Top 10
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Phillip Sims capped a tremendous career with another solid, consistent season, guiding the Tigers to an undefeated regular season before falling in the state semifinals to eventual champ Thomas Dale. Sims, who will take his game to Alabama, completed 62.5 percent of his passes this season, throwing for 2,960 yards and 33 touchdowns. He leaves Oscar Smith holding state high school records for career yards passing (10,725) and career touchdown passes (119). The 6-2, 205-pound signal caller has been a top performer throughout his high school career, one factor that gives him the edge as the top player in TheSabre.com’s Postseason Top 30.
Ego Ferguson Jr., who played his senior season on Hargrave Military Academy’s postgraduate squad, comes in second on the list. Ferguson is a stud defensive line prospect, boasting size – he is a rock solid 6-4, 270 pounds – and excellent athletic ability. The experience he gained playing for Hargrave’s postgrad team could translate into early playing time on the next level.
Ferguson, who is considering top offers from across the country, is the only uncommitted prospect on the Postseason Top 30 list.
6-4, 180-pound Ocean Lakes (Virginia Beach) wide receiver Justin Hunter is third on the list. Hunter, who has committed to LSU but has taken visits to Florida and Tennessee as well, is a big-time athlete who stars in the long jump and high jump events in track. A big-play receiver who averaged almost 17 yards per catch in his senior season, Hunter has tremendous upside on the college level.
To me, Sims, Ferguson and Hunter are clearly the top three prospects in the state this year. I consider these prospects to be closer to 5-star than 4-star recruits, though I have them ranked as 4-star. Prospects 4-12 are ranked on the 4-star level as well, beginning with massive defensive tackle prospect Evan Hailes moves in the fourth spot. Hailes, a starter on both sides of the line, shined once again for the Oscar Smith Tigers. He’ll play defense at Penn State, the school he chose over Tennessee and Virginia Tech before the start of his senior season.
Rounding out the top five is Brookville’s Zack McCray . McCray, cousin of current Virginia Tech freshman quarterback Logan Thomas , will play defensive end at Virginia Tech despite being a good tight end prospect as well. The 6-5, 235-pound prospect has an excellent frame and is a very good athlete. He should be able to do well against the run and in rushing the passer.
6-6, 290-pound offensive lineman Mark Shuman is sixth on the list. The son of FUMA postgraduate head coach John Shuman, Mark has grown up around football. His brother, Ryan, played on the offensive line at Virginia Tech. Mark has the versatility to play tackle or guard and could potentially see action at either spot early on in his career.
Lake Taylor’s Travis Williams , a Miami commitment, has been the leader of a stalwart Titans defense for the past two seasons. He goes about 6-2, 200 pounds, but he plays a physical brand of football. Travis is a good, fluid athlete who could adapt to play several spots on the next level, but linebacker looks like the most likely spot.
6-5, 300-pound Nick Acree is number eight on the list despite missing his senior season due to a torn ACL. Acree is a tremendous physical specimen. Without question, missing his senior season hurt, but he has the physical potential to be a dominant force in college.
Chase Williams had perhaps the best offseason of anyone in the Commonwealth, working out with his NFL assistant brother. It paid off, as Williams racked up 116 tackles in 2009. The 6-3, 240-pound Williams, son of current New Orleans defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, is a savvy player who has been around the game all his life. Williams will enroll at Virginia Tech in January.
Rounding out the top 10 is Woodberry Forest (VA) defensive end/outside linebacker Aramide Olaniyan . The main question with the UCLA verbal is where he will project on the next level. The 6-2, 200-pound prospect will likely have to make the transition to full-time linebacker on the next level, but I think he is athletic enough to do it. He was a dominant defensive end at Woodberry.
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Commitments
Four of the top five prospects are heading outside the state to play their college ball. Ferguson has not yet committed, but he is not considering either of the two in-state programs at this point. Virginia Tech snatched up four prospects in the top 10, including McCray, Fork Union OL Mark Shuman (#6), Fork Union DT Nick Acree (#8) and Loudoun County LB Chase Williams (#9). In total, Tech scored 12 of the state’s Top 30 prospects. Virginia is next with three commitments. Penn State and West Virginia have two each, while Alabama, Duke, LSU, Maryland, Miami, North Carolina, Pitt, Stanford, UCLA and West Virginia each have one prospect from the state.
2010 Postseason Top 30
1. Phillip Sims – QB, 6-2, 220 pounds, Oscar Smith
Committed to Alabama
2. Ego Ferguson – DE, 6-4, 270 pounds, Hargrave Military Academy
Uncommitted
3. Justin Hunter – WR, 6-4, 185 pounds, Ocean Lakes
Committed to LSU
4. Evan Hailes – DT, 6-1, 305 pounds, Oscar Smith
Committed to Penn State
5. Zack McCray – DE, 6-5, 235 pounds, Brookville
Committed to Virginia Tech
6. Mark Shuman – OL, 6-6, 290 pounds, Fork Union Military Academy
Committed to Virginia Tech
7. Travis Williams – LB, 6-3, 200 pounds, Lake Taylor
Committed to Miami
8. Nick Acree – DT, 6-6, 300 pounds, Fork Union Military Academy
Committed to Virginia Tech
9. Chase Williams – LB/TE, 6-3, 225 pounds, Loudoun County
Committed to Virginia Tech
10. Aramide Olaniyan – DE/LB, 6-2, 200 pounds, Woodberry Forest
Committed to UCLA
11. Russell Bodine – OL, 6-4, 280 pounds, Fork Union Military Academy
Committed to North Carolina
12. Nick Dew – LB/S, 6-2, 195 pounds, First Colonial
Committed to Virginia Tech
13. Jamel Turner – LB, 6-2, 205 pounds, Fork Union
Committed to Ohio State
14. Brian Laiti – LB, 6-3, 205 pounds, Robinson
Committed to Virginia Tech
15. Khamrone Kolb – OL, 6-6, 300 pounds, Lake Braddock
Committed to Penn State
16. Matt Arkema – OL, 6-3 1/2, 290 pounds, Midlothian
Committed to Virginia Tech
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17. Conner Davis – OL, 6-5, 270 pounds, Deep Run
Committed to Virginia
18. T.J. Peeler – RB, 6-1, 200 pounds, Broad Run
Committed to Pitt
19. Ed Reynolds II – S/LB, 6-3, 198 pounds, Woodberry Forest
Committed to Stanford
20. Derrick Hopkins – DT, 6-0, 285 pounds, Highland Springs
Committed to Virginia Tech
21. Quinton Spain – OL/DL, 6-5, 320 pounds, Petersburg
Committed to West Virginia
22. Andre Simmons – DB, 6-0, 195 pounds, South County
Committed to Vanderbilt
23. Rijo Walker – CB, 5-11, 175 pounds, Bethel
Committed to Virginia
24. Henry Coley – LB, 6-2, 220 pounds, Bayside
Committed to Virginia
25. Dominique Patterson – LB/RB, 6-1, 210 pounds, King’s Fork
Committed to Virginia Tech
26. Caleb Farris – OL, 6-4, 300 pounds, Rockbridge County
Committed to Virginia Tech
27. Tahrick Peak – LB, 6-2, 205 pounds, Pulaski County
Committed to Virginia Tech
28. Trey Johnson – RB, 5-11, 170 pounds, Varina
Committed to West Virginia
29. Jamal Wallace – LB/DE, 6-3, 215 pounds, Green Run
Committed to Duke
30. E.L. Smiling – WR, 6-3, 185 pounds, Brooke Point
Committed to Virginia Tech
Ones to watch
Nick Appel – OL, Bishop O’Connell Committed to North Carolina
Matthew Baptiste – LB, Ocean Lakes Committed to Richmond
Levi Barber – ATH, Edison
Joe Branch – ATH, Fork Union Military Academy
Andrew Brown – LB, Jefferson Forest Committed to Richmond
Willie Byrn – ATH, First Colonial
Aaron Clark – RB, St. Anne’s-Belfield
Andre Coble – ATH, Meadowbrook
Andrew Cordasco – TE, Jamestown Committed to Richmond
Warren Denny – WR, Centreville
Zach Dunston – DB, Green Run
DJ Dinardo – ATH, Cox
Ben Edwards – ATH, York Committed to Richmond
Taylor Evans – OL, Broad Run
Danny Fenyak – QB, Westfield
Adrian Flemming – WR/TE, Broad Run Committed to Syracuse
Zach Glass – DL, Stuarts Draft
Jon Godfrey – S/LB, Ocean Lakes
Airek Green – DB, Thomas Dale
Dominique Guinn-Bailey – LB/DE, Churchland Committed to ODU
Orion Hall – P, Maury Committed to UVa (recruited walk-on)
Jerel Harrison – WR, Varina Committed to Richmond
Deshawn Holmes – DB, Highland Springs Committed to Richmond
DreQuan Hoskey – DB, Henrico Committed to Richmond
Daryl Howell – LB, Hermitage
Cedric Johnson – ATH, Lakeland
Blake Jones – DE/LB, Hanover Committed to Ohio
Venson Jones – DT, Woodside
Chad Kolumber – OL, Woodberry Forest
Keenan Lambert – DB, Maury
Stephen Lawe – OL/DL, Maury
Kyle Linn – ATH, Turner Ashby
Josh Lovell – JATH, Christchurch
Jake McGee – QB, Collegiate Committed to Richmond
Wes Moulton – DL, Ocean Lakes
Keevon Newsome – DE/LB, Churchland
Connor Reilly – QB, W.T. Woodson Committed to Temple
Bo Revell – QB, Battlefield
Antonio Roane – ATH, West Point
Mike Rocco – QB, Liberty Christian Academy Committed to Louisville
Anthony Rose – ATH, Amherst
Mario Rowson – DB/WR, Lake Taylor Committed to Maryland
Jacob Ruby – TE/OL, Fork Union Military Academy Committed to Connecticut
A.J. Scott – DL, Robert E Lee Committed to Marshall
Dejor Simmons – RB, Green Run
Preston Smith – TE/DE, Deep Creek
Brandon Sparrow – DL, Liberty (Bedford)
Marquis Wallace – OL, Varina Committed to West Virginia
Montel White – QB/ATH, Surry County Committed to Richmond
Zach Weller – LB/FB, Christiansburg
Jeremiah Wilson – ATH, Handley Committed to Maryland
Rashad Winston – DL, Highland Springs Committed to Richmond
