Tracking Top Practice Performers from 2016 Under Armour All-America Game
Dozens of America's premier college football prospects have flocked to Orlando, Florida, for the ninth annual Under Armour All-America Game.
Though fans must wait until Saturday, Jan. 2, for game action, competition is already underway among an elite group of athletes. Practice sessions across various positions put players in the spotlight starting Tuesday, providing an early glimpse of talent level.
These high school seniors follow in the footsteps of many notable past Under Armour All-America participants, including LSU Tigers running back Leonard Fournette, Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones and Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston.
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Future collegiate teammates and opponents share the field throughout this week. Here's a rundown of those who shined early during practice sessions.
Thursday, Dec. 31
Jarrett Guarantano is making up for lost time.
The 4-star Tennessee pledge missed several games this fall due to a foot injury, limiting him to six games. Guarantano, a 6'4", 194-pound quarterback from Bergen Catholic in New Jersey, looks like he's returned to form based on reports from Orlando:
It's further affirmation of what we've been hearing throughout this week. Guarantano, an Elite 11 finalist, appears ready to end his prep career with plenty of snaps Saturday. The nation's top-rated dual-threat talent entered Thursday's session viewed as a likely starter in the All-America Game, according to Mike Bratton of FOX Sports.
Guarantano chose the Volunteers in April over fellow finalists Ohio State and Rutgers. He secured his first collegiate scholarship offer before high school.
Despite an abbreviated senior campaign, Guarantano collected 1,687 total yards and 17 scores. His effort included a 443-yard, five-touchdown September performance against Florida powerhouse IMG Academy.
Ed Oliver's athleticism is on full display as linemen clash.
The 6'2", 277-pound defensive lineman is versatile enough to line up in a variety of roles in college. He obliterated offensive game plans up the middle and off the edge throughout a productive career at Westfield High School in Houston.
Oliver, a 5-star recruit rated No. 10 overall in composite rankings, is garnering more accolades in Orlando. Check out this nasty spin move that delivered him into the backfield Thursday:
He used that athleticism to discard offensive linemen at Westfield, where he tallied 24 tackles for loss during a breakout junior campaign. Oliver's tenacity is a running theme this week during drills:
Oliver stunned many with a spring commitment to hometown Houston. He chose the Cougars from an expansive offer sheet that also features Oklahoma, Alabama, UCLA and LSU.
Another future Florida Gator warrants attention.
We put the focus on a pair of Florida defensive commits—cornerback Chauncey Gardner and edge-rusher Antonneous Clayton—earlier this week. Now it's time to switch that spotlight over to offense, where Gators wide receiver pledge Joshua Hammond has turned heads.
The 6'0 ½", 180-pound playmaker plucked several passes sent toward his direction, including this acrobatic downfield reception:
Hammond, who committed to Florida in June over Stanford, Georgia, Penn State and others, is making a statement that he may belong higher than No. 45 among wide receiver recruits. There are 12 pass-catchers currently rated above him in composite Sunshine State rankings.
Hammond established career-high totals across the stat sheet this season at Hallandale High School in Florida. He snagged 68 passes for 1,124 yards and 12 touchdowns as a senior.
Eddie McDoom is more than just an awesome name.
The 3-star Florida wide receiver has always warranted attention for a name that sounds like it belongs to a comic book villain. However, overlook his game at your own risk.
McDoom, a 5'11", 170-pound standout from West Orange High School in Florida, made the most of his opportunities Thursday. Some of his finest moments were shared by Josh Newberg of 247Sports:
McDoom committed to Oregon on Dec. 13, choosing the Ducks over Michigan, Texas, Florida and several other schools. Rated No. 66 nationally among wide receivers, he served as a primary high school target for 4-star Auburn quarterback pledge Woody Barrett.
He burst onto the national recruiting scene with 15 touchdown receptions as a junior.
Wednesday, Dec. 30
Chauncey Gardner continues to shine in defensive backfield.
The Florida Gators commit continues to state his case as one of America's most promising cornerback prospects. Gardner, who we cited in Monday's practice rundown, refuses to give up ground against elite wide receivers:
The 6'0", 194-pound prospect picked off a pair of passes during his senior season at Cocoa High School in Florida, according to MaxPreps, tallying a career-high 55 tackles. Given his performance so far in Orlando and a dominant effort this summer at The Opening, Gators fans should feel great about getting this defender on campus in 2016.
Gardner, a 4-star recruit rated No. 8 nationally among cornerbacks in composite rankings, has arguably commanded more attention than any prospect at his position this week.
Alabama legacy Ben Davis makes his mark in pass coverage.
The 5-star defender has a lot to live up to, considering his father's college football success. Wayne Davis remains the all-time tackles leader in Alabama Crimson Tide history, and now his son has emerged as America's top-ranked inside linebacker recruit.
Davis, a 6'3", 240-pound playmaker from Gordo High School in Alabama, flashed excellent receiving skills at tight end throughout his senior campaign. Though he's lined up on defense in Orlando, his opportunity to show off those hands arrived Wednesday:
Davis dropped back in coverage to pluck that pass attempt from Jack Allison, a 4-star quarterback set to enroll early at Miami. He secured two interceptions this fall, according to Tyler James of ND Insider, and caught seven touchdown tosses on offense.
His senior season also featured 105 tackles and three sacks. Davis earned recognition as a Butkus Award finalist, nominated for nation's best high school linebacker.
He remains undecided when it comes to college, though the Crimson Tide are considered a heavy favorite among recruiting analysts. Davis is also still exploring opportunities at Auburn, Georgia, Notre Dame and LSU.
Miles Sanders looks strong and speedy carrying the rock.
The dazzling Pittsburgh area rusher appears ready for takeoff Saturday, presenting an exciting arsenal of moves during practice showdowns against All-America defenders:
Sanders, who stands 5'11", 199 pounds, is the country's No. 2 running back in composite rankings. His quickness, vision and versatility were on display throughout a dominant fall at Woodland Hills High School, and those attributes have carried over to action in Orlando:
The 4-star prospect picked Penn State from a lengthy list of offers before his junior year. That longstanding commitment spurned offers from Alabama, Auburn, Michigan, Miami, Notre Dame and several other programs.
Sanders finished his high school career with 4,573 rushing yards, per the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, and he also provides a reliable weapon in the short passing game. Expect him to handle a significant workload this weekend.
Dwayne Haskins putting in work while several teams give chase.
The 6'3", 198-pound passer arrived in Orlando with plenty of speculation swirling around his ultimate collegiate landing spot. Committed to Maryland since May, Haskins journeyed to Ohio State for an official visit in December and may travel to Texas A&M and/or LSU in January, according to Shea Dixon of 247Sports.
Despite room for substantial distraction, he's delivered an even-keel performance we've come to expect from the Bullis School standout. Haskins, rated No. 7 nationally among pro-style quarterbacks in composite rankings, threw several crisp spirals Wednesday:
He contended for national Elite 11 MVP honors this summer and produced perhaps the most complete performance we witnessed at an Elite 11 regional camp in 2015. Presented another opportunity to showcase his skill set against the game's top talents, Haskins is rising up again.
The Terrapins pledge threw for 2,217 yards and 20 touchdowns in 10 games as a senior, according to Brandon Parker of the Washington Post. He's far more polished from a fundamental standpoint than most 2016 quarterback contemporaries.
Respect keeps mounting for Texas standout Tyrie Cleveland.
The Lone Star State wide receiver was arguably the most dominant offensive skill player this summer at The Opening, where he teamed up with Elite 11 MVP Shea Patterson to win a seven-on-seven tournament title. That effort instantly elevated Cleveland's stature among pass-catchers in the class, and accolades continue to arrive five months later.
Now respect is arriving from peers in Orlando, particularly those forced to deal with Cleveland on defense:
The 6'3", 189-pound playmaker is a matchup nightmare given his length and elite straight-line speed. Cleveland caught 94 passes for 2,023 yards and 27 touchdowns as an upperclassman at Westfield High School in Houston.
He previously pledged to Texas A&M but backed off that verbal commitment in April. Cleveland then committed to hometown Houston in December over Arizona State, TCU, Florida, Oklahoma, Ole Miss and others.
The 4-star recruit is still expected to spend his final official visit at Florida, leaving the door open for another late development. Wherever Cleveland enrolls, expect him to vie for early snaps as a true freshman.
Tuesday, Dec. 29
One hand is enough for N'Keal Harry.
The 4-star wide receiver didn't waste any time showing off his ball skills in pass-catching drills. Harry, rated No. 16 nationally among prospects at the position in composite rankings, pulled in a smooth one-handed snag:
Arizona State secured a commitment from the 6'4", 210-pound playmaker last month. Harry, who emerged as Arizona's top-rated offensive recruit at Chandler High School, chose the Sun Devils after spending official visits at Washington and Texas A&M.
He caught 48 passes for 802 yards and seven touchdowns this season, according to ArizonaSports.com. As ESPN's Erik McKinney alluded to in the video tweet above, Harry also exhibits immense athleticism on the basketball court:
Don't be shocked if he adds another memorable play to his growing highlight reel Saturday. Harry presents a difficult matchup, even for America's most promising young defensive backs.
Georgia pass-rusher Antonneous Clayton is wreaking havoc.
Clayton, a 6'3", 218-pound prospect from Dooly County High School in Georgia, made life difficult for opposing offensive linemen Tuesday. Initial signs of dominance could set the stage for a strong performance in full-speed action this weekend:
His effort featured multiple sacks, including this one of future collegiate rival Jarrett Guarantano, a 4-star Tennessee quarterback commit:
Clayton, rated the nation's No. 10 weak-side defensive end in composite rankings, is coming off a monster senior season. He recorded 77 tackles—26 for loss—and nine sacks this fall, according to MaxPreps.
Considering his 25 sacks since 2014, it's no surprise to see Clayton penetrating the pocket again in Orlando. He committed to Florida in October after weighing offers from Alabama, Auburn and Florida State.
Chauncey Gardner brought his A-game.
The longtime Florida Gators commit shined this summer at The Opening during star-studded showdowns. It seems Gardner is picking up where he left off against some of the country's most coveted offensive weapons.
He contended with several scintillating wide receivers, headlined by top-ranked uncommitted pass-catcher Nate Craig-Myers:
Gardner also intercepted a pass thrown by 4-star Auburn quarterback commit Woody Barrett, according to Andrew Spivey of Gator Country. Performances like this could help push the Cocoa High School (Florida) defensive back toward 5-star territory.
Rated No. 69 overall in composite rankings, Gardner is considered the country's No. 8 cornerback recruit. The 6'0", 194-pound prospect collected a career-best 55 tackles in 2015, per MaxPreps, adding four sacks, two interceptions and two kick return touchdowns.
Rashan Gary continues to live up to the hype.
America's No. 1 overall recruit hasn't provided many "letdown" moments during his high school career, displaying consistency despite the target on his back. Gary, a defensive tackle from New Jersey, earned defensive lineman MVP honors at The Opening and now looks to wrap up his prep career with a strong week in the Sunshine State.
The 6'5", 293-pound Paramus Catholic High School star headlines this event. Expect him to receive everything a collection of elite offensive linemen can throw at him in the trenches.
Gary, who started receiving scholarship offers before his freshman season, has developed and maintained a reputation as a competitor who brings tenacity to every drill on the camp circuit. It's part of the reason why many analysts view him as a "safe" bet to reach stardom in college.
He remains uncommitted five weeks shy of national signing day, with an announcement unlikely to occur before Feb. 3. Michigan leads his 247Sports Crystal Ball, carrying 70 percent of experts' predictions, while Auburn, Georgia, LSU, USC and Ole Miss are among alternative options under consideration.
The Wolverines staff includes Chris Partridge, who previously coached Gary at Paramus Catholic. Michigan holds four commitments from New Jersey, including the most recent from top-ranked running back Kareem Walker.
Don't underestimate 3-star defensive back Carlos Becker.
All-America Game festivities are filled with prospects who earned top-tier status from recruiting services early, commanding a national spotlight in the process. However, there are several less ballyhooed athletes in attendance attempting to seize some of those headlines for themselves.
Count Becker among them.
Rated No. 482 overall and No. 45 among cornerbacks in composite rankings, he arrived for practice with less focus on him than many counterparts. Becker, a 6'2", 185-pound defender from Osceola High School in Florida, began to change that narrative Tuesday.
"Becker showed terrific technique in the secondary, was able to flip his hips with ease, and looked like a natural cornerback," wrote Tom Loy of 247Sports while identifying him as the day's Alpha Dog for Team Highlight. "With his height, physicality and ball skills, Becker has the chance to be special at the next level."
His big day included multiple pass deflections and an interception off 4-star Florida State quarterback commit Malik Henry:
Becker, considered a 3-star recruit, carries an offer list that includes Ohio State, Ole Miss, Florida State and NC State.
Tyler Donohue is a National Recruiting Analyst for Bleacher Report. All player ratings are courtesy of 247Sports' composite ratings. Follow Tyler via Twitter: @TDsTake.
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