By Kyle Bennett
Tampa Bay Area prospects gathered in droves on Saturday evening to compete in the 2012 Brighthouse Sports Network Ignite Combine hosted by Big County Preps at Larry Sanders Park in Tampa, Fla. More than 250 players participated in five skills tests before splitting into their respective positions and competing in individual drills and 1-on-1’s.
Florida Gators’ targets were well represented, competing as some of the top players at the combine.
Big County Preps’ founder and owner Preston Jackson organized coaches to evaluate players and name a Most Valuable Player at each position.
Tampa Bay Area prospects gathered in droves on Saturday evening to compete in the 2012 Brighthouse Sports Network Ignite Combine hosted by Big County Preps at Larry Sanders Park in Tampa Fla. More than 250 players participated in five skills tests before splitting into their respective positions and competing in individual drills and 1-on-1’s.
Florida Gators’ targets were well represented, competing as some of the top players at the combine.
Big County Preps’ founder and owner Preston Jackson organized coaches to evaluate players and name a Most Valuable Player at each position.
Gators’ targets Jordan Sherit (Class of 2013 Hillsborough High defensive end) earned the defensive line MVP honors, while Artavis Scott (2014 East Lake High) was named wide receiver MVP and Maurice Hall (2014 Gibbs High) earned defensive back MVP honors.
Additional Gators targets in attendance were receivers Richard Benjamin (2013 Tampa Bay Tech) and Alvin Bailey (2013 Armwood) as well as defensive back Vernon Hargreaves (2013 Wharton) and defensive lineman Devyn Salmon (2013 Plant City).
Sherit was easily the most polished player at the Ignite Combine. Sherit has a great frame, is extremely fast and fits what being a student of the game is to a ‘T.’ The junior dominated 1-on-1 drills and impressed coaches with his athletic ability during individual skills tests.
At 6-foot-4, Sherit is long and uses his hands well to keep offensive linemen from getting into his body. While he uses his length to keep less agile tackles away, Sherit also used his speed to get around the outside or dive underneath even the top tackles in attendance.
Alvin Bailey continued to showcase why he is quickly becoming one of the hottest prospects in Tampa Bay. Having played mostly quarterback during the Armwood Hawks 6A State Championship run, it’s remarkable how efficient and fluid Bailey is at receiver. He is a crisp route runner and understands the position. He has strong hands and a nice vertical, which he utilizes to rip the ball out of the air at its highest point on most plays. Easily among the Top 3 receivers at the Ignite Combine, Bailey will continue to be one of the most heavily recruited receivers from the Class of 2013.
Vernon Hargreaves stuck out like a sore thumb, in the best of ways, when it came to the skills tests. He continued to be one of the fastest players in Tampa Bay as he clocked one of the top laser times in the 40-yard dash on a windy, cold evening. He also stood out during individuals and 1-on-1’s, but it was because he elected to spend almost all of his time on the offensive side of the ball. Being heavily recruited as a defensive back, Hargreaves has expressed interest in playing some receiver and took the Ignite Combine as a chance to showcase his abilities. He is an unbelievable athlete, but it’s clear Hargreaves’ ceiling is much higher on the defensive side of the ball. Many evaluators were kicking around the idea of Hargreaves playing receivers; but the consensus was clear that he can be a good receiver, but a great defensive back.
Richard Benjamin looked better on Saturday night than he has in a long time. He weighed in at more than 200 pounds, but Benjamin looked to be strong and in shape. He ran a strong 40-time and posted a solid 5-5-5 shuttle time as well. Benjamin, however, is the polar opposite of Hargreaves. A raw, but talented receiver, Benjamin spent more time playing defensive back than receiver. He has stated in the past that he wants to play defense at the next level, but after the combine he said he would love to play either position. He wanted to use the combine as an opportunity to showcase his abilities defensively.
Benjamin has a tendency to take a play or two off and sometimes not hustle or go as hard when the ball is in the air, but if he can keep himself focused, he will be among the top signees in 2013.
Artavis Scott outperformed every receivers at the Ignite Combine for the second consecutive year, earning another MVP award. Detroit Lions’ receiver Maurice Stovall, who worked with Scott, said Scott was extremely talented. He even said that if Scott stays on the track he is on then he will be playing on Sundays in the NFL.
At just under six-feet tall Scott has a decent frame to build on. He reeled in 54 receptions and 1,158 yards in his sophomore campaign. His speed is what first catches onlookers’ eyes, but Scott’s ability to adjust with the ball in the air is one of his strengths as well.
Gibbs High School turned out Gary Simon, an Oklahoma signee, in 2012 but may have an even better talent in 2013. Maurice Hall, who has already been offered a scholarship by Oklahoma, stands 6-foot-2 and weighs just less than 190 pounds. Hall was a lockdown corner during a 1-on-1 drills, frustrating a number of receivers. He has a great nose for the ball and uses his athleticism, body control and size to put himself in position to make plays. Hall understands the position and has great hip movement when backpedaling, shadowing the moves of each receiver he faces.
Devyn Salmon is aggressive and violent with his hands coming off the edge. A junior, Salmon weighs nearly 260 pounds and is 6-1. Salmon is raw, but appears to be coachable. He looked to be in over his head when he initially was being taught a series of swim and rip moves, but when it came to put them to use during 1-on-1’s, Salmon looked like he had been doing it for years.
The Gators have developed a pipeline to the Tampa Bay area. In 2012, they kept the recruits flocking to Gainesville by signing Matt Jones, Dante Fowler Jr. and Jeremi Powell. With its eyes on a number of Tampa targets, Florida will continue to look to keep the Tampa pipeline flowing.