The Top 10
After giving very serious consideration to several other prospects, I decided to keep Maury offensive tackle Vinston Painter in the top spot. The 6-6, 315-pound Painter, a two-time first-team all-state selection, enjoyed another good season in 2007. He has all of the tools – size, strength, footwork – to become a stud tackle at Virginia Tech, which he chose over offers from Florida, Georgia, Miami and Penn State, among many others.
In what is a significant change from the Preseason ranks, Smithfield star Dyrell Roberts finishes the year as the number two prospect in the state of Virginia. Roberts projects as a wide receiver in college but dominated at running back this season, rushing for over 2,200 yards and totaling 43 touchdowns. He has demonstrated excellent receiving ability as well, showing nice hands a receiver. Roberts, a 6-2, 195-pound prospect, is a terrific athlete, smooth in his cuts, elusive and fast. He has excellent upside at the wide receiver position.
Falling to the third spot is no real reflection on how high I am on Ryan Williams ‘ talents. It was unfortunate that, once again, injuries kept him from playing an entire season. He finished with 867 yards rushing and nine touchdowns in just seven games in 2007. When healthy, the 5-10, 205-pound Williams displays excellent cutting ability, quickness, acceleration through the hole and the speed to break the big play.
6-6, 195-pound Westfield quarterback Mike Glennon led his team to a Group AAA, Division 6 state championship this season, proving that he is the most polished quarterback recruit in the state in this class. Glennon’s size is an obvious asset for him, allowing him to easily scan the entire field from the pocket. He also shows nice poise in the pocket and is a good enough athlete to create time if needed. An accurate quarterback with a strong arm, Glennon completed 65-percent of his passes while throwing for over 2,500 yards and 32 touchdowns to only seven interceptions.
A two-time all-Group A first-team selection, Goochland’s D.J. Coles carried his team to an undefeated regular season this year, following up a state championship run in 2006. Despite not being 100-percent to start the season due to a hamstring injury, Coles finished 2007 with 1,344 yards and 22 touchdowns, averaging just over 14 yards per carry. He primarily played running back for Goochland but projects initially as a wide receiver at Virginia Tech. He has excellent size at 6-3 and a solid 200 pounds, and he has the big-play speed to match.
6-7, 325-pound offensive lineman/defensive tackle Bobby Massie earned first-team all-state honors on both sides of the ball his senior season. He led Liberty Christian Academy to a state championship title. With his size and ability, he dominated lesser competition on both sides of the ball. Physically, he has outstanding ability on either side of the ball, and if it weren’t for his academic status he likely would have been courted by many, many other Division 1A programs.
Bayside’s E.J. Manuel, a Florida State commit, has the tools to be a very good college quarterback. He has a strong arm, good size at 6-4, 210 pounds, and athleticism. The biggest question for me is that he has not been able to put out that dominant high school season, though he did have a good 2007 year with over 500 yards rushing and 1,800 yards passing with 18 touchdown passes to only five interceptions. I do think he has very good upside and it will be interesting to monitor his college career, as he has been the subject of quite a bit of debate in this class.
6-3, 180-pound wide receiver Deion Walker had a tough senior season because of a painful turf toe injury, which caused him to miss some time. The Christchurch star remains an excellent wide receiver prospect, though, as he is elusive and has big-play speed to go along with ideal size.
Ocean Lakes star Marcus Davis entered the 2007 season primarily viewed as a player that could end up at a variety of positions on the next level, but quarterback wasn’t one of them. After totaling over 2,700 yards passing and rushing and 32 total touchdowns as the starting signal caller this season, Davis is now viewed by some as a quarterback prospect. Whatever position he ends up playing, he brings outstanding athleticism for his 6-5, 215-pound frame. He may be an intriguing quarterback prospect, but I think he could be very good at H-back, tight end or wide receiver in college.
I round out my final Top 30 list for this class with 6-0, 200-pound Oscar Smith wide receiver Kerry Boykins . Boykins, a Maryland recruit, missed a lot of time due to injury in his senior season but returned to perform well late in the season. He is a tough, physical player who has a knack for making big plays.
Movers and shakers…
Besides wide receiver Dyrell Roberts making a move into the two slot, a few other receivers made big moves as well. South Lakes wideout A.J. Price , a 6-4, 170-pound prospect, is now at #16 after a breakout senior season. Price, who boasts offers from Michigan, North Carolina, Penn State, Rutgers and Virginia, showed good explosiveness at wide receiver this year, averaging close to 26 yards per catch and hauling in 11 touchdowns. Though this season was really the only big-time year Price had in terms of production, he is impressive enough on film to earn a spot in the Top 20.
Ocean Lakes wide receiver Randall Dunn is also a very intriguing prospect. He only began playing varsity football in his junior season and returned a kick-off 80 yards for a touchdown the very first time he touched the ball. He had a breakout year in 2007, tallying 13 touchdowns in the regular season. He has a college-level body right now at 6-3, 212 pounds, and he showed the ability to make plays in 2007. Dunn only cracked the Top 30, but he certainly has excellent upside.
First Colonial running back Tony Gregory fell out of the Top 30 after a disappointing senior season. Gregory had a big game or two, but overall didn’t have a great season when healthy and missed the last several games due to injury. A fluid runner with excellent speed, Gregory, who posted a sub-4.4 hand-time 40 at the Virginia Beach combine this spring, still has nice promise for the next level and just missed out on being in the Top 30.
TheSabre.com’s Postseason Top 30
1. Vinston Painter – OL/DL, 6-6, 315 pounds, Maury
Committed to Virginia Tech
2. Dyrell Roberts – WR, 6-2, 190 pounds, Smithfield
Committed to Virginia Tech
3. Ryan Williams – RB, 5-10, 205 pounds, Stonewall Jackson
Committed to Virginia Tech
4. Mike Glennon – QB, 6-6, 195 pounds, Westfield
Committed to N.C. State
5. D.J. Coles – WR/ATH, 6-3, 200 pounds, Goochland
Committed to Virginia Tech
6. Bobby Massie – OL/DL, 6-7, 325 pounds, Liberty Christian Academy
Uncommitted
7. E.J. Manuel – QB, 6-4, 210 pounds, Bayside
Committed to Florida State
8. Deion Walker – WR, 6-3, 180 pounds, Christchurch
Committed to Notre Dame
9. Marcus Davis – WR/ATH, 6-5, 215 pounds, Ocean Lakes
Uncommitted
10. Kerry Boykins – WR/DB, 6-0, 200 pounds, Oscar Smith
Committed to Maryland
11. Marcus Dowtin – RB/DB/LB, 6-2, 205 pounds, Fork Union Military Academy
Committed to Georgia
12. Jimmy Bennett – OL, 6-8, 290 pounds, West Potomac
Committed to Connecticut
13. Todd Harrelson – WR/DB, 6-1, 185 pounds, Oscar Smith
Committed to North Carolina
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Buddy Ruff earned first-team all-Tidewater this season |
14. Klinton “Buddy” Ruff – DL, 6-4, 290 pounds, Norview
Committed to Virginia
15. Donovan Miles – LB, 6-1, 225 pounds, Brooke Point
Committed to West Virginia
16. A.J. Price – WR, 6-4, 175 pounds, South Lakes
Committed to Penn State
17. Allen Stephens – LB, 6-1, 240 pounds, Halifax County
Committed to Virginia Tech
18. Jake Johnson – LB, 6-2, 235 pounds, Stafford
Committed to Virginia Tech
19. Kevin Whaley – RB, 5-9, 165 pounds, Salem
Uncommitted
20. Lyndell Gibson – LB, 5-11, 220 pounds, Salem
Committed to Virginia Tech
21. Antoine Hopkins – DL, 6-2, 265 pounds, Highland Springs
Committed to Virginia Tech
22. Xavier Boyce – ATH, 6-4, 200 pounds, Landstown
Committed to Virginia Tech
23. Derrick McCoy – WR/LB, 6-3, 205 pounds, Amherst
Committed to Virginia Tech
24. Austin Fuller – WR, 6-2, 195 pounds, Richlands
Committed to Virginia Tech
25. Randall Dunn – WR, 6-3, 212 pounds, Ocean Lakes
Uncommitted
26. Ben Barber – WR, 5-10, 190 pounds, Edison
Committed to Virginia Tech
27. Morgan Carter – ATH, 6-4, 200 pounds, Hylton
Committed to Rutgers
28. Peter Rose – WR/DB, 6-1, 185 pounds, Amherst
Committed to Virginia Tech
29. Isaiah Hamlette – DE, 6-3, 250 pounds, Brooke Point
Committed to Virginia Tech
30. Jeron Gouveia – S/LB, 6-2, 185 pounds, Stone Bridge
Committed to Virginia Tech
Best of the rest (in alphabetical order)…
Tyler Bitancurt – PK, West Springfield Committed to West Virginia
Hykeem Brodie – RB, Western Branch
Robert Byrd – WR, West Potomac
Ju-Ju Clayton – QB, Hermitage Committed to Virginia Tech
J.J. Dorsey – QB/ATH, Handley Committed to West Virginia
Reid Evans – WR/CB, Phoebus
Justin Gilbert – OL, Monacan Committed to Maryland
Tony Gregory – RB, First Colonial Committed to Virginia Tech
Darryl Hamilton – DB, Centreville
Matt Hurdle – QB, Highland Springs Committed to Kent State
Derek Jackson – LB, Deep Run Committed to Purdue
Rotell Jenkins – WR, Huguenot
Chris Johnson – DE, Tallwood Committed to William & Mary
Joe Jones – DE, Green Run
Abdul Kanneh – DB, Potomac Committed to Kent State
Eric Martin – TE, Hylton Committed to Virginia Tech
Austin Pasztor – OL, Fork Union Military Academy Committed to Virginia
Stephen Meadows – DL/LB, James Monroe Committed to Old Dominion
Thomas Mulabah – DL, Park View
Justin Thorpe – QB/ATH, Varina Committed to James Madison
Casey Turner – QB, Great Bridge Committed to Connecticut
Jamal Wilson – WR, Oscar Smith Committed to Marshall
Rod Wheeler – TE, Highland Springs Committed to Virginia
