Advertisement
Stars still shine, despite NIKE Camp rainout
COLLEGE STATION, Texas - Everything is bigger in Texas, and nothing was bigger than the torrential downpour that caused the NIKE Training Camp at College Station on Saturday to come to an abrupt halt.
Advertisement
Even though only the testing was completed because of several rounds of thunderstorms, several players definitely passed the eyeball test and showed that Texas football is also better than other places in the nation.
On film, Gainesville, Texas, running back Terrius Purvey might just be the top running back in the state of Texas and one of the nation’s best backs. With his electric ability to bust big plays, Purvey would have torn up the camp, especially after he measured in at a very solid 5-foot-10 and 177 pounds.
So does Purvey think he’s the best back in the state?
“I think I am,” he said with a big smile.
“It’s kind of flattering to think that people really like me, but I work hard at it. Do I think I’m the best in the state? You have to always think that you’re the best, and that’s the type of attitude that I take.”
Purvey wasn’t the only running back that looked especially impressive on the hoof. Rusk, Texas, star Cody Glenn might not be the fastest back around, but he’s a bruiser on film and when you see him in person, you can tell why people have a hard time bringing him down.
Normangee, Texas, running back Desmond Mays also came in at an impressive 5-11 and 220 pounds. He’s another big back like Glenn, and some of the college coaches in attendance were whispering how he looks a lot like a slower Maurice Clarett on film.
Mansfield (Texas) Summit running back Kestahn Moore already has a bevy of impressive scholarship offers, and it’s easy to see why. Playing for coach Tim Beck at Summit, Moore was put together extremely well, but is still long, lean and will be able to easily add some good muscle in a college weight program.
For months now, people in the Austin area have been talking about Pflugerville, Texas, junior-to-be running back Antwan Cobb. A few college coaches have talked about him being the best underclass running back in Texas and even though he’s still a young pup he definitely looks like he’s ready to play college football.
With a chiseled frame and bulging biceps, Cobb has the upper body that many running backs can only dream about. Once he completely develops and seasons with another year of football under his belt, he’s going to be a sight to see.
Measuring in at 5-foot-8, Converse (Texas) Judson running back Kyle Fox was put together a lot better than originally thought. Most had listed him in the 5-foot-6 or 5-7 range, but at 5-8 and with a strong upper body, he was a mild surprise at how solid he looked.
Even though they didn’t get to throw a ball, a few quarterbacks looked like they could physically be ready to take their game to the next level. Even though most assumed that it would be the Lone Star State quarterbacks that were put together the best, a few Oklahoma signal callers surprised.
Tulsa (Okla.) Union quarterback Mackenzi Adams was one of the better quarterbacks at Friday’s Elite 11 regional quarterback work out and from eyeballing him on Saturday it’s easy to see why he’s one to watch. Union’s rival, Jenks, also has a quarterback, Andrew Brewer, that was more impressive looking in person than what was expected.
Domenic Natale from Princeton (N.J.) The Hun School is one of the top quarterbacks in the East, and from seeing him Saturday it’s easy to see why he has several quality offers at this point. Southlake (Texas) Carroll quarterback Chase Daniel wasn’t the tallest in the bunch, but he was well put together, prompting one college coach to comment that he looked more like a linebacker than a quarterback.
Tuscola (Texas) Jim Ned quarterback Colt McCoy has some very impressive scholarship offers, including offers from in-state powers Texas and Texas A&M, but he seemed a little thin and probably will need to spend some time in the college weight room filling out.
Even though he probably projects more as an athlete, instead of a quarterback, Ashford Ayers of Lufkin, Texas, doesn’t get the type of attention that his teammates at Lufkin get, but shows some great athletic ability and wheels on film. After seeing him in person, don’t be surprised if he has quite a few offers after the spring evaluation period.
There were several receivers and tight ends that were ready to put on a show Saturday but, because of the rain, will have to rely on making an impression with their physical make up.
This includes Broderick Hunter of Humble, Texas. Coming into the camp, Hunter had several high quality offers and he easily was one of the most striking players at his position. He easily looked like he could be one of Texas’ best at the position.
Gregory (Texas) Portland-Gregory tight end Victor Brooks and tight end Mario Walker of Marshall, Texas, also were physically stunning and should have no problem attracting multiple offers.
They are both guys that could be recruited at tight end or defensive end.
The offensive line also had a few that stood out from the eyeball test standpoint.
Rivals100 caught Klein, Texas, lineman Mark Ortmann in San Antonio, Texas, in January at the U.S. Army All-American combine and it looks like he’s added some good muscle mass but is still somewhat thin. He has an incredible frame, though, and that along with his good physical skills will make him one of the more highly recruited linemen in Houston.
Chris Ptaszek of Tomball, Texas, Aaron Schutz of Keller (Texas) Fossil Ridge, Jacob Thornbrue of Moore, Okla., and Seth Adams of New Orleans St. Augustine were others that looked like they could overwhelm defensive linemen.
Aldine Eisenhower defensive end Paul Freeney blew Rivals100 away on film evaluation earlier this week and after seeing him in person, there is no question that Freeney could step on the field in college quickly. Keep your eye on Freeney because his stock has to be shooting through the roof with college coaches.
Xavier Kelly of Denton Ryan measured in at only 5-foot-11, and he looked more like an outside linebacker than a defensive end but an impressive film and a great frame will make him one of the top 25 recruits in the state.
Not a lot has been written about Cordero Moore of Mesquite (Texas) Horn, but after seeing him in person he’ll be one to keep a close eye on this recruiting season.
There were quite a few defensive backs that had the physical make up of high-level Division I recruits.
Garrison, Texas, athlete Gerrin Blount, Arlington (Texas) Lamar safety K.J. Ellis and Lancaster cornerback Chad Washington were a few of the better looking players at their position.
However, Brian Jackson of DeSoto, Texas, and Brandon Tatum of Ft. Worth (Texas) Dunbar were two of the most impressive looking kids at the camp, regardless of position.
Tatum has a long, lean yet still well put together frame and his change of direction on film evaluation makes him one of the better defensive back prospects in the Lone Star State. Jackson has a similar build to Tatum, but he’s not as tall.
For expanded coverage of the COllege Station NIKE Training Camp, you should check out StudentSports.com. Access to StudentSports.com requires an additional membership. Coming Soon! The best is getting better. The Rivals.com Recruiting Database will include all authentic data from this summer's NIKE Training Camp schedule.
Advertisement
Advertisement