THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. – There is a terrific roster of talent at the B2G Sports Elite Camp in southern California and make no mistake, they are not in town for a vacation. On the first day of camp, the B2G coaching staff put the campers through intense drills over two separate sessions.
Treadwell represented the midwest well.
Injury and fatigue limited many of the elite prospects by the end of the day but there were several players that excelled throughout. We take a look at the day’s top performers.
Top performers
1. Laquon Treadwell, WR, Crete (IL) Crete-Monee – In a west coast dominated event, there were a few non-region prospects that stood out and none were more impressive than Treadwell. Immediately he impressed due to his length and springy athleticism. He has good strength and competes for every ball. Whether he’s breaking down a defender’s cushion vertically or making plays over the middle, he was a difficult matchup for defenders.
2. Bryce Dixon, TE, Ventura (CA) St. Bonaventure (Class of 2014) – One of several underclassmen at the event, Dixon was far from the only one to stand out but his blend of size and athleticism flashed the most consistently. At 6-4, 220 pounds the rising junior is far from maxed out physically and he shows great length and fluidity as a receiver. Look for Dixon to develop into one of California’s top tight ends in the class of 2014.
3. Brandon Cox, QB, Pasadena (CA) Pasadena – While receivers and defensive backs lagged and struggled to finish the day strong, Cox was consistent and on point throughout the day. The Arizona commit is an athletic left-hander but every time we’ve seen him throw the football he seems to impress with his accuracy and productivity.
4. River Cracraft, WR, Santa Margarita (CA) Santa Margarita Catholic – A Washington State commit, Cracraft has the look of a wide receiver that can be very productive in Mike Leach’s offense. Cracraft has good size, runs very crisp routes and was one of the most consistent receivers on the day and also one of the top route-runners in camp.
5. Priest Willis, CB, Tempe (AZ) Marcos De Niza – Though he was battling a lower back issue, Willis impressed in the camp setting just as he has done several times before. His makeup speed in morning drill work was fantastic, he continues to show good physicality at the line of scrimmage and there aren’t many more fluid in the country in and out of a backpedal.
6. Devin Holiday, CB, San Marcos (CA) Mission Hills – One of several Arizona commits in attendance, Holiday is undersized but really competed well at cornerback. He showed good instincts and quickness out of his backpedal, breaking on the football. Another prospect that always seems to compete at a high level, Arizona may have landed a steal.
7. D.J. Martin, RB, Bakersfield (CA) Stockdale – Each of the running backs in attendance had moments and periods in which he separated or stood out. Martin gets the nod over guys like Mauriece Lee and Zachary Green because he showed the complete package. The Cal commit blocked well, he caught the ball well out of the backfield and the most impressive skill he showed was fantastic change of direction in the morning drills.
The linemen
There were not many linemen in attendance on Friday so there were limited reps and work to be done with such a limited number of bodies but Christian Morris out of Memphis (TN) East was a clear standout. His size, length and frame combine with good feet to reveal him as an elite prospect. Morris could be narrowing in on a decision with Tennessee and UCLA as the teams to beat.
John Lopez out of Orange (CA) Lutheran also looks the part and shows good technique and feet. Lopez has Washington and UCLA at the top of his college list currently.
On the defensive side, Nick Begg may be one of the bigger sleepers in California. Begg stands at 6-5, 240 pounds but he didn’t start as a junior at the powerhouse Santa Margarita Catholic program and is still under the radar on the recruiting front. Currently with one offer from San Diego State, Begg may be close to more from the likes of Boise State and Washington State.
Another prospect to keep an eye on is Garrett Hughes out of Corona Centennial. The 6-3, 250-pound defensive lineman has landed his first offer and it came from Cal. Arizona State, UCLA and Boise State are all showing interest.
- Barton Simmons
- National Recruiting Analyst - 247Sports