Breaking Down the Prospects With Offers
Brian Laiti, shown here launching himself into Oakton's Trey Watts, is a dangerous heat-seeking missile when out on the field. His ability to get the point-of-attack has intrigued coaches, as he's received four offers to this point
Photo By: Dave Bernhardt / Gameday Magazine | VIEW GALLERY
Loudoun County's Chase Williams is one of seven area players to hold an offer at this point. Being able to squat a ridiculous 560 pounds and bench press 365, good luck in finding a stronger player in the area.
Photo By: Marc LeMaitre / Gameday Magazine | VIEW GALLERY
Jeremiah Wilson of Handley might have slipped under some folk's radar after he committed to Maryland back in February, but he still remains as a top prospect.
Photo By: Jeff Schryver / Jeff Schryver Photography | VIEW GALLERY
Names such as Eddie Royal, Mike Glennon, Bryn Renner and Thomas Clayton all have a very familiar ring to them. Yes, they were all outstanding players when in high school, but they also share something else in common. What really seperates these players apart from all the rest is their high-profiled recruitment. It's that lone, unique charactheristic that has helped cement each of their reputations as legendary in the area. Of course, that list could go on and on. Throw in Peter Lalich, Marcus Hamilton, Olu Hall, Pat Sheil, Ahmad Brooks, Andrew Nuss, and about 10 others in the past five years and you catch our drift. They've all been coveted by all the well-known football schools and they also had the talent to back it up.
And let's put things in perspective here too. Their recruitment started up a special interest in each individual player from thousands of unknown people. One offer meant people in the area knew who you were. But offers from the SEC or Notre Dame meant people would buy tickets just to see you play or watch your entire high school highlights online. I mean, think about that. Sometimes Uncle Bob and Aunt Sue won't come out for the game, but for a big-time recruit, you could have someone from Timbuktu watching your highlights on the internet.
So who are the players this year people are focusing on? Who's the next guy people won't be forgetting anytime soon? As of now, there are seven area players with FBS (I-A) offers, which is down from recent years. There's no real four-star guy on the board just yet, but of course that could all change (see Bryn Renner on that one). What's also different about the 2010 class is how the AA ranks are being more populated with prospects. Of the seven players with offers, four of them play AA ball, three of whom come from Loudoun. Also, none of the Loudoun prospects hail from Stone Bridge, which is another trend that's been bucked this year...
KHAMERONE KOLB (10 offers)
6-foot-6; 300 lbs.
Lake Braddock; Offensive Line
If you happen to make it out to a Lake Braddock football game anytime soon, you're not going to miss Kolb. One big reason, pun intended, is because of his ginormous (yes, ginormous is in the dictionary) size. Standing at 6-foot-6 and 300 pounds, he's a big player to say the least, but what stands out about Kolb is how he oftentimes dictates the line of scrimmage, particularly when run blocking. He's often featured as a blocking back under head coach Jim Poythress's offense, and when given a full head of steam, just say goodnight. There hasn't been a better offensive line prospect, in our opinion, since Andrew Nuss of Stone Bridge and Alex Stadler of Liberty. Even if Kolb had a limited talent level (which he doesn't), his size alone gives him an enormous amount of potential at the next level, which could be a big reason why he's up to 10 offers, more than any other area prospect. Among his more notable offers are Penn State, Virginia Tech, Virginia and North Carolina. Being a former Chapel Hill resident and current UNC fan, don't be surprised to see Kolb lean that way when committing.
CHASE WILLIAMS (8 offers)
6-foot-3; 230 lbs.
Loudoun County; linebacker/tight-end
As highlighted earlier on our website, Williams has turned into the real deal during the offseason. Since the spring started, his stock has absolutely skyrocketed. Receiving eight scholarship offers in a matter of three months, among which include ones from West Virginia, Virginia Tech and Miami (FL), there's been a lot of recent fanfare about Williams. But why exactly has there been such a strong push to land Williams lately? Well first off, his strength and talent level for a defensive player is nearly off the charts. At 6-foot-3, 230 pounds he already has a college-sized frame, but with an incredible 560-pound squat and 365-pound bench max to his credit, were not sure there's a stronger player in the area. Still not impressed? Well then take a look at his 2007 stats. With 163 tackles, 33 tackles for loss and 11 pass breakups, you could possibly make the case for Williams as being the most valuable defensive player in the area. Add to the fact his bloodlines run through his dad, Gregg Williams, a former NFL head coach and current New Orleans Saints defensive coordinator, who is considered as having one of the brightest defensive minds, then yeah, it's easy to imagine why there's such a strong allure to get Williams.
ANDRE SIMMONS (8 offers)
6-foot-1; 195 pounds
South County; Safety
Just like Chase Williams, Simmons's value as a prospect has risen dramatically over the spring. Now up to eight offers, there are claims that Simmons could be considered as one of the most sought-after safety prospects in the Mid-Atlantic. And with offers ranging all the way from Northwestern, Vanderbilt and Illinois, one could certainly make that case. So why all the clamor over Simmons all of a sudden? Well, first off is his natural athletic talent. What Simmons has to offer, few have. You can't coach up the fact that his speed is blinding or the fact that his agility is off-the-wall amazing. And like most players on this list, he's not afraid to throw his body around some. Simply put, his potential is through the roof right now, and a lot of college coaches are looking to cash in on Simmons in hopes of getting back a refined product with their investment. Simmons at this point is a solid Virginia lean, but as he takes more visits, that could change.
BRIAN LAITI (4 offers)
6-foot-4; 211 pounds
Robinson; Linebacker
It's honestly quite scary to imagine how deadly Laiti could be if he had 20 more pounds on him. His ability to fly to the ball is unparalleled and so too is his tenacity. In terms of speed and being a downhill, aggressive player, Laiti is simply unmatched in the whole Northern Virginia area. Just think of Stephon Robertson, except taller. Yet despite being a bit underweight, Laiti still reasons to be one of the best prospects in the area. With offers from Virginia Tech, Virginia, West Virginia and Boston College, it at one point looked like Laiti could have turned into one of the top 10 prospects in the state. However, since February, he hasn't received any new offers, but that shouldn't deter his reputation as being a top-notch prospect. One source close to Robinson had mentioned Laiti has always been in high regard of Virginia Tech since the jump, but of course that opinion may change in the months to come.
ADRIAN FLEMMING (4 offers)
6-foot-4; 190 pounds
Broad Run; Wide Receiver
About a week and a half ago, Flemming officially hit the grand stage of recruiting when he was given his first BCS offer from Syracuse. Until that time, Flemming was also fielding offers from Marshall, Temple and Ohio, as well as FCS (I-AA) Old Dominion and Delaware State. But It's fairly easy to see why a lot more schools are warming up to the Ashburn product. For starters, his size helps him out a lot. At 6-foot-4, he's certainly got a college-sized frame. Add to the fact he's an athletic kid who's still got a whole boatload of potential left in him, and it's a winning formula. Tons of athleticism added to size, and you have yourself a top prospect, which is what Flemming is slowly emerging out to be. It's unclear as to what school Flemming favors, but has been on record as saying he is in high favor of Marshall. Yet as the months drag by and college coaches reevaluate prospects, don't be surprised to see Flemming snag a few more offers. He's one player whose stock could really take off in the months to come.
T.J. PEELER (3 offers)
6-foot-1; 200 lbs.
Broad Run; Running back
Now up to three offers, Peeler is starting to make quite the name for himself. Of course, the fact that he helped Broad Run capture a state title last year and being able to rush for 1,145 yards in only 129 attempts doesn't hurt either. But starting in late February, Peeler got his first offer from Pitt, and soon N.C. State and West Virginia followed suit. Since that time, a lot more people outside Loudoun County have started to realize the name Peeler. Being a fast, straight-line runner and having the ability to break tackles, he reminds us a lot of a James Davis type. His balance between the tackles is tremendous, but the best part about him is he doesn't slow down when going through the middle. It's in fact a bit surprising that Peeler only has three offers to this date, as his natural running ability is as top-notch as it gets. He's been on record as being a very heavy lean towards committing to Pitt, so it wouldn't surprise us one bit to see him pull the trigger there anytime soon
JEREMIAH WILSON (1 offer)
5-foot-10; 180 pounds
Handley; Cornerback/Running back
Having already committed to Maryland, we unfortunately won't get to hear too much from Wilson this offseason since he's already elected to take himself off the recruiting trail. A native of Maryland, Wilson committed to College Park back in February within a month of receiving his offer from the Terps. The scholarship from Maryland was his only one to that point, but Virginia Tech, Virginia and Duke were showing plenty of interest as well. Being a tremendous talent at running back, Wilson managed to run for over 1500 yards and 20 touchdowns his junior year, but his calling at the next level might be at defensive back. Seeing as speed and quickness are Wilson's fortes as a player, being able to excel in the secondary really should not be a problem for the Handley product.
Next Week: 10 Prospects to Watch
Contact me, Derek LeComte, with any questions or comments regarding recruiting or football at GamedayRecruits@aol.com
