West spotlight: Five prospects in the headlines
Things are shaping up for an exciting season in the West. Some of the best prospects in the region remain uncommitted and others are hoping to prove they deserve a higher rating. Here are five prospects to watch this season.
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It seems like a while since Hall was the top-ranked prospect in the state as others have surpassed his production and dominance over the last year. But Hall has a huge opportunity in his senior season because top four-star quarterback Matt Corral has transferred to Long Beach (Calif.) Poly. Now Hall has one of the nation’s best quarterbacks throwing to him and he should be able to take over. If he shows that killer instinct, Hall has all the physical tools to be special. However, Hall has to show better separation against cornerbacks and win more 50-50 balls to be one of the nation’s best receivers and deep threats. He has all the tools to be exceptional and a big senior year could be ahead. USC is a consideration, but so are numerous SEC schools and others.
Tuliaupupu had such excellent junior film when he played at Claremont, Calif., because he played linebacker with reckless abandon, covered so much ground sideline to sideline, played downhill and made plays all the time. He has transferred to Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei where he should thrive as well with better coaching and it will be interesting to see if he can read plays better and react accordingly instead of a lot of freedom to just blitz and attack the backfield. This offseason, Tuliaupupu was solid but struggled at times in coverage and in space. Linebackers often get a bad rap because they’re expected to cover downfield especially in 7-on-7. That’s not Tuliaupupu’s game. At Mater Dei, he should have the ability to blitz – his specialty – but it will be interesting to see how he handles playing in space and defending some high-end receivers in arguably the nation’s top high school football league. USC, Ohio State, Alabama and many other teams are in the mix.
Mitchell is one of the more interesting quarterbacks in this entire class because he leads powerhouse Bellflower (Calif.) St. John Bosco and he’s a phenomenal athlete who comes from great stock – his mother was Blaze on American Gladiators and his dad is a career Marine – yet there are still some questions about his game. Namely, how accurate is he as a down-the-field passer even after he threw for more than 2,900 yards with 30 touchdowns and 10 interceptions last season. His height is a tad concerning at around 5-foot-11, but he’s awesome outside the pocket, designed runs always go well and he has shown the ability to make big plays with his arm or his feet. St. John Bosco once again has a challenging schedule but if the Iowa State commit can show he can carve up defenses by throwing down the field, a big bump in the rankings could be in store.
Thompson-Robinson is ranked as the third-best dual-threat quarterback and No. 48 overall in the 2017 class – and he is only in his first season as a varsity starter. That ranking might seem aggressive since Thompson-Robinson is only now taking over for Ohio State freshman quarterback Tate Martell, but he’s been brilliant this offseason and could have a huge senior season. Last year, Thompson-Robinson moved to receiver to get on the field and was one of the best players on the team playing out of position because of his athleticism and skill. He’s been great all spring and summer but sometimes things change when the pads come on. A big early season matchup against powerhouse Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei could really solidify Thompson-Robinson, who’s already committed to UCLA, as one of the best quarterbacks in this class.
Incredibly versatile and one of the most physically-gifted recruits in the West in some years, Thibodeaux still has a lot to prove especially since he transferred from Los Angeles Dorsey to Westlake Village (Calif.) Oaks Christian for his junior season. Is he a straight defensive end who plays with his hand in the ground? Does he have the athleticism to be a hybrid outside linebacker? What will his production look like against higher-level competition? Thibodeaux looks and plays like a special SEC-type defensive end who can be an edge rusher and play in space. He will have to continue to dominate and prove himself every single day at Oaks Christian because that’s what five-star prospects do even as they’re still learning their positions. LSU, Alabama, USC and many others are involved early.