Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Top 3 High School Players by Position

Leading up to, and continuing through National Signing Day I will start a series of rankings by position group of high school phenoms headed to the collegiate level. There will be three players per position, and they will be ranked based on 3 things:
1. Skills that translate to the next level- some guys are phenomenal high school athletes and players, but because of a shortcoming such as size, speed, etc. do not project as well at the next level.
2. Film- as the old saying goes, "film doesn't lie." I will provide a YouTube link for to each player's highlight film and also a little analysis of the film.
3. Offer sheet- it's pretty self-explanatory, but if a player has offers from all of the top programs in the country (LSU, Bama, Ohio State, USC, etc.) then they are obviously highly regarded by college coaches across the country, who have much more knowledge than I.

We'll start the series off at the glamorous position: quarterback. Here's my list of the top three high school quarterbacks in the country:
3. Matt Davis- Klein Forest High School, Houston, Texas- Listed at about 6'1.5 and over 200 pounds, Davis possesses good size for a player with his athleticism. Listed by most gurus as a dual-threat quarterback, Davis has the ability to hurt the opposition with both his arm and his legs. His short highlight film, which is provided by 24/7 Sports, mainly showcases his ability as a runner (claims a sub 4.5 40 yard dash) in the spread option attack. One cause for concern is his ability to make accurate throws on a consistent basis. However, I was impressed with his pocket presence and accuracy on a few of his throws, especially for a guy who is known as a runner. Finally, while Davis is a Texas A&M commit, he has offers from some top programs including Alabama, Auburn, LSU, Clemson, Oklahoma State, Clemson, and Nebraska.

Film: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0AEAjnwJfY

2. Jameis Winston- Hueytown High School, Hueytown, Alabama- At 6'4 and close to 200 pound, Jameis Winston is not your stereotypical dual-threat quarterback. Winston has rare athleticism and an incredible stride that is comparable to the great dual-threats of the past decade such as Terrelle Pryor and Vince Young. While it may be a stretch to list Winston in the same breathe as those players, it only takes a few minutes of his highlight reel to recognize his outstanding field presence and poise in the pocket as well as his quickness outside of it. He is difficult to sack in the pocket or tackle in the open field and shows great arm strength. Additionally, Winston is a great decision-maker throwing the football (he only had 3 interceptions his junior season). Like many high school players, his accuracy is hot-and-cold, but when he is on he is as deadly as any player in the country. While Winston flirted with the thought of attending hometown Alabama, he is currently committed to play for Florida State. Aside from those two, he holds offers from Ohio State, Clemson, Florida, Auburn, LSU, and Miami (FL).

Film, provided by igitnya4570 :http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ljB0FmF4aA

1. Gunner Kiel- Columbus East High School, Columbus, Indiana- Gunner Kiel is your standard for pro-style quarterbacks- at 6'4 and over 200 pounds, Gunner possesses the size that all college coaches look for at the quarterback position. Additionally, Kiel displays arm strength as well as accuracy as he hits his receivers in stride throughout his highlight film. Known as a guy that can make all the throws, Kiel is also athletic enough to make defenses pay if they drop everyone in coverage. While his competition is not the best in Indiana, Kiel has shown the ability to compete with the big boys at camps all over the country. Currently enrolled at Notre Dame, Kiel jumped around quite a bit in his recruitment. Nonetheless, he held offers from about anyone you can name including Oklahoma, USC, LSU, Michigan, Georgia, Florida and Alabama.

His film is courtesy of Allen Trieu of Scout: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQyQbeSeCS0

Next up: running backs.

No comments:

Post a Comment