Rivals100 Five-Star Challenge: Players discuss who performed best
ATLANTA -- Analysts and coaches lined the field at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Thursday evaluating some of the best high school talent in the country. But what did the players who were inside the lines think regarding the top performers at each position?
Rivals reporters spoke with a number of athletes after the event to get their impressions of who performed best against elite competition.
MORE FIVE-STAR CHALLENGE: The Farrell Awards | Five teams that should be pleased | Seven players named MVPs at their positions | Justin Flowe makes a strong case for himself | Offensive roster | Defensive roster | All-Lobby team | Next to commit | Five who could flip | Farrell's storylines | Best Five-Star Challenge performance ever? | Which QB will shine brightest? | Who will improve stock the most? | Who has the most to prove? | Full Rivals Camp Series coverage
QUARTERBACK
"Sam Howell's arm was the best today." - 2020 five-star running back Zachary Evans
"I liked Harrison Bailey. He was looking at both sides and finding their windows." - Rivals100 athlete Trey Palmer
"Bo Nix was probably the best quarterback out there. He has a great arm." - Five-star running back Trey Sanders
"The South Carolina commit, Ryan Hilinski, was good." - Four-star linebacker Jared Casey
"I liked Ryan Hilinski and Bryce Young." - 2020 five-star linebacker Justin Flowe
"Ryan Hilinski had a good day. Harrison Bailey and Drew Pyne were throwing it around too." - Rivals100 Wisconsin quarterback commit Graham Mertz
"The quarterback on the blue team, Bryce Young, was really good." - Rivals250 Penn State defensive back commit Tyler Rudolph
"I feel like the Florida State commit, Sam Howell, was the best quarterback. He was really powerful with his throws." - 2020 five-star linebacker Antoine Sampah
RUNNING BACK
"Trey Sanders was really good." - Rivals100 Wisconsin quarterback commit Graham Mertz
"Sean Dollars was pretty good." - 2020 five-star linebacker Justin Flowe
WIDE RECEIVER
"Jadon Haselwood was really good." - 2020 Rivals250 defensive back Isaiah Dunson
"Jameson Williams was a good wide receiver and so was Jadon Haselwood. I also liked Trey Palmer from Louisiana." - Rivals250 wide receiver Cam Coleman
"Theo Wease and Jadon Haselwood were really good receivers." - Rivals100 athlete Trey Palmer
"My man Jadon Haselwood and Theo Wease were really good. We all performed really well today." - Rivals100 wide receiver Trey Knox
"Nolan Groulx was nice. He caught everything. John Dunmore's routes were ridiculous." - Five-star Penn State running back commit Devyn Ford
"Theo Wease, Jadon Haselwood, and Garrett Wilson made some plays. Trey Palmer looked good too." - Rivals100 athlete Devonta Lee
"The best guy I saw out there was probably Garrett Wilson." - Five-star running back Trey Sanders
"I really liked Nolan Groulx today. I've only talked to him over the phone but today was the first time I've seen him in person. Garrett Wilson was balling too." - Rivals100 Wisconsin quarterback commit Graham Mertz
"The really short guy, Wandale Robinson was really good." - Rivals250 Penn State defensive back commit Tyler Rudolph
"Wandale Robinson was really nice. Jadon Haselwood had hard cuts and really got some people." - 2020 five-star linebacker Antoine Sampah
“Nolan Groulx for sure,” – Rivals250 South Carolina quarterback commit Ryan Hilinski
“I think Nolan Groulx is definitely the best 7-on-7 player, but I think I’m going to go with Jadon Haselwood. He was best overall.” – Rivals250 Florida State quarterback commit Sam Howell
OFFENSIVE LINE
"Kardell Thomas was the best offensive lineman and Anthony Bradford was really good too. He was really big." - Rivals100 Florida State offensive line commit Dontae Lucas
"Dontae Lucas was really good. So was Kardell Thomas."- Rivals250 defensive end JJ Weaver
"I liked Kardell Thomas on the offensive line." - Five-star center Clay Webb
"I liked my boy Dontae Lucas on the offensive line." - Four-star offensive lineman Chris Akporoghene
"Kardell Thomas, Stacey Wilkins, and Clay Webb were really good." - Rivals100 Alabama offensive line commit Amari Kight
"Everybody competed really hard but Kardell Thomas and Chris Akporoghene were really good. So was Dontae Lucas." - Rivals250 offensive lineman Stacey Wilkins
"I thought Justin Rogers was really good. Kardell Thomas did a great job. Clay Webb did a great job too." - Rivals100 Michigan defensive end commit Stephen Herron
"Clay Webb, Chris Morris, and Keiondre Jones were the best offensive linemen." - 2020 Rivals100 defensive end B.J. Ojulari
DEFENSIVE LINE
"The defensive line guy I went against that was really fast, Shamar McCollum, was pretty good." - Four-star offensive lineman Chris Akporoghene
"I feel like all the defensive tackles I went against were really good and very strong. I think the best was Jowon Briggs." - Rivals100 Florida State offensive line commit Dontae Lucas
"I went against Jowon Briggs a few times and he was really good." - Five-star center Clay Webb
"I think all the defensive linemen were pretty good but I liked Shamar McCollum, Myles Murphy, and Stephen Herron." - Rivals100 Alabama offensive line commit Amari Kight
"McKinnley Jackson did pretty good. Some of those other defensive ends were speedy like spider monkeys coming off the edge." - Rivals250 offensive lineman Stacey Wilkins
"Other than me, I think Shamar McCollum had a good day." - Rivals100 Michigan defensive end commit Stephen Herron
"Derrick McLendon and Jowon Briggs were really good." - 2020 Rivals100 defensive end B.J. Ojulari
LINEBACKER
"I think Justin Flowe was one of the best linebackers." - Four-star linebacker Jared Casey
"The linebacker from North Carolina, Lee Kpogba, was good competition." - Rivals250 wide receiver Cam Coleman
"Justin Flowe was a beast." - Rivals100 Wisconsin quarterback commit Graham Mertz
"Justin Flowe was pretty good. To me, he was the best linebacker." - 2020 five-star running back Zachary Evans
DEFENSIVE BACK
"The guy committed to LSU, Derek Stingley. was really good." - 2020 Rivals250 defensive back Isaiah Dunson
"Kelee Ringo was nice. Derek Stingley looked good too." - Rivals100 wide receiver Trey Knox
"Everybody was really good out there and had something up their sleeve. Tyrique Stevenson and Kaiir Elam were good." - Five-star Florida State cornerback commit Akeem Dent
"Defensive backs like Tyrique Stevenson did a good job." - Rivals100 athlete Devonta Lee
"Derek Stingley was a freak." - Rivals100 Wisconsin quarterback commit Graham Mertz
"The kid that committed to Ohio State, Lejond Cavazos, and Derek Stingley were the best defensive backs." - Rivals250 Penn State defensive back commit Tyler Rudolph
