2009 Camps/Combines

[wadc45]

Rivals.com Football Recruiting - NUC heads to Miami (free)

As a sophomore in 2008, all world defensive player Gideon Ajagbe from Coconut Grove (FL) Ransom Everglades left his mark on the testing portion. His 35-inch vertical jump and 10-foot broad paved the way for an outstanding performance. The 6-foot-2 outlside linebacker already has offers from almost every big time program in the SEC.

Rivals $

2/20

Five Star Academy Report: Wide Receivers...includes info on Terrence Casper.

Legaux, Williams top all-combine team - Insider - ESPN (free...from the Mobile, AL NIKE Combine)

Nick Montana shines in DeBartolo Football Festival - ESPN (free)

[wadc45]

Scout.com: 2009 Combines Kick Off in Steel City

By Bob Lichtenfels
Regional Recruiting Manager
Posted Mar 10, 2009

Scout.com will host its 2009 debut event this Sunday in Pittsburgh, Pa. This event has consistently been one of our top locations each spring and this combine should be as good as any of the previous events we have hosted in the Steel City.

Continued...

Ohio State Buckeyes College Football Recruiting, OSU Big Ten Football, OSU Basketball - Bucknuts.com

After covering the NIKE Combine in Pittsburgh last Saturday, Bucknuts.com will be on hand covering the NIKE Combine in Cincinnati this Saturday.

Cincinnati St. Xavier offensive lineman Matt James won't be able to attend the combine, but Buckeye offensive line commitment Andrew Norwell may be in attendance. The Cincinnati Anderson star is hoping to make it to the event this weekend.

Trenton (Ohio) Edgewood offensive lineman Taylor Miller plans to take part in the NIKE Combine on Saturday. The 6-foot-5 and 300-pound Miller has scholarship offers from Akron, Ohio University and Western Michigan.

Miller is interested in those three schools as well as Ohio State, Wisconsin, Michigan, Maryland and Louisville.

[OregonBuckeye]

jwinslow, you plan on making it to any camps or combines?

[jwinslow]

not sure yet, I'd like to get out to pittsburgh, but I've got to figure out the business end of things.

[Redhawk]

Skill-position talent shines in Steel City - Insider - ESPN

More than 700 athletes took to the turf Saturday at the UPMC Sports Performance Complex in Pittsburgh. Football players -- primarily from Pennsylvania and neighboring Ohio -- traveled to "Steel Town" to display their talents. A number of defensive backs, corners and wide receivers put up the numbers on the physical tests that coaches like to see. This is another step high school athletes must take to prove they have the speed, change-of-direction and leaping ability, and power to go along with their position-specific football skills to play at the next level.

Cullen Christian, CB, Junior, Pittsburgh/Penn Hills
After watching this athletic defensive back run, change direction and jump, it's easy to see why he has more than 10 offers as a junior. Christian is being courted by schools such as Michigan, Pitt, West Virginia, Maryland and Illinois. His shuttle and 40-yard-dash times were very solid Saturday in Pittsburgh, but the real eye-opener was his vertical jump. Christian leaped just under 40 inches, with a 39.4. Look for him to be one of the top corners in the state going into his senior campaign. Last season he had 35 tackles, two interceptions, a forced fumble and a number of passes broken up. Look for those numbers to get even better.

Doran Grant, CB, Sophomore, Akron, Ohio/St. Vincent-St. Mary
Although he wasn't the biggest defensive back at the combine in Pittsburgh, he was one of the most impressive, with an overall SPARQ score of 109.17 and a vertical leap of 40 inches. This two-sport athlete at St. Vincent is hearing from colleges coast to coast, including UCLA, Arkansas, Notre Dame, Ohio State and Virginia. Grant was a productive cornerback this fall, with three interceptions, two of which he brought back for touchdowns, along with a fumble recovery that was also scooped up and returned for six points. Grant's solid shuttle time of 4.07 seconds is proof of his quickness, which helped him block five kicks on special teams last season.

Kenny Wilkins, DE/OLB, Junior, Washington, Pa./Trinity
Wilkins was one of the most striking big men at the Pittsburgh combine. This 6-3, 220-pound defender ran a solid 4.7 40. He had a very good day and was physically one of the most impressive-looking athletes at the UPMC Sports Performance Complex. Wilkins already has picked up offers from Maryland, Minnesota, Illinois, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Boston College and North Carolina State. He will be making the rounds this spring on several other campuses for spring games. The sleeper school may be Ohio State, where his former high school teammates Andrew Sweat and Andrew Miller play. Wilkins is a very good defensive player who definitely passes the "eyeball" test.

Brandon Ifill, WR/CB, Junior, Pittsburgh/Penn Hills Ifill is a tall, impressive athlete who has already picked up more than half a dozen college offers. He racked up 42 receptions for more than 400 yards and had 30 tackles on defense as a corner. He was impressive with his change of direction and overall athletic ability Saturday. Look for him to stand out at the training camps and camps this spring and summer.

Dashaun Lewis, RB, Freshman, Cambridge, Ohio
This sophomore-to-be played some varsity running back as a freshman for Cambridge High School in eastern Ohio. He has very good speed and recorded a 4.56 40 on Saturday. What's even more special is the fact that he already weighs 200 pounds and is 6-2. Lewis is a physically mature athlete who has a bright future. He is a three-sport athlete for Cambridge -- he runs track and also is a center in basketball. His power ball throw of 34 feet proves that he has very good strength for his age. His overall SPARQ score of 92.97 is exceptional for a freshman.

[wadc45]

Hicks, Ware in a class of their own - Insider - ESPN

Brian Stumpf: Workout warriors from Cincinnati Nike combine - ESPN

2011 prospects impress in Chicago - Insider - ESPN

Brian Stumpf: Workout warriors from Chicago Nike combine - ESPN

[Redhawk]

Scout.com: Scout.com Combine: Pittsburgh Offensive Recap
(free)

PITTSBURGH, PA ?The Scout.com combines kicked off in the Northeast at the UPMC Indoor Sports Complex on Sunday. The combine featured a number of star players who were expected to shine and a number of prospects who put their names on the map

Robert Partridge (Massillon/Ohio/Washington) was a relatively unknown commodity heading into this event and he left as a prospect on the radar. Partridge threw a great ball and got better as the day progressed. He will definitely be a player to watch this season.

Brionte Dunn (Alliance/Ohio) is a class of 2012 prospect who we mentioned in the combine preview that we mentioned and he didn?t let us down. He is raw and really just learning the game, but you can see he will be a star someday.

(Massillon/Ohio/Washington) guard Jeffrey Myers was probably the most impressive linemen that we saw in one-on-ones. He battled everyone and only lost to (Jamel) Turner and Penn Hills standout Aaron Donald. Myers like Ricketts didn?t have a ton of offers heading into the event. The only known offer he had was Toledo and that should change very soon. Myers checked in a 6-foot-3 and 293-pounds. He had a (1.86) 10-yard split and a (5.27) in the forty-yard dash.

(Avon Lake/Ohio) guard Christian Pace is known as a devastating run blocker and he struggled early on in pass protection, but he came around towards the end of the one-on-ones as he became more comfortable with it. He measured in at 6-foot-2 and 256-pounds. He had a (1.91) 10-yard split and a (5.28) in the forty-yard dash. He showed his explosiveness with a (9?-3?) broad jump.

[Redhawk]

Scout.com: Scout.com Combine: Pittsburgh Defensive Recap
(free)

Ohio State commit Jamel Turner can play defensive end or linebacker, so the (Youngstown/Ohio/Ursuline) five-star prospect did a little of both. Turner checked in at 6-foot-2 and 205-pounds. He had a (1.67) 10-yard split in the forty-yard dash and a (4.61) time overall. He ran a (7.52) L-Cone, a (9-8) broad jump and he topped it off with a 32-inch vertical. He also had a 76.5-inch wingspan. Turner did his positional drills with the linebackers and was hands down the most impressive player of a fairly impressive group. He showed exceptional lateral quickness and the ability to drop and cover. During the one-on-ones, Turner decided to come down and play with the big boys. First it was Jeffrey Myers, the Luke Graham and then Tom Ricketts and he sent each one away with their head down as he blew past them for sacks. The only time Turner was really stopped is if he was tackled. Buckeye fans can expect to see lots of Big Ten quarterbacks running for their lives when Turner hits the field.

The talent pool in the secondary was very deep at this event. (Lexington/Ohio) cornerback Courtney Avery didn?t hurt his stock at all and even earned some MVP votes in the process. He measured in at 5-foot-9, 176-pounds. He ran in the (4.6) range in the forty-yard dash, (4.36) in the shuttle and (6.99) in the L-Cone. He had an incredible (10-7) broad jump and a 32-inch vertical. He was in lockdown mode all day and very rarely gave up a reception.

Penn Hills corner Cullen Christian was having a great day until he and Andrew Carswell collided. Carswell?s spikes stuck in Christian?s leg opening up a nice hole that would later require stitches. Just like a Pittsburgh kid, Christian never missed a rep. He checked in at 6-foot-0 and 176-pounds. He had a (7.18) L-Cone, (10-6) broad jump and a 35-inch vertical.

Brandon Ifill from Penn Hills had his usual impressive performance. He checked in at 5-foot-11 and 176-pounds. He ran a (4.44) forty yard dash and a (7.40) L-Cone. He had a (9-5) broad jump and a 32.5-inch vertical. Ifill was very impressive in coverage. He covers as well as any cornerback.

Class of 2011 prospect Doran Grant (Akron/Ohio/St. Vincent/St. Marys) may have had the best day of testing out of anyone. Grant checked in at 5-foot-10 and 169-pounds. He ran an incredible (1.56) 10-yard split on his forty. He ran a (4.43) overall. He ran a (4.20) shuttle and a (6.81) L-Cone. He had a (9-1) broad jump and a 35-inch vertical. He was in the top five in almost every event.

[brodybuck21]

Love the report on Turner.

[OregonBuckeye]

Buckeye fans can expect to see lots of Big Ten quarterbacks running for their lives when Turner hits the field.

[wadc45]

Scout.com: 7v7 Set to Invade Columbus (free)

[TheRecGuru]

Cincinnati Combine Top Results
Brian Stumpf: Best results from Nike combine in Cincinnati - ESPN

[Redhawk]

Luc impresses at Miami NFTC - Insider - ESPN

South Florida offers one of the richest talent pools in the nation for football prospects, so it was no shock that the Miami Nike Football Training Camp was loaded with talent. There were several big names in attendance, but maybe the biggest surprise was the presence of some potential sleepers from the area. Here is a look at some of the highlights from Sunday as the training camp tour got kicked off.

Top Performer

Jeff Luc (Port St. Lucie, Fla./ Treasure Coast), ILB
The linebacker prospect passed several tests starting with the eye ball test. He was a very impressive looking player who had layers of muscle stacked on his frame. In a group of some good looking prospects, Luc stood out. He also passed the performance test as he took home the linebacker MVP award. He continually showed throughout the camp that he is not all looks. In one drill, against the running backs, he was basically unblockable. He showed excellent quickness with the ability to either attack blockers with his club and swim moves or he simply ran through them. He also ran well in coverage drills and proved he belongs amongst the elite prospects in this class.

Stock Down

Delvin Jones (Miami, Fla. / Palmetto), DE/TE
On film, Jones impressed with his size and ability to rush the passer. We entered the Miami camp with Jones as one of the players we were really looking forward to seeing, but he took us a little by surprise. The South Florida native looked good physically, but puzzled us a little by deciding to workout out with the tight ends. Jones looked out of place most of the day and we would have liked to have seen him at defensive end, which is his more natural position. He seemed a bit rigid in his movements and not very smooth in his routes. He also did not come across as a natural pass-catcher, fighting the ball at times. Jones holds some impressive offers, but we would be surprised if he plays on offense in college. The camp sported a couple of tight ends that we would rather have seen on defense, but Jones topped that list.

Wide Receivers/Tight Ends
This was unquestionably the strongest group of the camp and it is tough to say one guy was tops. Ivan McCartney (Miramar, Fla.) did very well in the one-on-one drills and grabbed the MVP honors for the group.

[Redhawk]

JC Shurburtt: South Florida prospects showed why their region is considered one of the nation's best hotbeds for collegiate talent at the Miami Nike Football Training Camp - ESPN

CORAL GABLES, Fla. -- The Miami Nike Football Training Camp always is a highly competitive event, with most of the richly talented area's top prospects making their way to the University of Miami for SPARQ training, position drill work and competition in one-on-ones. Sunday did not disappoint; several players at each position had eye-catching performances.

Linebacker Jeff Luc (Port Saint Lucie, Fla./Treasure Coast) was considered by many of the observers, including ESPN scout Craig Haubert, to be the top prospect at the event. During drills and one-on-ones, Luc displayed excellent change of direction skills and showed he can be more than just a tackle-to-tackle linebacker, which is good considering most of the top programs in the country covet him.

Receiver Ivan McCartney (Miramar, Fla.) was the most valuable player (according to the NFTC coaching staff) among a loaded field of receivers (and tight ends for that matter) at the event. McCartney is the complete package; he has excellent size, good speed and is an advanced route-runner. McCartney has scholarship offers from all over the country.
McCartney also displayed humility after the camp.

"It felt like I did real good out there, but I can always do better," McCartney said. "I need to focus more on catching the football."

Class of 2011 athlete Teddy Bridgewater (Miami/Northwestern) competed at the event with his teammates and showed why he will contend for top prospect in South Florida honors during the next recruiting cycle. He threw the ball well when he played quarterback, then switched to receiver and looked very skilled during one-on-one drills. Talking to some of Bridgewater's coaches at the event, the most common quote is "he can do anything," and if Sunday's showing is any indication, he can.

Delvin Jones (Miami, Fla./Palmetto) worked out at receiver on Sunday and showed off his outstanding athleticism. Jones' best position long-term is defensive end. If he wants to play offense, it's most likely tight end. He did have his moments at receiver, though.

[wadc45]

Midwest Recruiting Blog - ESPN

Star-studded field to attend PSU Nike camp
Thursday, April 30, 2009

Posted by Bill Kurelic

On Saturday in Happy Valley a Nike Football Training Camp session will be held on the campus of Penn State University. A very impressive group of prospects will take part in the camp including not only many super juniors, but some outstanding sophomores as well.

Three Under Armour All-American's will be on hand, running back Corey Brown (Springfield, Pa./Cardinal O'Hara), defensive end/linebacker Dakota Royer (Manheim, Pa./Central) and offensive lineman Miles Dieffenbach (Pittsburgh, Pa./Fox Chapel).

Other Keystone State standouts scheduled to be in State College on Saturday include wide receiver Alex Kenney (State College, Pa./State College), wide receiver Brandon Ifill (Pittsburgh, Pa./Penn Hills), defensive back Cullen Christian (Pittsburgh, Pa./Penn Hills), offensive lineman Tom Ricketts (Wexford, Pa./North Allegheny) and wide receiver Andrew Carswell and quarterback P.J. Jones (McKees Rocks, Pa./Sto-Rox).

In the case of Jones, the star signal-caller has already committed to Penn State. The others all have scholarship offers on the table from BCS schools.

There will also be some great prospects on hand from outside the state of Pennsylvania including linebacker Khairi Fortt (Stamford, Conn./Stamford), wide receiver Adrian Coxson (Baltimore, Md./City College), running back Silas Redd (Stamford, Conn./King), tight end Kevin Haplea (Annandale, N.J./North Hunterdon), offensive lineman Arie Kouandjio (Hyattsville, Md./DeMatha) and linebacker/running back Zach Zwinak and offensive lineman Robby Havenstein (Frederick, Md./Linganore).

Scheduled to take part in the camp from the nearby state of Ohio are linebacker and West Virginia commitment Davion Rogers (Warren, Ohio/Harding), wide receiver Deron Brown (Akron, Ohio/North), running back Le'Veon Bell (Groveport, Ohio/Madison), linebacker Jewone Snow (Canton, Ohio/McKinley) and offensive lineman Eric Franklin, quarterback Alex Zordich and defensive back Ray Vinopal (Youngstown, Ohio/Cardinal Mooney).

A number of outstanding sophomores will also take part in the camp on Saturday including tight end Ben Koyack (Oil City, Pa./Oil City), defensive end Steve Miller (Canton, Ohio/McKinley), wide receiver A.J. Jordan (Trotwood, Ohio/Madison) and defensive back Doran Grant (Akron, Ohio/St. Vincent-St. Mary). It all adds up to a big day Saturday in Happy Valley.