VTO set for grand finale in Virginia
The last of the Rivals.com/VTO Sports Elite 100 Showcases will take place this weekend in Virginia. After successful stops in South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia and Alabama, the fifth and final showcase will take place at Highland Springs High School outside of Richmond, Va. on Sunday. The top players from Virginia, Maryland and D.C. are expected to compete including Virginia's top prospect, Midlothian (Va.) Clover Hill athlete Joel Caleb.
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Sunday's event will be loaded with top talent and Highland Springs head coach Loren Johnson, who helped Virginia Tech star running back and future pro Ryan Williams through the process, will talk to the players regarding the recruiting process. Last year's top linebacker and the nation's No. 2 player overall, Curtis Grant, will also give his take on the process. The players will also be tested in the 40-yard-dash, short shuttle, vertical jump and bench press (185 pounds). Positional drills and one-on-ones will follow as the prospects will be coached up by former NFL players like Mo Collins (Oakland Raiders), Brenston Buckner (Carolina Panthers), Natrone Means (San Diego Chargers), Ethan Horton (Oakland Raiders), Anthony Wright (Dallas Cowboys) and Myron Bell (Pittsburgh Steelers).
It's considered a deep year both in Virginia and in Maryland/D.C. and the event is expected to be a who's who of talent. Caleb, a 6-foot-3, 200-pounder, has offers from Virginia, Virginia Tech, Alabama, Florida, Florida State, Ohio State, Tennessee, Maryland, West Virginia, North Carolina and many others. While he plays quarterback and safety in high school, Caleb is expected to work out at wide receiver on Sunday.
Caleb will be joined by many of the top prospects in the state of Virginia. Fellow Rivals250 To Watch members Ken Ekanem and Kwontie Moore will be on hand as well as standouts like Alex Carter, Alston Smith, Nigel Williams, Desmond Frye, Korren Kirven, CJ Prosise and J.C. Coleman.
Ekanem, a 6-foot-3, 226-pound linebacker from Clifton (Va.) Centreville, has offers from Virginia, Virginia Tech, Boston College, Duke, Maryland, Michigan State, Pitt, Rutgers, Vanderbilt and others. Moore, a 6-foot-2, 235-pounder from Norfolk (Va.) Norfolk Christian, has offers from Virginia, Virginia Tech, Arkansas, UConn, North Carolina, Vanderbilt and others.
Carter is a 6-foot-1, 185-pound safety from Ashburn (Va.) Brian Woods who is already committed to Stanford while Smith is a 6-foot-3, 265-pound defensive tackle from Virginia Beach (Va.) Cox with an early offer from Virginia Tech. Smith is the son of former Hokies great and NFL star Bruce Smith. Williams, a 6-foot-4, 250-pound defensive tackle from Richmond (Va.) Benedictine School with offers from Virginia, Virginia Tech, Boston College, Duke, Maryland, NC State and others while Frye is a 6-foot-2, 170-pound wide receiver from Virginia, Virginia Tech, Duke, Maryland and South Florida.
Kirven, a 6-foot-4, 260-pound defensive tackle from Lynchburg (Va.) Brookville, has a very impressive offer list. He has offers from Virginia, Virginia Tech, Alabama, North Carolina, NC State, Penn State, Rutgers, Stanford, Tennessee and others. Prosise, a 6-foot-2, 190-pound safety from Woodberry Forest (Va.) Woodberry Forest School, has offers from Virginia, Virginia Tech and Vanderbilt while Chesapeake (Va.) Oscar Smith running back J.C. Coleman, a 5-foot-7, 169-pounder, has offers from Virginia, Virginia Tech, West Virginia, Duke, Maryland and Vanderbilt.
The state of Virginia will also be well represented as far as underclassmen with future stars like Michael Parker from Nokesville (Va.) Kettle Run, Derrick Green from Richmond (Va.) Hermitage, E.J. Levenberry Jr. from Woodbridge (Va.) C.D. Hylton, Zach Goins from Midlothian (Va.) Manchester, Demetri McGill from Virginia Beach (Va.) Ocean Lakes, Andrew Brown from Chesapeake (Va.) Indian River (2014) and Corwin Cutler from Chesapeake (Va.) Indian River.
Not to be outdone, the group from Maryland is also very impressive, especially in the underclass. Led by five-star wide receiver Stefon Diggs from Olney (Md.) Good Counsel, this is a deep group. Diggs, a 6-foot-1, 189-pounder, has offers from almost every program in the country and is one of only 12 five-stars released by Rivals.com in March. The dynamic receiver has dominated camps in the past and will look to do the same against a talented group of defensive backs at this event.
In addition to Diggs, other 2012 notables from Maryland/DC include Washington (D.C.) H.D. Woodson teammates Kenneth Crawley and De'Jon Wilson. Crawley claims offers from programs like Virginia Tech, Clemson, Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, Tennessee and many others while Wilson claims offers from schools like Pitt, Rutgers, Marshall and more.
The underclassmen from Maryland/D.C. appear to be an outstanding group led by Olney (Md.) Good Counsel cornerback Kendall Fuller and his teammate Dorian O'Daniel a running back/linebacker, both of whom have early offers. Safety Jalen Tabor from Washington (D.C.) Friendship Collegiate Academy, a 2014 prospect, will be on hand and is already emerging as one of the top players in his class.
Coaches with prospects who would still like to attend can contact mike@rivals.com. Registration for the event closes on Saturday and this is an invite-only event.
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