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Proviso West (Ill.) star Kyle Prater is the top wide receiver in the nation. An injury will keep Prater from working out on Saturday, but he will be on hand cheering on and supporting his teammates. He will also get to meet a youngster who should find himself in a similar spot next year.
Vernon Hills (Ill.) sophomore Devaris Daniels is poised to become a top rated recruit himself. The 6’3, 190-lb Daniels is the son of current Washington Redskin defensive end Phillip Daniels (who will coach at tomorrow’s event) and has been a varsity starter since his freshman season. His size, versatility and athleticism have already drawn him some comparisons to Prater. An injury may also keep Daniels from fully participating, but we will have interviews with both outstanding pass catchers.
See You on Saturdays
A number of prospects who have already committed to FBS schools will be at the combine.
Tony Lippett (WR/Detroit Crockett) committed to Michigan State yesterday and will be in town to show more of his skills at wide receiver. The high school quarterback will work out at split, where he will also lineup for the Spartans. One player he will see in the future is Michigan commitment Jeremy Jackson. The Ann Arbor Huron product has been committed since the fall, but is still choosing to come out and show that he belongs among the nation’s best. Another recent Big Ten commitment is Downers Grove South quarterback Chandler Whitmer. We saw Whitmer at the 7-7 event in Columbus and are excited to see him throw again. Minnesota commitment Antoine Lewis may have a track conflict, but is also scheduled to be in attendance.
Those are the commitments, but there are other prospects who should eventually be FBS commitments as well.
Covering all those talented receivers will be Detroit Renaissance’s Mylan Hicks. The speedy cover man has several big time offers including Michigan, Wisconsin, Michigan State, Vanderbilt and others. He was one of the best corners in Columbus and will be fun to watch in 1-1s here. His teammate, outside linebacker Ishmael Thomas also holds several nice offers, including Iowa, Central Michigan, Ball State and recently, Colorado. The 6’4, 200-lb Thomas is a great athlete who is eager to show his talents during testing and drills.
One prospect we are anxious to see is Bollingbrook (Ill.) running back Jamel Martin. Martin, recently a recipient of an Indiana offer is an impressive physical specimen who will work out at wide receiver as well to show his versatility. Another local product with some offers is Oak Lawn Richards (Ill.) receiver Keith Sconiers. Currently holding three offers, his blend of size and speed will make him a tough matchup in 1-1s.
Rich Central (Ill.) running back Giorgio Bowers has an FBS offer and was one of the top performers at the U.S. Army junior combine. We are expecting another strong performance out of the stocky back on Saturday.
Two Michigan wideouts with offers will be on the field. Birmingham Brother Rice’s Kevonte Martin and Dearborn Fordson’s Baquer Sayed have both impressed us each time they step foot on a field. Sayed dominated the Columbus 7-7 and has some of the best ball skills of any receiver we’ve seen. Martin is tough and has great hands and currently holds two FBS offers.
It isn’t all skill talent at the even though, there are a few linemen who will be playing on Saturdays next year as well. Mundelein Carmel defensive tackle Steven Lester has one offer and is on the verge of many more. One of his top matchups on Saturday will be with Sacred Heart Griffin guard Marlandez Harris, who recently scored his first offer.
Future Is Now
We will have several of the Midwest’s top recruits in the class of 2011 on hand. The aforementioned Daniels leads the way along with a few others who will receive September 1st offers.
Saginaw (Mich.) wide receiver DeAnthony Arnett and Detroit Renaissance (Mich.) linebacker Lawrence Thomas are two of the best from Michigan. The silky smooth Arnett already has a verbal offer from Michigan and the hard hitting Thomas has been promised early offers from many of country’s top programs. Another Michigan product, Detroit Crockett’s Ashton Gaines is a great prospect who can play cornerback or wide receiver in college.
Daniels and Momence (Ill.) running back Calvin Phillips are two of the best in Illinois for next year. The rock solid, 6’2, 205-lb Phillips already has a verbal offer from Illinois and should see several more come his way.
A few young guys who did well in Cincinnati will be on hand for repeat performances. Indiana products Kenny Mullen (CB/Bishop Luers), Remound Wright (RB/Bishop Dwenger) and Steven Espinoza will be back along with Detroit Cass Tech’s (Mich.) glue fingered receiver Blake Blackwell.
Something to Prove
We will have a few prospects at this event who have not yet received scholarship offers, but are deserving and should see a few come their way as the process continues.
Chicago Simeon offensive tackle Fabian Ebbele is a 6’7, 285-lb mammoth of a lineman who is hearing from Illinois, Ohio State and many others. Fellow local lineman Maurice Goodman (Morgan Park) was one of the top performers at the Army Combine, where he dominated 1-1s.
Waubonsie Valley (Ill.) linebacker Rickey Simpson and teammate, wide receiver Scott Kuehn, are two talented players with plenty of college interest. The same goes for other Illinois products like Montini Catholic quarterback Brandon Pechloff, Orland Park Sandburg offensive lineman Andrew Schofield, Proviso West wide receiver Julius Shelby, Romeoville linebacker Cameron Stingily and many others who will be working out on Saturday.
A few other prospects we will be watching closely are Willow Run (Mich.) defensive tackle Garrett Davis, Arlington (Ind.) wide receiver Steven Kaba, Thea Bowman (Ind.) safety Daron Gamble and Melvindale (Mich.) running back Wayne Pettus.
Stay tuned to Scout.com in the coming days for much more from the Chicago Combine.