools and that he communicates with their staff often.
Warren (Mich.) De La Salle three-star athlete Allen Stritzinger worked out primarily at defensive back Saturday and said he will work defensive back at most camps this off-season because that is the position that gets more work, but running back is still where his heart is. The 6-foot-1, 183-pound Stritzinger is being recruited for both positions and is legitimately a Power Five level talent at either spot.
Ohio State commit Antjuan Simmons (6-foot-1, 200 pounds) is also a prospect who has been recruited on both sides of the football, and he spent about equal time playing running back and linebacker Saturday. During one-on-ones Simmons was particularly effective, registering at least two interceptions that I saw. His ability on offense was demonstrated, though, when the Ann Arbor (Mich.) Pioneer four-star walked away with Offensive MVP honors at camp’s end.
Camron Davis’ teammate at Carol City, Rivals250 linebacker De’Andre Wilder, had listed the hometown Miami Hurricanes as his leader just recently, but on Saturday claimed he had no leader, is wide open and will take his recruitment into senior year. Like Davis, Wilder just came off a visit to Notre Dame where he spent time with both the Fighting Irish’s coaches and players. Wilder also noted Michigan and Michigan State as schools that stood out among his recent Midwest visits.