Southeast Spotlight: Five with something to prove at Five-Star Challenge
The Rivals100 Five-Star Challenge presented by adidas will be held June 9-10 in Indianapolis with the nation's top talents converging to compete in the star-studded event. With past participants that include Leonard Fournette, Deshaun Watson, Dalvin Cook and several others, the bar is set high for any player that attends. Today, we take a look at five players from the Southeast entering the event with something to prove.
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The Kansas commitment is already ranked as one of the top players in the nation and saw his stock rise even higher after a dominant spring. But Jason still has his fair share of doubters, with some from his own state even wondering if he belongs in the discussion as the nation's top wide receiver. Jason will get his chance to show what he can do in Indianapolis alongside several other five-star wide receivers. His showing could go a long way toward silencing his critics.
Fitzpatrick is known for being a good inline blocker in his high school's triple option offense, so he needs to show the ability to run routes, get some separation and be consistent with his hands. If he performs in Indianapolis the way he did in Atlanta, there will not be many questions unanswered at the end of the event. Fitzpatrick is still open, but he plans to visit Alabama, Georgia and UCLA this summer.
McLendon has performed well on the camp circuit in 2017 and this fall will be his chance to really take that next step. He has gotten strong and he is starting to fill out his frame. His ability to shed blocks and get away from top offensive tackles is something we will be watching next week. He is a great athlete with length and quickness, so he just needs to show more physicality. Florida may hold a slight advantage, but Alabama, Georgia and numerous others are in this race.
Jibunor needs to show how he is progressing at linebacker. Some schools like him early as an athletic tight end. He is known for being a strong edge rusher, but now he is at linebacker playing on the second level, so that is something we will watch. How does he cover? That is probably the biggest question. Auburn is viewed as the frontrunner, but Jibunor is not naming leaders yet. Tennessee is right there and he is camping at Georgia, just a couple of miles from his home this week.
The class of 2019 wide receiver has burst onto the recruiting scene over the past few months, collecting offers from some of the nation's top programs. After earning his invitation by dominating at the Rivals Camp in St. Louis, Knox could be in the discussion for a spot high in the 2019 Rivals250 when it is released at the end of the summer. After coming into St. Louis with no expectations, how will Knox handle going against elite competition in Indy? That's something we'll be watching closely.