Rivals Recap: Heating up in South Florida
A pair of games in South Florida yielded a couple of important results, as
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highly-regarded Miami Columbus escaped a 17-13 game with Miami Southridge the
night before Miami Central High School dispatched of Jacksonville First Coast
41-0. The two games, different as they were, showcased a healthy dose of
college-bound prospects. Notes on which are below.
I was impressed with...
Columbus defensive end Guy Thomas has a handful of offers in tow
already and for good reason. The 2017 defensive end disruptive all
night, levying a few solid hits on the quarterback and causing general havoc in
the backfield. The 6-foot-3 Thomas has incredibly long arms and a frame that can
certainly carry more weight. He remains a bit slight as things stand now, but
his quickness and bevy of rush moves are hard for a tackle to handle. He will
only get better as he adds bulk.
Four-star defensive back Trajan Bandy also backed up his Rivals250
ranking. At 5-foot-9, he's undersized, sure, but he was impressive on Friday
night. Bandy didn't allow a single impactful catch and grabbed a game-sealing
interception as time expired. He's incredibly physical for a prospect of his
limited size and flashes solid fundamentals as well. Bandy was rarely tested
deep and never got a chance to showcase speed, so that remains a question.
Florida State commit Keir Thomas seems to have added at least 10 pounds
since the early summer. The Miami central standout played linebacker during
Saturday's game but will play defensive end at the college level. Thomas made a
number of plays on Saturday and was the most impressive-looking prospect on a
loaded Miami Central defense.
Jacksonville (Fla.) First Coast wide receiver Kevin Stepherson, a
commit, was on the wrong side of a shutout on Saturday. Still, the three-star
receiver managed to provide most of his team's offense in a game against what is
arguably the best defensive in the state. Stepherson was managed to move the
chains from time to time and got open on deep routes on a few occasions. He
caught a team-high six passes in the contest and would have racked up more
yardage if his quarterback had more time to find him.
Notre dame WR commit Kevin Stepherson makes a grab and takes a massive hit. https://t.co/0MYaWtVkxo- Rob Cassidy (@Cassidy_Rob) September 12, 2015
I was surprised by...
A three-star prospect, Rodney Scott looked like his team's first
offensive option on Saturday. This is particularly notable because Rivals100
receiver Kemore Gamble lines up next to him. Scott provided most of Southridge's
offense on Friday, flashing quickness and agility on a few key receptions as
well as a long kick return. There's plenty to like about Scott, who brings a
nice blend of speed size. He was certainly the most effective receiver on the
field during Friday's game.
Rivals250 wide receiver Darnell Salomon continues to mystify with his
hot-and-cold act. On Saturday, he caught a number of impressive passes,
including a deep touchdown. He also managed to drop a couple of balls that
bounced off his hands. A one-time five-star, the explosive Salomon has a wealth
of impressive tools. He desperately needs to refine his game before he can
become a truly elite prospect.
Miami central receiver Carmoni Green has decent sixe and good-enough
speed. Green showed an ability to get open downfield. And while he was called
for a couple of holding penalties that negated big plays, he rectified his
mistakes by being an effective target. There's a lot to like about the 2017
prospect. He may see his share of offers in the future.
Other thoughts...
Three-star
wide receiver Freddie Pinder missed his team's Friday game with a minor
ankle injury. According to Pinder, the injury is nothing serious. He expects to
return to the field in Southridge's next contest. Pinder has a long list of
involved at the this time.
Miami
defensive end commit Joshua Uche says he remains solid in his commitment
to Miami, but plans to take a handful of visits in the coming months. He intends
three schools remains in frequent contact.
Four-star
defensive back Trajan Bandy says Clemson holds a slight lead over Tennessee in
his recruitment. It's still early for Bandy, a 2017 cornerback, but it
seems that, as of now, the Tigers are the team to beat. According to Bandy, he
has seen a flood of new interest in recent weeks, so his recruitment remains
fluid.
Three-star
wide receiver Jerron Rollins says that Louisville and Bowling Green are
the most involved in his recruitment for the time being and he hopes to visit
both in the near future. It seems that the Cardinals have the edge in his
recruitment, but other offers could arrive as the season progresses.
Miami
Central athlete and Florida State commit Jamel Cook did not play in
Saturday's game and did not appear to be in attendance at the game whatsoever.
No concrete reason was given for his absence.
Rivals250
wide receiver Darnell Salomon says Alabama and Oklahoma are still the main
schools involved in his recruitment, He hopes to visit both options and announce
a verbal commitment in January.
Miami
commit Waynmon Steed, a 2017 linebacker, says that he is
steadfast in his verbal commitment but is in frequent contact with schools such
as Florida, Purdue and UCF. He has not planned any in-season visits but will
likely tour a campus or two sometime in the coming months.
