Tracking Top Practice Performers from 2017 Under Armour All-America Game

One of the nation’s premier showcases for top prep talent gets underway this week in Orlando as practices for the 2017 Under Armour All-America Game are set to begin.

The 10th edition of the game will take place on Jan. 1, but a handful of the nation’s elite prospects in the 2017 cycle will compete against one another in the practices leading up to the game.

Over the years, this game has become a launching pad for current NFL standouts such as Atlanta Falcons receiver Julio Jones, Tampa Bay quarterback Jameis Winston and Houston Texas defensive end Jadeveon Clowney among others.

So which players are standing out in practice sessions and what is the latest news to emerge from the event?

Stay tuned throughout the week as we take a look at some of the headliners from the action leading up to this year’s contest between Team Armour and Team Highlight.

Friday, Dec. 30

Michigan OL Commit Asserting Himself

Michigan has put together a strong offensive line class in the 2017 cycle, with five of its 26 commitments scheduled to line up in the trenches.

At the head of that group is 4-star center Cesar Ruiz, who announced his commitment to the Wolverines earlier this month.

The 6’3”, 321-pounder has had a strong week of practice, and he followed it up with another solid day on Friday.

As noted by Andrew Ivins of 247Sports, he is one of the few linemen present to find a measure of success versus 5-star defensive tackle Marvin Wilson defensive tackle in one-on-one reps.

Ruiz has been consistent throughout the week and proven himself to be one of the top interior linemen in this cycye.

DB’s Bounce Back

A loaded receiver group featuring standouts such as 4-star Alabama commit Jerry Jeudy, 4-star Texas A&M commit Jhamon Ausbon and 4-star Clemson pledge Tee Higgins have been solid throughout the week. 

However, on Friday, a few of the defensive backs took turns turning in highlight plays of their own.

As Scout’s Greg Powers noted, 4-star corner and current Oklahoma commit Justin Broiles turned in a series of big plays in one sequence. 

His physicality and ball skills have made him one of the standouts among a solid group of defensive backs all week long.

Another corner who had a strong day was 4-star LSU pledge Kary Vincent. The 5’11”, 170-pound speed merchant had multiple pass breakups on the day.

As noted by Shea Dixon of Geaux247, Vincent’s day strengthens his case as the most consistent performer among the eight LSU commits present this week.

Not to be outdone, 4-star safety Todd Harris—who is considering Alabama, Arizona State, LSU and Ole Miss among others—had an interception and a few pass breakups in seven-on-seven reps, as detailed Dixon.

With the defensive backs settling in, the matchups during Sunday’s game against the receivers should make for an interesting battle to watch.

Notre Dame TE Commit Draws “Gronk” Comparison

One of the pillars of Notre Dame’s 2017 class is 4-star tight end commit Brock Wright.

The 6’5”, 240-pounder, who rates as the nation’s No. 3 tight end and the No. 83 player overall in the 2017 cycle, is part of a stout group of tight ends present in Orlando this week.

On Friday, Wright proved to be a handful for linebackers and defensive backs in the red zone.

According to Scout’s Greg Powers, he even drew a comparison to Patriots star tight end Rob Gronkowski, courtesy of the great Deion Sanders.

If his play thus far during the week is any indicator, Wright figures to be a matchup nightmare for defenders at the next level.

FSU DE Pledge Earns Praise

Over the first two days, one of the biggest storylines to emerge was the dominant play of 4-star defensive end and new Florida State commit Joshua Kaindoh.

In fact, as detailed by Barton Simmons of 247Sports, the 6’6”, 252-pounder had shown enough to be bumped up to a 5-star by 247Sports after the first two days of practice. 

"

#Tribe17 5-star defensive end recruit @_jkaindoh was unblockable at Under Armour All-America Week. Really impressed Lavar Arrington. Clips! pic.twitter.com/MFI7gVfYNq

— Bud Elliott (@TomahawkNation) December 29, 2016"

Kaindoh has flashed a high motor, length and elite athleticism that has helped him cause offensive linemen fits all week.

With his consistent dominance in practices, Kaindoh figures to be a player to watch when the game kicks off on Sunday.

Thursday, Dec. 29

Leatherwood, Wilson Lead OL Group

Yesterday, it was 5-star Tennessee offensive line pledge Trey Smith that stole the show among his position group.

This morning, he was joined by 5-star Alabama commit Alex Leatherwood and 4-star Georgia pledge Isaiah Wilson among the standouts along the offensive line.  

As Mike Farrell of Rivals noted, Leatherwood has consistently impressed over the first two days of practice. The 6’6”, 315-pounder is living up to his reputation as one of the premier tackle prospects in the 2017 cycle, and he’s making a case to be the top-ranked player overall at his position.

Meanwhile, Wilson may have one of the biggest ceilings for anyone in the 2017 cycle.

The 6’6.5”, 354-pound New York native rates as the nation’s No. 9 offensive tackle and the No. 49 player overall in the 2017 cycle.

He flashed his potential in one-on-one drills against the defensive linemen, winning his share of battles in dominant fashion—as detailed by Shea Dixon of Geaux247.

His showing on Thursday is a positive sign that Wilson is on track to eventually reach his full potential when he reaches the college level.

Texas A&M WR Commit Flashing

The recruitment of 4-star receiver Jhamon Ausbon was a huge tug-of-war between SEC West rivals LSU and Texas A&M.

The 6’3”, 217-pounder was committed to the Tigers for most of the cycle before flipping to the Aggies in late November.

The early enrollee is showing why he was so sought after by getting the best of the defensive backs he’s seen thus far in Orlando.

His size is a handful for smaller defensive backs to combat, but Ausbon has shown the ability to make tough catches in traffic and even when he’s defended perfectly, as detailed by Amos Morale III of NOLA.com. 

With Texas A&M losing star receiver Josh Reynolds to graduation, Ausbon is one newcomer who could have the opportunity to make an impact soon after he arrives on campus.

Elite DB Recruits Working at WR

Two of the top safeties in the 2017 cycle are 5-star Deangelo Gibbs and 4-star LSU pledge JaCoby Stevens.

While fans are likely to see them playing in the secondary next fall, both players have worked out at wide receiver in the early practices leading up to this week’s game. 

The 6’2”, 190-pound Stevens, who rates as the nation’s No. 3 athlete and the No. 45 player overall in the 2017 cycle, was particularly tough to handle for defensive backs in the red zone as he hauled in three scoring strikes, according to Morale.

Meanwhile, Gibbs, who played receiver extensively during his senior season at Grayson High School in Loganville, Georgia, lined up with the receivers in today’s practice, as noted by Kipp Adams of Dawgs247.

While both could potentially line up with the defensive backs later in the week, their moonlighting on offense provides a little intrigue for the rest of the week.

QB’s Settling In

For quarterbacks, the all-star settings can pose problems in the early going. Working with different coaches and new personnel around them usually prove to be difficult until timing and chemistry can be developed. 

Yesterday, 4-star passer and current LSU commit Myles Brennan had a good day. He continued to progress as he was on the throwing end of one of the touchdowns to Stevens.

Brennan is one of two LSU quarterback pledges on hand for the game, but fellow Tigers commit and 4-star Lowell Narcisse will not participate due to injury.

Another future SEC passer who picked it up on Day 2 is 4-star Texas A&M commit Kellen Mond.

As noted by Adams, Mond had a nice day despite the wind affecting conditions a bit.

While some of the other quarterbacks have struggled, things should pick up as they continue to get more comfortable with the playbook and their receivers in the coming days.

Wednesday, Dec. 28

Vols OL Pledge Among Early Headliners

Tennessee had a strong December reeling in five commitments, but none was bigger than in-state 5-star offensive lineman Trey Smith. 

The 6’6”, 300-pounder—who projects as a tackle at the next level—is rated as the top overall prospect in the 2017 class by ESPN.

In the first practice session of the morning, Smith has proven himself worthy of the hype, according to ESPN’s Gerry Hamilton. 

As detailed by Brian Perroni of 247Sports, Smith has been tough for defensive ends to get around, as evidenced by his reps against 3-star Texas A&M defensive end pledge Tyree Johnson.

He’s also shown a mean streak and the strength and power necessary to thwart smaller, faster edge rushers, according to Mike Farrell of Rivals. 

If Smith continues his strong play throughout the week, he will enter the discussion as potentially the top offensive line prospect in the 2017 cycle when the final rankings are released.

Top DT Living Up to Hype

Last year’s game featured a ton of hype around current Michigan defensive lineman Rashan Gary—who validated the attention surrounding him with a dominant week.

Perhaps the player with that mantle this season is 5-star defensive tackle Marvin Wilson—who is one of the top-rated defenders on display this week.

The 6’4”, 329-pounder out of Episcopal High School in Bellaire, Texas is off to a strong start in the first practice.

He’s been active and disruptive getting penetration in one-on-one drills and even getting his hands up to deflect passes, as illustrated by Amos Morale III of NOLA.com.

Wilson is down to a final five that includes Florida State, LSU, Ohio State, Oklahoma and South Florida.

With his final decision expected on national signing day, Wilson is wasting little time showing why he’s considered to be one of the biggest prizes available in the 2017 cycle.

Uncommitted Alabama DL Impressing

Another marquee defender creating buzz from the first practice session is 4-star defensive end LaBryan Ray.

The 6’4”, 255-pounder from James Clemens High School in Madison, Alabama has stood out in the early drills for Team Highlight.

Ray has been a load for offensive linemen to handle, with his size, physicality and array of pass-rush moves.

The nation’s No. 9 defensive end and the No. 86 player overall is still uncommitted, and will likely make a decision on national signing day.

According to Ryan Callahan of 247Sports, Ray has visits scheduled for Tennessee [Jan. 13], Alabama [Jan. 20] and Florida [Jan. 27]—with Mississippi State and Ole Miss among the other schools in the mix for his services.

Ray is another player whose rankings could surge upward if he maintains his level of dominance throughout the week.

Clemson WR Commit Standing Out

Clemson has had a recent flurry of game-breaking wide receivers coming through its program.

One of the next players who will be charged with carrying on that tradition is 4-star receiver Tee Higgins.

On the first day of practice, observers are taking notice of Higgins and just how physically imposing he is as a pass-catcher.

As Farrell detailed, Higgins is in a class of his own among the receiver group. 

He was also a handful for defensive backs in one-on-one drills, according to Adam Gorney of Rivals.

Higgins, who is the nation’s No. 5 receiver and the No. 46 player overall in the 2017 cycle, could make a push to earn a coveted fifth star if he continues to impress this week.

Tuesday, Dec. 27

Players Arriving

According to Shea Dixon of Geaux247, Tuesday marks the day players check in as they arrive in Orlando.

Practices will ramp up beginning Wednesday, with other sessions coming on Thursday and Friday. 

With players shuffling in from all over the country, the excitement level is building.

One of the perks for the players in attendance is getting to wear fresh, new Under Armour gear, including custom gloves and cleats featuring designs that highlight each player’s home state.

Those rewards are just one of the factors creating an exciting atmosphere for the players throughout the week.

5-Star FSU Pledge Anticipating Cam Akers Announcement

While the Under Armour All-America Game is dominating the headlines in the recruiting world, another heavily anticipated event will take place in Mississippi tonight as 5-star running back Cam Akers announces his commitment.

The schools in the hunt for Akers include Alabama, Florida State, Georgia, LSU, Ole Miss and Tennessee.

According to his 247Sports crystal ball page, the Seminoles are trending as the favorites in the hours leading up to his announcement.

Upon arriving at check-in, 5-star corner and current ‘Noles commit Stanford Samuels III shared his thoughts on Akers’ recruitment, as detailed by Josh Newberg of Noles247.

While Samuels admitted he doesn’t know for sure which schools Akers will pick, he has maintained contact with Akers recently and is optimistic about the ‘Noles' chances to land the nation’s No. 4 overall prospect.

“He didn’t give me any inside scoop,” Samuels told Newberg. “I talk to him all the time, though. I mean, me personally, I feel pretty good about it. But, we will have to see.”  

4-Star WR Names Top Three

Some other recruiting news is also starting to trickle out before the players get down to business and compete against each other this week.

According to ESPN’s Derek Tyson, Alabama, Florida and Oklahoma are claiming the top three spots in the race to land 4-star receiver James Robinson.

He’s already taken an official visit to Oklahoma, and he will visit both Alabama and Florida along with Ole Miss next month, per Tyson.

Robinson was among the standouts at The Opening in the summer, and he will look to replicate that performance this week in Orlando.

The 6’3”, 190-pounder rates as the nation’s No. 17 receiver and the No. 118 player overall in the 2017 cycle.

Alabama WR Pledge Excited to Work With New OC

Alabama has had great success in recruiting electric receivers who hail from the talent-rich South Florida area.

Perhaps the next player to follow in the footsteps of Amari Cooper and Calvin Ridley is 4-star receiver Jerry Jeudy.

The 6’1”, 177-pounder will be an early enrollee for the Tide, heading to Tuscaloosa after the completion of game on Sunday.

"

5-star Jerry Jeudy excited about #Alabama's new OC & keeping the south Florida wideout tradition alive for the #Tide https://t.co/RaVXWyJM4p pic.twitter.com/OfrGd5V7Bi

— Ryan Bartow (@RyanBartow) December 27, 2016"

While Alabama will be undergoing a transition at offensive coordinator from Lane Kiffin to Steve Sarkisian, Jeudy isn’t worried about things changing that much with respect to the Tide’s offense, as he told Ryan Bartow of 247Sports.

"They told me about how Lane Kiffin was leaving but that didn't bother me at all,” Jeudy told Bartow. “I knew Nick Saban would get another great offensive coordinator because he's just a great coach. He knows how to pick them."

Jeudy is rated as the nation’s No. 9 receiver and the No. 65 player overall in the 2017 class. 

Sanjay Kirpalani is a National Recruiting Analyst for Bleacher Report. Unless otherwise noted, all quotes obtained firsthand and all recruiting information courtesy of Scout.com.