Top Va. talent hits up Academy

CHESAPEAKE, Va. - The Five-Star Academy held at Oscar Smith High School in Chesapeake, Va., this past Saturday was limited in sheer numbers due to spring break in the area, but nearly half the players who attended the event already hold DI offers, including West Virginia-bound teammates Logan Heastie and Tajh Boyd.

Heastie, ranked as the No. 22 player overall in the country, and Boyd, ranked at No. 120 overall, are both early commitments to West Virginia. Both players measured in a bit bigger than advertised. Heastie checked in at 6 feet 3 and 194 pounds while Boyd was 6 feet 2 and 194 pounds. Both players stated they were solid commitments to West Virginia despite recent rumors that they'd be taking official visits elsewhere.

But neither Heastie nor Boyd were the highest-ranked player in attendance as Chesapeake (Va.) Western Branch quarterback Kevin Newsome, who has been on the recruiting radar since he started as a freshman, was on hand. Newsome, who was 6 feet 2 and 215 pounds, has double-digit offers and currently has no favorites. He recently took unofficial visits to North Carolina and Duke and he's seen Stanford. His latest offer comes from Boston College.

Newsome's younger brother, Keevon Newsome, is also a good-looking prospect. He's a 6-foot-2, 222-pound tight end for 2010.

The host school, Oscar Smith, had four big-time players on hand for the event. Linebacker Jerod Askew is much bigger than last year as he checked in at 6-foot-1, 230 pounds with an impressive upper body. Askew holds offers from Maryland, NC State, Virginia Tech, West Virginia and Clemson so far. His teammate, wide receiver Timothy Smith, has offers from West Virginia and Maryland, and stands 6 feet 1 and 182 pounds.

The other two players from Oscar Smith are 2010 prospects, and good ones at that. Quarterback Phillip Sims is likely the next top gun-slinger from Hampton Roads. He is 6 feet 2 and 201 pounds and should be receiving verbal offers very soon. Georgia, Florida and Clemson are at the top of his list now. The other 2010 stud from Oscar Smith is defensive tackle Evan Hailes who stands 6 feet 2 and weighs in at 315 solid pounds. Hailes also lists Georgia on top with Virginia and NC State also high on his list.

Oscar Smith head coach Richard Morgan spoke to the players for the second year in a row and did a terrific job.

Others who impressed with their stature and interest from colleges include Hampton (Va.) Phoebus defensive end Dominik Davenport, Gloucester, Va. tight end Josh Lovell, Norfolk (Va.) Lake Taylor linebacker Mike Privott and Williamsburg (Va.) Lafayette defensive end William Hill. Davenport, who holds offers from Maryland, West Virginia, Virginia and others, could end up as a defensive tackle at 6 feet 1 and 264 pounds. Lovell stands 6 feet 5 and weighs 260 pounds with early offers from West Virginia and Virginia while Privott is 6 feet and 233 pounds with offers from NC State, North Carolina, Louisville, West Virginia and Maryland. Rounding out the group is Hill, who stood 6 feet 4 and weighed 260 pounds. He boasts offers from Virginia and Maryland early.

Four others with impressive offers and stature are led by Great Bridge teammates Carvin Powell and Brian Jordan and Phoebus teammates Demetrius Ward and Shawne Alston. Powell, a wide receiver, stands 6 feet 2 and weighs 199 pounds with offers from Penn State, Virginia Tech and Maryland. Jordan, a 6-foot-3, 207-pound linebacker, claims offers from Clemson and North Carolina. Ward, a 6-foot-2, 210-pound tight end, has offers from North Carolina and Purdue while Alston, a 5-foot-11, 220-pound running back, has an early offer from Penn State.

Others without offers who passed the eyeball test include Ahoskie (N.C.) Hertford County offensive guard Will Simmons and Hampton, Va. running back Tron Martinez. Simmons is massive at 6 feet 6 and 342 solid pounds while Martinez is a very well built 5-foot-9, 186-pounder.