Rivals250 members stars in their own right
The Rivals250 makes its annual debut today with 150 new names in addition to the Rivals100, honoring those players who just missed the cut. To be one of the top 250 players in the country signifies excellence in high school football and represents an elite fraction of the hundreds of thousands of players nationwide. And of course, it always generates more debate.
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Players who just missed the top 100, like linebacker Keenan Robinson or North Carolina running back Ryan Houston , aren't numerically ranked from 101-250, which always leads to the question: Who would you put at 101?
A few quarterbacks barely missed the Rivals100 cut as Virginia commitment Peter Lalich, UCLA commitment Chris Forcier and Missouri quarterback Logan Gray highlight the Rivals250. Cornerback Brandon Paul was another name some had looked for in the 100, and linebacker Chris Colasanti was also in consideration.
This year's Rivals250 is loaded with big men. Offensive tackle Martin Coleman, a Southern Cal commitment, is hard to miss in a crowd. Pitt commitment Chris Jacobson and Georgia commitment Tanner Strickland are both hard-nosed guards, and New York's John Elliott is a physical tackle. Utah's Simi Fili hails from a state not represented in the Rivals100 and there is no bigger player than Florida's Kevin Bryant, who stands 6-foot-6 and 380 pounds.
Defensive end is also a strong position in the 250 with Notre Dame commitment Justin Trattou, Southern Cal commitment Martin Coleman and Pennsylvania's Derrick Morgan. Delaware defensive end Devon Still just adds to the depth.
Running backs Jonathan Dwyer from Georgia and Dale Martin from Illinois lead a strong group in the offensive backfield. With Dwyer's speed and Martin's vision, each can make a push toward the Rivals100 before all is said and done. Fellow running backs Brian Maddox and Bo Williams also highlight the list.
One of the strongest positions amongst the new 150 names is wide receiver. Florida speedster Dion Lecorn joins South Carolina wideout Junior Hemingway and Pennsylvania's Jon Ditto and Toney Clemons.
The linebacker position wasn't well represented in the Rivals100, but there are some very good prospects in the next 250 in addition to Colasanti. Southeast studs Carlton Johnson and Rolando McClain dot the list, as do Maryland's Devonte Campbell, Ohio's Jermale Hines, California's Robert Mullins and New Jersey's Manny Abreu.