by Recruiting Guru » Mon Sep 23, 2002 6:30 pm
Thanks, 50s Pony. That's quite a list. There are some extremely talented players on that list who would be great additions for SMU. Here's a thumbnail sketch of some of the guys - I'll go into more depth when I have more time.
Meeks, who already has committed to SMU, is a sensational prospect. He's a big strong kid who can run. He has a very strong arm with good mechanics and accuracy, and can throw off the run. He's also very good at selling the hand-off to a running back, drawing the defense up, and then dropping back for play-action passes.
Chris Phillips is a Ramon Flanigan-type of athlete. He's a little thin, and his arm isn't always as accurate as you'd like it to be, but he's a very instinctive player who can beat a team with his intelligence and his running ability, as well as his arm. He has a moderately strong arm, but when he tucks the ball, he has a singular ability to escape trouble by running around, changing direction and using fakes to make defenders miss. Phillips is athletic enough that some schools are recruiting him as an athlete, who could play a number of positions.
Bill Foran is a tremendous athlete who's put up huge numbers this year, but some schools aren't recruiting him as a QB. Illinois already has offered him a scholarship - to play wide receiver. Foran is a very well-rounded athlete who has player receiver in the past, and led the HP team in special teams tackles last year. He's faster than he looks, has a decent-if-not-great arm, and has very good hands. He also added size and strength in the offseason and can run through some tackles.
Arnel Rolfe is another slender running QB who is being considered as a WR and/or DB by some schools.
Bryan Clampitt is a big (6-4, 205), strong QB with a big-time arm. He's not a very elusive runner, and takes some sacks because of a lack of escapability. But when he gets in the open field, he can cover some ground. He's a classic drop-back passer. If the Mustangs want their QB to run, this might not be their top choice. But if they go to a more traditional pro-style passing offense, he could thrive.
Massey, as I've written before, is a major blue-chip commitment. He has size, strength, power and speed. He can run over people and run away from people.
Aaron Shanor is being recruited more as a linebacker than as a running back. I see him as a marginal prospect unless he grows some more. He has decent size, but not great. He has decent speed, but not great. What he lacks in physical attributes, he makes up for in instincts and solid technique.
John Wall is breaking the stereotype that private schools don't generate running backs. He's strong and fast, at least against high school competition. He's been offered by Purdue and is being recruited by many. A long-time Notre Dame fan, if he gets an offer from the Irish, he's headed to South Bend.
Last I heard, Taurence Rawls and Vince Chukwukelu no longer were considering SMU.
Eric Walz is an extremely productive receiver. He doesn't have breakaway speed, but he runs extremely precise routes and has terrific hands. He reminds some observers of Mick Rossley or Jason Wolf.
Kyle Thornton, last time I checked, was not considering SMU, which is a bit odd, considering it appears unlikely that Texas will offer him a scholarship to join his brother Kalen, who's a starting defensive end. Kyle likely will be offered to walk on at UT.
Brandon Tittle is perhaps the biggest player in the state at 6-8, 350+. But he's too heavy at the moment, which greatly reduces his quickness and footwork. He's effective in high school simply because he uses his size and strength to overpower people, which won't work as effectively in college where he'll be facing quicker, stronger defensive linemen.
Bryan Turner reminds me of former A&M lineman Calvin Collins. He's strong, compact and plays very low to the ground, making him hard to move. He has very good technique, strength and footwork. He'll never look like the behemoths who lead the way for the offense in Austin, but he's a very strong, talented and serviceable lineman.
Patrick Wu is a very good blocker who SMU has a decent chance of signing. He's shorter (6-2) than some coaches would like, and although has 300-plus pounds on his frame, he doesn't have exceptionally long arms. What he does have is an extremely high understanding of blocking technique and a killer attitude. When he gets his hands locked on a defender, that defender is done for that play - he'll either be pancaked into the ground or driven back until he falls into the bench somewhere. Wu's short arms mimick his short legs, meaning his center of gravity is very low, so he has a very good base for blocking and he's very hard to knock off his feet. Most of his size appears to be in his backside and his thighs - perfect for an offensive lineman.
Ted Tanner is a big kid who excels by throwing his weight around - at 6-5, 295, he rarely sees a defensive lineman who matches or exceeds his size. He's a very strong Baylor lean, so if he gets the offer from Waco, that's where he'll go. He's not a bad player, but I don't think he'll ever be great. SMU's focus should lie elsewhere. If some other linemen fall through and Tanner wants to come to SMU, he's a nice (big) fallback. But there are better blockers within the Mustangs' reach. His Waco Reicher teammate, Jody Beard, isn't being recruited as heavily as Tanner. Tanner's the better prospect of the two.
Because of his name, Tobi Kaiyewu of Sugar Land Dulles HS is often compared to Seimisi Heimuli, formerly of Texas A&M. It's not fair to make that comparison simply because of his name/background, but the comparison actually isn't that far off. Both players are rather squatty compact players with exceptional strength. And more than that, they both have a mean streak and will battle to the end of every play.
Eddie Montoya has a mature body (6-4, 300) for a high school center, and has drawn moderate interest from the big programs. He likes Oklahoma and Purdue, among teams that have shown some interest, but has not yet gotten scholarship offers. Oklahoma State likes him a lot, but also has not offered him yet. He's a center who could step in and play as a true freshman, as Seth McKinney did five years ago at Texas A&M.
Chad Smith of Allen is a great looking lineman. He's a legit 6-6, and has weighed in between 290 and 300 all year. When he gets up a head of steam, he's nearly impossible to stop, and with his frame, he's been known to take out two defenders with a single block. He can add more weight and strength, and he has the footwork and agility to play tackle, perhaps even the all-important left tackle spot. He'll be a hard sell, but he's perhaps the most talented offensive line prospect on this list.
Matt Owens is huge - 6-4, 305. He's said he wants to make a decision early, and the latest reports we've gotten say that he has SMU solidly in his final three choices. He's still waiting, however, to see if he gets offers from some of the bigger schools like Texas and Oklahoma.
Desmond Jones will make PonyFans proud, I promise. The guy never seems to run out of energy. He goes and goes and goes, and for a 260-pounder, he's surprisingly quick.
Speaking of defensive ends, Khalid Al-Jamal, Taite Pruitt, Donnie Sommers and John Granger are similar players, in that they're all smaller than some coaches would like in defensive ends. They're all in the 6-3, 6-4 range and range from 220-240 pounds. Sommers has the best motor of the bunch, although that sometimes makes him over-pursue a play. Pruitt is the fastest of that foursome, and is being recruited by many schools as a linebacker. At 6-3, 225, and with his speed, he projects as a prototypical outside linebacker (his primary position in high school) with ability to stuff the run, drop into coverage and especially in rushing the passer. He could be a great blitzer coming from the outside linebacker s