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Message: [QUOTE="timkay99, post: 3521515, member: 635"] Next up, dive into RB’s. Will use 247 as a guide for both video and rankings. If no video there, will do a search and list where the video was found. With evaluating off of highlight videos, definitely more of an upside look as opposed to a risk look. Would look for improvements from Jr year film to Sr year film (for those who end up playing). Changes include Syracuse players no longer being evaluated and being mentioned in the notes follow-up. Brief touch-point on them (no need for me to write them up, trying hard to not be perceived as negative), whether overrated, properly rated or underrated by 247 and at least a recent memory comp I can think of. After all position groups have been evaluated, will mention where I see the class at this stage, comparing against all the other players that have been written up. What I look for in RB’s: High Schools: What league do they play in? Try to get a read of the competition level so can get an idea of overall speed on the field. Identify the Profile: Power Back, All-Purpose Back (speed backs need hands) Attributes: Acceleration (how quickly to top-end speed), Power (hard to tackle w/ low center of gravity), Top End Speed, Dance/Cut (quickly decision-making), Holes (RB creating opportunities or is the OL making his job absurdly easy), Hands (does he have catches out of the backfield), WOW Plays As of 9/24/20, here is my breakdown of the RB’s currently committed in the ACC: Will Shipley (Weddington HS, NC) – Clemson Commit Measurables: 5-11, 198 Positional State Ranking: #1 APB, #1 RB (NC) HS Background: 3A of 4A Video Watched: Junior Year Highlights - 247 Profile: All Purpose Back Breakdown: Explosive back gets to top-end speed quickly, turns good angles into bad angles. Prototypical RB size w/ present physicality to play right away. At top end speed after 2 steps and explodes through the hole. Above average top-end speed (4.46 40) w/ ability to cut on a dime. Solid hands and route running, really looks the ball, flashes ability to snatch the ball out of the air. Nightmare match-up for a LB in pass coverage. Elite running back w/ high-upside and as minimal a risk as you will find in recruiting. Grade: 60 (All Conference Starter) Phil Mafah (Grayson HS, GA) – Clemson Commit Measurables: 6-1, 215 Positional State Ranking: #2 RB (GA) HS Background: 7A – Biggest schools in GA, Grayson churns out DUDES in nearly every sport, must see from a baseball perspective traditionally. Video Watched: 6 Games Jr SZN - HUDL Profile: Power Back Breakdown: Physical runner is a man amongst boys at the highest level of GA football. Strong, physical back w/ present collegiate size for power backs. Acceleration with solid top-end speed for a power back. Shows ability to run by dudes in the secondary and create poor angles for them. Makes cuts at his top speed. Showed one catch on a screen, but will do his best work in college between the tackles, utilizing his physicality. Super intriguing power back w/ all the tools you look for, this grade could be low and 2020 game film will definitely be a factor when re-evaluated. Grade: 55 (Above Average P5 Starter) Kamarro Edmonds (Havelock HS, NC) – North Carolina Commit Measurables: 5-11, 200 Positional State Ranking: #1 RB, #3 RB (NC) HS Background: 3A – 4A is biggest Video Watched: Junior Highlights - 247 Profile: All Purpose Back Breakdown: Physical runner shows intriguing combination of size and speed. Strong lower half with ability to run through arm tackles. Appears to have a top end speed faster than his 11.64 100 meter, partially due to his acceleration that allows him to hit top speed quickly and explode through the holes. Can make people miss with his wiggle, tough to tackle. Enough wiggle to be a threat in space with enough physicality to run through tackles. Grade: 55 (All Conference Starter) Trent Davis (Etowah HS, AL) – Duke Commit Measurables: 5-11, 170 Positional State Ranking: #6 RB (AL) HS Background: 4A (of 7A) Video Watched: Junior Season Highlights - 247 Profile: All Purpose Back Breakdown: All-purpose back shows hands and ability to cut on a dime. Appears to be leaner than his frame, will need to put on some muscle. Explosive hips, makes dynamic cuts while remaining at his slightly above average top-end speed. Space running back w/ acceleration. Shows a want to run between the tackles and stay inside. Plays faster on video as opposed to his track time of 11.31 in the 100 meters, may be level of competition. Intriguing back with advance wiggle, this is likely the low-end grade and 2020 game film will be important. Grade: 50 (Power 5 Starter) Trevion Cooley (Knightdale HS, NC) – Louisville Commit Measurables: 5-11, 208 Positional State Ranking: #2 RB, #4 RB (NC) HS Background: 4A – biggest high schools in state Video Watched: Junior Season - HUDL Profile: Power Back Breakdown: Physical back flashes some top-end speed. Some lower half physicality with a bit of an edge. Intriguing top-end speed to match with the physicality. Tends to bounce outside and focus on out-running people, flashes ability to make people miss in the hole. Takes some time to get to his top speed, flashes staying low through the hole. Has intriguing tools, will take some development, probably the top end of his grade for me and will be intrigued by 2020 film. Grade: 50 (Power 5 Starter) Malik Newton (Lake Taylor HS, VA) – Pittsburgh Commit Measurables: 5-11, 223 Positional State Ranking: #3 RB (VA) HS Background: 4A, 6A is the biggest schools Video Watched: 2019 Season Highlights - 247 Profile: Power Back Breakdown: 1-cut back who proved hard to tackle. Physical back w/ strong lower half. Was the upback in their attack, hit the holes quickly and straight on, didn’t have to make much of a read. Enough speed to make you respect the edge, but will do his work between the tackles. Grind it out style back, man amongst boys in high school. Intriguing power back. Grade: 50 (Power 5 Starter) Kenji Christian (Pinson Valley, AL) – Virginia Tech Commit Measurables: 6-2, 200 Positional State Ranking: #3 RB (AL) HS Background: 6A (7A is biggest) Video Watched: Junior Season - 247 Profile: All Purpose Back Breakdown: Physical back shows top end speed and burst through the hole. Most physical of the other all purpose backs in the ACC, looks like he can work both between the tackles and on the outside thanks to above average hands that led to him split out wide for his HS teams. At his best as a 1-cut, north to south runner with the threat of his receiving to expand the edge. Solid prospect with starter upside. Grade: 50 (Power 5 Starter) Chance Black (Dorman HS, SC) – Virginia Tech Commit Measurables: 6-1, 190 Positional State Ranking: #1 RB (SC) HS Background: 5A (biggest schools) Video Watched: Junior SZN - 247 Profile: All Purpose Back Breakdown: Of the 3 backs VT took, seems to be the most explosive. Similar to the other 2, prototypical size, long limbed. Explodes through the hole when he trusts his read and has the strength to run through arm tackles. Intriguing top-end speed for his size, seems to run away from secondary defenders. Shows enough wiggle to make guys miss in the hole. Decent hands, probably behind the other 2, but should be able to make more happen with the ball. Prefer him to the other 2 recruits, though it is close with Christian. Grade: 50 (Power 5 Starter) Rodney Hammond (B.T. Washington HS, VA) – Pittsburgh Commit Measurables: 5-10, 170 Positional State Ranking: #3 ATH, would be #2 RB in VA if ATH Trenton Adkins is not a RB HS Background: 3A, 6A is biggest Video Watched: Year 3 - HUDL Profile: All Purpose Back Breakdown: Skinny all-purpose back shows versality w/ quality acceleration. Prototypical RB size, likely needs a redshirt year to put on muscle. Accelerates, gets to top speed quickly and hits the hole decisively, doesn’t bounce around. Good hands out of the backfield, split out wide with his HS team and snatches the ball from the air. Agile w/ ability to make people miss, does it more with cuts as opposed to wiggle. Intriguing starter kit for a versatile back, concerned about the level of HS competition. Grade: 50 (Power 5 Starter) Xavier Coleman (Lenape HS, NJ) – Boston College Commit Measurables: 5-10, 190 Positional State Ranking: #3 RB (NJ) HS Background: 3rd ranked team in the state this year Video Watched: 2019 Season Highlights - 247 Profile: All-Purpose Back Breakdown: Athlete was used in a myriad of ways, from wildcat to kick returner to slot WR to true RB. Prototypical RB size. Solid acceleration with slightly above average top end speed. Agile with hip wiggle, knack for making players miss. Above average hands for a RB, will be a threat in the receiving game. Most of his highlights are at WR running deep routes. Will come down to how quickly he adapts to reading holes, was able to make a tackler miss in the hole on a few highlights. Tools to be a solid average back in the ACC w/ some development. Grade: 50 (Power 5 Starter) Thad Franklin (Chaminade-Madonna Prep, FL) – Miami Commit Measurables: 6-0, 225 Positional State Ranking: #2 RB (FL) HS Background: 3A, 8A is highest Video Watched: Junior Season Highlights - HUDL Profile: Power Back Breakdown: Physical back is power-first. Physical w/ stout lower half. Gets to top speed quickly, shows burst through the hole w/ physicality to run through arm tackles. Pure 1 cut back. Showed better speed and athleticism as the video went along. Was not shown catching the football or running routes. Some concerns with the level of competition and lack of break-away speed, will like to view the 2020 game film to see if he is more of the back we saw at the end of the video. Grade: 45 (Power 5 Back-Up) Will Towns (Jackson Memorial, NJ) – Wake Forest Commit Measurables: 5-11, 190 Positional State Ranking: #4 RB (NJ) HS Background: Went 8-3 last year in the Colonial Video Watched: Junior Highlights - 247 Profile: All Purpose Back Breakdown: Physical runner flashes burst through the hole w/ a want to be physical. Prototypical RB size. Profiles as a north-south runner when he has the football, flashing straight line burst through the hole. Strong enough to ward off arm tackles. Flashes the ability to cut, show some hip wiggle. Likes to throw his body around. Tough back who will likely need some time to grow into the body his running style desires, but has an intriguing skill-set. Grade: 45 (Power 5 Back-Up) Amaad Foston (John Milledge Academy, GA) – Virginia Commit Measurables: 5-11, 199 Positional State Ranking: #6 RB (GA) HS Background: 3A – biggest school in GISA, won GISA last year Video Watched: Jr. Season Highlights - HUDL Profile: Power Back Breakdown: Physical RB looks taller/more physical than his measurables. Chance to be a monster physically. Agile w/ ability to cut. Profiles as a between the tackles runner, not a true home run threat. Shows ability to get his pad level lower than the tacklers. Offensive line opened up huge holes and was strong enough to run over LB’s at the GISA level. Will have a learning curve at the collegiate level, but has some upside due to his running style. Grade: 45 (Power 5 Back-Up) Demie Sumo (Willingboro HS, NJ) – NC State Commit Measurables: 6-0, 202 Positional State Ranking: #5 RB, #6 RB (NJ) HS Background: Won South/Central Region Championship last year pretty handily, hard to get a feel for overall talent level with all the pay walls. Video Watched: Season Highlights - HUDL Profile: All Purpose Back Breakdown: True all purpose back was spread out wide and ran a route tree. Solid lower half with physicality to run through arm tackles. Some burst with some top end speed, but looks like just another guy at the P5 level. Above average hands for a RB that can make contested catches. Flashes some wiggle to be a player to get the ball to in space. Solid starter kit for an all purpose back. Grade: 45 (Power 5 Back-Up) Malachi Thomas (Hart County, GA) – Virginia Tech Commit Measurables: 6-0, 180 Positional State Ranking: #7 RB (GA) HS Background: 3A, 8A is the highest Video Watched: 2019 Junior Season Highlights - 247 Profile: All Purpose Back Breakdown: Big bodied back shows solid hands. Prototypical RB size w/ projection, long limbed. Long-strider is at his best in the open field, takes some time to accelerate. North-South runner who shows a want to engage in contact. Solid hands and athleticism, can bring some physicality to his routes. Concerned about top-end speed and level of competition. Grade: 45 (Power 5 Back-Up) Lewis Bond (Kenwood Academy, IL) – Boston College Commit Measurables: 6-0, 188 Positional State Ranking: #1 APB, #4 RB (IL) HS Background: Chicago Public, 8-2-1 last year to win the league, 6A of 8 classifications Video Watched: Junior Year - HUDL Profile: All Purpose Back Breakdown: Back shows some burst, some toughness, but looks like just another guy at the P5 level. Projectable, developmental type guy who has some lower half strength. Flashes some burst and top-end speed, but doesn’t consistently run away from guys at the 6A level. Low center of gravity makes him tough to tackle. Lined up at WR at times, showed solid hands w/ ability to make catches in space. Solid back will be at his best as a 1-cut back, will come down to how quickly he can learn that as well as continue to add physicality to his frame. Grade: 45 (Power 5 Back-Up) [/QUOTE]

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