Tracking Top Day 2 Practice Performers from 2016 Army All-American Bowl

SAN ANTONIO — Saturday's the big day for the U.S. Army All-American Bowl, but the city of San Antonio will be treated to some of the best football players in the 2016 class in practice settings throughout the week.

Ninety of the nation's best will suit up Saturday, not only for a worldwide televised audience, but also for some of the nation's finest soldiers of the U.S. Army, who will be viewing the East vs. West matchup live. The annual event has served as a platform for athletes who have made it to the NFL over the last 15 years, including Andrew Luck, Adrian Peterson, Patrick Peterson, Ndamukong Suh, Odell Beckham Jr. and many others.

Every athlete on this year's rosters is hoping to have similar collegiate and professional success as the aforementioned. Before they make it to college, however, they will be focused on making an impact Saturday at the Alamodome.

Here's a daily rundown of those who shined during practice sessions:

TUESDAY, JAN. 5: EAST TEAM PRACTICE

Mecole Hardman Jr.: Play him wherever, whenever

As the nation's top-ranked athlete, Mecole Hardman Jr. is the definition of versatility. On Monday, Hardman spent the day in the secondary at cornerback. On Tuesday, he moved from the defensive side of the ball to the offensive side, lining up as a wide receiver and seeing some time in the backfield.

At 5'10", 165 pounds, Hardman can play several positions in college. The uncommitted, 5-star talent also can be a threat on special teams as both a kickoff and punt returner. What may have been most impressive was seeing Hardman's motor. He was a player who seemed to be involved in every play—and rarely does he get tired.

Hardman, at first glance, is easy to like. He has great hands and a lot of speed. When you think he's playing at full gear, he takes it up another notch. The Georgia native has 31 offers and has taken two official visits, one to Miami in September and another to Michigan in November.

Hardman said Alabama, TCU and Tennessee are three schools that could land his final official visits, but nothing has been set in stone. He's visited Georgia multiple times unofficially, and Clemson and Florida are two other schools that are in the running for his verbal commitment.

Demetris Robertson: Showcasing 5-star talent

Watching Demetris Robertson in 11-on-11 workouts should give the East coaches confidence going into Saturday's game. Robertson was one of those players who seemed to do almost everything right on Tuesday. He had his way in several one-on-one matchups.

Credit: 247Sports.com

Robertson showed his speed and ability to be a playmaker against East defensive backs. As a 5-star player and the nation's No. 2 overall athlete, it's odd to say that his upside makes him a scary college prospect. But a polished Robertson can make him one of the best college football has to offer very quickly in his career.

Schools such as Alabama, Notre Dame, Stanford, Ohio State and Georgia are considered front-runners for Robertson, who is taking his time with the process. He has nearly 30 reported offers, and the school fortunate enough to land the 5'11", 175-pound athlete will get someone who could be a reliable receiver and also could play in a defensive secondary if necessary.

If Tuesday is any indication of what's to come, look for Robertson to be used primarily as a receiver at the next level. He has the tools to be the primary option for a team that relies on its passing game.

Dexter Lawrence: Big, fast and convincing

The defensive tackles of the 2016 class are fun to watch, as they make the race to be in the top five extremely competitive. Dexter Lawrence is trying to prove that he's one of the best in the class, and on Tuesday, he picked up where he left off with Monday's production.

Sizewise, Lawrence fits the part of a college-ready defensive tackle. But at 6'5" and 300-plus pounds, Lawrence's first step off the ball and overall quickness make him a monster on the field. He likes to use his size to muscle offensive linemen and disrupt running plays.

Credit: 247Sports.com

Lawrence is the nation's No. 3 overall player and the No. 2 defensive tackle in the 2016 class behind Rashan Gary—who also happens to be the top-ranked overall player. It'll be tough for anybody to catch Gary, but you can bet that Lawrence is fueled by being considered the best. He plays to win.

Clemson scored a huge get when Lawrence committed on Dec. 14. He chose the Tigers over North Carolina State, Florida and several other programs. He is the headliner for a Clemson class currently ranked nationally in the top 10.

Isaac Nauta: Making difficult things look easy

As the nation's No. 1 tight end, Isaac Nauta didn't need an introduction nor did he have to do anything special to prove his worth. But when you're Nauta, doing spectacular things on the football field seems to be more routine than extraordinary.

Nauta's hands and ability to run crisp routes make him an outstanding receiving target, and on Tuesday, Nauta didn't disappoint in one-on-one drills. He was a reliable target and even dazzled those watching with a couple of pretty, one-handed grabs.

As good as Nauta is as a receiver, he also displayed his blocking ability as a traditional tight end on the line. He showed his worth in run packages, assisting in opening holes for the East running backs. And having someone in the backfield with the explosiveness of Clemson pledge Tavien Feaster, run blocking is definitely key for Nauta.

The uncommitted Nauta is scheduled to make a decision Saturday, and Georgia, Michigan and Alabama are his top three schools. Following his commitment, Nauta is expected to enroll in college early, in time for spring workouts.

WEST TEAM PRACTICE NUGGETS (Courtesy of 247Sports.com)

• Shea Patterson impressed at quarterback on Monday, and the 5-star Ole Miss commit did more of the same Tuesday. His quick release and accuracy was on display, and his footwork and pocket presence give Ole Miss fans tons of positive vibes for the future.
• Landon Young is a long offensive tackle at 6'7" and 270 pounds, and he showed that he could personally step his game up on Tuesday. A Kentucky pledge, Young displayed great footwork, and most importantly, kept defensive ends away from his quarterbacks.
• Michael Pittman didn't allow a thumb injury to become the story and get in the way of a progressive Tuesday. The USC commit competed well in one-on-one and 11-on-11 drills. He made catches in stride and also was a reliable target in traffic.

MONDAY, JAN. 4: WEST TEAM PRACTICE

Jack Jones: Do-it-all athlete shines

There were several athletes who were fairly consistent in their play Monday, but Jones may have been the most versatile player—and perhaps the best player overall. It didn't matter what Jones did—he excelled in every aspect. Jones lined up at cornerback and participated in special teams as a returner. In short, he was nearly flawless.

At 5'11" and 164 pounds, Jones portrayed the shutdown cornerback every coach wants. The 4-star talent—who also can play wide receiver if necessary—made route running difficult for wide receivers in short, medium and deep plays, and if he wasn't picking up an interception, he was getting a hand on the football.

As disruptive as Jones was at cornerback, he also was resourceful on special teams. He fielded kickoff returns and served as an explosive option for a team looking to score in ways other than offensive run and pass plays.

Jones recently announced his top five by way of an exclusive Bleacher Report video, and he reconfirmed them on Monday: Alabama, Oklahoma, Texas A&M, UCLA and USC.

Shea Patterson: Making a case for No. 1 QB

The battle for the No. 1 quarterback spot most likely will be decided on Saturday. Patterson is ranked the No. 2 pro-style quarterback and the No. 5 overall player, and he'll have a chance to show his worth against Georgia commit Jacob Eason, Florida pledge Feleipe Franks and Louisville commit Jawon Pass, as well as his West teammates, Stanford-bound Kj Costello and Michigan-bound Brandon Peters.

Patterson, a 5-star, Ole Miss commit, did his part on Monday, completing pass after pass and showing off his arm strength and accuracy. His quick release in seven-on-seven drills ultimately made for a pretty ball thrown, and his ability to scramble and make the pass on the run in 11-on-11 workouts gave West coaches reason to nod their heads in approval.

Patterson, who measured at 6'2" and 195 pounds, committed to Ole Miss in February, choosing the Rebels over LSU, Alabama and a host of other schools. Patterson additionally was named the Elite 11 MVP over the summer in Oregon.

If Patterson can produce on Saturday the same way he produced for IMG Academy during the 2015 season, look for him to take over the top quarterback spot. The quarterback race is a tight one, but Patterson loves the challenge of thriving under pressure.

Mark Jackson Jr.: Size doesn't matter

Forget the fact that he's 6'2" and only 226 pounds—undersized to be classified as a defensive end. Jackson made believers out of the handful of critics who still exist. In addition to being a pass-rushing force on Monday, the 4-star standout also arguably was the most consistent player on the field for the West roster.

On a team featuring a solid defensive line, Jackson was a constant distraction to the offense. He wasn't allowed to touch the quarterback in 11-on-11 drills, but if he were given the green light, he would have finished practice with multiple sacks.

Ranked the No. 15 weak-side defensive end, Jackson committed to Texas A&M in May. Per his stats on 247Sports.com, he finished the year with 57 tackles, 10 sacks and two interceptions, both of which were returned for touchdowns.

Jackson is a player the Aggies hope to keep in its 2016 class. He recently took an official visit to Baylor and has upcoming official visits to Texas (weekend of Jan. 15) and Oklahoma (Jan. 29). Jackson will take his official to Texas A&M the weekend of Jan. 22.

Jordan Elliott: A force on the defensive line

Defensive linemen aren't supposed to win every one-on-one matchup, and while Elliott didn't, he definitely won way more than he lost. The Michigan commit showed nice quickness off the ball and a first step that will get him early playing time in Ann Arbor.

Elliott was a pass-rusher from the inside, making himself a menace to the opposing offensive line and someone who got acquainted with the quarterbacks and running backs in 11-on-11 workouts. He showed himself as a big man who plays with athleticism and will be looking to make the play every time.

Ranked the nation's No. 13 defensive tackle in a 2016 class loaded with elite-level talent at the position, Elliott committed to Michigan on Nov. 28. He chose the Wolverines over Texas, USC and a host of other programs. He is Michigan's top-ranked defensive pledge in its 2016 class.

At 6'4" and 305 pounds, Elliott has the size and skill set to be a solid college contributor. He's looking to use the rest of the week to show that he's the future for Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh's defensive line. Saturday could be a huge day for the 4-star talent.

EAST TEAM PRACTICE NUGGETS (Courtesy of 247Sports.com)

• Dexter Lawrence is a 5-star player, the nation's No. 3 overall player in the 2016 class and the nation's No. 2 defensive tackle for a reason. The Clemson pledge was dominant on the line, physical yet deceptively quick and light on his feet.
• Jacob Eason, the No. 4 overall player and the top-ranked pro-style quarterback, had a solid first day of practice. The Georgia commit showed his worth in 11-on-11 drills, particularly with the accuracy of his intermediate throws.
• Jamel Cook is one of those playmakers you can stick anywhere in the secondary. At 6'3" and 200 pounds, he has excellent length, which equated to his range in one-on-one coverage. The Florida State commit's athleticism and versatility stood out.

Damon Sayles is a National Recruiting Analyst for Bleacher Report. All player ratings are courtesy of 247Sports.com's composite ratings. Follow Damon via Twitter: @DamonSayles