I'll be releasing my class of 2011 state rankings over the next few days. I plan to start of with southern states first, and then I'll move on to other areas, national positional rankings, and then the class of 2012 (more than likely in a watch list type of form). As with all rankings, these are fluid and subject to change (many times) between now and signing day. Comments, questions, and criticisms are both welcomed and encouraged.
11. Dominique Cooper, ATH, Darlington
Cooper is an intriguing prospect and has gone relatively unnoticed (only a few offers) at Darlington. On film Cooper is a top 3 RB in the state, showing great feet, change of direction and vision in the open field. Despite this, Cooper's best long term position could be on the defensive side of the ball as either an outside linebacker or safety (OLB being more likely). Serving as his team's primary ball carrier, Cooper was somewhat limited defensively (as far as snaps played), but he was still able to make a few plays and show his substantial potential on that side of the ball.
12. Lateek Townsend, OLB, Marlboro County (Bennettsville)
Lateek Townsend is a perplexing prospect for me. I've seen him play seven times (twice in person, five on film). Townsend's a guy that plays with a lot of bravado (I've actually seen him break out into a full-on dance pre-snap) and has a carte blanche from the Marlboro County staff to blitz/drop into coverage as he sees fit. The result is an impressive highlight tape of Townsend busting through the line on well-timed blitzes and stroking down ball carriers from sideline to sideline. Going purely off his highlight tape, Townsend is a top ten player in this class. But having seen him play as much as I have (more than anyone else ranking him) it's easy to notice that he's missing basic fundamentals that go into playing linebacker such as form tackling ability (misses way too many tackles for a top LB prospect) and ability to read and react (rarely if ever does this). The result is Townsend disappearing for long stretches. While I love his motor and sideline-to-sideline ability, Townsend is going to need to add a good bit of discipline and fundamentals to his game at the next level to before he becomes the player that he should be.
13. Shaq Anthony, OL, Wren (Piedmont) Clemson Verbal
Anthony is an athletic lineman with nice wingspan and feet. At 6'4, he has ample height for any position along the line, but really needs to get stronger at the point of attack. On film, Anthony's much more comfortable with his pass pro than he is drive-blocking, which shows that he'll at least start out at tackle early on. Anthony isn't the type of guy that's going to step in and have an immediate impact (few linemen do) and will benefit greatly from a redshirt year and multiple offseasons in a college strength and conditioning program. He's more of the type that will be productive as an upperclassman. Anthony's father, Vernie, played at Clemson.
14. Roderick Byers, DL, Northwestern (Rock Hill)
Byers plays right beside Gerald Dixon, Jr. for Northwestern, forming one of the top DL duos in the state. Unlike Dixon, Byers will more than likely switch positions in college, making a move inside. He already has nice size at 6'3, 260, and more than enough athleticism to be a penetrating 3-technique at the next level. Byers is far from a finished product though, and needs to work on coming off the ball harder and his overall technique (hands, moves, etc.). But the upside is definitely there and Byers fits in nicely with a very good DL crop for this class.
15. Justin Worley, QB, Northwestern (Rock Hill) Tennessee Verbal
Worley is a pocket passer who gets ample opportunities in Northwestern's pass-heavy attack (threw about 500 passes last year). He's a rhythm passer with a somewhat quirky (but not necessarily slow) release. Worley has prototypical height for a pocket passer at 6'5 and needs to continue to fill out, which should help him increase his arm strength. I've seen him play twice in person and while he's not a dynamic playmaker, I like his command of the offense (smart and good leader) and his ability to distribute the ball. I also like his accuracy and touch, particularly on passes to his right. The two biggest areas that he needs to improve on are mobility in the pocket (has improved a bit) and ability to drive the ball down the field (specifically the middle of the field). Overall, Worley is a solid pro-style QB prospect who fits in well with what Tennessee is trying to do offensively.
16. Pat Martin, SS/OLB, JL Mann (Greenville) Tennessee Verbal
Martin is a physical DB who specializes in run support. He's competitive and plays with a nice motor. On film he shows that he's both a solid form tackler and hitter. Martin is passable in coverage, although it's far from his strong suit. At 5'11 and in the 200 range, he's somewhat bulky and and a tad stiff so he isn't the type you're going to stick on quick slot receivers. He should be okay with most running backs and tight ends though. With his skill set and current size, its not out of reason that Martin will grow into an OLB down the line.
17. Ronnie Martin, CB, Spartanburg South Carolina Verbal
Martin was somewhat of a late riser as far as recruiting is concerned. Among top prospects in this class, he's right there with Shon Carson for fastest in a straight line (similar testing numbers, but Martin plays faster). Martin has good height for a CB at 5'11, but is only a bit over 160 right now, so he'll need to add considerable bulk over the next few years. I had the opportunity to watch Martin and Spartanburg at a 7-on-7 tournament and he didn't do much to stand out, good or bad. Regardless, he's a good CB prospect due to his good height and great speed.
18. Ryan Norton, OL, Mauldin Clemson Verbal
Norton is the top interior offensive lineman for this class. He's a high school center, which is somewhat rare for OL prospects. This is positive in that he has a leg up on many other OC prospects since he's already proven to be a proficient snapper. At 6'3 and in the 270 range, Norton has capable size and good strength numbers. On film, he shows nice feet, but could stand to be a bit quicker. As is the case with many OL recruits, I'm looking for Norton to become more of dominant force in his senior year and improve on really finishing his blocks. If he does, he could move up a few spots in future rankings.
19. Brandon Wilds, RB, Blythewood South Carolina Verbal
Wilds is a big back and is already 6'0 220+, so he'll probably be a short-yardage specialist and/or a fullback in college. He's a very productive high school back, rushing for around 1500 yards his junior year. I had a chance to see Wilds in person this summer, and he appeared to be much thicker in his lower body than on film. He's a guy that does many things well, but doesn't really excel at one thing. Wilds should be a solid situational back at the next level.
20. Gerald Dixon, Jr., DT, Northwestern (Rock Hill)
Dixon, Jr., the brother of South Pointe DL Gerald Dixon, and son of former Gamecock Gerald Dixon, Sr., has really benefited from a solid summer in the weightroom. He's physically matured since the end of the season. This transformation was on display at a combine this summer when Dixon, Jr. measured in at a solid 6'2.5, 280. He also put up very nice numbers, benching 185 22 times, reeling off 40's of 5.0 and 5.09 and 20 yard pro-shuttle times in the 4.6 range. Dixon could move up if he shows similar improvement on the field.
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