ORLANDO — The lights were on, fans were in the stands and some of the best in the country went head-to-head in the Under Armour All-America game Thursday night. Team Ballaholics defeated Team Flash 28-27 with a second-half pick six by Michael Jansey (Northwestern) and a late touchdown pass by Jayden Daniels (Arizona State).
Based on their in-game performance, here are six prospects whose stock could be on the rise.
IN-GAME COMMITMENTS: Henderson to UF | Morris-Brash to UCF | Cooper to Illinois
Briggs is headed to Virginia and the four-star defensive tackle is on track to make an early impact for the Cavaliers. Thursday night, he made the most of his time on the field. Both teams rotated players on a regular basis, but Briggs was in for a sack and a tackle for loss in the first half, then finished with five total tackles. He flashed that power he is known for, pushing offensive linemen into the backfield and collapsing the pocket on a regular basis.
Calvert was a very active linebacker throughout the game. He had half a dozen tackles at the half, so he was always around the football. The Washington commit lined up at outside linebacker, but he is ranked as, and will play inside linebacker for the Huskies. He finished with double-digit tackles, the most in the game, and half a sack. He showed good recognition and he was a solid tackler.
Daniels came in at quarterback with around six minutes to go with his team down 27-21, but he orchestrated a touchdown drive giving his team a 28-27 lead with just over three minutes remaining. On a third down, Daniels scrambled, stepped up in the pocket and hit Marcus Washington for a 17-yard touchdown pass. Daniels opened the week strong and closed it on that same level. The Arizona State signee finished the game 9-of-13 for 101 yards and two touchdowns.
Rivals100 running back Ealy was featured early and often. Not only did he show speed on the perimeter, but he ran tough, he ran over defenders and he showed great change of direction. If that wasn’t enough, the Ole Miss commit showed his ball skills out of the backfield. On his 38-yard touchdown run in the third quarter, he set the all-time rushing record. Ealy finished with 119 yards and two scores. He has official visits to Clemson and Ole Miss in January. He has already taken an official visit to Mississippi State, another contender.
Oregon signee Thibodeaux impressed in practice throughout the week, and nothing changed when it was game-time. The five-star defensive end was tough to slow down off the edge. Not only did he pressure the quarterback, but he showed the ability to hold up against top offensive tackles and play the run too. He had a handful of quarterback hurries and just missed a sack late in the third quarter. His quickness off the ball stood out all week and on game night, he showed more of the complete package that makes him a top 10 prospect in the country.
Texas signee Washington was one of the most consistent wide receivers on the night. He came up with two touchdown receptions, including the one that put the Ballaholics late in the game. He finished with 89 yards on seven receptions and two touchdowns — all game highs. Washington was able to get open, create separation and give his quarterbacks a space to throw to.
