West Spotlight: WRs that would have benefited from camps
The Rivals Camp Series rolled through Los Angeles before the coronavirus travel ban was implemented and the spring evaluation period was stopped. Other essential camps and 7-on-7 tournaments were later canceled and evaluation opportunities were not possible. Here is a look at five receivers who could have really used the spring period to boost their ranking or recruitment in the West region, which typically features a different event every weekend.
RELATED: Southeast WRs that would have benefited from camps | Midwest WRs
CLASS OF 2021 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | Team | State
CLASS OF 2022: Top 100
MORE: Recruiting Snapshot - Cal Bears | Rivals Transfer Tracker
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The Cal wide receiver commit has speed to burn, he makes tough catches look easy and he was solid at a camp I attended early in the spring, so he remained a solid three-star. But if Anderson had the opportunity to show his playmaking and athletic ability more on the camp circuit and even in 7-on-7 settings, he would have been a candidate for a big bump in the rankings. Anderson should be a great addition in Cal’s offense, especially as a downfield weapon when the Golden Bears want to take a shot.
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Barkate was one of the best receivers at the Rivals camp stop in Los Angeles regardless of class as he made numerous tough catches when balls were thrown high or behind him, and the 2022 standout made it all look really easy. His recruitment has picked up a little bit, but has been relatively stagnant since the coronavirus lockdown. If Barkate was out on the camp and 7-on-7 circuit more frequently and dominating the same way he did at Rivals camp, then he might have plenty more Power Five offers at this point.
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Cope is a receiver who’s a fringe four-star candidate - and I’ve wanted to pull the trigger on it - but a shortened spring evaluation period makes that decision tougher. He was solid at the Rivals camp and another camp this offseason, but I wanted to see him dominate more often against elite defensive backs. At Culver City, Cope plays good competition, but not the best in Southern California, so evaluating him only on film could be tricky. The high three-star was definitely someone we wanted to see even more through the off-season.
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With the release of the early 2022 rankings, Williams was not included among the early four-stars, but his offer list continues to grow and it’s impressive. Arizona State, Colorado, Kansas, Miami, Nevada, Oregon and Oregon State have already offered, and the Etiwanda, Calif., standout had a big junior season with 1,700 yards and 13 touchdowns playing all over the field. He was at the Rivals camp in Los Angeles, but seeing him over and over during the offseason would have been a more valuable gauge of whether he should’ve been among the top 100 or so players to start in 2022. Without the spring, that’s a tough early call.
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No receiver in the West region has been busier landing offers over the last few weeks than Worthy, who has added Alabama, Georgia and many others despite the coronavirus travel ban. The Fresno (Calif.) Central standout was not at the Rivals camp and not many 7-on-7 events happened in the spring, so it was impossible to see Worthy in person. The film is impressive and the offers are coming in, but a big rankings bump cannot be justified yet because he hasn’t done any new events. It’s tough, though, since Worthy has a chance to be one of the better receivers in the West.