New James Madison University Head Football Coach Mike Houston and his staff as well as second-year Florida Head Football Coach Jim McElwain and his staff have been making the rounds this week for satellite camps around the state of Virginia.
On Wednesday night, they stopped in at Huguenot in the Richmond area, then headed to Virginia Beach's Bishop Sullivan Catholic on Thursday with a trip to Northern Virginia and Centreville on Friday.
VirginiaPreps.com stopped in Thursday to see some of the talent around the '757' area code and beyond. It's impossible to see all of the roughly 150-200 kids in attendance at various positions on multiple fields, but here are my general thoughts / takeaways from what we were able to see...
*** Getting Defensive: In the one-on-one competitions, a couple defenders jumped out immediately in Bethel 2017 FS/OLB Jeremiah Owusu and 2017 CB/WR Chris Hunt out of Virginia Beach. Both are rated three-star prospects by Rivals.com and certainly on JMU's radar as well as others. The Florida staff even took a close look at Owusu.
Owusu, a two-sport athlete that also starred on the basketball court this past winter for Bethel, is in that double-digit offer territory with ACC schools like NC State, Virginia and Wake Forest among his suitors. He was at somewhat a disadvantage playing corner in one-on-one drills, which showed early on, but then he physically manhandled a couple of wide receivers as things progressed. His aggression and physicality along with being an athletic freak make him very intriguing. We caught up with him recently for an interview and we'll have an in-depth story here on the site soon.
In Hunt, there may have been some questions about just how good he really is because he's been dinged up for parts of the past two seasons. He looked at full strength and made plays on the ball at corner, plus used his length at 6-foot-1, 165 pounds to make it difficult for receivers to bring in passes deep down the field. There was at least one interception and a pass breakup by Hunt from what we saw. A month ago, he grabbed his second offer from East Carolina to join Charlotte. It looks like he'll have a new address this year as he plans to be at Bishop Sullivan after spending the previous three years at Bayside.
*** Next Walker in Line: Speaking of Owusu's one of his Bethel teammates was also shining during the JMU Camp. Romondo Walker, a Class of 2018 DB, has a good football pedigree as his two older brothers starred for the Bruins before going on to play in the ACC. Rijo Walker was a defensive back at UVA, while Ricky Walker is a defensive lineman for Virginia Tech.
At this time a year ago, there was a lot of buzz about Mondo, but he had yet to really make his own mark. That changed as a sophomore in compiling 45 tackles, 13 pass breakups and four forced fumbles on a defense that was regarded among the stingiest in Tidewater.
Checking in at about 5-foot-11, 175 pounds, Walker proved to be very technically sound and was one of the better defensive backs during the one-on-one drills. Seldom did he he get beat on an initial move, but when he did, he showed great recovery speed and didn't give up on a play.
If what we saw in 2015 and on Thursday night is any indication, it might be only a matter of time before that first offer - or offers - come Walker's way.
*** Sleepers in the Trenches: Linemen seldom every get the glory or the fanfare. That's on gameday and even at camp settings they aren't always the most watched, whether that's by casual observers or scouts.
While both the quantity and quality linemen wasn't exactly exceptional, there were a couple of linemen that stood out.
One of them was Justin Redd, a 6-foot-5, 270-pound offensive lineman from Hampton. He was a First Team All-Conference performer a season ago for the Crabbers at right tackle. Kentucky Christian and UVA-Wise, a pair of D-2 schools, have offered him thus far.
College coaches are well aware of the talent at Hampton High, a program with more state titles than anyone else in Virginia. They have one of the nation's premier defensive linemen in Elijah Conliffe and a dynamic three-phase weapon in Dazz Newsome. Those are two highly recruited athletes, plus interior o-lineman Jalen Powell has four offers to date with Delaware State and Norfolk State among them.
Look for FCS programs to keep a close eye on Redd, who is very effective using his hands and size in the run game
A name that caught our attention last year in the off-season over at Ocean Lakes, but didn't get a ton of playing time due to the talent upperclassmen talent positioned in front of him was Dante Burke. Now donning Bishop Sullivan colors, the 6-foot-4, 220-pound Burke looked even bigger than currently listed and more physically impressive than many of the other defensive ends there. Throw in the fact that he's a Class of 2018 prospect, he could be a breakout junior season away from putting his name on the radar of several schools.
Burke is still raw in some of his technique and movements, but it looks like his future will be on that side of the ball more than at wide receiver - another position he has dabbled with - and he was hard to miss as he went from running the 40-yard dash to jogging over to do to the shuttle.
*** On the Topic of 40's: I'm of the opinion that forty-yard dash times get exaggerated and over-analyzed at many camps. You hear of 40 times and don't know if it's electronically timed or by hand, what surface it's on, where those times are... simply put, it can be much to do about nothing when push comes to shove. Plus, there are some who play a lot faster and better than they are timed.
Anyways, all that is written to tell you that two times caught my attention. Markquese Bell, a Rivals250 talent out of New Jersey, clocked in a 4.5-40 and did so rather effortlessly it seemed. There may have been others that ran equal or better times, but if there was a race, he'd be one of the first guys you'd pick to win of the participants there. The Gators are among the schools in play for him along with Michigan, Rutgers and a boatload of others.
Surprisingly to a degree was the 4.6-40 turned in by Tyler DeSue, 2018 quarterback who is moving from Ocean Lakes to Bishop Sullivan. DeSue has been a billed a name to know since he was an eighth grader and he looks more confident and sure of himself out there among some of the headline names. Part of that probably comes with experience and just getting older.
Nonetheless, DeSue adding mobility to his package while growing in stature and developing as a quarterback will likely open up his options when it comes to the next level. The 6-foot-1, 185-pound triggerman with offers from Miami, UVA and West Virginia is slated to attend a camp down at NC State this weekend.
*** Best Ball Skills Go To: Class of 2018 wide receiver Armani Chatman from Bayside. I've had a chance to watch him the past few weeks at the Kellam 7 on 7 in Virginia Beach as well and he routinely makes the impossible catch... well... look possible. It happens with him.
In the one-on-one drills, Chatman didn't back down from any challenge and displayed those impressive ball skills with Florida and JMU coaches watching. He not only gets vertical, the Virginia Beach product is improving his route running and able to come back towards the football to catch passes underneath. In open space, he's not an easy guy to corral either.
Rutgers recently joined NC State and Virginia Tech in offering Chatman.
*** Well-Represented: Norview and Smithfield were well-represented at the camp with some names that are likely to attract some attention between now and the start of the season. The Pilots are headlined by D.J. Mack, who we highlighted in an in-depth story on the site a week ago (see that here if you missed it). Mack worked out and was arguably the most gifted quarterback there. He had some teammates that are worth knowing.
Kevin Marks, a 2017 RB with an offer from Hampton University, had a productive junior campaign for the Pilot last year. He's showing no ill effects from a torn ACL and MCL that cost him his sophomore season, whereas this time a year ago you could see he still getting his full motion back. Both he and Isaiah King (6-1, 187), a 2017 WR/DB that could figure into someone's plans as a slot-back, fit the mold of what's required to play at the FCS level. 2017 lineman Anthony Craig (6-5, 285) is another the Dukes and others are probably going to monitor moving forward.
Like Dealton Cotton for Norview, Smithfield Head Coach Reggie Chavis was there watching his players get in work. That included RB/SS Will Robinson (5-10, 195), who ran for 353 yards in a game last season, QB/ATH/SS Willie Drew (6-0, 170) and DE/LB Jack Darden (6-2, 225). Robinson is durable, tough and one that wouldn't surprise me to see playing for an FCS program a year from now as an outside linebacker/strong safety type. Both he and Darden, who holds an offer from Hampton University, are from the Class of 2017. Drew is a Class of 2018 prospect that will have an opportunity to draw some looks the more he gets out to camps and with a strong junior campaign.
On Wednesday night, they stopped in at Huguenot in the Richmond area, then headed to Virginia Beach's Bishop Sullivan Catholic on Thursday with a trip to Northern Virginia and Centreville on Friday.
VirginiaPreps.com stopped in Thursday to see some of the talent around the '757' area code and beyond. It's impossible to see all of the roughly 150-200 kids in attendance at various positions on multiple fields, but here are my general thoughts / takeaways from what we were able to see...
*** Getting Defensive: In the one-on-one competitions, a couple defenders jumped out immediately in Bethel 2017 FS/OLB Jeremiah Owusu and 2017 CB/WR Chris Hunt out of Virginia Beach. Both are rated three-star prospects by Rivals.com and certainly on JMU's radar as well as others. The Florida staff even took a close look at Owusu.
Owusu, a two-sport athlete that also starred on the basketball court this past winter for Bethel, is in that double-digit offer territory with ACC schools like NC State, Virginia and Wake Forest among his suitors. He was at somewhat a disadvantage playing corner in one-on-one drills, which showed early on, but then he physically manhandled a couple of wide receivers as things progressed. His aggression and physicality along with being an athletic freak make him very intriguing. We caught up with him recently for an interview and we'll have an in-depth story here on the site soon.
In Hunt, there may have been some questions about just how good he really is because he's been dinged up for parts of the past two seasons. He looked at full strength and made plays on the ball at corner, plus used his length at 6-foot-1, 165 pounds to make it difficult for receivers to bring in passes deep down the field. There was at least one interception and a pass breakup by Hunt from what we saw. A month ago, he grabbed his second offer from East Carolina to join Charlotte. It looks like he'll have a new address this year as he plans to be at Bishop Sullivan after spending the previous three years at Bayside.
*** Next Walker in Line: Speaking of Owusu's one of his Bethel teammates was also shining during the JMU Camp. Romondo Walker, a Class of 2018 DB, has a good football pedigree as his two older brothers starred for the Bruins before going on to play in the ACC. Rijo Walker was a defensive back at UVA, while Ricky Walker is a defensive lineman for Virginia Tech.
At this time a year ago, there was a lot of buzz about Mondo, but he had yet to really make his own mark. That changed as a sophomore in compiling 45 tackles, 13 pass breakups and four forced fumbles on a defense that was regarded among the stingiest in Tidewater.
Checking in at about 5-foot-11, 175 pounds, Walker proved to be very technically sound and was one of the better defensive backs during the one-on-one drills. Seldom did he he get beat on an initial move, but when he did, he showed great recovery speed and didn't give up on a play.
If what we saw in 2015 and on Thursday night is any indication, it might be only a matter of time before that first offer - or offers - come Walker's way.
*** Sleepers in the Trenches: Linemen seldom every get the glory or the fanfare. That's on gameday and even at camp settings they aren't always the most watched, whether that's by casual observers or scouts.
While both the quantity and quality linemen wasn't exactly exceptional, there were a couple of linemen that stood out.
One of them was Justin Redd, a 6-foot-5, 270-pound offensive lineman from Hampton. He was a First Team All-Conference performer a season ago for the Crabbers at right tackle. Kentucky Christian and UVA-Wise, a pair of D-2 schools, have offered him thus far.
College coaches are well aware of the talent at Hampton High, a program with more state titles than anyone else in Virginia. They have one of the nation's premier defensive linemen in Elijah Conliffe and a dynamic three-phase weapon in Dazz Newsome. Those are two highly recruited athletes, plus interior o-lineman Jalen Powell has four offers to date with Delaware State and Norfolk State among them.
Look for FCS programs to keep a close eye on Redd, who is very effective using his hands and size in the run game
A name that caught our attention last year in the off-season over at Ocean Lakes, but didn't get a ton of playing time due to the talent upperclassmen talent positioned in front of him was Dante Burke. Now donning Bishop Sullivan colors, the 6-foot-4, 220-pound Burke looked even bigger than currently listed and more physically impressive than many of the other defensive ends there. Throw in the fact that he's a Class of 2018 prospect, he could be a breakout junior season away from putting his name on the radar of several schools.
Burke is still raw in some of his technique and movements, but it looks like his future will be on that side of the ball more than at wide receiver - another position he has dabbled with - and he was hard to miss as he went from running the 40-yard dash to jogging over to do to the shuttle.
*** On the Topic of 40's: I'm of the opinion that forty-yard dash times get exaggerated and over-analyzed at many camps. You hear of 40 times and don't know if it's electronically timed or by hand, what surface it's on, where those times are... simply put, it can be much to do about nothing when push comes to shove. Plus, there are some who play a lot faster and better than they are timed.
Anyways, all that is written to tell you that two times caught my attention. Markquese Bell, a Rivals250 talent out of New Jersey, clocked in a 4.5-40 and did so rather effortlessly it seemed. There may have been others that ran equal or better times, but if there was a race, he'd be one of the first guys you'd pick to win of the participants there. The Gators are among the schools in play for him along with Michigan, Rutgers and a boatload of others.
Surprisingly to a degree was the 4.6-40 turned in by Tyler DeSue, 2018 quarterback who is moving from Ocean Lakes to Bishop Sullivan. DeSue has been a billed a name to know since he was an eighth grader and he looks more confident and sure of himself out there among some of the headline names. Part of that probably comes with experience and just getting older.
Nonetheless, DeSue adding mobility to his package while growing in stature and developing as a quarterback will likely open up his options when it comes to the next level. The 6-foot-1, 185-pound triggerman with offers from Miami, UVA and West Virginia is slated to attend a camp down at NC State this weekend.
*** Best Ball Skills Go To: Class of 2018 wide receiver Armani Chatman from Bayside. I've had a chance to watch him the past few weeks at the Kellam 7 on 7 in Virginia Beach as well and he routinely makes the impossible catch... well... look possible. It happens with him.
In the one-on-one drills, Chatman didn't back down from any challenge and displayed those impressive ball skills with Florida and JMU coaches watching. He not only gets vertical, the Virginia Beach product is improving his route running and able to come back towards the football to catch passes underneath. In open space, he's not an easy guy to corral either.
Rutgers recently joined NC State and Virginia Tech in offering Chatman.
*** Well-Represented: Norview and Smithfield were well-represented at the camp with some names that are likely to attract some attention between now and the start of the season. The Pilots are headlined by D.J. Mack, who we highlighted in an in-depth story on the site a week ago (see that here if you missed it). Mack worked out and was arguably the most gifted quarterback there. He had some teammates that are worth knowing.
Kevin Marks, a 2017 RB with an offer from Hampton University, had a productive junior campaign for the Pilot last year. He's showing no ill effects from a torn ACL and MCL that cost him his sophomore season, whereas this time a year ago you could see he still getting his full motion back. Both he and Isaiah King (6-1, 187), a 2017 WR/DB that could figure into someone's plans as a slot-back, fit the mold of what's required to play at the FCS level. 2017 lineman Anthony Craig (6-5, 285) is another the Dukes and others are probably going to monitor moving forward.
Like Dealton Cotton for Norview, Smithfield Head Coach Reggie Chavis was there watching his players get in work. That included RB/SS Will Robinson (5-10, 195), who ran for 353 yards in a game last season, QB/ATH/SS Willie Drew (6-0, 170) and DE/LB Jack Darden (6-2, 225). Robinson is durable, tough and one that wouldn't surprise me to see playing for an FCS program a year from now as an outside linebacker/strong safety type. Both he and Darden, who holds an offer from Hampton University, are from the Class of 2017. Drew is a Class of 2018 prospect that will have an opportunity to draw some looks the more he gets out to camps and with a strong junior campaign.
