South Florida spring roundup: Recruiting updates and more

A long list of scrimmages capped off spring workouts in South Florida last week, and there was plenty to be gleaned on and off the turf. Below are recruiting notes and takeaways from a handful of spring scrimmages in one of the country’s most talent-rich regions.

Five-star wide receiver Trevon Grimes says Ohio State maintains a lead in his recruitment, with Florida and Florida State tied in the space behind the Buckeyes. A standout at national football power St. Thomas Aquinas, Grimes intends to visit Ohio State in June and hit Florida and Florida State in the following weeks. Ohio State, which holds a longstanding lead in the race to land Grimes’ commitment, is set to hold a satellite camp at Aquinas this summer.

Al Blades knows that public perception is that his strong family ties to Miami will ensure he becomes a Hurricane. On Thursday, however, the four-star cornerback insisted the Hurricanes are not his clear favorite. Instead, Blades, a 2018 prospect, said Florida State and Miami are simply the programs with which he “has the strongest relationship.” Blades is also in frequent contact with UCLA and Ohio State. He intends to release a top 10 this fall.

Four-star wide receiver Mike Harley is set to camp at USC in late June and intends to earn an offer from the Trojans with a strong showing on campus. As for the offers he already has in tow, Harley says West Virginia, Utah and Kentucky currently stand out from the rest of the schools on his list. Harley intends to make a verbal commitment before the start of his upcoming senior season at St. Thomas Aquinas.

St. Thomas Aquinas wide receiver Josh Palmer plans to visit Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Purdue and possibly Louisville in the coming months. He names no favorite in the process as things stand now because he expects to land more offers.

Ft. Pierce Central (Fla.) High School linebacker David Reese holds a handful of scholarship offers already. And while his older brother, Stewart Reese, signed with Mississippi State last year, he says his favorite school is Florida State. Reese, a 2018 prospect that already holds an offer from Mississippi State, plans to camp at North Carolina, Tennessee and Wisconsin among others this summer.

Coconut Creek (Fla.) High School defensive back Marquis Edwards says Clemson stands out of his list of eight scholarship offers. He says relationship with Tigers defensive coordinator Brent Venables separates Clemson from the pack. The fact that his friend and former high school teammate Trayvon Mullen signed with the Tigers in February also plays in the program’s favor.

Class of 2018 defensive back Miguel Edwards of Coconut Creek will take part in a recruiting bus tour that stops a number of schools this offseason. Edwards, who already has a long list of scholarship offers, names no favorite in the process as things stand now, but Edwards says he “likes” Miami and hopes to check out USC in the future.

Ft. Lauderdale (Fla.) Dillard High School defensive end Jordan Wright looked like the sort of prospect with 30-plus scholarship offers, which is fitting because he’s just that. Wright has elite length and is quick off the edge. His long arms are his defining physical characteristic and they all allow him to close quickly on ball carriers. Wright, who recently picked up an offer from Alabama, was disruptive on most plays during his school’s spring scrimmage and is likely in for an impressive season.

Deerfield Beach (Fla.) High School wide receiver Jerry Jeudy is ranked as one of the top receivers in the 2017 class, and the junior certainly looked the part in his team’s spring scrimmage. Jeudy has better-than-average size and solid speed. His acceleration and quick change of direction help set him apart from other long, athletic targets. Jeudy, who is a nightmare to tackle in the open field, has a special sort of talent and the versatility to line up all over the field. Jeudy is thought to favor Alabama.

St. Thomas Aquinas running back Kyshaun Bryan serves as workhorse by spring game standards and flashed some impressive speed in the open field. Bryant is not known for his ability to break away in a foot race, but he certainly isn’t slow by any stretch. Still, Bryant spent the majority of reps running between the tackles and showcasing fantastic vision while gaining plenty of yards after contact. Bryant seems to be getting more versatile as the months pass.

Aquinas defensive lineman Kivon Bennett has added significant size this offseason. And while the added muscle is very apparent in any setting, he also managed to impress on the field during his team’s spring game. Bennett was the most disruptive member of the St. Thomas defensive front. He also recorded an impressive interception off of a deflected pass. Bennett is not exactly an unheralded prospect. He carries a high three-star ranking and a long list of scholarship offers. That said, he still managed to outperform expectations during the scrimmage.

Miami commit Jon Ford has a massive frame and incredible power. There’s a reason Hurricane coaches are excited about his future, after all. Where exactly he fits in along the defensive line, however, seems to be a little less clear. Ford’s increased size may eventually force him to the inside at the college level. Right now, he remains a versatile defensive end, but it seems as though defensive tackle could be in his future. His raw strength was on display in his spring game, and the transition seems like it could be a relatively painless one.

Miramar (Fla.) High defensive back Brian Edwards continues to add size and become more physical. Edwards, who never shied away from spirited smack talk between the sidelines, made a couple of jarring hits in run support during his team’s spring game, but his greatest asset remains his length, which allows the 6-foot-2 cornerback to recover quickly in coverage.

Notre Dame linebacker commit Drew White was active in St. Thomas Aquinas’ spring game after losing most of his offseason to a minor ankle injury. White is incredibly aggressive and tackles well in the open field. He has solid size but lacks elite quickness, as he sometimes struggles to run down ball carriers. White could certainly get quicker as he re-adjusts to full-speed football, and the rest of his skill set is impressive.