What we learned: B2G Elite
WESTWOOD, Calif. - Rivals.com West analyst Adam Gorney learned some new things about many of the top prospects in three days of watching the B2G Elite Camp at UCLA. Here are his five thoughts:
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1. Marks has to move up in rankings
It is a pretty solid year at wide receiver nationally but it's hard to believe 24 players are better than Gabriel Marks, who has Utah, SMU and UCLA as his three frontrunners.
The Los Angeles Venice prospect was outstanding all three days at the B2G Camp, made some unbelievable catches and continued to solidify himself as one of the West Coast's top receivers.
No promises but it will be almost impossible not to move him up in the rankings during the next reshuffle. Remember, Marks won the receiver MVP award at the Los Angeles NIKE Camp going into his junior year and was arguably the best receiver at the same event a few months ago.
2. Magnuson is really that good
According to camp position coach Courtney Morgan, Erik Magnuson was the best offensive lineman in attendance and it's really no surprise since the four-star tackle from Carlsbad (Calif.) La Costa Canyon has proven multiple times that he's one of the best in the country.
Magnuson has great footwork, plays with a lot of intensity and passion, and simply doesn't let defensive ends around him. He was really good at the B2G Camp, the Stanford NIKE Camp and the Asante Trenchmen Academy this spring and summer.
In an absolutely loaded group of offensive linemen in the West this recruiting cycle, Magnuson continues to prove he's one of the best.
3. Morin is getting much better
Matt Morin came on the national stage last spring at the Los Angeles NIKE Camp when he was noticed because he showed off an insanely strong left arm but he was inconsistent at times, too. That was the one negative about his game - that he always fires the ball and sometimes is wild.
That is changing. The Temecula (Calif.) Chaparral three-star recruit showed really nice touch on passes during his two days at the B2G Camp and has really started to polish his game.
Not a lot of quarterbacks are harder workers than Morin, who shows up at lots of events all across the West, so the practice has started to pay off. There is no questioning Morin's arm strength and now that he's starting to control his passes things are only looking up.
4. Shelton is underrated
The best defensive back at the B2G Camp was four-star Miami (Fla.) Columbus recruit Deon Bush but not far behind him was Devian Shelton. That's saying something because Bush is ranked fourth at safety and No. 65 overall by Rivals.com.
Shelton, a 6-foot, 175-pound cornerback from Inglewood, Calif., is really physical on the line and doesn't make it easy for the wide receiver to start his route. He's super athletic and can turn his hips and run as well.
San Diego State, Washington State, Idaho and New Mexico have offered Shelton, rated No. 64 at cornerback by Rivals.com, but he definitely deserves more offers and could pick some up after such an outstanding performance.
5. Banner has tons of upside
Zach Banner has the size - 6-foot-9 and 310 pounds - to be an elite offensive tackle but he's still working through some technical issues so his ranking probably won't move much yet going forward.
But if the Lakewood (Wash.) Lakes prospect continues to work on his fundamentals and his technique, then Banner could really be a top player at the next level. The four-star recruit needs to focus on improving his footwork, especially side-to-side, but he has the power and the potential to really be special.
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