Updated Friday, August 27, 2004 08:23 PM EDT
This week’s question: Who’s the most talented defensive player in the country and where do you think he’s headed?
Jeremy Crabtree, Rivals.com
"If you would have asked me this question a few weeks ago, I would have said Kenny Phillips from Carol City, but that’s before we got the film on Jerrell Powe from Waynesboro (Miss.) Wayne County. Powe is a monster of a defensive tackle that combines a great motor that doesn’t stop, great size and ability to step up and make big plays in the big games.
"People have been talking about him being the best player in Mississippi since he was a sophomore, and that’s something that’s hard to believe, but it’s probably true. Powe lists Auburn as his leader at this point, but LSU, Alabama and the two Mississippi schools are definitely involved."
Duane Long, Ohio analyst, TheInsiders.com
My top player in the country is Callahan Bright. He is a couple of inches in height from being the prototype defensive tackle prospect. He is so explosive and athletic. So much of recruiting is based on athleticism now. Recruit the great athlete and teach him to be a better player. Bright is a super athletic big man but he is already a great player.
Other than Bright, I like Jamario O’Neal from Cleveland Glenville. He is a safety-sized cornerback and the best defensive back out of Ohio since Charles Woodson. Two years ago, Donte Whitner from Glenville was the nation’s consensus top corner. Last year, Ted Ginn Jr. from Glenville was the nation’s top corner. This year is the third year in a row for Glenville to have the nation’s top corner prospect and this one is looking like the best of the bunch. He is in the 6-0 to 6-1 range and right about 190. He has all the tools to be an early-entry caliber player. I am not the only one saying this. Ted Ginn Sr., head coach at Glenville, says O’Neal is the best he has coached.
Bobby Burton, Rivals.com
"The best defensive player in the country is Jerrell Powe, period. He’s a defensive tackle out of Waynesboro, Miss. He’s 6-foot-3, 300-plus pounds and he’s cat-quick off the ball.
"He’s been the best player in that state since he was a sophomore. I don’t like to throw around superlatives, but I’ve been doing this 12 years and he’s up there with the best I’ve ever seen at the position. He obliterates people.
"An opposing high school coach told me that after watching Powe on film that they decided to abandon the run altogether when they played Waynesboro. He said there wasn’t any reason to even pretend they were going to run at him. Instead, they put together a game plan where they threw nothing but quick passes out in the flats and lined up in the shot gun the whole game.
"If he makes it academically, it’d be an upset if he went anywhere but Auburn because he had a couple of high school teammates sign with them last year. But everybody and their brother is trying to make a run at him."
Scott Kennedy, SEC recruiting analyst, TheInsiders.com
Looking in the south, I would choose one of two players. Tray Blackmon of LaGrange High School in Georgia, is maybe the best high school defensive player I’ve seen in three years. If he was 6-3, I’d say he was maybe the best defensive prospect I’ve seen in three years, but at 6-0 and 195 pounds, he’s just going to have to settle for being the No. 1 prospect in Georgia, first-team All-South, and a five-star linebacker. I think he’s OK with that!
Jerrell Powe of Wayne County High School in Mississippi is a terrific defensive tackle that commands triple teams late in the game if Wayne County is ahead and only rushing three. He can collapse a pocket, occupy a double team, or get penetration from the interior line position. He may have to go the junior college or prep school route, but colleges are going to be fighting to sign and place him."
Jamie Newberg, national recruiting analyst, TheInsiders.com and Fox Sports
Derrick Williams may be TheInsiders.com No. 1-rated prospect but I believe that defensive tackle Callahan Bright, from Bryn Mawr (Pa.) Harriton High School is the top prospect in the country. I have thought that since my first evaluation of him several months ago. First of all, he is an outstanding athlete with tremendous size (6-2, 315). Besides football, he plays lacrosse, throws the shot put on the track and field team, and he was once active in power lifting and aspires to get back involved in the sport.
He also wrestles in the unlimited division at several freestyle tournaments. Bright plays defensive end, defensive tackle and right guard. The first thing you notice when watching film is his sheer top end speed for a prospect his size. It is quite amazing. He has great feet and quickness and is very aggressive on the field. He is quick off the ball, uses his hands well and is a great pass rusher and run stopper. Bright gets off his blocks, uses leverage to his advantage and finds the ball. Offensively, he is a punishing run blocker and is super in the open field pulling. In my opinion, he’s the most physically gifted defensive tackle I have seen in a few years.
Early on, I thought Miami was the team to beat for him but I am not so sure anymore. LSU, Miami, Nebraska, Oklahoma, USC, Florida State, Ohio State and others are all fighting hard for him. This one will be interesting."
Marty Cohen, Gator Bait Magazine and GatorBait.net editor There are so many great defensive players in the nation, and one prospect who has been shooting up the charts recently is defensive tackle Jerrell Powe. But for the nation’s top guy, I’ll stick closer to home and go with safety Kenneth Phillips of Miami Carol City. To me, he’s still the No. 1 defensive player in America. He is the prototype big NFL-type safety, a Ronnie Lott waiting to happen. He comes from a stellar program that won the Class 6A state championship and despite being an underclassman, was not overshadowed by a talented team that featured arguably the nation’s No. 1 linebacker recruit in Willie Williams. With his frame, Phillips looks like he’s ready for big-time college football right now, and he’s still a year away. Phillips is the kind of recruit you can build a whole class around. There will be plenty who give it their best shot --certainly Florida, Florida State and North Carolina State among others will pursue Phillips hard. But great players from Carol City generally go one place and that’s not far from home -- to Miami. When all is said and done, I can’t see Phillips signing with anyone but the Hurricanes, just like Williams last February, and has the potential to become the next Sean Taylor in about four years.
