VISALIA, Calif. – The conditions were less than stellar on Saturday night at the Cal-State All-Star Game but there was too much talent on the field to be dampened by the rain. In a game featuring some of the best California has to offer, we take a look at Saturday night’s top performers.
Daquawn Brown is a Washington State commit and is considering an official visit to Hawaii.
1. Takkarist McKinley, DE, Richmond Kennedy (Cal commit) – He’s not often mentioned among the top defenders in the state of California but McKinley should be. He’s a freak athlete that can run a 10.6 in the 100 at 6-3, 240 pounds. On Saturday night he showcased that speed as an edge rusher and a high-motor defender.
2. Kenneth Clark, DT, Los Angeles Carter (UCLA commit) – UCLA is getting a good one in Carter. The stocky but explosive defensive tackle handcuffed the North run game because of his ability to penetrate the offensive line, split double teams, over power and outquick the blockers in front of him. The weather conditions were sloppy but Clark can take plenty of responsibility for the North’s lack of production.
3. Troy Williams, QB, Narbonne (Washington Commit) – Williams battled the North defense and a driving rain storm at quarterback but that didn’t stop him from throwing a pair of first half touchdown passes: a dime to Villamin on a vertical route and a pretty corner route to Demorea Stringfellow. Williams is just a smooth, athletic, productive passer. He also added a rushing touchdown, accounting for all three South scores.
4. Daquawn Brown, DB, Dorsey (Washington State commit) – It was a busy week for Daquawn Brown and he capped it off with a busy night on Saturday. Brown had an interception and a couple of big tackles to save touchdowns. He’s not a physically overpowering safety but Brown is very active and athletic and always seems to be around the football.
5. DJ Martin, RB, Bakersfield Stockdale – Martin is a stocky back that used his low center of gravity, terrific feet and sudden burst to give the South defense fits. He’s difficult to tackle in space, he’s explosive and he’s tough. On a muddy track, Martin gave his North team some major boosts offensively.
6. Jordan Villamin, WR, Etiwanda (Oregon State commit) – Villamin is the most imposing wide receiver at the event this week and he kicked off the scoring with an 87-yard fade route for a touchdown. At his size (6-5, 215) Villamin showed no sign of getting caught from behind. He’s been solid all week and looks like a nice get for Oregon State.
7. Alex Redmond, OL, Los Alamitos (UCLA commit) – Redmond is big, he’s athletic but most importantly he’s physical. The 6-5, 290-pounder played guard on Saturday night but he’s got the ability to block in space as well. He moved defenders all night long in the run game and looked like an elite offensive lineman all week.
8. Errian Wingfield, RB, Sunnyside – With a sawed-off frame and a running style in the mold of Maurice Jones-Drew, Wingfield gave the South defenders all they could handle. His ability to bounce off tacklers, keep his feet and balance and his toughness with the ball in his hands were all impressive.
9. Deonte Reynolds, DT, Pinole Valley – All week, Reynolds was a guy that jumped out in practice and he carried that over into the game. He’s a wide-bodied, powerful kid that has a great punch on the inside and his first two steps, accelerating to the ball carrier are very quick.
10. Ronnie Manning, S, Fresno Edison – Though he’s undersized, Manning was responsible for some of the biggest hits of the evening on Saturday. He plays with no regard for his body and does everything full speed. The younger brother of NFL cornerback Danieal Manning, Ronnie holds an offer from Northern Arizona but looks worthy of several more.
- Barton Simmons
- National Recruiting Analyst - 247Sports