The Under Armour All-America Game week has wrapped up and one clear thing is that there were plenty of college-ready prospects at the event. Here is a look at five players who could make an immediate impact next year as college freshmen and thoughts on each from Rivals.com National Recruiting Director Mike Farrell:
DT Rashan Gary, Paramus (N.J.) Catholic
Recruiting: Michigan is the favorite and Ole Miss, Auburn and USC are also seriously involved for the top-rated prospect in the 2016 class. Clemson is likely to get his last official visit before signing day.
Overview: Gary is the top-rated recruit in the 2016 class and proved it over and over again at the Under Armour game. The five-star has outstanding power to stun and beat offensive linemen and shocking speed for someone who’s 6-foot-4 and 287 pounds. He can play defensive end or move to defensive tackle, go inside or outside and Gary is someone who can step in right away and make a huge impact.
Farrell’s take: “It has to be immediate based on what we saw. No matter where he goes you’re not going to be able to keep him off the field because of his effort and he’s scheme-versatile either inside or outside. He’s a starter if not from Day 1 then he will be in a few games.”
OT Gregory Little, Allen, Texas
Recruiting: Little is committed to Ole Miss.
Overview: The top-rated offensive tackle in the 2016 class already has tremendous size at 6-foot-5 and 318 pounds so he won’t need to develop physically once he gets to Ole Miss. What makes Little even more special is that he’s so technically sound. The five-star can overpower defensive linemen but he’s probably best at just run and pass blocking people out of the way and almost never getting beaten.
Farrell’s take: “We saw what Mitch Hyatt did this year for a very good team at Clemson, we saw Laremy Tunsil at Ole Miss and Cameron Robinson at Alabama. Little is smart and athletic like all these other guys with great feet. Even though there is a learning curve and he needs to be more physical he’s ready to learn on the job.”
WR N’Keal Harry, Chandler, Ariz.
Recruiting: Harry is committed to Arizona State.
Overview: The five-star is a big, physical outside receiver who can shed any cornerback who attempts to jam him at the line of scrimmage. The 6-foot-3 standout is not only big, though. Harry runs sharp routes with impressive speed, so he’s a deep threat down the field, and he has soft hands to haul in almost every pass.
Farrell’s take: “The Pac-12 is pass-happy. We saw Arizona State in a shootout just the other night. He’s perfect for that conference and the offense and he has good speed and can work the middle of the field. He’s very explosive and wide receiver is the easiest position to transfer to college. You can dumb down the route tree if you have to and let a kid get by on athleticism. That’s not the case with Harry, but it’s not as difficult as other positions.”
LB Rahshaun Smith, Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy
Recruiting: Smith committed to Clemson at the Under Armour Game.
Overview: The five-star linebacker is a physical force who has the power and hitting ability to play inside and stuff the run and he has the speed and athleticism to play outside ‘backer, track plays to the sidelines and drop back in coverage. The Clemson commit is already 6-foot-3 and 239 pounds so he has phenomenal size entering college and he has the ability to back it up.
Farrell’s take: “He’s another guy who has good size, a really good wingspan and can play outside or inside. The scheme versatility is important there because if you have a need he’s going to get on the field. Clemson is a program that likes to develop hybrid-types or blitz specialists and he has that athletic skill set.”
DT Ed Oliver, Houston (Texas) Westfield
Recruiting: Oliver is committed to Houston.
Overview: One look at Oliver in the Under Armour game and it’s clear he can be an immediate contributor from Day 1 at Houston. At 6 feet 2 and 289 pounds, the four-star can still develop a touch physically but he plays so fiercely and with such determination that he can wreak havoc in the middle. Oliver is a non-stop force who lives in the backfield and he not only wants to stop the ball carrier - he wants to pulverize them.
Farrell’s take: “He’s a tweener even though he’s listed 289. That’s a good thing. He can get skinny when he needs to, he has a great first step and he’s sneaky strong on the inside. You can line him up at numerous techniques and he’s going to Houston where he’s going to be a big fish in a small pond.”
