Top 10: All-star surprises

MORE:All-starcoverage|Armycoverage

Theall-starperiodinhighschoolfootballrunsfromearlyDecemberandendsinmid-January.Inthisweek'sTop10list,Rivals.comanalystscomeupwiththeirtop10biggestsurprisesfromtheall-starseason,ledbyalittleknowndefensiveend,whowillmaketheconversiontolinebackerincollege.

Top10all-starsurprises

10)IshaqWilliams

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School:Brooklyn(N.Y.)Lincoln

Buzz:TherewassomequestionastohowWilliamswouldfareagainsttop-tiertalentafterplayinghishighschoolcareerintalent-deprivedBrooklyn,butthosequestionswereansweredearlyintheArmyBowlweek.Listedat6-foot-6and230pounds,Williamslookedthickerthanexpected.Hehadnostrengthissuesgoingagainstoffensivetackles,andhisspeedofftheedgewastoomuchforthemtohandle.WhatgivesWilliamsthatadditionalboostisthatheisrelentlessinhispursuitofthefootballandhewasthemostconsistentofthedefensiveendsinstringingouttherunattheArmyBowlaswell.Heisathleticenoughtostandupandplaylinebackerbutalsostrongenoughtoplaywithhishanddown.

9)OdellBeckhamJr.

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School:NewOrleans(La.)IsidoreNewmanSchool

Buzz:Beckhamisundersizedat5-foot-10androughly175poundsbuttheLSUcommitknowshowtogetopenandhasaknackforsneakingbehinddefensivebacksandgettingseparation.Healsocatcheseverythingthrownhiswayanduseshishandswell,notallowingtheballtogettohisbodyatall.Thefour-starprospectwasoneofthemostconsistentbig-playreceiversontheWestsquadattheArmyBowlandshowedhenotonlyhasgoodstraight-linespeedbutalsohasgoodfootballquicknessandgreatchangeofdirection.

8)WayneLyons

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School:FortLauderdale(Fla.)Dillard

Buzz:The6-foot,190-poundLyonscameintotheArmyBowlconsideredasafetyprospect,buthespentthemajorityoftheweekatcornerbackandearnedthestartatthatpositionfortheEastsquad.LyonsquicklyprovedwhytheEastcoachingstaffwentwithhimtostartthegamewhenhetalliedtwosolotacklesandbrokeupapassinthefirstquarter.Besidesgoodsize,Lyonsalsopossessesgreatinstinctsandturn-and-runability.Hecouldbeaball-hawkingfreesafetyoralockdowncovercorneratthenextlevel.

7)C.J.Johnson

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School:Philadelphia(Miss.)

Buzz:ThebiglinebackeremergedasanationalprospectattheAlabama-MississippiAll-StarGame,wherehefinishedwith17tackles.Althoughhewasn'tasgoodintheU.S.ArmyAll-AmericanBowl,Johnsonstillprovedhimselfasoneofthenation'stopinsidelinebackers.Hehasgoodsize,movesverywell,hasexcellentinstinctsandsimplygetstothefootball.

6)AundreyWalker

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School:Cleveland(Ohio)Glenville

Buzz:TheEastdefensivelinedominatedArmyBowlpractices,butWalkermorethanheldhisownagainstthatgroup.HewastheonlyEastoffensivelinemanwhocouldhandlethespeedandsizeoftheEastdefensivelineonaday-to-daybasis,andwastheonlyonetobeatdefensivetackleTimmyJerniganinone-on-ones.Theremaynotbeanoffensivelinemaninthecountrystrongerthanthe6-5,355-poundWalker,andheplayswiththefootworkofalighterman.

5)DelvonSimmons

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School:McKeesport(Pa.)

Buzz:SimmonswasalateadditiontotheU.S.ArmyAll-AmericanBowl,buthedidnotlookoutofplaceamidanultra-talenteddefensivelinegroupontheEastsquad.ThefirstcluethatSimmonswouldhavenoproblemfittinginalongsideRayDrewandStephonTuittwaswhenhewalkedintothelobbyforregistration.The6-5,265-poundprospecthasacommandingpresenceandhecarrieslittlebadweight.Inpractices,heshowedaquickfirststepandthestrengthtobattlewithinterioroffensivelinemen.Hewasveryproductivethroughouttheweekandinthegame.

4)MalcolmMitchell

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School:Valdosta(Ga.)

Buzz:Rankedasafour-starsafety,MitchellplayedreceiverattheUnderArmourGameandwasconsistentlygoodatthatspotthroughouttheweek.Facingagroupofelitedefensivebacksinpractice,Mitchell'sspeedandsolidrouterunningallowedhimtogetniceseparationattimesinone-on-onedrills.Andhecaughtjustabouteverypassthrownhiswayduringtheweek,includingaterrificgamewhentheTVcameraswererolling.Anoutstandingathletewhocouldplaymanypositionsincollege,Mitchellboostedhisstockasmuchasanyoneduringtheall-starperiod.

3)AaronLynch

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School:CapeCoral(Fla.)IslandCoast

Buzz:Lynchisn'tasfastofftheballastop-ratedprospectJadeveonClowney(whois?)andhedoesn'tplaytherunaswell,butthebigrushendisveryquickandwasoneofthebiggestdifference-makersattheArmyBowl.Lynchistoughandfearlessand,althoughhesometimesoverrunsplays,hisintensitywasunmatchedontheEastteam.Hisfirststepwasthebestthroughouttheweekandhisoutsidemovecouldn'tbestoppedevenwheneveryoneknewitwascoming.

2)AnthonyChickillo

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School:Tampa(Fla.)Alonso

Buzz:ChickilloenteredtheUnderArmourAll-AmericanGameasawell-knownprospect,checkinginatNo.205intheRivals250.Buthisperformancethroughouttheweekofpracticeandinthegamewasofaplayerwhowaspossessed.ThesoftMiamicommitmentwasamongthemostimpressivedefensiveplayersattheevent.WhenthelightscameonatTropicanaFieldinSt.Petersburg,Fla.,ChickilloturnedinanMVPeffort,dominatingofftheedgeandshowinghisnon-stopmotorthroughoutthegame.

1)BenCouncell

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School: Asheville (N.C.) A.C. Reynolds

Buzz: Councell entered the Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas as a guy rumored to be underrated as a mid-level three-star guy. He left it as one of the top prospects in the nation. Playing outside linebacker in the 3-4 set required of the defenses at the game, Councell flourished and likely should have been named the Defensive MVP for his team with 13 tackles. He's more instinctive than he is athletic and more of a hustler than he is a speedster, but regardless Councell knows where he needs to be and is always in the right position to make a play. That made him the surprise of surprises.