ORLANDO – Team Blur hit the practice field Thursday for its most productive practices yet leading up to Saturday’s Under Armour All-America Game at St. Petersburg’s Tropicana Field.
The players spent time focusing on special teams and implementing plays, all in hopes of winning Saturday’s game, which is scheduled to kick off at 11 a.m. and be televised by ESPN.
Quarterback: There weren’t any Florida targets or commits here, but I was very impressed. Southern California commitment Jessee Scroggins had a great practice, and Gator fans should be thankful he chose the Trojans over Tennessee. His throws were almost always on target and he showed a powerful arm. I’m not really sure why he would choose to go sit behind Matt Barkley, but he will be very productive in his career.
Oklahoma commitment Blake Bell is 6-5, 212 pounds and is a tremendous prospect. He didn’t get a lot of reps, but he showed a good arm and solid accuracy.
Running backs: Auburn commitment Michael Dyer is going to be the horse of this group during the game Saturday. This was the first time I have seen him and I was impressed with his physical stature. He is only 5-9, but his 200-pound frame is used like a bowling bowl. He is difficult to bring down because of it.
UCLA commitment Jordon James was used a lot out of the backfield and is good with the ball in his hands. Florida made a run at him until Mack Brown committed, but he certainly would have been a consolation prize.
Wide receiver: Georgia commitment Da’Rick Rogers was easily the best receiver on this team. He is listed at 6-2 and 205 pounds, but he plays even bigger than that. He may have given Lamarcus Joyner nightmares as Rogers first went over him to catch a fade and then beat him on a quick slant, both for touchdowns. The thought of he and A.J. Green next year is terrifying.
Chris Dunkley was hurt for the last part of practice, but he looked good during his time working out. Dietrich Riley was covering him during one-on-one drills, and Dunkley dominated him. Dunkley used a stutter step off the line that froze Riley, and then ran a slant into the end zone to score. It even drew some “Oohs” from his teammates on both sides of the ball. He later showed his ability to go downfield as he caught a fade over the defender in the end zone as well.
Texas Tech commitment Kadron Boone was very impressive. He has very strong hands that stood out to me while watching him. Even when the defender would try to knock the ball out, Boone would hold onto the ball with ease.
Offensive line: I didn’t watch this group today, mostly because this team has almost no one who is a Florida target. The only exception is Chaz Green, who is leaning to Tennessee. He looked like the same player I remember seeing at Friday Night Lights. He would do well on some plays and look lost on others. His inconsistencies are the main issues, and if he can get over them, he will contribute in college.
Defensive line: There weren’t many Florida targets here either, but it did boast some solid players. Corey Lemonier has a body of a talented defensive end, and his play matched it on Thursday. The 6-4, 221-pound end had a great pass rush and was solid in the run game.
Tennessee commitment Corey Miller looks thicker than his listed 231 pounds. He’s also been very vocal about his commitment to the Volunteers, and he’s been working a lot of recruits hard, including Florida commitment Cody Riggs.
Michigan State commitment William Gholston is the most physically impressive of the defensive lineman. His 6-7, 250-pound frame allows him to deflect a lot of passes, and I counted at least three where he did just that today.
Linebacker: Florida State commit Jeff Luc played mostly in pass protection today, and this is the area of his game that needs to be improved before he moves to the next level. He still doesn’t change directions very well.
Christian Jones is probably the most impressive linebacker physically, and his play has matched that this week. He moves well for his 6-4, 215-pound frame and the talks of a potential move to defensive tackle make sense if he can add the weight. I think he will be fine at either spot.
Cornerback: Florida commit Josh Shaw had a very good day. He is very physical, almost to the point where some flags could have been thrown if officials were there. He isn’t afraid to bump any receiver, even the 6-6 Brandon Coleman Thursday. He played press coverage on almost every play but still made plays in coverage to allow the press to work. He even put Auburn commit Antonio Goodwin on the ground at the snap because of the press. It sounds crazy, but the main thing he may need to work on is not being so aggressive, as flags will be thrown against him in college. But that being his biggest thing to work on is a huge compliment.
Justin and I were told on Wednesday from someone watching closely that Cody Riggs was the best mechanical cornerback on Team Blur, and he had another great day on Thursday. He’s another one who is aggressive, and the only time he allowed a reception against him was when the height factor came into play. They ran a few fades to Rogers that Riggs couldn’t elevate high enough to knock down, but that was about all he struggled with. Honestly, I was a little uncertain about taking him, but after seeing him up close on Thursday, I am sold.
Safety: Dietrich Riley is a name that Florida may turn the heat up on now that Matt Elam has de-committed. He didn’t stand out during Thursday’s practice, but you can see why so many schools are interested in him. His 6-1, 196-pound frame looks a lot thicker than it is listed. He moves well in coverage during the 7-on-7 drills, but I think he will end as a strong safety and won’t be depended on to cover the entire field in pass coverage.
Georgia commitment Alec Ogletree is one of the big hitters in this class, but I don’t think he can stay at safety. He is already 6-3, 214 pounds and looked lost at points throughout the day. When he’s got a ball carrier running at him however, he is always in position for the tackle. I think he could be a tremendous linebacker for the Bulldogs if he makes the switch.