ESPN Top 150 rankings released

As we head down the homestretch toward national signing day, the ESPNU 150 begins to take its final shape. Now that local and national all-star games have completed, we have mulled over several different scenarios for our rankings, but we always came back to one thing: QB Matt Barkley (Santa Ana, Calif./Mater Dei) separated himself from the pack when matched up against great competition and earned the No. 1 spot.

By Tom Luginbill

Scouts Inc.

Link to new ESPN 150

It is no secret that Barkley has seen some adversity this year and has absorbed criticism about his less-than-stellar senior campaign. But we’ve said all along that playing quarterback is not a one-man job, it’s a team effort. Coming off a junior season after which he won the Gatorade Player of the Year and Joe Montana Player of the Year among many other accolades, the expectations were huge. But Barkley did not have the same supporting cast he did a year ago and, in our opinion, tried to do too much during the season.

But we saw a different player during last week’s Under Armour All-America Game. Barkley was relaxed, poised and in control. His attention to detail, timing and fundamentals were unmatched by any other quarterback in the national all-star games.

When Barkley was challenged to perform, he did. When he was questioned and all eyes were on him to see whether he was the real deal, he answered, and his teammates took notice. Our staff anxiously watched to see whether he would raise his level of play with stiff competition not only around and in front of him but also alongside him at quarterback with players such as Garrett Gilbert (Austin, Texas/Lake Travis), Richard Brehaut (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif./Los Osos) and others. Barkley earned and commanded respect. He showed the perfect blend of great physical skills and mental toughness, and that combination earns him the top spot.

Another change in the top 10 is OLB Manti Te’o (Honolulu/Punahou), who bumps up to the No. 2 spot. Te’o was a man among boys as an Under Armour All-American similar to the way DE DaQuan Bowers (Clemson) dominated last year. His performance and versatility to play both inside and outside linebacker at the next level justify his bump to the No. 2 spot.

With Barkley and Te’o taking the top two spots, Russell Shepard (Houston/Cy-Ridge) drops from the top spot to No. 3. The elite athlete with exceptional speed and change-of-direction skills is continually out to prove he can remain at quarterback, but he still has a ways to go in the passing-game department to warrant the No. 1 ranking. He continues to wow us and others with his athleticism. The coaching staff at LSU will have to find a role for him in some capacity next season because he is too good not to see the field, whether at quarterback, slot receiver or wideout.

The new rankings also brought about some big movement in the defensive trenches, including an impressive debut, a big jump, and one player’s inching closer towards the top spot. There was a buzz created by several players during Under Armour week in Orlando, but Jacobbi McDaniel (Greenville, Fla./Madison County) stood out above the rest.

During the practices and the Under Armour Game, McDaniel silenced any concerns about his height and proved he is a special player. His quickness off the ball gave offensive linemen fits. He showed excellent strength and won the leverage battles. It’s one thing to see it on film, but another to see McDaniel in person against this level of competition. McDaniel is very athletic and very disruptive and proves you cannot judge a book by its cover. The move made by the Florida State-commit was a small, but significant one; he jumped from No. 7 to No. 5. It is only two spots, but he is now among the top five prospects in the 2009 class and little closer to the No. 1 overall spot.

One RB who warranted a jump into the top 10 was Bryce Brown (Wichita, Kan./East), who moved to No. 8 with a good week at the Army All-America Game in San Antonio last week. He reminds us of a a faster version of USC RB Stephon Johnson. His overall numbers are staggering and while we have never been impressed with his level of competition, he has made a considerable impression on us recently.

Tougher year for wide receivers

Wide receiver was a deep and strong position in 2008, but this year it’s been harder for the wideouts to crack the top 10, especially considering the fact there are so many elite defensive prospects this year. WR Rueben Randle (Bastrop, La.) is one who belongs. Although he saw a slight drop to the No. 10 spot from No. 6, it is not a matter of performance rather a matter of our belief that wide receivers can be found in each and every class, but great defensive players are tough to find and we will always give the nod to defensive prospects over a WR prospect.

This class of wide receivers does not possess the speedy prospects you would like to see outside of a handful of guys. In reality, this is a WR class of size, long arms, physicality and excellent hands. Randle is one of those speed guys and so is WR Andre Debose (Sanford, Fla./Seminole), who climbs to 17th in the latest rankings from No. 30. Debose is a scary prospect, and his recent commitment to Florida allows Gators fans to breathe a sigh of relief should Percy Harvin turn pro.

As a result of the speed factor, Marlon Brown (Memphis, Tenn./Harding Academy) drops slightly from No. 17 to No. 24. He possesses great size and athleticism and is reminiscent DeAndre Brown (Southern Miss) from last year. WR Duron Carter (Fort Lauderdale, Fla./St. Thomas Aquinas) showed some flashes during the week and saw a slight bump to No. 130 in the 150.

Overall, this is an impressive group of wide receivers, but a somewhat inconsistent one as well. There is lots of maturing and developing left to do with this group and its best production will likely come down the road. There are very few guys here who will make an immediate impact.

RBs show enough to climb in rankings

Although all-star games are not always the most conducive environments for running backs, particularly carry-the-load types, we thought a few backs separated themselves from the pack this postseason. We saw enough of Trent Richardson’s (Pensacola, Fla./Escambia) downhill power and burst in Orlando for him to maintain the top RB spot. As noted earlier, Brown is the other impressive back.

Jaamal Berry (Miami/Palmetto) and Jarvis Giles (Tampa, Fla./Gaither) both showed flashes in Orlando and deserve their No. 12 and No. 43 overall rankings, respectively, but both slid a little bit in the rankings and we wanted to see a bit more production and consistency out of the Sunshine State duo. Berry still raises questions about future durability and in-line running strength, and we would like to see more polished receiving skills from Giles as a future multipurpose back. With Giles dropping slightly, RB Christine Michael (Beaumont, Texas/ West Brook), who showed he a little more of the complete package as a runner in San Antonio, jumps into the No. 4 RB spot.

With an excellent senior season rushing the football, Gatorade Player of the Year David Wilson (Danville, Va./George Washington) jumps ahead of Under Armour All-American Washaun Ealey (Twin City, Ga./ECI) as the No. 5 RB. Ealey, Georgia’s all-time touchdown leader, did not demonstrate the same downhill burst and explosiveness we saw on film throughout a great prep career. Some could be contributed to a late-ending season in which he certainly carried the load for his district champion ECI squad (2,825 yards, 41 touchdowns).

LB blitz

Te’o is at the head of the inside linebacker class, but another physical presence inside is Vontaze Burfict (Corona, Calif./Centennial). Burfict, who moves to 16th overall, proved to be superior at the point of attack and one of the hardest hitters in Texas. Fellow inside ‘backer Nico Johnson (Andalusia, Ala.) moves into the top 20 coming off a a solid performance as an Army All-American. Their overall bumps dropped Dorian Bell (Monroeville, Pa./Gateway) down; we have some concerns about his lack of height on the perimeter.

Despite playing eight-man football for much of his high school career, linebacker Ronnell Lewis (Dewar, Okla.) proved on a national stage that he belonged in elite company. Although still a bit raw, his great blend of size, strength, athleticism and toughness validate his jump into the 150. Undersized OLB Frankie Telfort reminded us and the former NFL coaches on staff of 2008 UA All-America game of Sean Spence, who played in the game last year and went on to become ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year while at Miami. He did just fine despite possessing similarly smaller measurables and Telfort jumped into the top 30 overall.

With the rising stock at linebacker comes some inevitable drops. Outside linebacker Dexter Moody (Twin City, Ga./ECI) is young for his age and while he flashed good sideline-to-sideline range, his lack of strength at the point of attack and slighter frame showed us he is a few years away from making an impact in Athens.

Secondary impact

One of our biggest positional jumps comes in the defensive secondary; CB Greg Reid (Valdosta, Ga./Lowndes) arguably made the most significant impact this postseason with his outstanding play. Reid, who recently decommited from Florida, moved into the top 20, showed that he is one of the quickest, more instinctive perimeter defenders in the country and possesses some of the better ball skills. While Reid jumped in rankings, Miami-bound corner Prince Kent (Norcross, Ga.) fell a bit. He surrendered two scores in the UA game and although we love his size and long arms to press as a corner, he may have trouble flipping his hips and transitioning at the next level.

In San Antonio, Cliff Harris (Fresno, Calif./Edison) showed good cover corner skills with his great foot-quickness and also provided a spark in the return game. We still question his size when it comes to pressing and setting the edge on run support but thought his play warranted a bump. UA All-American corner Steve Williams (Dallas/Skyline) backed our assessment that he’s one of the better off-man cover guys in the country that no one is talking about. The same can be said about the speedy CB Branden Smith (Atlanta/Booker T. Washington); the recent Georgia commit was extremely difficult to create separation on all week in Orlando. Both received raises in their grades and position changes from athlete to corner.

O-linemen power their way up rankings

This year’s offensive line class has plenty of size but lacks the overall athleticism to be one of the strongest position groups. There was some significant movement both in terms of rankings and position changes for specific players, however, as the regular season came to a close and the all-star games took place.

D.J. Fluker (Foley, Ala) ends up as the No. 1 ranked offensive lineman and sits just outside the overall top 10. He should develop into a big-time player as he progresses through his collegiate career. Like many of the linemen in the class, he has tremendous strength and size but lacks the foot quickness to be considered a complete offensive tackle. He replaces C Mason Walters (Wolfforth, Texas/Frenship) as the best tackle, but Walters does move to the No. 1 center position, where he has played most of his career. Walters is much more consistent in both run and pass blocking in the middle than in space at the tackle position.

Offensive tackle Paden Kelley (Austin, Texas/Lake Travis) remains in the top 30 overall and is just two spots behind Walters for offensive linemen. Kelley proved to be one the most agile and athletic of all linemen in Orlando. His long arms, quick feet and excellent lateral movement make him a skillful pass protector and he displayed those traits during Under Armour week.

One of the true stars in Orlando was Xavier Su’a-Filo (Pleasant Grove, Utah/Timpview). Su’a-Filo moved up 20 spots overall and established himself as a premier offensive tackle. We knew he could play guard, but he stole the show by his ability to play on the edge. He has active hands and does a super job of controlling athletic defensive ends. Rarely does Su’a-Filo get beat underneath or to the outside by quicker pass rushers. He gives great effort and is a real fighter in the trenches.

John Martinez (Salt Lake City, Utah/Cottonwood) retains his position as the top guard in the country. Even though the USC-commit was relatively quiet during Under Armor practices, he can transition from guard to center without skipping a beat. He seems a natural at center, which gives the Trojans some flexibility in terms of where to line him up. Without a doubt, Martinez is one of the most versatile linemen in the class. Another Trojan-to-be Kevin Graf (Agoura, Calif.) remains in the top 50 overall. After a slow start in Orlando, he really picked things up as the week progressed. He became much more consistent in pass protection and played with the aggressiveness we saw all season long. Graf has excellent fundamentals and is best suited to play right tackle at the next level or even guard.

Guard Stavion Lowe (Brownwood, Texas) was touted as an offensive tackle all season but his body build and skills make him an offensive guard candidate. After watching him for a week in live drills, we think he will be a better inside player for LSU than an offensive tackle.

A late bloomer at the offensive tackle position this season is converted defensive lineman Taylor Lewan (Scottsdale, Ariz/Chaparral). Lewan, who wasn’t initially on the radar, jumped into the ESPNU 150 at No. 147 due to his overall raw athletic talent and consistency in winning the vast majority of individual battles. He should be a very productive offensive lineman as he matures and his fundamentals sharpen.

D-linemen makes their presence felt

McDaniel was not the only Florida State defensive line commit to make an upward jump as Demonte McAllister (Tampa, Fla. / Alonso) went from No. 50 overall to No. 45. McAllister had a fine senior year as he continued to wreak havoc from the three technique position. Projected more as a defensive end in college, McAllister got an opportunity to play on the edge in Orlando and really played well as the week progressed. One of the most explosive linemen in this class, McAllister’s burst off the edge made him tough to block and he supplied good pressure in the game. McAllister and McDaniel both deserved a bump in the rankings and the two could form one heck of a disruptive pair in Tallahassee.

A big mover among the defensive linemen was defensive end Donte Moss (Jacksonville, N.C. / Northside), who jumped to from No. 146 to No. 87. On film, Moss displayed a good frame as well as good athleticism, but he came across a little raw and looked more like an athlete then a football player at this stage. But the North Carolina commit seized the opportunity in two all-star games to prove that he is a good football player and worthy of a big jump. He played very well in the Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas and followed that up with an impressive performance in San Antonio, where he held is own versus Fluker.

While Moss had a big jump, Missouri commit Sheldon Richardson (St Louis, Mo./ Gateway) debuts in the ESPNU 150 at No. 107. Richardson is a big guy with very good athleticism. His film was limited and entering the all-star period he sat just outside the 150. His play in San Antonio, though, gave us the additional evaluation needed to add him to the 150. He is a versatile player and moves well for a big guy. He was originally projected as a tight end and although he could still play that position, he was switched to defensive tackle. His size and quickness may be better used in college on the defensive line.

While Richardson and Moss made impressive moves, the biggest move was made by Gary Brown (Quincy, Fla. / West Gadsden), who jumped 62 spots from No. 85 to No. 23. Brown impressed us with his combination of size and athleticism, but he came across as a much more polished player than we first thought. He was very impressive all week in Orlando as both a pass-rusher and a run-defender. His quickness allowed him to rush the passer and be disruptive against the run. He took on double teams well and also showed good versatility by looking comfortable rushing off the edge from the end position. Brown is now the No. 2 rated defensive tackle and Florida looks to have landed a good one.

Joshua Downs (Bastrop, La.) also impressed enough throughout the week in Orlando to make a big jump going from No. 82 to No. 40. Playing mostly in the shadow of Randle, his talented high school teammate, Downs seized the chance on a national stage to show recruiting fans that he a great prospect in his own right. An undersized defensive tackle, Downs is very unassuming in street clothes, but on the field he is a very disruptive presence. He has a great burst off the ball and is active with his hands. Downs is tough to block and looks to be the next fine LSU defensive linemen.

Some others moving up include Craig Roh (Scottsdale, Ariz. / Chaparral). The Michigan commit had a great week in Orlando and proved to be a dangerous pass-rusher. He is smart and possesses a wonderful motor. He will need to add bulk to his frame when he hits Ann Arbor, but he is still tough versus the run. He is very good with his hands and his spin move and counter off that make him a handful as a pass-rusher. Roh jumped from No. 87 to No. 48.

DE Malliciah Goodman (Florence, SC / West) made a slight jump off a fine performance in the Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas. He possesses a good frame and nice upside. Another defensive end who made a little jump was Craig Drummond (Chicago, Ill. / Morgan Park) who saw his first action of the year in Army All-America game game and played well, resting any doubts about the effects of the injury that ended his senior season.

While several went up, a few went down, including Jamarkus McFarland (Lufkin, Texas) and Antwan Lowery (Miami, Fla. / Columbus). Lowery struggled with weight issues as a sophomore. He shed weight heading into his junior year and had an outstanding season, displaying great quickness for a big man. Lowery seems to have once again added un-needed bulk and did not look as quick as we had hoped in Orlando. He is still a good presence versus the run with the bulk, but when he plays at a more suitable weight he is a much more disruptive player. Lowery could also end up as an offensive lineman in college.

Presley creates separation at TE

There were only two tight ends in the ESPNU 150 prior to this recent shake-up and there are still only two now. The difference is the gap between the two has grown. Morrell Presley (Carson, Calif.) had a great week in Orlando. He mostly worked with the wide receivers and blended right in. In fact, he was one of the best of the group. A big kid with a good frame, Presley ran excellent routes and displayed good ball skills. He is a versatile player that UCLA could use in a variety of ways. Presley went from No. 48 to No. 38. Barrett Matthews (Houston, Texas / North Shore), on the other hand, dropped some going from No. 59 to No. 93. Matthews was quiet during the all-star game practices and we never got a chance to see the big-play ability he displayed on film. He did a nice job blocking and has good ability, but we were hoping to see more from him in the passing game.

Safety dance

There is no doubt this class has physically impressive and athletic safeties. Four safeties are in the top 21 prospects. All four are over six feet and extremely mobile. This year’s safeties are physical and play with extreme confidence. Leading the way is top-ranked safety Craig Loston (Houston, Texas/Eisenhower) who even was more impressive during the Under Armor practice sessions and during the game. Loston proved he possesses both the run support and pass defense skills it takes to excel at the position. He’s truly an all around safety.

The safety who made one of the biggest jumps in our rankings was Mr. South Carolina Football, Stephon Gilmore (Rock Hill, S.C./South Pointe). We didn’t know if he could make the transition from a quarterback who tallied over 3,000 yards and 30 touchdowns, but the fact he climbed 68 spots in the rankings speaks for itself. Not only does he display the ability to be an excellent field general as a free safety, he has tremendous instincts and breaks instantly on the intermediate and deep passes. Gilmore is athletic enough to play man-to-man coverage and could end up playing any position in the secondary for the Gamecocks.

Devonte Holloman (Rock Hill, S.C./South Pointe) is the third of the top 20 safeties. It’s easy to see how South Pointe High won the South Carolina state championship with the likes of Holloman and Gilmore on the team. Holloman displays the range and lateral movement it takes to make plays from sideline to sideline. He is a smart defensive back that takes great angles to the football.

This magnificent trio of safeties was intimidating and extremely productive during the week of practices in Orlando for the Under Armour All America game. They played well as a unit and their coverage skills were exceptional especially during 7 on 7 drills. Although Ray Ray Armstrong (Sanford, Fla/Seminole) didn’t make the same splash as the trio, he was solid all week. He is a smooth and fluid safety who looks more like an outside linebacker but when you see him run, you see why he is so special. He moves better than any other safety for his overall size.

Throughout his high school career Darren Myles Jr. (Atlanta/Carver) has been impressive with his ability to transition in the open field without losing speed or balance. He also proved he can bring the wood when coming up on run support and being a real hitter during practices in Orlando. While Myles caught our attention with his run support, Isaiah Bell opened up everyone’s eyes with his coverage ability. Even though he could end up as an outside linebacker for the Michigan Wolverines, he has solid pass defense skills.

Despite season-ending injuries, teammates Damario Jeffery and Chris Payne (Columbia, SC) remain in the top 150 due to their consistency and play-making ability during their high school career. There is little doubt the University of South Carolina will field one of the strongest secondaries in the country with the likes of Gilmore, Holloman, Jeffery, and Payne.

Athletes shine and some players change positions

In the athlete category, our biggest surprise was Jamal Reid (Mayo, Fla./Lafayette). The Miami-commit has a bright future ahead of him whatever position he ends up playing. He really stood out as a polished, consistent wideout down in Orlando, but he also has the skills to play corner or safety and his return skills are awesome. Reid sees a jump from No. 99 to No. 80. ATH Denard Robinson (Deerfield Beach, Fla.) is going to be a good one at either corner or wide receiver. And despite his lack of height, Robinson is a pretty darn good QB too. He jumps up to No. 101.

Finally, we have moved WR Willie Downs (Tallahassee, Fla./Godby) into the ATH category; he was able to display his versatility on defense at safety. This could be his future home at FSU. Although he does not run great, he is an instinctive athlete who will hit ayou. He enters the 150 at No. 150.

A few position changes took place along the way with guys like Branden Smith (Atlanta/Booker T. Washington) moving from ATH to CB and Gilmore moving from ATH to safety. Other notables include: Stavion Lowe (Brownwood, Texas) to OG, Tom Wort (New Braunfels, Texas) to ILB, Richardson to DT, Walters to C and Su’a-Filo to OT.

Dropping out of the ESPNU 150 at this time are WR Logan Heastie, RB Kendrick Hardy, ATH Victor Marc and OT Marcus Hall.

Scouts Inc.’s Billy Tucker, Craig Haubert and Bill Conley contributed to this story.

Tom Luginbill is the National Recruiting Director for ESPN’s Scouts Inc. He has an extensive background in professional football talent evaluation and coaching. He played quarterback at Georgia Tech (1994) and Eastern Kentucky (1995).