USA Football, the sport's national governing body on youth and amateur levels,
will hold the first "Team USA vs. The World" game in Ft. Lauderdale's
Lockhart Stadium on Jan. 30, 2010. The game will match USA Football's 2010
Junior National Team - 45 of the country's top high school seniors - against a
"World" team composed of the best players aged 19 and under from
outside the United States, spanning four continents.
The game will be televised live on the NFL Network, Saturday at 12:00 PM EST.
While the Team USA is comprised of high school seniors from across the country
who are prepared to sign scholarships to some of the nation's most prestigious
Universities, The World team is not without a few big stars of its own.
The teams have been practicing since Monday and it has given players on both
sides of the field ample time to make an impression on coaches, teammates, and
scouts alike.
For Team USA, maybe the most universally praised player on offense was Alabama
commitment wide receiver Keiwone Malone of Memphis, Tenn.. The diminutive receiver generously listed at 5-11
makes up for his lack of size with a burst that is unmatched on the field. He
has drawn praise for his sticky hands, his acceleration, and his ability to make
a play in the open field.
On the opposite end of the spectrum is outside receiver Quinton Dunbar, a
Florida commitment out of Miami. Dunbar is a bigger receiver at 6-3 and 180
pounds and compliments the inside ability of Malone with his size outside and
his ability to make a play over a defender on the perimeter.
The running backs for Team USA are also a complimentary sort. TCU commitment
Ethan Grant (5-9/170) of Coconut Creek, Fla. is arguably the fastest player on
the field. While Grant can be tentative at times between the tackles, he's the
type of player that can take an opening the distance.
Oregon commitment Dontae Williams (5-11/207) of Houston, Texas provides tougher
inside running. Williams is less of a liability in pass protection with his
size, and he's an asset on short yardage plays with his physical running style.
While not any bigger than Grant, LSU commitment Jakhari Gore (5-8/175), is a
more instinctive runner who has patience and vision in traffic and is capable of
running in traffic despite his limitations in size. He is an excellent open
field runner.
The three backs with their different skill sets provide Team USA a variety of
options out of the backfield and maybe the toughest matchups for Team World's
defense.
Clearing paths for the running backs is a big Team USA offensive line anchored
by five players rated 4-Star by Scout. While the coaching staff and even
teammates have had a tough time singling out standouts through the week, it was
Mike Moudy's name that came up the most often. Moudy is 6-7 and 290 pounds out
of Castle Rock, Col. and is committed to sign with Nebraska on Monday.
Should the skill players not cause Team World enough headaches, Team USA has a
pair of gifted tight ends in Washington commitment Michael Hartvigson (6-6/235)
and under the radar Miami, Fla. product Kendall Montgomery (6-6/230). Both
players showed soft hands and the ability to gain separation and make catches on
the run.
Tasked with getting distributing the ball to each of the playmakers are
quarterbacks Mark Myers (6-4/200) and Tyler Smith (6-2/190) Myers, a lefty
committed to Pittsburgh, stands tall in the pocket and had the better showing
today with arm strength and accuracy. Smith, a right-hander committed to
Maryland, has good mobility and is accurate underneath and on the run. Both
players should have ample reps and opportunity to showcase the offense and all
of its weapons on Saturday.
The defense for Team USA is equally talented.
On the defensive line, it's Virginia Tech commitment Zach McCray (6-3/230) that
has drawn praises from coaches and teammates alike. He is the type of big
athlete with his size and quickness that can be the difference up front in these
types of games.
However, the strength of the Team USA defense is without a doubt in its
linebacking corp.
Scout's No. 1 middle linebacker Mike Hull (6-0/220) was has been described as
one coach as the best linebacker he's ever seen. Hull surprised speed merchants
Malone and Gore on separate plays by meeting them head up at the edge of a
reverse and toss sweep respectively. Neither player was accostum to being
greeted by a middle linebacker on an outside play.
Hull's running mate in the middle is Boston College commitment Steele Divitto
(6-2/220). Divitto has an uncanny ability to lineup nearly anywhere along the
front seven and be a factor. He can rush from an end position, play middle
linebacker, or cover a back or tight end from an outside spot. Smart, tough,
fast... that's how to describe Divitto.
Funneling plays into the middle is outside linebacker Demetre Baker (6-0/200), a
Georgia commitment from Orange Park, Fla.. Baker is the fastest of the bunch,
and could wreak havoc on Team World's ability to throw the ball because of his
relentless pressure from the outside.
Should Team World be able to navigate a play past the front seven, it doesn't
get any easier with a talented group of defensive backs. Local product Keion Payne (6-0/170) of Saint Thomas Aquinas is committed to Miami, and it didn't
take the corner long in practice today to show why he was a coveted target of
the Hurricanes. Payne broke on several passes in today's 7v7 drills and would
have had at least one interception for a touchdown had the play gone that far.
Manning the other corner spot today was LSU commit Tyrann Mathieu (5-9/165).
Mathieu showed good flexibility and hip turn when running deep with the bigger
receivers. He also read the short plays well and was ready to attack any slants
or screens. Mathieu's change of direction could be seen with the ball in his
hands as a punt returner on Saturday as well.
Should Team World decide to test the middle, pogo stick safety Bryant Jackson
(6-3/175) of Sulphur Springs, Texas will eagerly await the challenge. Committed
to Texas, Jackson has the type of range at safety that will bait a quarterback
into thinking his receiver is open, only to see the ball disappear into
Jackson's long wing-span.
The USA Junior National Team is loaded with talent. It should be. As has been
pointed out to the players representing Team USA, this is an American Sport
being played on American Soil. It needs to be defended.
But the mismatch that was displayed at the Junior World Championship in Canton
over the Summer when Team USA dominated the field, should not take place on
Sunday as Team World will be bringing some big time talent of its own on
Saturday.
It's not a stretch to say that the two best defensive linemen on the field will
be suiting up for Team World and not Team USA.
Defensive tackle Jesse Williams (6-4/340) is from Brisbane, Australia, and he
just finished his freshman season at Arizona Western. Williams has dominated a
big offensive line for Team World and will be one of the most highly recruited
defensive linemen in the junior college ranks for the Class of 2011.
Defensive end Bjoern Werner from the Salisbury School in Connecticut, already is
one of the most highly recruited defensive linemen in the country this year. At
6-4 and 265 pounds, Werner, who is from Berlin, Germany, has the size to play
defensive tackle but the athleticism to remain outside. Werner is scheduled to
make his college choice next week laughed when asked what he was looking for in
a college, "Someplace warm."
No matter the difference in perceived talent level, there's a big difference in
maturity between 17 and 18 year old seniors and players that have a year of
University under their belts. That difference could show up on the offensive
line Team World.
The offensive line will rotate as many as nine linemen on Saturday averaging
6-5.5 and 300 pounds. Team World has several members of its offensive line from
Team Canada that also played together in the Junior World Championship in
Canton, Ohio.
Scout will have more on both teams Friday as we head into Saturday's USA vs. The
World on the NFL Network Saturday at Noon EST.