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UA All-America Game: Tuesday's takeaways

Joey Gatewood
Joey Gatewood

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – Rivals.com's observations from Tuesday's workouts in preparation of the Under Armour All-America Game on Thursday.

MORE UAAAG: Mike Farrell's Tuesday thoughts

TOP TAKEAWAYS

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1. Brevin Jordan

While the tight end group isn’t the deepest or strongest positional group in Orlando this week, Jordan has continuously proven himself to be the cream of the crop. During the first three practices, he has become a favorite of the Team Highlight quarterbacks, especially during red zone drills, where he often is a mismatch against slower linebackers or smaller defensive backs. He brings a nice combination of size, athleticism and smarts to the position, which should give him the opportunity to be an early contributor at Miami. The Canes have produced a number of top tight ends during the last 20 years, and Jordan has all the tools to add his name to this list.

2. Asante Samuel

Several cornerbacks have shined through three practices, but Samuel has continually proven himself to be among the elite. He has had multiple interceptions, as well as a few others that he should have grabbed but dropped. He shows great instincts on the field, is quick to react and has a long reach. Samuel also brings a certain amount of quiet swagger to his game. He isn’t the most flamboyant player on the field, but he knows that he is good and just gets the job done. A great deal was expected out of Samuel coming into this event and up to this point he has not disappointed.

3. Joey Gatewood

Gatewood had his best day of the week on Tuesday, despite windy conditions in Orlando. Physically he is gifted, with a huge frame, muscular legs and a strong arm, but he had struggled with consistency. Today he looked more relaxed and patient as he went through his progressions more naturally and smoothly. His arm strength was also showcased on a few occasions as his ball was able to cut through the wind as other quarterbacks continued to struggle. While the comparisons to Cam Newton that the Auburn signee has received for years are a bit premature, there is no questioning his potential.

4. Matthew Hill

Hill is another player who has improved as the week has progressed. He has become one of the more reliable receivers on Team Spotlight, while also taking on a new role. Along with running routes at receiver, due to the limited options on the team at running back, he has seen more plays coming out of the backfield. Hill’s versatility, speed and hands make him a dangerous weapon.

5. Tensions mount

On Sunday and Monday, both teams solely had intra-squad practices on their own field. But on Tuesday the two combined for some one-on-one action, which didn’t last as long as anticipated after a large scuffle during linemen drills. It began with Nicholas Petit-Frere going against Devin O’Rourke, but ended with a pile of about 10 players needing to be pulled apart by coaches. Tensions were high at the conclusion, with several players, including Keondre Coburn, in need of calming talks from the staff. It also resulted with Petit-Frere at the bottom of the pile with a slight shoulder injury, but he seemed to work his way through that a few minutes later. This is not the norm during all-star settings, so it’ll be interesting to see if any of this tension carries over to the game on Thursday night.

QUICK HITS

Petit-Frere continued to dominate. While the one-the-one session between the two teams was limited due to the scuffle, he did manage to stone five-star defensive end Eyabi Anoma twice during his opportunity.

It will be interesting to see Tommy Brown’s maturation at Alabama. He brings a lot to the table, but just needs to be more consistent. There are plays where he dominates, while at other times he almost seems confused. The foundation is there to make an elite offensive lineman, but it may take some time to see the finished product.

Elijah Moore continued to be one of the top wide receivers on Team Spotlight. He may not be the biggest or fastest receiver in Orlando, but he consistently gets open, is extremely smooth and has showcased great hands.

Justyn Ross is a complete package at receiver. At 6-foot-4 and 200 pounds, he's very fluid in his movements, with long arms, deceptive speed and great route running that should make him a star at the next level.

Matthew Jones, who has been lining up at center, has steadily improved this week. He struggled early on, but seems to have really embraced his opportunity in Orlando over the last two days. Could this also be a sign of things to come for him at Ohio State? He signed as a guard, but perhaps center will be his position of the future.

B.J. Foster has had some ups and downs this week, but reeled in a great interception while covering Xavier Williams. He undercut a nice pass and dived for the grab, while destroying an advertisement sign in the process.

A.J. Lytton has put together a solid week in Orlando. He’s a tough competitor who will go up against anyone, including bigger and stronger receivers such as Ross and Justin Shorter.

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