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Rivals Recap: IMG Academy vs. Paramus Catholic

BRADENTON, Fla. -- Two of the nation's top teams came together on Florida's Gulf
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Coast Friday night, when IMG Academy took on New Jersey's Paramus Catholic. IMG
won the game 28-20, but the contest featured a host of highly rated prospects
and showcased some future stars of the college game. Below are news, notes and
general takeaways from the star-studded evening in the Sunshine State.
I was impressed with...
Drake Davis' breakaway speed is something truly special. Davis, who took last
year off of football to play soccer, is lethal with the slightest bit of
separation. He wasn't targeted often on Friday, but his 87-yard touchdown catch
produced its share of gasps in the stadium. Davis, who is down to LSU and
Ole
Miss, was the fastest prospect on a field full of college-bound players by far.
He'll fit in well in the SEC, where speed is king.
IMG has a pair of truly special prospects on the defensive side of the ball, but
that's news to nobody. Class of 2017 defensive end Josh Kaindoh and 2016
linebacker Rahshaun Smith are both five-stars and lived up to the billing on
Friday. Both have college-ready builds and impressive quickness to go along with
massive size. Smith and Kaindoh anchored an IMG defense that turned in a truly
impressive performance.
Five-star DL Rahshaun Smith with a sack here for IMG. https://t.co/3YkHbluFL4- Rob Cassidy (@Cassidy_Rob) October 23, 2015
I was surprised by...
IMG running back Tony Jones rattled off one of the night's most
exciting plays when he broke a 59-yard touchdown run in the game's second half.
Jones had a slow day overall, but the long run showcased and improved ability to
break tackles. It also showed off some decent top-end speed for a larger back. A
Notre Dame commit, Jones has a number of tools that will serve him well
at the college level.
Junior running back Jordan Anthony of IMG is a name to remember for
2017. Anthony already has the tools and vision to be a highly regarded prospect
but splits carries on a talented team with Jones. As Anthony develops, he will
garner offers from all over the country.
Emmanuel Greene isn't a secret but his speed and explosiveness make him
a certified weapon. He showed his wheels on a long touchdown catch early in
Friday's game and shouldn't be dismissed because of his limited height.
Other notes...
No.
2 overall prospect Rashan Gary looks like a million bucks in a uniform
and has upper body strength for days. IMG's offensive line did a nice job of
handling Gary with double teams on Friday night and limited his impact on the
game. That said, he showed enough to justify his five-star ranking. Gary has
already visited Michigan and will visit Auburn in November.
LSU, USC, Ole Miss, Clemson,
Notre Dame, Georgia and others are in the running to land future
official visits from the touted defensive lineman.
Five-star
tight end Isaac Nauta's official visits remain set in stone. Nauta
plans to visit Ole Miss, Alabama, LSU, TCU and
Baylor. Michigan and Georgia are thought to be the leaders in
Nauta's recruitment, but the tight end himself doesn't name frontrunners.
Four-star
wide receiver Drake Davis says Ole Miss leads LSU by a small margin at
this juncture. Davis plans to wait until singing Day to announce a commitment,
giving LSU time to make up ground. According to Davis, the fact that Ole Miss'
offense is more pass-heavy than LSU's is what gives the Rebels an edge.
Class
of 2017 wide receiver Emmanuel Greene plans to wait until his senior
season to announce a commitment but is already surveying his options. Greene
plans to visit West Virginia for the Mountaineers' game with
Texas in November. Greene also hopes to visit UCLA and
Ohio State in the coming months.
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