SBNation.com User Blog: Cameron J. Underwood

Miami Hurricanes Recruiting Radar #2: Who Commited, Who Didn't, and What Comes Next

Cameron J. Underwood — Sun, 12 May 2013 15:19:44 -0000

The month of March and early April was very good for Miami Hurricanes recruiting. What's happened since then? Joe Garcia, Lt. Philip Nolan, and Cameron Underwood take a look:

Who We Got

Everybody knows that Defensive Tackle is a position of GREAT need for the future. The Canes started to address this area by gaining a commitment from Pearl River (MS) CC/Defuniak Springs (Fla) Walton DT Dalvon Stuckey. The 6'3" 300lb Stuckey is doubly valuable: he's a much needed addition to the Canes class for 2013, and he's now removed from the class for the school to which he had signed in 2012: Florida State. Miami hasn't been too successful in the past couple of classes recruiting head to head against FSU, but Stuckey's commitment may be the beginning of a positive trend in this area.
Early on Monday morning, Brennan Carroll dropped a tweet that has become a favorite of Canes fans.

#WelcomeToTheU !!!!!
— Brennan Carroll (@brennanpcarroll) May 13, 2013

Affectionately known as "The Bat Signal" this tweet does 2 things: lets the Twitterverse know that Miami has gained a commit, and starts the speculation as to which recruit has given his pledge to Miami.

After much speculation as to when it would happen, we quickly received word from multiple outlets that the player is in fact priority target Brad Kaaya, a QB from West Hills (CA) Chaminade . Kaaya himself seemed pleased with his decision

Officially a Miami Hurricane and have no intent on going anywhere else.
— Brad Kaaya (@TrinidadBrad) May 13, 2013

Feels great to be a Hurricane. Fan base second to none, coaching staff is very experienced, best athletes in the U.S., and I ❤ THE CITY 🌴🌞🌇
— Brad Kaaya (@TrinidadBrad) May 13, 2013

Kaaya is a very talented player, standing 6'4" 214lbs, with a plus arm and advanced coverage reading ability. He was identified early on by James Coley as a priority target, and Miami was his first offer back in early March. Along with Hialeah's Alin Edouard, Kaaya gives the Hurricanes 2 QB commits in this class. He is a 3 star player now, but his stock figures to rise throughout the spring evaluation period and his senior season. This is a HUGE, MAJOR GET by the staff. You can read Lt. Nolan's take on Kaaya's commitment here

With the addition of Stuckey and Kaaya, the Canes are now up to 8 commits for the class of 2014. There is a lot of positive momentum, and Al Golden and Co. are looking to maintain or elevate that momentum through the summer and a (hopefully) successful season.

Who We Lost

Obviously, the big name that got away was Plantation (Fla) American Heritage 5 star RB Sony Michel. Michel, one of the top players in the country and a long time Canes target, elected to give his verbal commit to the University of Georgia on April 26th. This was a development that wasn't a surprise, but that doesn't make it any less painful. To many fans and pundits, Michel was a "can't miss/must get" player for a variety of reasons. As it stands now, the Canes missed and didn't get him. There have been rumors and conjecture as to exactly WHY Michel chose Georgia, but I'll let that stay on twitter and message boards.

Word On The Street

Even with Kaaya and Edouard on board, the staff stays hot on the trail of a few more QB prospects. At the top of this list is Mobile (AL) Faith Academy QB Malik Rosier. Rosier went on record and stated that Miami was his leader BEFORE he even received an offer. Once he did, it was pretty clear that Miami stood a great chance to land his services. Behind Rosier stands Charlotte (NC) West Mecklenburg QB Jalan McClendon, who has said that his top two schools by far are Miami and NC State. McClendon is a bit more of a project than Kaaya or Rosier, but is still a good talent.
Another player who is high on Miami is San Antonio (TX) Roosevelt CB Arrion Springs. A 5'11" speedster with good coverage skills, Springs is an admitted Canes fan, and had been anxiously awaiting an offer from his favorite school. He has recently said in interviews that Miami and Oregon are in front, in that order. Springs has plans to visit both Coral Gables and Eugene this summer. If he likes what he sees, he could commit to either school. But, Miami is the clear front runner as of this moment.
Speaking of Edouard, even though he still remains committed to Miami, there has been speculation for a while that his commitment was a bit shaky. He has stated multiple times that he is looking around, although he claims that its more or less just due diligence. With today's pickup of Kaaya, however, the talk of Alin bolting became more prevalent, with Louisville the likely landing spot if he does ultimately leave. However, it was updated a bit after the Kaaya dust settled that James Coley had called Alin's coach, informed him that his offer still stood, and the reports back were than Alin was ready to compete. Whether that remains the case moving forward remains to be seen.
Over the last few weeks, Miami coaches have seemingly made a more aggressive push to get former commitment Travis Rudolph back in the fold. Rudolph had previously de-commited and has strong interest in Florida but has seemingly settled in and changed his perspective towards Miami. From Miami's stance, it doesn't seem much has changed they still badly want him as a defensive back and that ultimately might send him elsewhere as he wants to play WR but this is shaping up as a solid Miami/Florida battle at the moment now that things most of the issues leading to his de-commitment seem to have been smoothed over.
On the WR board, Miami is likely looking at taking 2 or 3 this cycle with Ermon Lane being the big prize that Miami will wait on until the end. Lane has Miami and Bama out in front with Florida looming as the main darkhorse option. After Lane the options are plenty, JoJo Robinson is looking like a matter of time before he flips to the Canes at this point and Johnnie Dixon might be the next highest priority after Lane and is a player the coaches would desperately like to land. His will be an interesting case study as Dwyer has historically been a big UF pipeline and they look to be shaping up as Miami's main competition at the moment. This is Miami's 1st real push for a player from Dwyer since Jacoby Brissett in 2011 and rumors are abound that Dwyer coach might not be too happy with Florida coaches are the way they handled him. It's something to keep an eye on to see if Miami can get their foot in the door and pull out a star player like Dixon.

Who's Next?

Last month, we said Miami (Fla) Northwestern DE/LB Michael Smith was leaning toward a commitment, even going so far as saying the chances of him ending up a Cane were "90%". The waiting game with Smith continues, but there has been nothing to indicate that his stance on Miami has changed. Smith has said that he wants to announce after his spring football session, so it could be any day now.
While there aren't names associated with them yet, there has been talk of a few big name DT's (Yes, dear readers, DEFENSIVE TACKLES) that will be committing to Miami in the coming weeks. I tried digging a bit into this to see if I could get a read on who they might be, but so far have come up empty handed. There is quite a list of players that could fit this bill, names like Trevonte Valentine, Anthony Moten, Khairi Clark, Julio Derosier (JUCO), Thomas Holley, and Lamont Gaillard. Landing any of these two would be great for Miami, but getting more than two is definitely something the Canes would like. If I had to put my absolute best guess on who the likely culprits are, I would put my money on Valentine and Derosier. Valentine has said recently that he very well could commit, and that Miami was more or less in the lead for him. While his commitment would certainly be labelled by many to be one not to bank on until the ink is dry, he would be a huge get. Derosier is a JUCO kid who has been on Miami's radar recently. There has even been talk of him taking a few classes and being able to enroll as part of the 2013 class, which would be fantastic.
Campers! Miami's has their annual camps coming up in the next few weeks and without a doubt we can expect some new names to pop up, some familiar names to receive offers, and a new commit or two will emerge from the process.

The Recruit Notebook - Sony Michel

Cameron J. Underwood — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 18:31:22 -0000

In today’s installment of the Recruit Notebook, we look at a player who has been known locally since 8^th grade, and who now ranks among the top prospects in the Nation: American Heritage-Plantation Running Back Sony Michel

Part 1: Sony Michel, the player

Measurables

Sony Michel is a well built running back, measuring in at 5’11" and 205lbs. He added good size before his junior season, and used his newfound physicality with great success. Since Michel has been a known entity since his 8^th grade year, we have seen his physical development in a very different way from other recruits.

Michel also clocks in around 4.47 in the 40, and shows very good short area quickness and change of direction. It was the final 2 points that most observers were concerned with this past season, which we’ll get to a little later. Overall, Sony Michel measures up favorably to many of the elite players at his position that we’ve seen over the past decade, and, on physical talent alone, looks the part of a star Running Back.

Athleticism

Michel is a very athletic player, and his athleticism factors in many different areas of his game. First of all, he’s incredibly quick. Michel has the ability to accelerate quickly, even in tight spaces, mainly on inside runs.

Michel’s straight line speed is another positive athletic trait, and one that he uses with great success. On screens, kickoff and punt returns, and cut-back runs, Michel uses his impressive speed to routinely pull away from defenders at the high school level. While I don’t see Michel consistently breaking 50 and 60 yard runs at the next level like other pure speed players (think former Clemson RB Andre Ellington), his speed will be something that will test defenders should he find open space.

Rushing

This is the thing that separates Sony Michel from other players. He does a good job finding holes, and is decisive when turning upfield. Michel has above average balance, which allows him to stay on his feet after contact, and also to execute devastating cutbacks.

Michel has very good footwork, and does a good job setting up defenders and blocks down the field. He finds angles to twist and turn defenders in the open field, and continue toward the end zone. Michel also runs with great determination, rarely letting the first defender tackle him.

The one area of Michel’s running that is a polarizing point is his against the grain cutbacks. Some people love it when he puts a foot in the ground, circles back in the other direction and breaks loose for a long gain, usually a touchdown. Others hate the fact that he can, at times, seem to abandon the blocking/play design to just "out athletic" the defense, while not staying true to the offense. For me, this seems to be a case of the best player on the field making a play that others simply cannot. This works when playing in High School, but this should probably be a part of his game that is left at the prep level.

Receiving

While he is mainly tasked with running the ball (as any Running Back SHOULD be), Sony Michel also impacts the game as a receiver. This mainly occurs in the screen game, or underneath checkdowns on drop back passes. Michel shows good hands, and though he’s not the most natural receiver, he doesn’t fight the ball coming in like other players at his position can tend to do.

Michel could be an effective player if he’s flexed out from the backfield in certain 5 WR sets. Putting him one-on-one against a team’s 3^rd/4^th best DB, or a LB (a CLEAR mismatch against all but the most talented coverage players) could be something that Offensive Coaches have to be excited about. Obviously, this empty set is only employed sparingly, so this will only be a footnote in the novel that will be Sony Michel’s career.

Positional Versatility

Michel has played RB, WR, KR, PR, as well as DB in high school. He could potentially be a receiver in certain situations as I’ve already discussed. However, I see him abandoning his ancillary roles to focus on Running Back exclusively.

Having the ability to play multiple positions is something that will come in handy as a multi-dimensional running back. However, the risk of injury as a kickoff or punt returner is far too great for a player of his talent to handle those chores. Also, every play he spends away from Running Back is one where his physical skills and football talent are not being used to their greatest potential.

Blitz pickup/Pass protection

This is an area where Michel, like nearly all HS RBs, can improve. As a star player on a good, but not great, team, Michel is used to run the ball or catch it, not stay in and protect the quarterback. Fundamentally, Michel seems to have the physical traits and athletic skills to be an adequate blocker in pass pro. For now, I would classify this as the weakest area of his game. With proper instruction, and added repetitions to refine his technique, Michel should eventually be able to handle these duties on a full time basis.

Injuries

This is something that needs to be addressed, as Michel missed his entire Sophomore season due to an ACL tear. The injury, while serious, did not seem to derail is overall development as a player. Upon his return to the gridiron this fall, Michel looked every bit the part of a 5-star athlete, just as he had the last time he was in pads late in his Freshman season.

Hopefully, the resilience of youth, and an obviously carefully orchestrated and remarkable rehab routine will ensure that there are no further issues related to this previous injury.

Apart from this one significant injury, Michel has been a very durable player. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, there is nothing to indicate that he won’t continue to be a durable asset for his team both this season, and into the future.

Part 2: How does he fit?

Again, for those of you who are new (or if you just forgot how this works) we’re going to look at this in 2 parts: 1. how he fits in general for this recruiting cycle and, 2. how he fits the class Miami is building.

In general, Sony Michel is not just one of the top players locally (in South Florida) or in the State. He is an elite talent, who ranks among the best prospects in the country for this cycle. For those who care about such things, his rankings are as follows: ESPN150 watch list player (rankings forthcoming for this list), 5* player and National #2 RB by Scout, 5* player, #2 RB and #5 OVERALL player nationally by Rivals, and #1 player in Florida, National #2 RB, and #11 player overall by 24/7 composite rankings. He’s a cornerstone, foundation player not just for this class, but for a program overall. Getting Sony Michel is something that will have a positive impact for any school both in this recruiting cycle and future years.

As far as Miami is concerned, Sony’s impact would be two-fold. First, he is another elite player from South Florida, and keeping those types of players home as been a challenge in recent years. The early momentum of this class has started to turn the tide in the favor of the Hurricanes, and adding Sony Michel to the list of players who are staying home would be huge for Al Golden and company.

Secondly, as discussed in the Recruiting Radar, Miami is wholly dedicated to bringing in 3 RBs in this class. With Joseph Yearby already on board, the Hurricanes already have one top player committed at this position. Adding Sony Michel would then give the RB group for this class a solid foundation, which could be completed with nearly any player and arguably be the top group in the Country.

Put the RB group of Michel/Yearby/(insert player here) and the OL group of Darling/Gibbons/Linder/McDermott/(insert player here) together and the 2014 class for the Hurricanes would be well on the way towards a top 5 finish. Take Michel out of this group, and the class, while good, isn’t as highly regarded or as well constructed.

That’s the Sony Michel effect.

Part 3: College Projection

Running Back is a position where players can step in and have an immediate impact on the field, even as freshmen. While young players might not understand the nuances of pass protection, or be able to execute the entire playbook, they can come in and perform well in limited reps of things they already do well. There have been some freshmen who have excelled as the cornerstone of their team’s offense, including Marshall Faulk, Herschel Walker, Bo Jackson, Adrian Peterson, Ron Dayne, Isaiah Crowell, the Todd Gurley/Richard Marshall combo, Darren McFadden, Ricky Williams, and many more.

As previously discussed, Sony Michel has a variety of skills that should enable him to be a productive player from the moment he steps on campus. Conservatively speaking, 7 touches (rushes + receptions + returns) a game for a full college season (14 games, including a bowl game) is 98 touches in a season. That is a fair amount of playing time, as most teams average somewhere between 780 and 900 offensive plays in a season. For Sony Michel, 7 touches a game as a freshman could be in the realm of possibilities for his playing time. And if he does well, he could easily exceed that conservative projection and reach the usage rates of some of the aforementioned players.

A player who Michel compares to is…hard to find. Michel’s playing style is reminiscent of former USC RB CJ Gable, but Gable was nowhere near the highly touted recruit that Michel is, and Gable was a 5 star recruit. Demetris Summers was the crown jewel of a recruiting class for South Carolina, to the point where Steve Spurrier promised him the first touch of the year. South Carolina won the toss of their opener and deep to return the kickoff: Summers. Can’t make this stuff up, folks. But, neither Summers nor Gable had the on field impact that many project Sony Michel to have.

As far as a combination of recruiting hype and potential performance, the comparison to former USC RB Reggie Bush seems to work. Michel is a bit bigger, but Bush is faster. Both players have an innate ability to change direction on the field, and defenses have a hard time boxing them in. If Sony Michel can follow the career path of Reggie Bush (minus the whole NCAA violations thing), I’m sure he would be very pleased.

Final Grades

Athleticism – A
Football IQ – B+
Rushing – A
Receiving – b+
Fundamentals and Technique – A
Physical development – A+
Versatility – A+
Potential – A++

Overall Recruit Grade – A+++++++
Sony Michel is one of the top recruits in the country. He has been a known commodity in the recruiting world since he was in 8^th grade. He is on the short list of nominees for National High School Player of the Year, and will either lead a coaching staff to extended success, or signal their impending doom.

That’s quite the responsibility for a 17 year old.

Michel has cut his list of finalists to Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Miami, and Notre Dame. To my estimation, 2 schools stand out above the rest: Georgia and Miami.

Michel has taken visits to all of his finalists, but Georgia and Miami stand out for a couple of reasons: both have prominently featured freshmen running backs in recent years, and both have a need for a top RB in this class. The other schools have good programs, but I don’t see Michel choosing any of them for his College career.

With his announcement date of April 26^th rapidly approaching, the suspense about Sony Michel’s college destination won’t last much longer. There’s a story I’ve heard about his name: Michel’s mother, wanting her son to have a name that everyone would remember, named him after the most well-known electronics company in the world: Sony.

It seems her goal has come true. Everyone in the (recruiting) world knows her son’s name.

Now, he must let us know which fan base will be using it in cheers, and which in curses, for the coming years.

Miami Hurricanes Recruiting Radar: Who Committed, Who Might, and What's Next

Cameron J. Underwood — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 02:14:56 -0000

Here on SOTU, we take our recruiting pretty seriously. Being one of the Big 3 in the most fertile recruiting ground in the country, how could we not? As such, we (Cameron Underwood, Joe Garcia, and Lt. Philip Nolan) will be bringing you a monthly update, the Recruiting Radar, to let you know who committed, who might commit, and what the word on the streets is regarding possible new targets. We will also keep you in the loop with any developments dealing with Miami targets and other schools, if applicable. Hope you enjoy!

Who We Got

Palm Beach Central Tackle Kc McDermott committed on April 2nd. This commitment gave Miami our 3rd offensive lineman recruit, joining Miami Central's Trevor Darling and St. Thomas Aquinas' Nick LInder. Also, the impact of pulling a top player (at his position, in the State, and Nationally) showed that Al Golden and company may be seeing the overall trend of their recruiting efforts starting to pay dividends.
St. Petersburg Catholic Tackle Reilly Gibbons committed on April 8th. Like Darling, Linder, and McDermott before him, Gibbons added another top flight player to the Offensive Line class for 2014. This commitment, 6 days after Kc McDermott's, kept the positive recruiting momentum going, and shows that Miami may be building one of the best classes in the Nation.

What We Don't Like

The NCAA saga continues. While this isn't directly linked to recruiting, the specter of the NCAA investigation and potentially looming sanctions still remains. This will remain as a negative until this issue is resolved. Even though the majority of the press regarding the investigation has been bad press for the NCAA, and makes things look favorable for Miami, it's still a situation that opposing coaches can use against us.
A top Miami target, Miami Central Running Back Dalvin Cook de-commited from Clemson and chose.....Florida. Al Golden is on record saying that Miami is planning to take 3 RBs in this class. With Joseph Yearby already committed, many thought that his teammate Cook might want to join him in Coral Gables. After a visit to the Swamp last weekend, Cook decided that Gainesville is the place for him. There is plenty of chatter that this commitment will stick, removing one of the top targets on the board, and leaving the staff to move on to other options.

Word On The Street

There's a TON of info out there regarding upcoming commitments and possible targets, so bear with us on this one.

For starters, even with the 4 offensive linemen that Miami already has, it is widely believe that the coaches plan on taking at least one more. This could be for a few reasons. The main one everyone will assume is that they fear they will lose one of the kids they already have. That is probably not the case, since Linder, McDermott, and Gibbons have all made it fairly clear that they are done with recruiting. Darling is the only wildcard, but there's no reason to think he's shopping at all. The more likely reason is that you can never have enough depth on the offensive line, and the Canes are losing a ton after this year. The name they are still after is Tampa (Fla.) Catholic High School OG Corey Martinez. Martinez claims around 20 major offers, including Miami, FSU, Alabama, and LSU. According to what we've been told, Martinez may narrow his list down soon, and Miami and FSU are said to be the leaders. The kid grew up an FSU fan, but has academics (cliche as that may be, it's true here) at the top of his list. He is drawn by the prospect of attending a private college rather than a state school, which is a plus for Miami. This will be a hard battle, but it's one the Miami coaches won't let up on.
Plantation DB Chris Lammons holds a Miami offer, and will likely cut his list soon. There's no real good guess as to who the leader might be at this point, but Miami will certainly be in his top 5. He may attend the spring game this weekend, which will be a plus. There's a lot of things that he likes about Miami, whether it be the coaches, players, or closeness to home. They're in a good spot with him, and will be until the end.
While wide receiver was a luxury position with the 2013 class, it's a bit more of a focus in 2014. The Miami focus is hardest on Homestead stand out Ermon Lane, but they are not at all alone. He is considered one of the top receivers in the country, and boasts 30 scholarship offers. He says that he talks to coaches from Miami every couple of weeks, and will definitely be at Miami's spring game this weekend. He will be a down to the wire battle, but it's going to be a long wait, as he plans to announce on signing day.

Who's Next

As far as recruits who may be pulling the trigger soon, this time around we've got a couple of them.

One that is sure to make a lot of Canes fans happy is 3 star LB/DE Michael Smith from Miami Northwestern. He is a lifelong Hurricanes fan, and Miami is his dream school (I know, I know, we've heard this all before...but wait!). He's been wanting a Canes offer for a while now, and finally got one recently. We've been told that he is extremely close to committing, and that he just wants to make sure that Miami will suit him academically before making things official. When asked about the chances that he's a Cane in the end, he said 90%. This one is basically a waiting game until it happens, and once it's done, it should be more or less locked up. There are other rumors out there that he is nowhere near a decision, and while that may be the case, there's a lot more smoke on our side than anything else, so we remain optimistic.
Tampa Jesuit LB Vincent Jackson has been on the Miami radar for a long time now, and things look like they may be picking up with him. His twitter account has been extremely Miami-centric lately, and it's all been good.

Loving Miami right now, no lie
— Vincent Jackson Jr.ひ (@VMJacksonJr) April 8, 2013

I'm glad Miami is still recruiting me []_[]
— Vincent Jackson Jr.ひ (@VMJacksonJr) April 7, 2013
He still plans on visiting schools like Auburn and Alabama, among others, but it is hard not to look at recent comments and expect Miami to be his favorite.
Plantation American Heritage RB Sony Michel has been a known commodity in the recruiting world since he burst on the scene as an 8th grader on the Varsity team. Miami offered him then (the fall of 2009), and has been in hot pursuit ever since. Michel, one of the top players in the country, lists offers from nearly every major BCS school in the country, and figures to be the gem of this recruiting cycle for whichever school lands his commitment. After taking visits to Miami, Florida State, Florida, and Notre Dame, Michel is set to announce his choice on April 26th at 4:30pm on ESPNU. The general consensus is this is a 2 team race between Georgia and Miami, with Notre Dame being the dark horse.

The Recruit Notebook - Kc McDermott

Cameron J. Underwood — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 00:35:17 -0000

Welcome to the Recruit Notebook. If you’ve read the first volume of this series (posted on another Canes site) then welcome back. If not, get ready for a great ride. In this series of posts, I take a look at High School football (and eventually, basketball) recruits, break them down on a number of levels, and see how they would fit on any team, including our beloved Miami Hurricanes.

In today’s installment of the Recruit Notebook, the first for the 2014 recruiting cycle, we look at a player who is a top national talent, and due to make his decision within the next week: Palm Beach Central Offensive Tackle Kc McDermott

Part 1: Kc McDermott, the player

Measurables

Kc McDermott is a prototypical Offensive Tackle who has both length and size, standing 6’6" and weighing 290lbs. McDermott has grown between each of the previous 2 seasons, and figures to at least fill out as he continues to mature. McDermott has the frame to easily support 310-315lbs without sacrificing quickness.

McDermott isn’t a burner in the 40, but what Offensive Lineman is? Watching game film, you can see he excels in short area quickness, and showcases very good acceleration from the point of attack. McDermott shows good strength on the field, and I’m sure he does just fine in the weight room as well. His combination of size, athleticism, and functional strength and technique are the foundation for McDermott being one of the top recruits at his position for this cycle.

Athleticism

McDermott has very good athleticism for a player his size. He has quick feet, a trait which lends itself very positively to run blocking, pass blocking, and pulling situations. McDermott is also very light on his feet and not a plodding type lineman. As a sophomore, McDermott played Offensive Guard and was frequently used to pull on power plays and trap on counter plays. Obviously, as an Offensive Tackle (his best and future position) McDermott wasn’t asked to do this much as a Junior, and that doesn’t figure to change either this season or in the future. But if he is, he definitely has the athleticism, balance, and acceleration to be an impact player in this deployment.

Unlike most OL Prospects, who hone their skills in the offseason by wrestling, McDermott plays basketball for Palm Beach Central. While he’s not the most nimble player on the hardwood, McDermott does very well with his lateral movement and shows decent quickness in short areas. The ability to play basketball, and play well, is a testament to McDermott’s physical prowess.

Run Blocking

Here is an area in which McDermott excels. He plays with good leverage, and has a very easy time directing any defender away from the point of attack. McDermott is rarely beaten or stood up at the line. He’s frequently found impacting 2 or 3 defenders on a given play.

McDermott takes good angles towards his assigned defenders, and his footwork is good: he doesn’t overstride or get off balance. McDermott plays with good leverage, and is rarely, if ever, stood up or pushed backwards in run blocking situations. McDermott also seems to show a nasty streak in run blocking, which is a high compliment for any Offensive Lineman. He finishes his blocks well, and can often be found chasing the play downfield after finishing his initial block.

Pass Blocking

More impressive than his run blocking, McDermott showcases elite level skills as a pass blocker. He gets good depth and can cut off the speed rush, and his strength and leverage allow him to effectively deflect bull rush and other power moves.

The experience of having played both inside at Guard and outside at Tackle has allowed McDermott to face a variety of pass blocking situations. He uses his knowledge and experience to counter the tactics used against him when faced with a pass blocking assignment.

While McDermott is a very, very talented run blocker, I believe his elite skills in pass blocking are what make him such a desired and highly touted prospect.

Positional Versatility

As previously mentioned, McDermott has played, and excelled at, both the Guard and Tackle positions. Most elite tackle prospects either step right in and start at Left Tackle from day 1 in College (Matt Kalil at USC, Jake Long at Michigan, Andre Smith at Alabama, D’Brickashaw Ferguson at Virginia) or start at Right Tackle then move over after an entrenched starter departs. Usually, you don’t see players switch between interior line positions and tackle, with Barrett Jones at Alabama being the obvious outlier to this statement.

With his physical skills and technical prowess, I believe McDermott could be successful at either Guard or Tackle. However, his future is definitely at Left Tackle, and that is where he will line up to play both his Senior season in HS and his Freshman season in College.

Pedigree

The McDermotts are to Offensive Line recruits as the Clausens were to Quarterback recruits. The first 2 Clausens, Rick and Casey, were serviceable and moderately talented players, who did well with the talents they had. The youngest Clausen, Jimmy, was the best of the 3, and made a National name for himself with both his play on the field and his recruiting saga.

Kc, the youngest of 3 brothers, is not the first McDermott to play Offensive Line, or go through the recruiting process. The middle McDermott brother, Shane, is a rising Junior Offensive Lineman at the University of Miami. The eldest McDermott brother, Tyler, played Offensive Line at Colorado State, playing in 21 games (starting 5) over the course of the 2010 and 2011 seasons.

While Shane is still enrolled in college at the University of Miami, Tyler, a graduate of Colorado State University, has recently taken a position as a Graduate assistant at Notre Dame. It should not, then, come as a surprise that Kc’s 2 finalists are The University of Miami and Notre Dame.

While Shane and Tyler were moderately rated players, and solid workers for their respective teams, Kc is a consensus 5 star recruit. According to the 24/7 composite rankings, McDermott is the #3 Offensive Tackle prospect in the Country, and the #23 player overall. These rankings only further support what you’ve (hopefully) already figured out: Kc McDermott is a really, REALLY good player.

Part 2: How does he fit?

Let’s look at this in 2 parts: 1. how he fits in general for this recruiting cycle and, 2. how he fits the class Miami is building.

In general, Kc McDermott is one of the top High School recruits in the country. He is a consensus 5 star talent, a potential 4 year starter at a high profile position, and he should be considered a high priority target by all schools recruiting him. McDermott figures to be a cornerstone of the 2014 recruiting class regardless of which school he chooses to attend, and having his pledge can only strengthen a staff’s ability to bring in other high level talent.

As far as The U is concerned, McDermott is a must-get player. First of all, he is a legacy (brother Shane is currently on the roster). I know it’s not a generational legacy (i.e. Father then Son) like Ray Lewis and Ray Lewis III, but having a brother currently on the roster should (hopefully) have a positive impact for Miami.

Additionally, Kc is a top player at a high profile position. Adding a player of his talent level can only serve to push the players currently on the roster, and improve the overall depth of the team, both positive outcomes in my opinion. Lastly, after missing out on many top local prospects in the 2013 recruiting cycle (Jay-Nard Bostwick, Keith Bryant, Alex Collins, Denver Kirkland, Rashard Robinson, Matthew Thomas) having the ability to pull in another top local talent to go along with Trevor Darling, Alin Edouard, and Joseph Yearby would give the Canes positive recruiting momentum heading into the summer and early fall.

Part 3: College Projection

Offensive Tackle demands a lot from players. They need to have advanced run blocking and pass blocking technique, great intellect, and very good strength. Offensive tackles also have the additional challenge of playing a position where they have to work with 4 other players as a contiguous group, while still providing standout individual play.

In the right situation, a young player can step in and play at this position very early in their collegiate career. I believe Kc McDermott could be a prime candidate to do just that. He is very advanced in both physical development and blocking technique, and he plans to be an early enrollee. His early matriculation to the college of his choosing will give him an upper hand in the competition for playing time heading into his first collegiate season.

A player who McDermott compares to is Texas A&M Offensive Tackle Jake Matthews. Matthews played plenty of snaps his Freshman year before moving into the starting lineup at Right Tackle for his Sophomore and Junior seasons. The son of NFL legend Bruce Matthews, Jake has been one of the best players in the country at his position. Kc McDermott should be able to replicate that career path, and has the potential to step in and start as a true Freshman.

Final Grades

Athleticism – A+
Football IQ – B+
Run Blocking – A
Pass Blocking – A+
Fundamentals and Technique – A+
Physical development – A
Versatility – A+
Potential – A++

Overall Recruit Grade – A+++++
Kc McDermott is a top 25 national prospect. He is rightfully considered a 5 star talent, and he will be a valued addition to one of 2 schools: Notre Dame or Miami.

McDermott just completed a visit to South Bend this Tuesday and Wednesday to meet with coaches and view spring practice, and will be on campus in Coral Gables tomorrow to do the same.

McDermott and his parents have repeatedly said that his decision will be final due to his decision to graduate in January and be an Early Enrollee. That will remove any recruiting drama from this process, something which Miami fans in particular won’t miss.

Overall, Kc McDermott is one of the top players not only in South Florida, but in the Country. Adding him to this recruiting class will be an early boon for either Miami or Notre Dame. We should know which school he chooses by the end of next week.

None too soon if you root for the Canes or the Irish.

Miami Nike Combine Recap

Cameron J. Underwood — Sat, 05 Jan 2013 21:33:54 -0000

via 3.bp.blogspot.com

While the class of 2013 stars are displaying their skills and talents in national All-American games, the classes of 2014, 2015, and 2016 started to make a name for themselves at the first major scouting combine of the year: the Nike Football Sparq Combine. The event, held at FIU North, was dominated by nationally known recruits, but also gave a few younger players the stage they needed to show they can be top recruits as well.

Players went through 4 tests to determine their Sparq rating: 40 yard dash, 3 cone shuttle, medicine ball power toss, and vertical leap.

Let's take a look at the top performers:

Best of the best: 2014 ATH Treon Harris, Booker T. Washington (Miami, FL)

The younger brother of former Miami Cornerback Brandon Harris, Treon showed himself to be a top athlete. He came out and posted good times in the 40 (4.48) and 3 cone shuttle (4.31) en route to becoming the first player invited to Nike's The Opening for 2013. Harris measured in at 5'11" and 161lbs, but was heard during the event saying that he is a "pure Quarterback", and wants to play that position exclusively at the collegiate level. While I do not believe he will stick at QB on the next level, Harris showed that he is an elite athlete who figures to be an impact player in college, most likely at Wide Receiver or Cornerback.

Top Performers

2014 ATH JoJo Robinson, Northwestern (Miami, FL) - Robinson took the title of Highest Sparq Rating on the day. He came in early in the first group, and made his presence known with a 4.42 40yd dash, and kept that high level of performance going throughout all 4 physical tests. An FSU commit, Robinson is a good blend of size and speed. He is a top recruit in the next cycle, and his performance today only helped to support that lofty status.
2015 ATH Jaquan Johnson, Killian (Miami, FL) - Just a Sophomore, Johnson is arguably the top player in South Florida. Johnson displayed good speed and quickness through all the drills. It is very easy to see why he is such a highly touted prospect. Johnson has the look of a 5 star player, and is a must get for Al Golden and company. I expect him to be the #1 target for the Canes staff in the class of 2015.
2015 S Calvin Brewton, Columbus (Miami, FL) - Brewton was in the same group as Johnson and did well to hold his own against such an elite player. Brewton has a larger frame than Johnson, but wasn't as quick in the drills. The Columbus staff did a nice job developing Deon Bush into an All-American caliber player, and Brewton looks poised to follow in those foot steps.
2014 DL Anthony Moten, St. Thomas Aquinas (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) - Surprisingly athletic for his size (6'4", 275lbs), Moten showed good burst and agility in the drills. He also had the best distance in the Powerball toss, 42 feet. Moten and Miami have already been in contact, and he would be a valued addition to the Defensive Line rotation.
2014 RB Madre London, St. Thomas Aquinas (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) - London has added good size to his 6'1" frame, and is built more like a linebacker than a running back. He definitely passed the eye ball test, as well as the agility drills. London figures to be the feature back for the State Champion Raiders next season, and his national profile figures to increase greatly over the next few months. Very good looking athlete.

Surprise of the day - 2014 RB Krondis Larry, Booker T. Washington (Miami, FL)

Larry is a very small player, standing 5'6" and 145lbs. What caught my attention, along with everyone else at the event, was his blazing straight line speed. Larry ran back-to-back 4.36 times in the 40, and was immediately elevated to "talk of the combine" status. He struggled with his footwork a bit in the 3 cone shuttle, but his explosiveness was still very apparent. He will be a highly sought after player for any team that needs a returner or situational speedster. Very intriguing prospect.

Best of the rest:

2014 OT Harry Dumervil, Northeast (Oakland Park, FL)
2014 DE Keyon Brown, Hardee (Wauchula, FL)
2014 CB O'Brian Anderson, Goleman (Miami, FL)
2014 ATH Deltron Hopkins, Booker T. Washingon (Miami, FL)
2014 CB Andrew Soroh, American (Miami, FL)
2014 CB David Alexis, Miami Beach (Miami, FL)