In the individual drill portion of the event, it became clear that some were suited more for that part of the event, and some who were not.
From the moment 2020 DB Enzo Jennings stepped on the field, he was one of the, if not the, best defender at the event. He's got some things he needs to clean up before getting to college, but for a high school sophomore, he flashed more than anyone else. Jennings received an Ohio State offer just minutes after the camp. Dino Tomlin (yes, that Tomlin) impressed in drills, but didn't live up to the hype he built up when it came for the 1v1 portion of the event.
Dwan Mathis was arguably the top QB there. Wouldn't exactly say he is polished as a passed, but he's got the look of someone who could go into East Lansing next year and be the starter. Of course, he might not ever make it to East Lansing (at least not wearing green) as Ohio State offered earlier this week. He didn't have his athleticism as a contributing factor in his performance today, and he was still able to dominate in the 1v1s. His arm strength could intrigue some SEC teams late.
I was also extremely impressed with Ahmad Gardner today. From the moment he strapped up his headgear, he was ready to play. Gardner would have done nearly every rep had they let him, and he lost one, maybe two reps the whole day. His quickness and fluidity aid him in what he lacks in overall top-end speed. Expect a full update from Gardner this week at some point. Same with Kyron McKinnie-Hopper, who had a good day in coverage as well. They both hold offers.
While he may be undersized, Daraun McKinney has the intangibles needed to make an impact in the AAC, in short order. McKinney is a name to know going forward for Cincinnati fans.
Lastly, Wandale Robinson had to be the fastest person at the entire camp, or at least close to it. Holding offers from several power five schools is always nice, and it sounds like from talking to some people who would know, that academics are a major factor for him, which aids Duke, Virginia, Vandy, and Northwestern in their efforts to land him. He holds an offer from Cincinnati.
The biggest revelation of the day came during OL/DL 1v1's, the event in which DL Jowon Briggs continued to make his name known. Briggs has offers from all over the country, but the more time passes, it becomes unclear just how many of those will be committable offers. Briggs earned an invite to the five-star challenge, and has a chance to further rise in the rankings with a solid performance. He'd be a steal for Cincinnati, if they are somehow able to get him in the fold in the end. He's in no rush.
Other OL/DL names to know: (bold indicates Cincinnati offer)
Canton (Mich.) Darius Robinson (2019)
Cass Tech (Mich.) Raheem Anderson (2021)
South Charleston (West Va.) DL Zeiqui Lawton (2021)
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Where are the Ohio kids on this list, you ask? This is one of the more frustrating things I have seen in recent years, and something that needs to be corrected. Not only is there no spring football in Ohio, but they can't play 7v7 either, and are strongly discouraged by certain talking heads that camps are not going to benefit them, and that they should not attend.
Gone are the days when kids in Ohio were comparable to the states like Georgia, Louisiana, and North Carolina. Now, just over 100 kids are signing scholarships each year. It's never too late to change, and unless Ohio knows something we don't (or just only worries about the elite talent) they're getting left in the dust as surrounding states Indiana, Michigan, and Pennsylvania continue to grow in talent.
From the moment 2020 DB Enzo Jennings stepped on the field, he was one of the, if not the, best defender at the event. He's got some things he needs to clean up before getting to college, but for a high school sophomore, he flashed more than anyone else. Jennings received an Ohio State offer just minutes after the camp. Dino Tomlin (yes, that Tomlin) impressed in drills, but didn't live up to the hype he built up when it came for the 1v1 portion of the event.
Dwan Mathis was arguably the top QB there. Wouldn't exactly say he is polished as a passed, but he's got the look of someone who could go into East Lansing next year and be the starter. Of course, he might not ever make it to East Lansing (at least not wearing green) as Ohio State offered earlier this week. He didn't have his athleticism as a contributing factor in his performance today, and he was still able to dominate in the 1v1s. His arm strength could intrigue some SEC teams late.
I was also extremely impressed with Ahmad Gardner today. From the moment he strapped up his headgear, he was ready to play. Gardner would have done nearly every rep had they let him, and he lost one, maybe two reps the whole day. His quickness and fluidity aid him in what he lacks in overall top-end speed. Expect a full update from Gardner this week at some point. Same with Kyron McKinnie-Hopper, who had a good day in coverage as well. They both hold offers.
While he may be undersized, Daraun McKinney has the intangibles needed to make an impact in the AAC, in short order. McKinney is a name to know going forward for Cincinnati fans.
Lastly, Wandale Robinson had to be the fastest person at the entire camp, or at least close to it. Holding offers from several power five schools is always nice, and it sounds like from talking to some people who would know, that academics are a major factor for him, which aids Duke, Virginia, Vandy, and Northwestern in their efforts to land him. He holds an offer from Cincinnati.
The biggest revelation of the day came during OL/DL 1v1's, the event in which DL Jowon Briggs continued to make his name known. Briggs has offers from all over the country, but the more time passes, it becomes unclear just how many of those will be committable offers. Briggs earned an invite to the five-star challenge, and has a chance to further rise in the rankings with a solid performance. He'd be a steal for Cincinnati, if they are somehow able to get him in the fold in the end. He's in no rush.
Other OL/DL names to know: (bold indicates Cincinnati offer)
Canton (Mich.) Darius Robinson (2019)
Cass Tech (Mich.) Raheem Anderson (2021)
South Charleston (West Va.) DL Zeiqui Lawton (2021)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Where are the Ohio kids on this list, you ask? This is one of the more frustrating things I have seen in recent years, and something that needs to be corrected. Not only is there no spring football in Ohio, but they can't play 7v7 either, and are strongly discouraged by certain talking heads that camps are not going to benefit them, and that they should not attend.
Gone are the days when kids in Ohio were comparable to the states like Georgia, Louisiana, and North Carolina. Now, just over 100 kids are signing scholarships each year. It's never too late to change, and unless Ohio knows something we don't (or just only worries about the elite talent) they're getting left in the dust as surrounding states Indiana, Michigan, and Pennsylvania continue to grow in talent.
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