Army All-American Bowl Roster 2017: Breaking Down Top Recruits in Marquee Game

Before Odell Beckham Jr., Andrew Luck, Adrian Peterson and Ezekiel Elliott were making plays on college campuses and in NFL stadiums, they were participants in the Army All-American Bowl.

This year's version will once again pit some of the nation's elite football prospects against each other in an East vs. West showdown at the Alamodome in San Antonio. College football fans across the country will get the opportunity to see the stars of tomorrow perform at 1 p.m. ET Saturday on NBC, per the game's official website.

With that in mind, here is a look at the rosters listed on the game's official website, as well as some recruits to watch in the annual event.

East
West
Number	Name	Position	State
3	Cam Akers	RB	MS
14	Tray Bishop	RB	GA
17	Tarik Black	WR	CT
1	D.D. Bowie	WR	MS
68	Nick Brahms	OL	FL
23	Motaric Brown	DB	AR
97	Joseph Bulovas	K	LA
22	Ty Chandler	RB	TN
42	Tucker Day	P	TN
78	D'Ante Demery	OL	GA
99	A.J. Epenesa	DL	IL
35	Justin Foster	LB	NC
11	Jake Fromm	QB	GA
10	Willie Gay	LB	MS
53	Mitch Hall	LS	NC
5	Mike Harley	WR	FL
18	Jeremiah Holloman	WR	GA
56	Creed Humphrey	OL	OK
31	Devon Hunter	DB	VA
52	Deron Irving-Bey	DL	MI
21	Donovan Johnson	DB	MI
15	Hunter Johnson	QB	IN
72	Netori Johnson	OL	GA
80	Cole Kmet	TE	IL
4	Richard LeCounte	DB	GA
67	Joshua Lugg	OL	PA
29	D.J. Matthews	WR	FL
13	Nathan McBride	LB	GA
16	Davis Mills	QB	GA
30	Tadarian Moultry	LB	AL
58	Josh Myers	OL	OH
2	Hamsah Nasirildeen	DB	NC
55	Ja'len Parks	DL	FL
20	Jarez Parks	DL	FL
9	Donovan Peoples-Jones	WR	MI
6	Jacob Phillips	LB	TN
60	Kendall Randolph	OL	AL
98	Rutger Reitmaier	DL	TN
27	Henry Ruggs	WR	AL
77	Tedarrell Slaton Jr.	OL	FL
8	OrTre Smith	WR	SC
91	Aubrey Solomon	DL	GA
7	D'Andre Swift	RB	PA
12	Tua Tagovailoa	QB	HI
27	Ambry Thomas	DB	MI
54	Andrew Thomas	OL	GA
25	Shaun Wade	DB	FL
59	Jordan Williams	DL	VA
24	Chase Young	DL	MD
Number	Name		State
26	Salvon Ahmed	DB	WA
20	Robert Barnes	DB	TX
25	Eno Benjamin	RB	TX
28	Bubba Bolden	DB	NV
99	Earnest Brown	DL	TX
6	Baron Browning	LB	TX
13	Jamire Calvin	WR	CA
11	Stephen Carr	RB	CA
76	Wyatt Davis	OL	CA
22	J.K. Dobbins	RB	TX
10	Levi Draper	LB	OK
9	Hunter Echols	DL	CA
66	Chuck Filiaga	OL	TX
19	Thomas Fletcher	LS	FL
16	Haskell Garrett	DL	NV
21	Addison Gumbs	LB	CA
2	Najee Harris	RB	CA
5	Darnay Holmes	DB	CA
63	Odua Isibor	DL	AZ
77	Austin Jackson	OL	AZ
24	K.J. Jarrell	DB	AZ
31	Greg Johnson	DB	CA
7	Jaylon Johnson	DB	CA
88	Ty Jones	WR	UT
29	Bruce Jordan-Swilling	LB	LA
68	Derek Kerstetter	OL	TX
23	Deommodore Lenoir	DB	CA
4	Joseph Lewis	WR	CA
81	Tyjon Lindsey	WR	NV
75	Walker Little	OL	TX
14	Omar Manning	WR	TX
18	Tate Martell	QB	NV
8	Oliver Martin	WR	IA
12	Dylan McCaffrey	QB	CO
73	Jake Moretti	OL	CO
62	Brett Neilon	OL	CA
34	Ariel Ngata	LB	CA
56	Sampson Niu	LB	CA
1	Jeffrey Okudah	DB	TX
84	Colby Parkinson	TE	CA
92	Jayden Peevy	DL	TX
15	Jaelan Phillips	DL	CA
54	Kanan Ray	OL	CA
3	Shawn Robinson	QB	TX
17	Brandon Ruiz	K	AZ
70	Foster Sarell	OL	WA
27	DeVonta Smith	WR	LA
96	Adam Stack	P	HI
55	Isaiah Thomas	DL	OK
78	Jay Tufele	DL	UT
51	Marlon Tuipulotu	DL	OR
79	Tristan Wirfs	OL	IA

Players to Watch

Tate Martell, QB, West

Las Vegas quarterback Tate Martell is one of the players to watch because he was named the USA Today High School Sports Offensive Player of the Year, per Jim Halley of USA Today.

According to USA Today, he led the Bishop Gorman Gaels to a 15-0 record this season and didn't lose a single game in three years as a starter. What's more, the Gaels won their eighth straight state title thanks largely to Martell's 2,362 passing yards, 1,257 rushing yards and 62 total touchdowns.

Hudl shared some of the highlights that made Martell such a highly regarded recruit:

The Ohio State commit is a 5-star prospect, per Scout, and the No. 2 quarterback in the entire 2017 class. He can make plays with his arm and legs and has the accuracy to connect on underneath routes and the arm strength to find receivers on deep balls.

He also is team oriented, given his answer when Halley asked about the biggest thing he learned this year: "A lesson I learned from Trent Dilfer. He was telling us in his career, he struggled the first couple of years with being a top pick and trying to live up to that. When he got to the Ravens, he made himself worry about the team goals and not his own. That's when everything works."

Greg Biggins of Scout said Martell "plays with a poise and maturity beyond his years and has an incredible work ethic off the field," which will likely endear him to Buckeyes fans in the near future.

Saturday's game will give him a chance to work against some of the best defensive prospects in the country and provide a taste of what life will be like in a Big Ten East Division that features formidable defenses in Michigan, Penn State and Michigan State.

Shaun Wade, DB, East

Like Martell, defensive back Shaun Wade was included as a player to watch because he was named the USA Today High School Sports Defensive Player of the Year, per Halley.

Wade will join Martell on the Buckeyes next year, and it is a testament to Urban Meyer's recruiting ability that he landed the Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year in one class. Ohio State may have lost to Clemson in the College Football Playoff, but the future is littered with award-winning players.

According to USA Today, Wade led Trinity Christian in Jacksonville, Florida, to its fourth straight state title this season and tallied 63 tackles and seven interceptions in the process. He also hauled in six touchdown catches as a two-way threat.

Hudl captured some of the plays that surely caught Ohio State's eye in the recruiting process:

Wade is a 4-star recruit, per Scout, and checks in at 6'2". That size helps him cover more ground at the cornerback spot and allows him to play off receivers if needed because of his reach.

With so many top-notch quarterbacks participating in Saturday's game, there will be plenty of throwing. Wade will have the chance to work in one-on-one coverage throughout the game against some of the best playmakers in the country and can demonstrate his ability in press coverage and in zone looks.

A.J. Epenesa, DL, East

While A.J. Epenesa wasn't named a Player of the Year by USA Today, he makes the cut here because he has the potential to take away the spotlight from so many offensive stars on Saturday.

Barton Simmons of 247Sports called him the alpha dog of the East Team performers on Thursday and described the dominant playmaker:

"

It happens in flashes. We'll see A.J. Epenesa rag doll an offensive lineman in front of him. We'll see him uncoil his 269-pound frame and burst past an offensive tackle. On Thursday there were several of those flashes. In one play, he left a right tackle standing in cement as he sacked Hunter Johnson. On another, he forced a scramble out of the quarterback because he had driving an offensive guard into the middle of the pocket. He disrupted a run during the inside run period forcing a tackle for minimal gain. Epenesa is just a physical specimen who continues to look like a future force for Iowa.

"

Hudl shared some of Epenesa's highlights:

The Iowa commit is a 5-star recruit, per Scout, and the anchor of the Hawkeyes' class. He checks in at 6'5" and 260 pounds and boasts the sheer size to overpower offensive linemen in one-on-one scenarios, which he will likely prove on Saturday against some of the nation's best.

He is also athletic enough to burst past the edge when necessary, which is what makes him such a talented prospect.

Casual observers will likely tune into Saturday's game to see the offensive skill players dazzle with touchdown runs and catches, but Epenesa can serve as a game-plan wrecker for the East side.

Between Epenesa and Wade, Martell and the rest of the West quarterbacks could be in for a long day in San Antonio.