Best of the Best: The Brain's National Top 10

So, for today's BrainStorm installment, The Brain has identified and reviewed the top ten high school football players in the country. He wants to acknowledge, however, how difficult picking the ten best players in America can be, and for so many different reasons. While he's seen everyone on his list play, The Brain has hardly gotten the chance to see all the great players across the country, which means some kids just haven't had the same opportunity, at least not as far as his rankings are concerned. Additionally, The Brain believes it's really hard to differentiate between No. 5, 10 and 20 when he's only seen each kid live one or two times.

With that said, first-hand observation is only part of the scouting process, as there are a bunch of other things to consider during player evaluations, and The Brain feels pretty confident about his own. On a similar note, you will notice he didn't actually rank these players within the top 10, deciding instead to categorize them based on position; really, The Brain decided he'd rather not pretend that No. 1 is that different from No. 3, or that No. 7 is a decidedly better prospect than No. 10.

With this possibly unnecessary commentary and explanation out of the way, then, it's time for readers to thoroughly enjoy The Brain's National Top 10:

RUNNING BACKS:

Malcolm Brown: 6-0, 220-pound running back out of Cibolo, Texas. Committed to Texas. Brown has great power, speed and balance, especially for a player of his size. He sees the field very well, catches the ball like a receiver, and has decent moves in the open field. He ha the true look of a running back getting through the hole, and has great initial speed/burst. Texas has had solid success with running backs over the last ten years or so, but Brown is clearly the best talent the Longhorns have had since Ricky Williams.

Mike Blakely: 5-9, 195-pound running back out of Bradenton, Florida. Committed to Florida. Personally, I believe he is the most explosive back in America. Blakely possesses great speed, quickness and burst to go along with power and strength in a stout, stocky build. His vision, quick cuts, and overall balance, however, are his most unique strengths. Blakely quickly identifies running lanes, and then explodes, reaching top speed almost immediately, and can cut back in a blink. Simply put, he is a natural football player who can pass the football like a quarterback and catch it like a receiver as well. He’s a quality blocker and a rather physical runner for his size, both between the tackles and out on the edges. Blakely also has a very good build, solid and muscular frame for his height.

QUARTERBACKS:

Jeff Driskel: 6-3, 225-pound quarterback out of Oviedo, Florida. Committed to Florida. Driskel has prototypical size, to go along with perhaps the strongest arm in all of America. He also throws the football with great touch and accuracy, though he does tend to take a lot of risks in the passing game. Driskel possesses and incredibly quick release, and is a gunslinger in the truest sense of the football expression. He, however, also happens to be a very good athlete with good speed, and a great ability to avoid the rush and run the football on designed plays. He possesses a unique combination of prototypical passing skills to go along with the rushing ability of a dual-threat quarterback. And, based on Florida's struggles with John Brantley behind center in 2010, Driskel's dual-threat style of play will be welcomed in Gainesville in the years to come.

Braxton Miller: 6-2, 185-pound quarterback out of Huber Heights, Ohio. Committed to Ohio State. Miller is a tremendous athlete, truly dynamic with the football in his hands, but also has a rocket for an arm and is an especially adept intermediate passer. Like most high school quarterbacks, he is still developing mentally in the passing game, but has a naturally quick release, and is extremely adept at throwing on the run. Personally, I believe he is a better all-around quarterback prospect than Terrell Pryor was at the same stage.

DEFENSIVE LINE:

Jadeveon Clowney: 6-6, 247-pound defensive end out of Rock Hill, South Carolina. Clowney is still firmly on the market and has a top four that includes South Carolina, Alabama, Clemson and Ohio State. I think it’s really a two-team battle, though, and I believe the Gamecocks will eventually edge out the Tide in the end. On the field, Clowney is an absolute monster, a true freak athlete. He navigates the field with tremendous speed and grace, but also possesses truly dominant size and strength. He has solid pass rush moves at this point, but it’s his innate physical tools that really separate him. In recent years, two other defensive ends have had Top Recruit-like talent – Ronald Powell and DaQuan Bowers – and I’m not sure either is in the same class as Clowney as far as pure pass rushing dominance is concerned, and that’s saying a whole lot for sure.

Tim Jernigan: 6-2, 275-pound defensive tackle out of Lake City, Florida. He is a relentless pass rusher from his defensive tackle position. Needs to add some weight to his frame, but plays with great leverage, uses his hands well, and is a very sophisticated pass rusher for the high school level. Jernigan truly plays with a non-stop motor and makes plays all over the field. He’s a great athlete and a natural at his position. He currently has a top four that includes FSU, Michigan, LSU and Alabama, but the Gators cannot be counted out here in any way.

RECEIVERS:

Sammy Watkins: 6-1, 180-pound receiver out of Fort Myers, Florida. Watkins currently has a top three of Clemson, Michigan and Miami, but will visit Gainesville for Florida’s game with South Carolina. On the field, Watkins displays great speed and open-field moves, but his hands, tremendous ball skills and overall comfort playing the receiver position are what truly separate him.

OFFENSIVE LINE:

Cyrus Kouandjio – 6-7, 322-pound offensive tackle out of Hyattsville, Maryland. He has former teammates that play for Iowa and Pittsburgh, and names both schools regularly as a result, but his brother plays at Alabama, and I think that makes the Tide the slight favorite here. Cyrus seems to be behind in the process, however. As for his play, he is simply a physical freak for his size, and plays with tremendous energy and enthusiasm. Offensive line is one of the toughest positions to scout and project, but Kouandjio has all the natural gifts. He is light on his feet, moves incredibly well for a man of his stature, and plays with nice balance as well. The sky is the limit for Cyrus.

LINEBACKERS:

Tony Steward: 6-2, 225-pound outside linebacker out of St. Augustine, Florida. Steward’s top four includes Alabama, Clemson, FSU and UCLA. In addition to his obvious size and speed, he plays with great leverage, balance and body control. Simply put, Steward looks like he was born to play the position. He takes great angles, covers a ton of ground in a hurry, and takes no missteps. Steward also happens to be a vicious hitter and a dominant pass rusher.

DEFENSIVE BACKS:

Hasean Clinton-Dix: 6-2, 190-pound safety out of Orlando, Florida. Committed to Alabama. Hasean is dynamic against the run, rangy against the pass, and great with the ball in the air. He looks far too big and physical to be a safety, but has the speed and agility to back it up. HaHa is also tremendous on the blitz and an eraser against the pass. He’s yet another one of those complete freaks on the football field.

So, that's all I've got for now, and I feel pretty good about this stopping place. I just hope my one-of-a-kind insight is appreciated by all. And, until next time, remember to be good and keep reading.

Thinking of Dai-Jon...

As every minute passes, we move that much closer to Friday’s biggest sports news in the Peach State, because at 9:30 p.m. on that night, Milton star shooting guard Dai-Jon Parker will finally announce his college declaration. The ceremony will be held at Milton high, will be open to the public, and will be followed by the school’s version of Midnight Madness.

Anyway, I caught up with Parker on Monday (he was a guest on The Official Visit, 790 the Zone’s all-recruiting radio show on which I star, along with the great Fletcher Proctor) and tried to gather as much insight as possible into the future college star’s Friday announcement.

First, though, it’s worth mentioning that, in a way, Parker backtracked from some of the comments he’s been making over the last month or so. In more than a few interviews, the 6-4 guard alluded to a future position change, implying that the point guard spot may be his at the next level. When pushed on Monday, however, Parker said he’s really a “scoring guard”, and anticipates his style of play remaining the same for years to come. Of course, with Ohio State commitment Shannon Scott already running the show for Milton, Parker’s position change was never going to happen on the high school level anyway.

Now, as for where I think he will commit this Friday, I have a strong feeling it is down to two schools. Technically, five are still standing, and they include Georgia, Oklahoma State, Oregon State, Rhode Island and Vanderbilt. Based on what Parker had to say, however, I really believe it is a Georgia-Vandy battle. If basketball is the deciding factor, Georgia will be the choice. Simply put, Parker loves head coach Mark Fox, the offense he’s installed, and the city of Athens.

Parker was also clear, though, about his desire to pick a school that has merit beyond the hardwood. In discussing Vandy, he expressed a ton of respect for head coach Kevin Stallings, but also for the campus and the education one can receive while on it. Specifically, Parker said he wants to go somewhere that would be worthwhile and enjoyable even if a knee injury were to god forbid end his career.

With that said, tonight’s decision should tell us a lot about where the kid’s head is. If education is the deciding factor, there is no question the Commodores will be the choice. And knowing that staying close to home isn’t all that important to Dai-Jon, I’m going to guess Vandy edges out Georgia here in what would be one of the bigger recruiting surprises in the 2011 cycle.

As a sort of reminder, be sure to check back here over the weekend for complete analysis of Parker’s decision, which by then will of course have been made. And, until then, remember to be good and keep reading.

Officially Reviewing 'The Official Visit'

As usual, we put another earth-shattering episode of the The Official Visit in the books on Monday and, if you missed it, you can hear our (myself and Fletcher Proctor) profound recruiting discussion in its entirety at this space a bit later in the week (or perhaps the day, depending on how energized I'm feeling…well…later).

In the meantime, I'd like to share some of the more easily documented information to come from the show, specifically that which concerns our two guests, Pepperell offensive guard Kyle Harris and Grady running back Marcus Caffey. Of course, if you follow recruiting in the State of Georgia even a little, you probably know Harris was formerly a Georgia Tech pledge, de-committing from the school last week (mid-October).

As for that decision, Harris told us that the prospect of being a student-athlete (and, here, I am referring to what that term used to mean) at a top academic institution like Tech was an intimidating one, and also expressed a specific desire to play his college ball in the SEC, saying he “wants that challenge”. Most interesting, however, was Harris’s explanation for why he originally chose the Yellow Jackets. While he acknowledged that playing near home was initially appealing, he said he really committed to Tech as a result of the pressure its coaches put on him to commit early. According to Harris, Paul Johnson and company made him feel “rushed” to commit and fill one of only a few available spots for offensive linemen in the Class of 2011.

As for where Harris stands now, as of Monday it sounded like he was all but committed to South Carolina, and he would represent the seventh prospect from Georgia to commit to the Gamecocks in Class of 2011, joining Mason Harris, Martay Mattox, Lorenzo Mauldin, Quincy McKinney, Edward Muldrow, and Angelo Watley. Others have mentioned that Tennessee and Ole Miss may be in the running, but Harris didn’t really seem too interested in either. He did, however, also mention that he is thinking about taking an official visit to Auburn, though this is mostly smoke without the fire. Finally, the high school offensive guard expressed a willingness to play anywhere he’s needed, but did mention a preference for playing center at the next level.

Now, while Caffey’s recruitment isn’t quite as transparent as Harris’s, he too was very open with his thoughts. About a month or so ago, the Grady star had South Carolina as his leader, but he and the rest of the nation have taken notice of one Marcus Lattimore, and even Caffey admitted he wants none of that. He did also mention, though, that he is open to playing defensive back in college and, based on his size, I assume that means the safety position specifically. He did not, however, differentiate between schools and what position each is recruiting him to play.

Marcus talked about Kentucky as well, and expressed some loyalty since it was the second school to extend an offer, but he seemed much more excited when talking about two northern schools, Illinois and Purdue. Mostly, Caffey thinks he can see the field much earlier in the Big 10 than in the SEC, and that is at least one of his considerations in coming to a decision.

Still, though, if Georgia comes through with an offer by January – and that is a Caffey-mandated deadline, not one I made up – the Bulldogs will be very tough to beat. And, to me, they are crazy if they don’t give the kid a serious look; as of now, they haven’t even talked to him.

Looking at Georgia’s running back board right now, it’s either Isaiah Crowell or bust. The problem is, Isaiah won’t announce his decision until late in the process, and by then Georgia may have no other options. So, then, I ask, what’s a bigger risk: Taking Caffey now and risking that you sign two backs in this class when you maybe only wanted one, or playing hardball with Caffey, missing out on Crowell, and ending up with no one? I know for sure that I prefer risking the former.

So that is, unfortunately, all for today’s lesson, CLASS. Until next time, be good and keep reading.

AND SO IT BEGINS...

So this is a new blogging venture/space for The Brain. Going into his fourth year working in Atlanta’s print, radio and TV sports communities, The Brain specializes in all variations of sports analysis, is a foremost expert in the hectic world of recruiting, and an opinionated fan of the arts as well. As such, this/his blog and all its musings will very much reflect these/his interests. So, without further introduction, we hope you thoroughly enjoy this thought-provoking cyber space, but warn you to be careful; it's very important that you resist falling for The Brain and all his worldly temptations. (Note: this is just a quick start to what this blog will become. Think of it as the appetizer to an amazing main course of your choice).

ON “THE VISIT”…

We put another out-of-this-world version of “The Official Visit” in the books on Monday, as our two fantastic interviews yielded some really interesting recruiting news. For those who don’t know, I host an all-recruiting radio show alongside Score Atlanta's Fletcher Proctor on Sports Radio 790 The Zone every Monday night from 7:30-10. It is in fact the world’s only two and a half hour, all-recruiting radio show, which makes it the very best in the business, and more than worth checking out/your time.

Anyway, on Monday we caught up with Milton senior power forward Julian Royal in addition to McEachern tight end Rory Anderson. The interview with Royal was especially timely, as the 6-8, 225-pound power forward will announce his college declaration at a school assembly this Thursday, October 14. The ceremony is scheduled for 4 p.m.

While most believed that Royal was set to choose between Georgia Tech, Georgia and Wake Forest, perhaps the most interesting information to come from our interview was that Royal has actually eliminated Wake Forest from the running. So, by process of elimination, it becomes a Georgia-Georgia Tech battle. Beyond that, Royal very much tried to keep the suspense in his Thursday announcement with tight-lipped answers, but I did get a sense that Georgia will be his choice, as he admitted that he has at least thought about the prospect of a Paul Hewitt firing.

In our interview with Anderson, Rory all but committed to Steve Spurrier and the South Carolina Gamecocks. He has visited Columbia, the University of Virginia, as well as Knoxville, Tennessee, so he knows what’s out there, and he is still firmly calling Carolina his leader. What pushes the pendulum even further in South Carolina’s favor is Anderson’s desire to play with teammate Marcquis Roberts. We interviewed the 6-1, 205-pound linebacker on The Visit two weeks ago, and he also expressed a strong desire to play with Anderson as well as a strong liking for Spurrier and the Gamecocks. Finally, last night, Rory also admitted that his mom favors South Carolina and that she believes it is the school he will choose in the end.

Now you can find trends in just about every aspect of life, and recruiting is no different. And when a player favors a school and his mom favors the same one too, said player is a lock to choose said school, and you can take that to the bank. And if my prediction comes true – and I think we all know that it will – it will be quite the get for Spurrier and company. Anderson is a tremendous athlete with the ability to become an ultra-versatile tight end or a big, physical receiver, and Roberts plays the game with great passion and brings impressive speed and range to the linebacker position. Perhaps more importantly, if we count the two McEachern Indians and South Carolina Gamecocks, they would represent the eighth and ninth Georgia prospects to commit to Spurrier in the Class of 2011. That’s a significant, and hugely important, number for a South Carolina Program always looking to add more talent.

Unfortunately, that's all the time I've got for now, but be sure to frequent this space. In the next week or so, in addition to a good deal of analysis and reflection concerning all sports, I will be sure to include some comprehensive, position-by-position recruiting rankings plus more. But until then, be good and keep reading.