ATLANTA, GA. -- Practice began Friday for Monday's 2012 Rising Seniors Georgia Junior Bowl on a chilly north Georgia day. The East and West squads worked out at different locations in full pads, and worked on getting everything installed.
Milan Richard had several nice catches Friday.
Who shined?
247Sports analysts Rusty Mansell and Keith Niebuhr were on hand to check out the action. While it's difficult to keep track of nearly 100 players, this is their list of 2014 prospects that caught their attention.
1. Demarre Kitt, WR, Tyrone (Ga.) Sandy Creek – Kitt , a 4-star prospect that has Clemson and Ohio State on top, had the best day of anybody on the West team. He made almost every catch and proved he is elite in an elite setting. Kitt is a smooth route runner with sure hands.
2. Deshaun Watson, QB, Gainesville, (Ga.) -- Watson, the No. 126 prospect nationally and a Clemson commit, lived up to his hype with a solid showing. Watson displayed a quick release, and for the most part was accurate. Out of three quarterbacks on his roster, he easily spun it the best. Watson not only threw it well from the pocket, but made some excellent passes on the run -- something he does a lot for his high school
3. Nick Chubb, RB, Cedartown (Ga.) -- With early offers, Chubb had the numbers, but the overall question was the top-end speed. Namely, did he have any? That questioned has been answered after one day at Rising Seniors. Chubb had the best burst and had the coaching staff raving several times with highlight runs during the inside drills.
4. Elisha Shaw, DT, Tucker -- Shaw is every bit of his listed 6-feet-4, 295 pounds, and truly has an outstanding frame. For a player his size, he displayed great quickness, particularly off the ball. He's not only big, but very physical.
5. Juwon Young, LB, Albany (Ga.) –It didn’t take long for Young to show he was one of the best backers on the West squad. With very good size at 6-feet-2, 220 pounds, Young had the best hit of the day on a tunnel screen, sending the practice into a frenzy. Florida is a team that Young is hearing from the most right now.
6. Raekwon McMillan, ILB, Hinesville (Ga.) Liberty County -- McMillan isn't in his best football shape right now, but it didn't hurt his effectiveness in practice. His instincts were sound, and so were his footwork and quickness. In scrimmage work, he had probably the biggest hit of the day. Another thing that stood out: McMillan's coachability. He not only took direction well, he sought it out.
7. Dontavius Russell, DT, Carrollton (Ga.) -- The 6-foot-3, 285 pounds tackle showed why his stock is soaring with 247Sports. Russell was unblockable at times and was very good against the run. He's big. And he's quick.
8. Justin Jones, DE, South Cobb-- A new name that emerged from Day-1 practices at defensive end, Jones was very good coming off the edge and drew praise from the defensive coaches all day with a great motor.
9. Milan Richard, TE, Savannah (Ga.) Calvary Day School -- The 6-feet-2, 232-pounder looks like the type of tight end that can stretch the field. Richard gets off the ball quickly, runs solid routes, and makes a quick football move after securing the catch. More than once, he showed good agility either bending low to make a catch or reaching high.
10. Donquell Green, ATH, Waynesboro (Ga.) Burke County -- Green is generously listed at 5-feet-9, 175 pounds, but he's an impressive-looking player. He is lined up at receiver for this event, and at that position one truly gets a feel for his terrific speed. His size is a concern; his ability is not.
OTHERS WHO CAUGHT OUR ATTENTION -- Bryson Allen-Williams, DE; Lawrence Austin, CB; Kendall Baker, OT; Josh Brown, RB; Cole Garvin, QB; Demarquis Gates, LB; Terry Googer, ATH/WR; Christian Harris, OT; Sedric Palmer, RB; Jamiyus Pittman, DT; Andrew Williams, DE; Stanley Williams, RB.
