Do You Trust Your Instincts?

“The pace of recruiting just continues to accelerate,” Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said. “I don’t see that going backwards. So it’s a challenge, a bit of risk-reward. You just hope your instincts are right.”

Tomorrow is September 1st. The first day that schools can offer scholarships to the Class of 2011 prospects. The two no-brainer prospects in Illinois are the Vernon Hills dynamic duo of DaVaris Daniels and Evan Spencer.

If you read my blog, you'll know that DaVaris Daniels is a 5-star prospect that can play for any school in the country. Which schools will offer DaVaris a scholarship on Sept. 1? There will be plenty.....

...but which schools are going to step out, trust their instincts as Coach Ferentz said and offer his teammate and best friend Evan Spencer a scholarship? Here's where you need to trust your instincts.

"We'd definitely like to go to the same school, both Daniels and Spencer told me last week. "We're best friends and live next door to each other. It would be nice to play together in college."

The great thing about this deal is that Evan Spencer (WR/DB) is not a throw in folks. He's a 4-star prospect, 3 at the very least depending on who's rankings you look at.

You offer DaVaris Daniels tomorrow and your shot at landing him is very good. Offer his teammate Evan Spencer as well and you're chances just doubled. Oh trust me, Spencer will get his fair share of scholarship offers.

Like DaVaris Daniels, who's father, Phillip Daniels, currently plays for the Washington Redskins, Evan Spencer also comes from good stock. His father, Tim Spencer, toted the rock for Ohio State and is currently the running backs coach for the Chicago Bears.

Want to see what the dynamic-duo did in the first game of the season?

That was just the tip of the iceberg for Vernon Hills (1-00 as the Cougars led 35-0 at halftime before cruising to a 42-12 nonconference victory over the Wolves.

Junior DaVaris Daniels started the game at quarterback for Vernon Hills and he hit junior teammate Evan Spencer with a 41-yard scoring strike down the right sideline for a 14-0 lead on a 4th and 13 play with 6.3 seconds left in the first quarter.

After a Daniels interception near midfield, sophomore Steve Nelson took over at quarterback at the next possession deep in Niles West territory. Nelson hit Spencer over the middle with a perfect strike for a 15-yard TD

Sophomore quarterback Tyler Peterson started Vernon Hills next scoring drive at the Cougars own 25-yard line. Daniels would scoop up his teammate's fumble on second down and race 49 yards for the TD for a 35-0 lead with under two minutes left in the first half.

Midway through the third quarter, Nelson rolled right on third down, threw the ball up high and Daniels went up and hauled the pass down for a 19-yard TD catch in the right corner of the end zone for a 42-0 lead.

"We know we have some talented weapons, but we have only been practicing against ourselves," said Vernon Hills Tony Monken. "It's going to be part of our offense to have the big play, and we know Daniels and Spencer are special and I thought defensively we played great."

Just how good are your instincts?

Two Stand-Out Juniors for Sacred Heart

A four day weekend of high school football came to a close yesterday afternoon as Sacred Heart-Griffin pounded the ball on the ground and ran over Montini Catholic. A few thoughts on prospects from that game.

Montini Catholic QB Brandon Pechloff - Good lookin' kid. Is he a D-1 quarterback? I found out the tough way that there's a lot of power in the pen...so I'll be very careful here and say that it's not for me to decide.

I will say in watching Pechloff compared to watching Chandler Whitmer (Illinois) or Taylor Graham (Ohio State) is like comparing apples to oranges.

Bright spots for me came on the Sacred Heart-Griffin side of the field. Recruiters need to get down to Springfield, Ill. to see head coach Ken Leonard.

Marlandez Harris (2010), a 6-3, 260, two-way lineman, lived up to the hype and he's going to be a good player for Indiana.

Greg Brown, (2011) a 5-7, 185-pound, running back, doesn't have Big Ten size but he would be a great option for a MAC level program or equal conference.

Brown excels in the spread option game. Hitting the hole hard and using excellent vision to run to daylight. Tough kid that doesn't go down on first contact. Very quick and fast.

Another 2011 prospect to watch for the Cyclones is 6-4, 280-pound, offensive lineman, Ryan Klachko. Klachko is a mauler that opened big holes for Brown and did a great job in protecting the quarterback.

For personal info on Greg Brown and Ryan Klachko and to receive 2009 film of Sacred Heart-Griffin, contact me at chris@nationalprepnetwork.com

Ok, What Gives?

Rickey Simpson, a 6-3, 215-pound, DE/OLB from Aurora (Ill.) Waubonsie Valley (2010), doesn't have ONE SCHOLARSHIP OFFER? Ok, what gives? Is it grades? Character? Doubt it. The Rickey Simpson that I know is as polite a young man that I've met in all my years in the business.

So what it is it? Can't be talent. Simpson was dominant in a 25-17 loss to Naperville Central. A loss that would've been a win against one of Illinois' perennial top programs. I saw a win because Waubonsie dropped two sure touchdown passes.

Simpson, being recruited as a linebacker and rush end, caused havoc all day long. When their was a big play to be made, #35 was their for the Warriors. Sacks, batted balls, big hits...and I mean big hits. Hits you could here on the top of the press box! Rickey Simpson was their.

Surely their has to be a scholarship out there for a guy who can run, hit, defend, sack the quarterback and make big plays.

My Scouting Report:

Is Simpson an outside backer or a rush end? He'll need to put on some weight to play DE but he has the speed to play linebacker.

• Excels as a pass rusher
• Disruptive
• Explodes off the ball
• Knack for making the big play
• Plays with leverage
• Speed to turn the corner-Big Burst to the football
  

Needs to work on:

• Will over pursue at times
• Playing the run better
• Needs to use his hands better

Overall:

Big Ten type prospect that would be a steal at the MAC level. Great drive to be the best and very coac able. Will excel in the right system.

We filmed Waubonsie's game yesterday vs. Naperville Central. NPN customers can view this game by logging onto the network. If you're not a client, contact me at chris@nationalprepnetwork.com and I'd be happy to discuss options to become part of the NPN family.

Fulton Impressive in '09 Opener

Homewood-Flossmoor had high hopes for this season. The Vikings boast an interior line with five D-1 prospects, most notably Zach Fulton, a 6-5, 325-pound, road-grader, that has given Tennessee his verbal commitment.

H-F made a ton of mistakes in the first half of a lopsided 34-18 loss but there were plenty of bright spots for head coach Ken Smith.

Fulton lined up at a guard position on Friday night and in addition to his ability to dominate the man in front of him in the running game, he showed excellent footwork in pass-pro.

I'm not one who's too much into comparisons but Zach Fulton has the potential and skill set to have a Shawn Andrews, Max Jean-Gilles type college career. If the chips fall the right way, we're looking at young man who will play on Sunday for sure.

Fulton's stock has been on the rise since mid-summer. Did that have anything to do with Tennessee offering him a scholarship after a strong showing at their summer camp? You be the judge.

Great get for the Vols but they will have to continue to recruit Fulton hard as several major D-1 programs have started to throw their hat in the ring. Should be interesting to see who else besides Tennessee calls the Fulton home on September 1st.

How strong is Fulton's commitment to Tennessee? Zach told me last night that he was verbally committed to Tennessee and he asked me to talk to his father (Glen Fulton). Mr. Fulton also said that Zach was going to Tennessee.

Zach's older brother and former University of Illinois offensive tackle Xavier Fulton looks like a good bet to be a Tampa Bay Buccaneer in 2009 which could open a door for a program in the Sunshine State to get at least an un-official or official visit.

You read between the lines. More on Homewood-Flossmoor and their gang of D-1 football prospects later.

College coaches wanting video of Homewood-Flossmoor from their opener last night vs Marian Catholic, get in touch with me at chris@nationaprepnetwork.com

South Instead of North

I've decided at the last minute to change plans and head to Chicago Heights. It's Homewood-Flossmoor vs. Marian Catholic. A nice rivalry with a ton of D-1 talent for the Vikings. I'm looking forward to seeing Zach Fulton, the younger brother of former H-F Viking lineman Xavier Fulton. Zach is verbally committed to Tennessee.

Maine South Tonight!

Tonight I'm headed to Maine South in Park Ridge, Ill., to check out Indiana commitment Matt Perez and a host of potential D-1 prospect for the Redhawks. I'm interested to see how new QB Tyler Benz handles the transition from defensive end. Should be a good one!! For in-game updates follow me on twitter @ http://twitter.com/NPNScout

Cocked & Loaded!

Another high school football season is here and it's to nobody's surprise that the Bolingbrook (Ill.) Raiders are loaded with talent. From quarterback Brad Geever (6-3, 220) to running back Jamel Martin (6-0, 200), "The Brook" will be a force in 2009.

What's scary is the fact that although Geever (6-3, 220) had a phenomenal junior season as did Martin, they might not be the best option at their positions.

Watch out for tailback Devonte Jones (2010), The 5-9, 205-pounder, will get his fair share of carries this season and he it wouldn't surprise me that once he has film, the MAC programs or D-1AA programs take a closer look.

Jones' best attribute may be the fact that he's an excellent honor roll student.

Backing up Geever at quarterback is super freshman Aaron Bailey (6-1, 190). Bailey is a stand-out 3-sport athlete. He has a cannon attached to his shoulder and he's a threat running the football.

Bolingbrook has always been known for their skilled athletes but there's plenty of beef on the o-line and the one to watch is sophomore Robert Bain - pictured (6-3, 260). The younger brother of former U.S. Army All-American, Ryan Bain.

Bain already has a year of varsity (heavyweight) wrestling under his belt and the apple hasn't fallen far from the tree. Robert has the mean streak that Ryan possessed when he was terrorizing offenses at "The Brook".

Another great looking sophomore is Anthony Sharpe (6-4, 305). Sharpe doesn't look sloppy for his size and the coaches are raving about his upside.

The defense is once again stout in "Raider Nation" led by defensive end Jeremy Curry (6-3, 220). Head coach John Ivlow had this to say about Curry. "He's crazy....but in a good way. Jeremy wants to make a point with every tackle." Point being is you run at Jeremy Curry, it's going to be a long day.

Joining Curry on the defensive line is "Big Tuck" Brandon Tucker. The 6-1, 170-pounder, achors the inside for the Raiders.

Mike Hellams (6-1, 220) and Marcus Lee (6-1, 215) are arguably the best linebacker tandem in the state of Illinois. Hard-hitting defensive back Maurice Armstead (6-1, 200) will have college recruiters taking a closer look.

BOLINGBROOK TOP PROSPECTS:

Jamel Martin RB (2010)
Devonte Jones RB (2010)
Robert Bain OL (2012)
Anthony Sharpe OL (2012)
Aaron Bailey QB (2013)

Mike Hellams LB (2010) Verbally committed to Northern Illinois
Marcus Lee LB (2010) Verbally committed to Toledo
Jeremy Curry DE (2010) Verbally committed to Eastern Michigan
Brandon Tucker DT (2010) Verbally committed to Eastern Illinois
Maurice Armstead DB (2010)

Daniels & Spencer - A Scouting Report

It was well worth the 140-mile round trip drive to Vernon Hills yesterday afternoon. WR DaVaris Daniels (6-3, 185) and Evan Spencer (6-1, 185) showed exactly why they will be two of the most sought after prospects in the country next season.

I had the chance to sit down with Vernon Hills coach Tony Monken before practice on Wednesday and he had this to say.

"DaVaris (Daniels) is a once in a lifetime player. Some high school coaches never get a chance to coach someone like DaVaris in their whole career. He's beyond a differnence maker. We brought him up to the varsity a little bit into his freshman year and the first thing he did was run a kick back for a 94-yard touchdown."

Coach Monken had equal praise for Evan Spencer, who at this time, may be in the shadows of Daniels but he won't be for long.

"Evan (Spencer) is the one I'm really excited about," said Monken. "He's ready to explode and come into his own. He's a solid athlete that can play on either side of the ball. He's really got the hitting thing down now and he can be a force for us on defense."

Who's faster? DaVaris or Evan?

"DaVaris is probably faster in the 40 but I'd say that Evan can probably get DaVaris in the 80 or 100. Evan runs effortlessly."

My observations from practice? There's no doubt that DaVaris Daniels would arguably be the No. 1 prospect in Illinois right now if he was in the Class of 2010. It's scary to think that this young man is only a junior. He's got two years of high school football ahead of him.

DaVaris is a legit 6-3 and he's explosive when he touches the ball. He has that 5th gear that's rare and very few football players have. Daniels has very good hands and once he catches the ball, you have to hold your breath because he's a human highlight film. You never know what you're going to see.

Daniels starts on both sides of the ball for Vernon Hills. He'll play wide receiver on offense and in some packages on defense, you can see him line up at corner or safety. DaVaris took an interception to the house during practice showing he has excellent ball skills.

Evan Spencer? Evan Spencer may be a little under the radar right now but he won't be at the end of this season. He looked great yesterday. He's what you're looking for in a D-1 football player.

Spencer is put together. He's a solid 6-1, 185 and I watched him make plays right in front of me. He has the hips and gait that you don't see often at the high school level. Like DaVaris, when Evan runs, it looks effortless but he's moving like a thoroughbred.

Make sure that you have DaVaris Daniels and Evan Spencer on your mailing list and make plans to take a trip to Vernon Hills to watch them in action this season.

More on the dynamic duo later today.

DaVaris Daniels - Here I Come!

I'm going to see the #1 2011 prospect in Illinois this afternoon. DaVaris Daniels will be one of the most sought after wide receiver prospects in the nation next season. I've spoken with several major programs who plan to offer on September 1st.

Who has the inside track for DaVaris Daniels? Well, his father, current Washington Redskins defensive end, Phillip Daniels, played at Georgia.

Phillip Daniels played his college football at Georgia with current Alabama defensive coordinator Kirby Smart and current Texas defensive coordinator Will Muschamp. Florida State is also very high on the wish list as Tallahassee isn't far from the Daniels home in Georgia.

I'll also be checking out Evan Spencer (2011) today at Vernon Hills. Spencer is the son of former Ohio State Buckeyes running back and current Chicago Bears running backs coach Tim Spencer.

Evan Spencer plays the opposite receiver from DaVaris Daniels and according to VH head coach Tony Monken, Spencer may be faster in the straight line.

More later tonight!

Chris

Shakir Bell Dominates for Warren Central

Saturday night in Merrillvile, the Warren Central fans were screaming and begging the coaches to "Pound the Football" and that's exactly what they did. Shakir Bell, a 5-8, 185-pound senior, pounded the football inside and outside and I think he still may be running.

Bell (2010) doesn't have the size Big Ten schools are looking for in a tailback but he's going to play D-1 football somewhere on some level. He has very good speed and vision. He's a down-hill runner that does not go down on first contact. Shakir looks like a pin ball that refuses to go down.

There were a lot of talented players to watch on the Warren Central side but like Chistian Matthews on the Merrillville side, it was offensive tackle Kiaro Holts for Warren who I felt completely dominated and looked like a future BCS Program All-Conference football player.

Holts is the total package coaches. The 2011 grad, has size (6-5, 270), great feet, athletic ability, knee bend and will make blocks 20-30 yards down the field. Excellent in pass pro as well.

I was looking forward to watching 2011 top prospect Kris Harley and although he flashed at times, he still has work to do with getting off blocks quicker. He makes a lot of noise on the football field after he makes a play but I was hoping to hear a lot more yelling.

Harley already has D-1 scholarship offers and I can see why. He looks the part! But he's going to have to understand that he's going to be double-teamed and cut all year long. How is he going to handle that? We'll see.

The defensive lineman that stood out to me on the field was #97. Elijah Jones, a 6-3, 285-pound, senior. Jones is tough, uses his hands well and gets to the football.

Staying on the defensive side of the ball, I was impressed with #43 Richard Norris. Norris took a blood belt (Warren Central defensive starters were red belts referred to as BLOOD BELTS) from Jerry Boyd and he didn't disappoint. Both are 2010 grads.

However, Jerry Body (6-2, 190) was also extremely impressive. The 2010 grad made some great plays in space and he fills the alley well. Not afraid to stick his helmet in the numbers.

Moving to cornerback. #24 James Manuel is the real deal. He made some great plays and he's an aggressive hitter for a corner. His counterpart was equally impressive. #6 Nathan White was equally as impressive as Manuel and may have been better in pass coverage. Both Manuel and White are 2010 grads.

Lastly, I heard from the Warren Central faithful that #1 Eric Robinson-Berry (2011), a 6-foot-1, 180-pound wide receiver has 4.4 speed. I didn't get a chance to see him catch a ball but he looks like a deer running his routes. Get him on your mailing list.

CHRISTIAN MATTHEWS - A side note on the top athlete for Merrillville. Please contact head coach Zac Wells regarding Christian's qualification status for college football. That stuff doesn't belong in a blog.

Zac Wells has plenty of talent in N.W Indiana

Football season is here and I've started to do what I do best....watch football. This past weekend I was in Merrillville, Indiana to check out the Merrillville Pirates take on the Warren Central Warriors. Merrillville has sent several prospects to the college ranks recently including Notre Dame running back James Aldridge, Ohio State defensive tackle Dexter Larimore and Purdue defensive lineman Michael Neal.

I'll focus on Warren Central in my next blog but today I'm going to talk about Merrillville. Here's what I saw this past Saturday night. WR/DB Christian Matthews (6-1, 185) was the best player on the football field.

You won't see Matthews on any recruiting site and that's because he didn't play as a junior. He transferred to Merrillville from Chicago (Marist) after starting for the Redhawks as a freshman and sophomore.

"Christian is a transfer from Chicago (Marist) and is definitely a D-1 prospect. Excellent hands and speed. Great blocker with attitude. Also a very good returner." Said Merrillville coach Zac Wells.

Matthews had a terrific 40-yard touchdown grab this past Saturday and he played some tough defense. A definite D-1 prospect!

What else did I see from Merrillville? Plenty! RB Denzel Pierce (2011) turned his ankle on the third play of the game and I was really looking forward to watching him run after rushing for more than 1,000 yards as a sophomore. Pierce is 5-8, 175 and should get some MAC looks after the season.

Getting back to the 2010 class. If you're looking for a lineman, I'd take a look at 6-4, 260-pound, offensive tackle Julius Scorggins. He flashed during the game the ability to dominate the man in front of him.

Another Pirate who stuck out like a sore thumb was two-way starter James Travis. The 6-0, 250-pounder was all over the field and he has a motor that doesn't stop. He's always around the football and is very good in traffic as well. Not a D-1 kid right now but he does remind me a lot of Northern Illinois defensive tackle D.J. Pirkle minus 35-40-pounds.

One of the most sought after interior linemen in Indiana and the Midwest next season will be 6-4, 262-pound, Matthew Neal. Neal is the younger brother of Purdue defensive lineman and former Merrillville Pirate Michael Neal.

Matthew Neal looks the part and played the part holding his own against a very good Warren Central defensive line that included 2011 stud DT Kris Harley.

Look for my blog on Warren Central tomorrow. If you want film on any of the Merrillville Pirates, contact me at 815-975-0310 (Cell) or e-mail me at chris@nationalprepnetwork.com