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.
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