The Atlantic Region has a very strong class this year, with
several states and positions leading the way.
Here is our first edition of the Hot
100 - Atlantic Region. The Atlantic Region consists of both the ACC
and the Big East compiled by myself and Mike Bakas. This region consists
of the states from South Carolina all the way up Maine, as well as Washington
D.C. This is the first edition and we plan on revising this Hot 100
each month or so.
The wide receivers throughout the nation are very talented,
and with four in the top-twenty, the East Coast represents that trend very well.
Led by Derrick McPherson, a very fast player with a great frame and could
also play baseball in college, he is a big-time player.
Doug Dutch is the epitome of speed and quickness.
Few players are as fast off the ball, but right on his tails is Dwayne
Jarrett at number fifteen. Jarrett
could play a variety of positions, but his size to speed combination is amazing.
Rounding out the receivers in the region is Blacksburg Nike Camp MVP
Eddie Royal whose offer list does not really show him any justice for his
football aptitude.
The state of North Carolina also has a ton of talent at the
top, and could be comparable to last season which some analysts called the best
in many years. Right now, the state
has four players in the top-ten, including the tops in the region Demario
Pressley and Dudley teammate Jamaal Edwards, who comes in at number four in the
region. George Bell, whom many
teams believe to be the best running back in the region, and Marque Hall, a
dominant two-way player that could make a long career as an offensive guard,
round out the players in the top-ten from the state.
Not to be outdone, South Carolina and New Jersey have some
great talent in the region, with Leon Hart leading the way for the palmetto
state. According to Southeast
Regional Analyst Scott Kennedy, Hart “is the best offensive lineman I have
seen on film this year.” Certainly
high praise for Hart, and some believe him to be more of an impact player than
Eric Young was last year. With
players at number four and six in the region, New Jersey shows up strong in the
region with Dwayne Hendricks, a physical defensive end that could grow into a
defensive tackle, and Brian Toal, an intuitive linebacker with great presence
along the line.
For its size, the Maryland and Washington DC area could
have the most players per capita of any state in the region.
With the aforementioned McPhearson and Dutch, the area also has the
number three overall player in Derrick Harvey, an untapped talent at defensive
end that could become a monster in this his second year of playing the game.
Scott Burley comes in as the number two offensive tackle as a very
athletic man for 6-6, 330 pounds, and it appears as though Maryland picked up a
gem of a player.