Rivals Underclassmen Challenge: Matchup No. 2
Rivals.com is counting down the top five matchups we can't wait to see at the Rivals250 Underclassmen Challenge presented by Under Armour in Dallas on July 7. Here is No. 2:
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WR Desean Holmes, Mission Hills (Calif.) Bishop Alemany
vs.
DB Deionte Thompson, Orange (Texas) West Orange-Stark
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Why Holmes has an edge:
Holmes is not the most physical receiver and he's undersized, but he's smooth and smart and that allows him to break free from any cornerback. He's following in the footsteps of USC signee Steven Mitchell at Alemany, and he should catch a lot of passes over the next two years. He has excellent hands, he snaps off the line like he's coming out of a chute, and he gets open with ease. Holmes might struggle against physical corners, but as his body matures he could become even tougher to defend.
-- Adam Gorney, West recruiting analyst
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Why Thompson has an edge:
Thompson is one of the bigger defensive backs heading into the Rivals250 Underclassmen Challenge. At 6-foot-2, 190 pounds, he has the size advantage over Holmes, and he can make up ground in a hurry. He is a safety, so man-to-man one-on-one situations may not suit him best, but he has the speed and length to make up for mistakes in a hurry and he has very good ball skills. Even though he is on the raw with some of his technique, Thompson's overall athleticism, his length and his natural ball skills will make him tough for Holmes to handle.
-- Jason Howell, Midlands recruiting analyst
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Overall edge:
With a smaller, quick receiver such as Holmes, Thompson will need to use his long arms and size to get him off his route at the line of scrimmage and slow him. If he plays too far off, he will have trouble staying with the speedy Holmes. With so much space to work with, excellent route-running skills and a quarterback who isn't being pressured, Holmes has the edge here, although Thompson is likely the better prospect. -- Mike Farrell, national recruiting analyst
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