College Football Recruiting: What You Need to Know About Top Summer Camps

With summer quickly approaching, we enter into another key phase of recruiting: summer camps.

Prospects' schedules can a get a bit hectic in the summer as they try to schedule unofficial visits to schools, seven-on-seven games, family vacations and summer camps. Then, just when they think they finally have time catch their breath, their high school training camps are just around the corner.

For this read, we'll focus on the top summer camps on the horizon for this hot weather period in 2012. So, come inside and get all you need to know about the top summer camps coming up.

Recruiting Impact and Effect on Summer Camps

As much as camps are about improving and coaching up players and their techniques, summer camps are about recruiting. That's just a result from the nature of the beast that is college football recruiting.

In 2006, the NCAA banned college coaches from attending prestigious spring events like the Nike Football Training Camps, citing unfair recruiting advantages by schools that hosted the camps on the tour.

However, with summer camps, a coach can get a prospect on his campus, right in front of him, and really evaluate the prospect. These also serve as reasons for having a recruit come on an unofficial visit.

Summer camps are a huge recruiting tool.

Why Are Summer Camps Important?

These camps give college coaches a chance to really see a prospect perform and work out in person.

On the flip side, they give recruits who may be under the radar a chance to work out and showcase themselves right in front of coaches.

Take 4-star WR Steven Mitchell for a prime example.

Mitchell held offers from a wealth of great programs, but USC still hadn't offered him. He decided to go to a camp at USC this past weekend, wowed Lane Kiffin and got an offer from the Trojans at the end of the camp.

Mitchell came to the USC Skills Position Camp without an offer, and he left committed to USC (Scout.com).

In the Olden Days...

Years ago, summer camps were a great way a prospect could net an offer from a school.

There weren't many early offers, as colleges really stressed a full and thorough evaluation process. Colleges would use the spring to gather information, watch film and investigate prospects.

They would have them come to their camp in the summer, and if they liked what they saw in person—combined with what they'd gathered in the spring—then they'd offer them a scholarship.

Imagine Robert Nkemdiche just now receiving scholarship offers from going to a couple summer camps; in the old recruiting process, that was a normal occurrence.

Is There a Growing Decline in Summer Camps?

As opposed to the importance of summer camps in yesteryear? Yes.

With recruiting basically starting in a prospect's junior year and the evolution of early offers,—along with the now-growing trend of early commitments—summer camps have taken a bit of a decline.

If you're Robert Nkemdiche, Laremy Tunsil or Vernon Hargreaves III, you already have every offer in the world. Is it really necessary to go to a camp at Florida or Alabama and work out for Will Muschamp and Nick Saban when they've already offered you a scholarship months ago?

But Still...

However, at the end of the day, we still have a slew of summer camps that are big time, and the following are camps you, as a recruiting fan, should keep an eye on...

Florida State 7-on-7 Passing Camp and Lineman Camp June 16

Jimbo Fisher and his Seminoles staff will be hosting a one-day camp for skill positions in a seven-on-seven setting on June 16.

They'll also host some OLs and DLs to get a workout in so they can see if they find some hidden gems to add to their recruiting class.

Under Armour 7-on-7 Throwdown

In 12 different regions around the country throughout the summer, Under Armour will be hosting high school teams in a seven-on-seven tournament.

The winner of each regional title will be invited to the national final, which will take place later on this summer.

Auburn Senior Mini-Camp on July 14

This is a one-day camp for the top, rising seniors and elite juniors to participate in a highly competitive camp on The Plains at Auburn.

Ran by Gene Chizik and the Tiger staff, the camp gives Auburn a chance to evaluate more potential recruits and an avenue to schedule unofficial visits.

If you have interest in Auburn, you may want to attend this thing.

Nick Saban 7 on 7 Classic June 15-16

June 15 and 16 will have about 48 of the top high schools around Alabama and the South come to Tuscaloosa to compete in a seven-on-seven passing tournament in front of Alabama's coaching staff.

There are eight pools of teams, and the tournament is single elimination. Players are required to wear helmets, and balls will be in flight in Tuscaloosa this weekend.

USC Rising Stars Camp June 26-27

The Trojans just held a skills position camp this past weekend, and their famous "Rising Stars" camp will be later this month.

This is for elite prospects who are heading into their senior and junior years. It's highly competitive, intense and only for advanced players.

A couple USC recruits will be on hand, plus many prospects looking to catch the eye of the Trojan coaching staff.

Dawg Night July 13

"Dawg Night" is a huge day for Georgia recruiting, as the Bulldogs round up top prospects they love and bring them on campus to Athens for an intense camp at night.

It's intense, competitive, advanced and a huge recruiting tool for Mark Richt and his staff to evaluate prospects in person and show them the campus around Athens.

Notre Dame's Future Stars Camp June 22

Next weekend, The Irish will try hosting a ton of players who want to get coached up by the Irish coaching staff and get noticed for a day camp.

Helmets are required, and instruction of playing the Notre Dame way will be in effect.

Ohio State's Friday Night Lights in July

The date for this camp has been a bit tough to find, but look for it to happen in late July, perhaps on the 27.

Urban Meyer and his staff will take their Florida Friday Night Lights and bring it to Columbus. This is a one-day camp of elite prospects Ohio State wants to see in person, commitments and other players trying to get the attention of the Buckeyes.

It's going to be competitive and only for the strong.

Alabama High School Camp II July 15-18

The Crimson Tide will host a three-day camp for elite high school prospects in mid-July. 

This is great for any prospect with interest in Alabama, as they introduce you to how they practice, how they coach, how they want you to play and their techniques, plus you get to spend extended time in Tuscaloosa.

I think this may have been one of the pillar tools in helping to land Landon Collins last year.

Florida's Friday Night Lights in Late July

Will Muschamp hasn't scrapped everything Urban Meyer did in Florida; he's kept the Friday Night Lights camp as a huge recruiting tool for Florida.

July is usually a "quiet" period in recruiting, but if you have a recruit on your campus, you can kind of do what you want.

Florida lures top-notch prospects to Gainesville every late July, puts them all through a rigorous one-day workout at night, along with some one-on-ones, which helps them big time in recruiting.

The Elite 11 QB Camp in July

The Elite 11 QB Camp will once again take place in Southern California in mid-to-late July this year.

This is undoubtedly one of the most prestigious camps on the recruiting circuit, and it's basically famous in its own right.

What Is the Elite 11 QB Camp?

The Elite 11 QB Camp or "Elite 11 Finals" invites the top 11 high school QBs in the country who have been seen at various Elite 11 regional workouts held in the spring.

Some high school QBs spend almost three total years working to earn an invite to the Elite 11 QB Finals.

How Prestigious Is It?

Well, if you want to know just how big time the Elite 11 QB Camp is, then check out this list of camp alumni:

• Mark Sanchez
• Andrew Luck
• Matthew Stafford
• Tim Tebow
• Aaron Murray
• Josh Freeman
• Jake Locker
• Matt Leinart
• AJ McCarron
• Geno Smith
• Blaine Gabbert
• Troy Smith
• Ryan Mallett
• Landry Jones
• Tajh Boyd

That's just scratching the surface of QBs who have attended the Elite 11 QB Camp as high schoolers.

Invitees This Year

1. Max Browne
2. Tyrone Swoopes
3. Shane Morris
4. Cooper Bateman
5. Kevin Olsen
6. Brice Ramsey
7. Malik Zaire
8. J.T. Barrett
9. Anthony Jennings
10. DeVante Kincade
11. Luke Del Rio

When and Where Is the Elite 11 Finals QB Camp?

The camp will be held in July in Southern California.

The exact dates are still being ironed out, but the camp is held every July in California.

What Happens at the Elite 11 QB Camp?

This is an extremely intense, competitive, pressure-packed QB camp that lasts about 3-4 days.

All 11 quarterbacks are put through intense drills to work on their mechanics, footwork, field vision, athleticism, accuracy, arm strength and many other areas of the position of playing QB.

There's a ton of classroom work, watching film, dissecting coverages, breaking down plays and more.

Trent Dilfer is one of the coaches at the camp, and many well-known college quarterbacks also participate and serve as "camp tutors."

The Opening

Last summer, NIKE changed the game of summer camps. 

They held the first-ever "The Opening," and I think this is perhaps the very most important summer camp for any elite prospect to attend.

What Is "The Opening?"

The Opening is an event founded by Nike Football where they invite about the top 150 prospects from all over the nation to Nike Headquarters in Oregon to compete at a highly intense football camp.

If you are an elite prospect who wants to compete against the best and see what college football is going to be like, you get yourself invited to this thing and you go.

Invitees

This is an invite-only event, and some big names have already confirmed they will be in attendance:

• Reuben Foster
• Laremy Tunsil
• Vernon Hargreaves III
• Max Browne
• Carl Lawson
• Kenny Bigelow
• Tyrone Swoopes
• Kendall Fuller
• Derrick Henry

There's a slew of other huge names and high-profile recruits who have confirmed their attendance to The Opening. For a full list, visit ESPNU.

When Is It?

Based on my research, I believe the bulk of the invitation process is over, and the dates have been confirmed for July 5-8.

Prospects will be celebrating our nation's birthday en route to Oregon, with the intent on standing out among the best and elite prospects in this recruiting cycle.

What Goes Down...

This is a highly competitive and intense four-day event that features advanced football drills, coaching, testing, competitions and one-on-ones.

Coaching is a huge portion of the camp; last year, Jerry Rice, Ndamukong Suh, Larry Fitzgerald and others stopped by to offer tips and help coach up prospects.

This also really can help or hurt a prospect's stock, depending on their performance.

Nike 7On Tournament

The top skill position players (QBs, RBs, WRs, TE, LBs and DBs) will all form teams and compete in a seven-on-seven tournament.

So, imagine a team led by Max Browne, Ty Isaac, Ahmad Fulwood and Adam Breneman competing against a defense led by Reuben Foster, Larenz Bryant, Tahaan Goodman and Vernon Hargreaves III.

Wowsers. 

Last year, Landon Collins won MVP.

Nike Linemen Challenge

During the portions of the the 7On tournament, the big uglies will also be competing against each other.

The offensive and defensive linemen will compete in a series of competition drills, tug of war, weight drills and, of course, one-on-ones.

So, you'll potentially get matchups like Kenny Bigelow versus Tyrone Crowder or Joe Mathis versus Jake Raulerson. 

That's awesome.

SPARQ Rating National Championship

Throughout the spring, Nike has held various SPARQ Combines in many cities around the country.

At The Opening, Nike will take the top 25 SPARQ Rating athletes and test them again to determine a national champion.

The testing includes:

• 40-Yard Dash
• Short Shuttle
• Weighted Ball Toss
• Vertical Jump

Last year, Landon Collins took home top honors in this too.

And, of Course...

Of course, much recruiting talk will commence between the prospects. Committed players will be leading the charge on uncommitted players in trying to talk them into joining them at their future school.

Expect committed prospects like Shane Morris, Max Browne, Malik Zaire, Adam Breneman, Kevin Olsen and Ahmad Fulwood to be the main prospects mingling and promoting their schools to uncommitted prospects.

Edwin Weathersby has worked in scouting/player personnel departments for three professional football teams, including the New York Giants, Cleveland Browns and the Las Vegas Gladiators of the Arena League. He spent a year evaluating prep prospects and writing specific recruiting and scouting content articles for Student Sports Football (now ESPN Rise-HS).

A syndicated scout and writer, he's also contributed to WeAreSC.com, GatorBait.net and Diamonds in the Rough Inc., a college football and NFL draft magazine.