(The only returning first team all state athlete -Both ways- in the entire region Connor Strahm (6-1 210 Sr. ATH Sheldon) has 3 D1 offers |
(WA’s Top ranked WR for 2013, Sammie Long (6-4 190 Sr. WR Lakes ) hauled in a Utah offer after the showcase) |
(One of the most exciting athletes in the region Kamana Adriano (5-11 165 Sr. ATH Interlake) received his first offer from N.Colorado) |
WR’S
The WR’s that attended last week’s showcase were nothing short of phenomenal, and it could definitely be a record setting year in the offer department. Tatum Taylor (5-10 165 Sr. ATH ODea) headlined a list of receiver/athletes that have already received D1 scholarship offers. Taylor was offered by Nevada on Saturday and also has (Oregon St, Utah, Purdue, Washington St, Wyoming, and Idaho).
WA’s #1 WR for 2013, Sammie Long (6-4 190 Sr. WR Lakes) picked up a Utah offer while at the showcase, and he is very much entertaining what the Utes have to offer. Nic Sblendorio (6-0 190 Sr. WR Skyline) and Kamana Adriano (5-11 165 Sr. ATH) are just flat out nasty and will be very good athletes at the next level. Both have received scholarship offers from the Big Sky’s Upstart Northern Colorado Bears who are doing a tremendous job in the Pacific Northwest.
Sblendorio has a lot of Wes Welker in him and could absolutely go off in 2012 with Max Browne getting him the ball. Adriano is one of the most exciting players to watch in the NW and can play multiple positions. You can expect him to do a little of everything this season.
Mike Tate would be the other big time receiver with D1 offers (Portland St, E.Wshington & Montana), as we heard his name a great deal on Saturday. Tate’s an extremely hard working and humble kid that just continues to get better. He is an outstanding track athlete that will have more offers before he is done.
Washington is heavily dominant in the WR category as the 2013 group is pretty ridiculous. Forrest Russell (5-7 150 Sr. WR Skyview) and Tyler Button (5-6 150 Sr. ATH Mt Si) are both very similar in that they are two of the state’s best wideouts, but undersized. Both of them had absolutely outstanding events and should be commended on their performances.
Drew Thompson (6-2 180 Sr. WR Kennedy) was another kid that had an MVP like day, while Jake Hoffman (6-0 185 Sr. ATH North Central) is one of the best players in all of Washington and returns after being named All Purpose Player of the Year in the GSL.
Two younger athletes from Oregon spoke volumes about the talent down south as Jordan Morgan (6-2 180 Jr. Southridge) and Keegan Hlad (6-3 170 So. WR West Salem) could be the state’s top WR’s for the class of 2014 and 2015. Both athletes project at the D1 level and have some very exciting years ahead.
A combo of Oregon senior wide outs from Southridge and Sandy highlighted some of the top kids in the state. Kevin McClean (6-4 195 Sr.) and Justin Calo (6-1 175 Sr. WR) will team with Jordan Morgan to form one of the most dangerous group of wideouts in the NW. Both McClean and Calo had impressive days and look ready for 2012.
Blake Robison (6-0 165 Sr. WR) and Karsten Short (6-0 170 Sr.) of Sandy will have the State’s #1 QB throwing them the ball in Justin Adams, as they could put up 50+ a night with Greg Barton taking over the head duties
Five other Senior WR’s that had very good days and are some of the best players within their state are Dylan Lewis (6-0 170 Sr. ATH Sheldon), Devin Bryant (5-9 170 Sr. WR Auburn Mountainview), Kendrick Murphy (6-0 165 Sr. WR Juanita), Erick Douglas III (5-10 160 Sr. WR Clackamas), and Josh Kraght (5-10 170 Sr. WR Lynden).
Lewis is back after an outstanding season on a nationally ranked Sheldon team, while Bryant returns as Domenic Rockey’s favorite target, and Murphy is one of the top two way threats in the state and possesses amazing body control. Douglas was part of our NEI-South team that traveled to Las Vegas for the National tournament, and Kraght was a captain on Lynden’s 14-0 state title team last season.
Two other young receivers that did very well and we could hear a lot about in the coming year are Christian Brandt-Sims (6-3 170 Fr. WR) of Wenatchee and Chase Cole (5-6 155 Jr.) of Central Catholic. Christian is the brother of one of the NW’s top athletes in Isaiah Brandt-Sims, and is so above and beyond for his age that he could see time as a freshman. Cole is a speedster and should do well with CC’s offense.
Other Top WR/ATH’s to mention:
Andre Cumberbatch Sr. WR Oak Harbor, Caleb Lyons Jr. WR/DB Lakes, Tucker Fleishman Sr. WR Putnam, Jarrod Howard Sr. WR West Linn, Hunter Jones Jr. WR WF West, Lee Anderson Sr. WR Edmonds-Woodway, James Schell- Buchanan Jr. WR Roosevelt, Malcom Lee Jr. WR St. Thomas Moore, Garrett Wise Sr. WR Everett, Trevante Robinson Jr. WR Jackson, Jacob Dennis Jr. ATH Skyview, Cody Oden Sr. WR West Salem, Nate Rauda Sr. WR Ballard, Jacob Yilley Sr. WR Yelm, CA.
DB’s
It was fun to see the top perimeters kids from around the region battle on Saturday. Eighty percent of the top athletes in the Pacific Northwest were in attendance and the DB’s didn’t disappoint.
Oregon’s all everything athlete, Connor Strahm (6-1 210 Sr. ATH) of Sheldon, had a very good day and showed why Portland St, Montana, and N.Dakota have all extended scholarship offers. His 1900+ All purpose yads and 28 Tds from a year ago speak volumes. As a DB he was second in the state with (7) Ints.
Washington countered with prime time CB Kahlil Dawson (5-9 165 Sr. CB Graham- Kapowsin) who has been offered by Wyoming and Portland St, and has some of the best body control of any athlete. Dawson had a very good camp and continues to get better.
Hunter Mahlberg (6-1 185 Sr. Mt Si) and Dlondo tucker (6-0 175 Sr. Federal Way) both performed very well as both of these athletes received there first scholarship offers within the week. Mahlberg was offered by N.Colorado and Tucker was offered by PSU at the event. Mahlberg is one of WA’s top safeties leading the conference in INT’s (6) and second in tackles with (83). Both him and Tucker were a part of NEI-North as we traveled to Vegas. Tucker had a great event and earned his first scholarship offer from Nigel Burton and company.
Mason Stone is hands down one of the top athletes in the region without an offer. He had an outstanding past month earning MVP honors at a recent camp, and also performed incredibly well at the showcase. He is one of those kids right on the bubble.
EJ Deveaux and Jimmie Davis were two other kids that are the best players on their own team and within the conference. Deveaux was a first team all league kid on both sides of the ball, and may project on defense even though he is an outstanding RB. Davis is performing better then he ever has before after a very impressive 2011 campaign. He too projects as more of a DB even after running wild last season.
Three of the top younger DB’s in the NW got in the mix as Trent Werner (6-1 185 Jr. ATH Jesuit), Sam Mcpherson 5-9 170 So. DB/RB Bothell), and Markus Stoll (6-1 175 So. DB) were some of the best athletes in attendance. Werner is ranked as one of the top three junior DB’s in Oregon, and could contribute heavily on offense while playing for a nationally ranked Jesuit squad.
Mcpherson is just a sick athlete and will be part of that special Bothell 2015 class, while Stoll is just getting bigger and better and should do big things moving forward.
Elite senior DB’s were plentiful at the showcase as we saw Bryce Broome (5-11 170 Sr. S.Kitsap), Nick Highberger (6-2 190 Sr. Wilsonville), Malik Fontleroy (5-10 165 Sr. Beaverton), Alec Powell (6-0 170 Sr. Southridge), Brandon Bodine (5-10 180 Sr. Auburn Mountainview), Ezekiel McNeal (6-0 155 Sr. Federal Way), and Nick Needham of California do well.
Broome has been on fire in the last few months doing very well at camps and combines, and Highberger is one of the top safeties in Oregon and a student of the game. With a good season he could write his own ticket.
Fontleroy and Powell are two of the top defensive backs in Oregon’s toughest conference (Metro). Powell has D1 genes and Fontleroy had an outstanding day. Bodine will be someone people will learn a lot about, and McNeal is an extremely fast athlete that was a 1st team All purpose kid last season.
In all the DB’s were well represented, as it was a record setting day for northwest athletes on the offer front. We are excited to get this season started in the next few months, northwest football has never been bigger.
Other Top DB’s:
Kevin Young Sr. DB Decatur, Cody Bond Sr. DB McNary, Jacob Yilley Sr. DB Yelm CA
