Kenneth Harrison
Rebuilding The Rebuild
By: Kenneth Harrison
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The Jacksonville Jaguars played in the AFC Championship game in 2017. They held a second half lead at New England before losing, 24 – 20. They went into the 2018 season as a legit Super Bowl contender and finished 5 -11.
The Jags had a good running back in Leonard Fournette and an elite defense. Quarterback was considered the weak link so they finally got rid of Blake Bortles.
In March of 2019, they signed Super Bowl LII MVP quarterback Nick Foles to a four-year contract worth $88 million. $50.1 million is guaranteed and could pay up to $102 million with incentives.
That generated excitement for the fan base but he was injured in Week 1 against Kansas City in the first quarter. He suffered a broken left clavicle and had surgery the next day. He did not return until Week 11 and rookie Gardner Minshew started in his place.
Foles only had four starts and threw three touchdowns with two interceptions. The team finished the year 6 -10.
The good news is they earned the No. 9 pick. The Jaguars’ pick will be their 18th time in the top 10 since the franchise came into existence in 1995, the most of any team. The Cardinals, who will be making their 15th top-10 pick since 1995, are second.
They also acquired the 20th pick when they traded Jalen Ramsey to the Los Angeles Rams.
The good news is they have nine draft picks in the upcoming 2020 draft. The bad news is there are now several holes in Jacksonville’s roster. The offensive and defensive efficiency rankings are both 26th.
They rank 24th in total defense and 20th in total offense. Let’s take a look and see what impact players the Jags might select in the first round.
With the ninth pick, the Jags can go in several different directions. The offensive line needs a solid left tackle and Louisville’s Mekhi Becton would be a good fit. He’s 6’7, 369 pounds but he’s very athletic. He has good footwork, balance and strength. He would fit nicely with 2019 second-round right tackle Jawaan Taylor.
The other option could be a play-making wide receiver. Receiver CeeDee Lamb (Oklahoma) could provide speed and explosive plays. Second-year receiver D.J. Chark Jr. had a breakout 2019 campaign (75/1,008/8), but the team needs more weapons for Gardner Minshew (or Nick Foles).
Lamb had 62 catches, 1,327 yards and 14 touchdowns in 2019. He averaged 21.4 yards per reception.
The last option with this pick is on the defensive side of the ball. I think the top three prospects; cornerback Jeffrey Okudah, defensive tackle Derrick Brown and linebacker Isiah Simmons should be off the board before this pick. South Carolina DT Javon Kinlaw would be the best player available and he could help shore up the interior.
With the 20th pick, I think CB Trevon Diggs (Alabama) would be a good fit. They need a corner to replace Ramsey. Diggs has good physical traits standing at 6’2, 207 pounds. He had 37 total tackles, 3 interceptions and 8 pass deflections last season. If runs in the 4.4 range at the combine they have to take him.
If they don’t select them, I expect them to take another corner, C.J. Henderson (Florida). The biggest knock on him is his tackling but he has the height (6’1) and speed to be an elite cover corner.
Jacksonville has a chance to turn the franchise around with this draft.
Hive Killer
By: Kenneth Harrison
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Georgia Tech athletics have seen better days.
During the 1990’s through early 2000’s they were good in both football and Men’s basketball. They were accustomed to playing in the post season almost every year.
Fast forward to now and both are in trouble. The Yellow Jackets have not played in the NCAA Tournament since 2010. Tech is currently 10 – 12 and 12th in the ACC. There are 15 teams in the conference.
The most recent game was an 80 – 72 loss to Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish are only 4 – 6 in conference play but they swept Georgia Tech this season.
“You can’t leave points off the board because (the Irish) will make you pay because of their offensive skill set,” coach Josh Pastner said after calling Notre Dame perhaps the best offensive team in the ACC.
“We did a great job with 20 offensive boards, a good job in the red zone (paint, 44-18). The bottom line is they hit some tough 2’s and they made nine 3’s. We didn’t make enough 3’s (4 for 18). Not having Mike Devoe hurts us because it takes away a shooter.”
The first person we have to look at is Josh Pastner. He’s been the head coach in Atlanta since 2016. The best record he had was 21 – 16 in his first season. Since then they have had losing records and won less than 15 games each season.
Based solely on the product on the court he is not right for the job. He also has additional personal issues that have negatively affected the program.
The NCAA announced that they have banned Tech from the 2019-20 postseason, put the school on four years probation, placed recruiting restrictions on the staff, forced the program to vacate wins, and fined the ACC institution an undetermined amount of money.
The question is what did he do to cause this? He brought his friend Ron Bell around the team and he committed major violations. This was reported in November 2017 when jilted former friend Bell shared this with the media.
According to the school, Tadric Jackson accepted benefits totaling less than $525 while Josh Okogie accepted benefits totaling less than $750.
Bell turned over documents to CBS Sports that show he spent $233.40 on a plane ticket for Okogie, sent him three pairs of shoes totaling around $444 and ordered him two shirts totaling $56.
Bell also provided CBS Sports with documents that show he spent $233.40 on a plane ticket for Jackson, sent him two pairs of shoes totaling around $271 and ordered him New York Knicks apparel worth $80.
Those documents add up to around the estimates Georgia Tech self-reported, and any incongruities could be chalked up to estimation differences, which are allowable by NCAA rules.
What I do not understand is why Pastner has not been fired yet. He is not getting results on the court and he has baggage. It looks like a safe bet that they will not be able to qualify for the NCAA Tournament even if they were eligible.
They need to part ways from him after the season and hire the right coach. They can get back to being a contending team in the ACC with the right leadership.
Young Hawks Learning To Fly
By: Kenneth Harrison
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The Atlanta Hawks are a young team. They are led by second year point guard Trae Young. Young was selected as a starter in the upcoming All-Star Game.
So far, he’s one of the few bright spots on the team. They are currently 12 – 35 and tied with Cleveland for last place in the East. They have the second worst record in the league behind Golden State.
The team got a rare win Sunday against Southeast division foe Washington, 152-133. Despite the W the league was in a very somber mood.
NBA legend Kobe Bryant died in a helicopter crash Sunday morning. There were nine people involved in the crash, along with his 13-year-old daughter Gianna.
Young was mentored by Bryant and he knew Gianna, nicknamed Gigi. He was her favorite player.
She came to two Hawks games this season and met with Young. Their relationship began when Kobe Bryant asked Young, who trained him, and hired Alex Bazzell, to work with Gigi as well.
Young started the game wearing a # 8 jersey and taking an eight second violation.
Young had 45 points and 14 assists to lead the Hawks to victory.
“One of the last conversations we had, he was just telling me how much he’s seen my game progress and he’s just been happy for me,” Young said between pauses. “He said how proud he was of me and how he wants me to continue to be a role model for kids growing up and for Gigi and all the kids looking up to me to inspire these kids and continue to play my heart out.”
Atlanta had lost three of four going in to that game. They scored the most points in a game this season. Several other players stepped up and had big games. De’Andre Hunter finished with 25 points, Kevin Huerter had 18 and John Collins scored 16.
Bradley Beal scored 40 points for the Wizards, who dropped to 15 – 30.
“Trae, he’s a problem,” Washington coach Scott Brooks said. “He’s a handful. He’s an All-Star for all the right reasons. He’s a hard guy to guard. He was making his shots and getting guys involved.”
I was initially outspoken about wanting the Hawks to keep Luka Doncic instead of trading him to Dallas on draft night.
I was wrong about him because he has proven to be a great pick thus far. He has averaged 30 points per game, 9 assists per game and 5 rebounds.
Journeyman Jabari Parker has been a pleasant surprise. He has averaged 15 ppg and 6 rpg. The other power forward John Collins is averaging 19 ppg and 10 rpg.
The player they are counting on to be great is rookie small forward Cam Reddish. He was drafted tenth overall out of Duke. So far, he is only averaging 9 ppg. He has to develop into a star player, which is what we expect from players drafted that high.
The season could be a blessing down the road. This is a young team experiencing growing pains and learning how to play together. The best-case scenario is to continue at this pace and have one of the worst records in the league.
I hope that they can draft a player in the top five. If they can add a game changing player to pair with Young, they can become an instant playoff contender.
The Big Game
By: Kenneth Harrison
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The matchup for Super Bowl LIV is set, San Francisco versus Kansas City. The 49ers are the top seed in the NFC and the Chiefs are No. 2 in the AFC.
The teams are polar opposites. San Fran (15-3) has an elite defense, ranked second in total defense. They only give up 19 points per game and 282 yards. They have a great front four and can generate pressure with them. They ranked fifth in sacks with 48.
They also rank second in rushing offense. They average 31 rushing plays and 144 yards per game. The only team that had more yards was Baltimore.
This is old school football we used to see in the 80’s and 90’s. The surprising thing is that the Niners don’t have a bell cow running back.
They have a true committee with Tevin Coleman, Matt Breida and Raheem Mostert.
Each of them has at least 530 yards during the season. Mostert was the star of the NFC Championship game against Green Bay, rushing for 220 yards and 4 touchdowns.
“I did have a lot of doubters and naysayers,” said Mostert, who has been cut seven times in his career. “Now I get to actually tell them, ‘Look where I’m at now. I never gave up on my dreams.”
Kyle Shanahan is in his third season as head coach in San Francisco. He was the offensive coordinator for Atlanta prior to this and he coached them in Super Bowl LI.
The Falcons had a decisive 28 – 3 lead late in the third quarter but lost. Shanahan was criticized for being too aggressive and not trying to run the ball more to control the clock.
Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo only had 8 pass attempts in the NFC Championship. He’s the one obvious weak link on the team.
San Francisco is playing in their seventh Super Bowl. They are trying to tie Pittsburgh and New England for the most Super Bowl wins for a franchise with six.
On the flip side Patrick Mahomes is the catalyst for the Kansas City offense. He was the league MVP last season. He missed two games in 2019 and still finished 10th in passing yards. Garoppolo was 12th.
In the AFC Championship, Mahomes threw for 294 yards, 3 TD’s and 0 interceptions. He also ran for 53 yards and a touchdown. The Chiefs (14-4) have not been to a Super Bowl since 1970.
KC has great skill players and a lot of speed. Travis Kelce might be the best tight end in the league. Tyreek Hill is a top ten receiver and the fastest player in the NFL.
The Chiefs do not have a running game. They were 23rd in rushing and average 98 ypg. KC also has an average defense, ranked 17th in total defense. They give up 350 ypg.
Andy Reid has the most wins without a Super Bowl victory. He’s looking to change that in Miami.
I think this will be a very close game. I think the 49ers can get pressure on Mahomes without blitzing. They have a good secondary, so they can slow down the explosive Chiefs offense.
Kansas City’s defense has to stop San Francisco from running and force Jimmy G to beat them.
I give the slight edge to the 49ers.
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Geaux Tigers
By: Kenneth Harrison
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The CFP National Championship game was a matchup of two great teams. No. 1 LSU (14-0) versus defending national champion No. 3 Clemson (14-0). Both sets of Tigers were trying to make history.
Louisiana State is led by Heisman Trophy winner Joe Burrow. Burrow broke the single-season passing touchdown record previously set by Hawaii quarterback Colt Brennan in 2006 with 58. Burrow had 60 this season.
Before this game Trevor Lawrence was undefeated as a college player. Early on Clemson had the momentum. They scored first to take a 7-0 lead. LSU scored on their opening drive in the previous six games but got off to a slow start.
Clemson squandered opportunities on their first two drives. They got inside the LSU forty, but they did not score and they had to punt both times.
Clemson led 17 – 7 early in the second quarter before the Bayou Bengal offense started clicking. Burrow finished the game with 463 passing yards, 5 touchdowns through the air and 1 rushing TD.
Biletnikoff Award winning wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase finished with nine catches for 221 yards and 2 touchdowns. Justin Jefferson had 9 catches for 106 yards.
“He’s one of the greatest players in LSU history,” Tigers coach Ed Orgeron said. “He’s done so much for the state of Louisiana and LSU. We are so grateful to Joe Burrow.”
Running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire had 16 carries for 110 yards. He also had 5 catches for 54 yards. LSU won the game 42 – 25.
“This is what I wanted to do from the time I was 5 years old, was hoist this trophy, and bringing it back to Louisiana,” Burrow said, then caught himself. “I guess we’re in Louisiana, but staying in Louisiana, we weren’t going to let someone come in here and steal this from us in our home state. We have a great fan base that came out and supported us. We were going to keep this thing right here.”
Lawrence had 234 passing yards with no touchdown or interception. He also rushed for 49 yards and a touchdown. Travis Etienne had 15 carries for 78 yards and a TD.
“This team is going to be mentioned as one of the greatest teams in college football history,” Orgeron said, “15-0, as one of the greatest teams in LSU history. But that’s for you guys to decide.”
This team might be on the short list with teams like 1995 Nebraska and 2001 Miami. This is LSU’s first national title since 2007 and fourth overall.
This has been a very impressive year because LSU has struggled on offense for the last decade. They typically have great skill position players but poor quarterback play. Now they have a QB that probably had the best season ever at the position.
“What this offense has done, I’m amazed. I really am,” co-offensive coordinator Steve Ensminger said. “We changed the whole durn thing in one year, you know what I’m saying? We changed everything in one year. And these guys bought into it. They worked their ass off to get where they’re supposed to be, to get where they want to be, and they did it.”
Building the Hive
By: Kenneth Harrison
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The college football season is almost over but one aspect never ends, recruiting. The early signing period was last month and signing day is in February. I want to look at a team that is making a splash in recruiting in 2020, Georgia Tech.
So far, the Yellow Jackets have the 26th ranked recruiting class in 2020. Under Paul Johnson, they routinely finished almost last in the ACC. This is a major improvement by them after head coach Geoff Collins’ first season. They had a rough year finishing 3-9 but they are attracting better talent.
The first player I have to mention is four-star wide receiver Bryce Gowdy. By now, I am sure you heard his tragic story. The talented Deerfield Beach, Florida native took his own life and was hit by a freight train December 30.
He was supposed to start classes at Tech this week. He was an honors student that graduated early but suffered from mental-health issues and homelessness. This was a big loss for the program and I’m not referring to on the field.
One of the best running backs in the state of Georgia, Jahmyr Gibbs is a hard commit. Gibbs played for Dalton High School and in 11 games this past season he rushed for 2,554 yards, 40 touchdowns and averaged 11 yards per carry. The four-star recruit played in the All-American Bowl last week.
Four-star dual threat quarterback Jeff Sims from Jacksonville, Fl played in the Under Armour All-America Game. Sims is 6’3, 205 pounds and very athletic. He was initially committed to Florida State before he signed with Tech.
There is another QB from Florida that signed with GT, three-star recruit Tucker Gleason. Gleason played for Plant High, which is a very good program. He 6’3, 220 lb. pro style quarterback.
Collins is recruiting the state of Florida very well and more specifically the Jacksonville area. Four-star cornerback Miles Brooks played at Trinity Christian Academy. Brooks is 6’2 so he has great size for the position. He also had offers from Alabama, Auburn, Virginia Tech and Ohio State.
Brooks has an official forty time of 4.52 and a 35.3-inch vertical.
It is interesting to see players come to Tech that were also recruited by major programs. Under CPJ you would see guys and the other teams recruiting them would be Wofford and Middle Tennessee State. The best offer they had was from GT so that is why they committed.
Defensive End Jared Ivey from North Gwinnett High School is another four-star. He’s 6’6, 225 pounds so he has prototypical body for the position. In the 2019 season, he wreaked havoc with 80 tackles, 32.5 tackles for loss and 20 sacks. He also broke up four passes and has a forced fumble.
Wide receiver Nate McCollum is also a Georgia native from Dutchtown High (Hampton). He’s a small receiver (5’11) but he is very fast, running the forty in 4.41 seconds. He’s also a stand out in baseball and we will see him on the diamond at Georgia Tech.
There are seventeen more three-star commits in this class. They are getting faster and more athletic at every position. We will see if these players can turn the program around in year two under Collins.
Play It Off
By: Kenneth Harrison
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
We are in the sixth year of the College Football Playoff.
The top four teams have been picked and I think this is the first year where the committee had an easy decision selecting all of the teams. We are going to preview the playoff games.
Both games will be played December 28. No. 1 LSU (13–0) versus No 4. Oklahoma (12–1) in the Peach Bowl.
The Tigers return to Atlanta after trouncing No. 4 Georgia in the SEC Championship. LSU is led by the clear Heisman Trophy front-runner Joe Burrow.
Burrow is the best quarterback I’ve seen at LSU in the past 25 years. This program is notorious for having poor QB play, so they are really enjoying this because I do not think they will be in this position again anytime soon.
Burrow has thrown for over 4,700 yards, 48 touchdowns, 6 interceptions with a 93.7 QBR (2nd).
Running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire has rushed for nearly 1,300 yards and 16 touchdowns. He also has 50 receptions for 400 yards so he makes plays all over the field.
Receivers Justin Jefferson and Ja’Marr Chase both have over 1,200 receiving yards with double digit TD’s.
The Tigers are ranked 32nd nationally in total defense.
This is Oklahoma’s third straight playoff appearance and they are looking for their first win.
Quarterback Jalen Hurts transferred from Alabama, so he’s played against LSU the last three seasons. He won’t be intimidated and their defense is not as good as they previously were.
Hurts is the epitome of a dual threat, passing for over 3,600 yards, 32 touchdowns, 7 picks and a QBR of 90.6 (4th). Hurts also ran for more than 1,200 yards, 18 TD’s and he averages 5.7 yards per carry.
CeeDee Lamb is his top target and big play threat. OU is 24th in total defense.
This game should be high scoring and both offenses should play well. Hurts has a bad habit of turning the ball over and I don’t see this game being any different. That will help LSU win by double digits.
No. 2 Ohio State (13–0) plays No. 3 Clemson (13–0) in the Fiesta Bowl in Glendale, Az.
Both teams are led by highly recruited quarterbacks from Georgia. They were also finalists in the 2017 Elite 11 with Justin Fields finishing first and Trevor Lawrence finishing second.
Fields has thrown for almost 3,000 yards, 40 TD’s, 1 interception and his QBR is 92.4 (3rd). I must admit I’ve been labeled an ‘OSU hater’ by a friend of mine because I give an honest opinion of Fields and last year Dwayne Haskins.
I watch the Buckeyes regularly and notice that quarterbacks typically throw short passes like slants, screens and crossing routes. The receivers get massive yards after catch, which makes the QB’s stats look good.
Running back J.K. Dobbins has rushed for over 1,800 yards, 20 TD’s and he averages 6.5 ypc. The defense ranks second in total D.
Clemson is the defending national champion and they have been disrespected all year. Lawrence played poorly for the first month of the season with several multiple interception games. He finished the year with 8 picks but he improved.
Receiver Tee Higgins and running back Travis Etienne are going to be first round picks in this year’s draft. The Tigers defense is the best in the nation in total defense.
This should be a close game but Clemson will win. The Tigers of LSU and Clemson will meet in the national championship.
Pick Away
By: Kenneth Harrison
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The NFL regular season is winding down. We know who the contenders are and the teams that need to try again next year.
I’m going to take a look at the projected NFC South draft order and team needs.
Pick #5 Atlanta: The biggest team needs are edge rusher, defensive back and offensive line.
The Falcons have struggled to protect their $150 million quarterback Matt Ryan. In the Thanksgiving game against New Orleans he was sacked nine times (tying a career high). Atlanta failed to sack Drew Brees, which brings the team’s needs in the trenches into focus.
Ohio State defensive end Chase Young is by far the best pass rusher in the draft. I do not expect him to be around when the Falcons pick, so I think Iowa edge rusher AJ Epenesa will be their pick. He had double-digit tackles for loss the last two seasons. He had 10.5 sacks in 2018 and 9 in 2019.
Pick #12 Carolina: Their biggest team needs are DB, OL and defensive line.
Quarterback might also be a need since Cam Newton has not played since Week 2. Kyle Allen has stepped in but he has not played well. His QBR is 38.3, which is 30th, and he’s thrown double digit interceptions.
The Panthers defense cannot stop the run, ranking 29th in run defense. Alabama cornerback Trevon Diggs would be a good pick. He has great size standing at 6’2 and 208 pounds. He has 3 interceptions and 8 pass breakups this season.
Pick #14 Tampa Bay: The Buccaneers biggest team needs are QB, RB, OL and DL.
Jameis Winston is in the final year of his rookie contract and he’s still struggling. He’s been a turnover machine his entire career and this season is no different.
Winston leads the league with 20 interceptions. That would be too much for a rookie but he’s in his fifth season and he has also had off the field issues.
The Bucs have several other areas of concern but I believe they will prioritize drafting a franchise quarterback.
Oregon QB Justin Herbert could be the answer. He has prototypical size at 6’6 and 237 pounds. He’s a senior so he has a lot of experience which is invaluable.
Herbert helped bring the Ducks program back to a national title contender. This season he has 31 touchdowns with only 5 interceptions, so we know he can protect the football.
Pick #29 New Orleans Saints: The Saints are truly Super Bowl contenders so this might turn into the 31st or 32nd pick.
The biggest needs are WR, interior OL and DB. Michael Thomas is great but he could use another receiver to help stretch the field. Thomas is a true possession receiver and he is the focal point of the defense.
A player with speed would be explosive and they could make teams pay for covering him one on one.
Three of the seven Saints defenders who have played the most snaps in 2019; Vonn Bell, Eli Apple and P.J. Williams happen to be members of the New Orleans secondary. All three are scheduled to become free agents in 2020.
Clemson receiver Tee Higgins would be a great addition, assuming he’s still on the board.
GHSA 7A
By: Kenneth Harrison
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
We’re down to the final eight teams in Georgia high school football. Let’s take a look at the Elite Eight in AAAAAAA.
# 10 Mill Creek vs # 6 Marietta: Mill Creek blew out their first two playoff opponents (Newton & Roswell). The Hawks (10-2) are very good but they have been outclassed by superior talent this season. They were crushed 45 – 3 by # 4 North Gwinnett last month.
Marietta (10-2) is the most talented team in the state. They beat the defending state champs, # 9 Milton in the second round. The Blue Devils are led by five-star tight end Arik Gilbert, an LSU commit. Gilbert has 1,343 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns.
His quarterback Harrison Bailey is committed to Tennessee and a four-star player. He’s thrown for 3,378 yards and 36 touchdowns.
The Blue Devils have another LSU commit on defense, defensive end BJ Ojulari. Marietta was my preseason pick to win the state championship and my opinion has not changed.
# 3 Grayson vs # 1 Lowndes: Lowndes (12-0) has dominated all season and they are nationally ranked. The Vikings have won every game by double digits. The closest margin of victory was 11 points against Colquitt County. They are the only remaining team not in Metro Atlanta.
The interesting thing about Lowndes is that as good as they are, they don’t have a player ranked in the top 100 in Georgia in the class of 2020.
They are led by sophomore quarterback Jacurri Brown. He’s the team’s leading rusher with 1,150 yards and 16 TD’s. He also passed for 1,066 yards and 6 touchdowns.
Grayson (10-1) steamrolled their first two playoff opponents. The Rams lone loss was a blowout loss at home to Colquitt County (31-7). Since that is a common opponent for both teams it does not look good for Grayson.
Senior quarterback CJ Dixon is a four-star recruit and he should keep Grayson in the game. I expect Lowndes to continue doing what they have done all season and win this game by double digits.
# 8 Archer vs # 7 Parkview: This is a matchup of two Gwinnett county schools. Parkview (11-1) is a traditional powerhouse that fell on hard times, but they are back. The Panthers have won four state championships. They won three consecutive championships and were undefeated from 2000-2002.
Their only loss was at home against Lowndes, 38 – 7. They did beat Colquitt County in the second round, 40- 21.
Colquitt had reached the quarters or better each season since 2009.
Junior running back Cody Brown is a four-star recruit and the offense goes through him.
Archer (9-3) had a tough schedule with all three losses coming to ranked teams. Their biggest loss was by three points.
I expect this to be a close game, but Parkview should win.
# 2 McEachern vs # 4 North Gwinnett: McEachern (12-0) is the other undefeated team in 7A. The Indians also have several talented players like their crosstown rival, Marietta.
The best player on the team is senior four-star wide receiver Javon Baker. He’s committed to Alabama. McEachern has only had two games won by single digits so they have been dominant.
North Gwinnett (11-1) lost the season opener to Colquitt County. They have not lost since then. The Bulldogs won the state title in 2017 and they hope to get back there this year.
I’m picking North Gwinnett for a slight upset win.
Not Your Father’s Tigers
By: Kenneth Harrison
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The college football regular season is winding down. Clemson won the national championship last year and they are in the hunt again this season.
They currently have the top ranked recruiting class for 2020. Let’s take a look at some of the incoming talent.
So far, they have 20 commits including six 5-star recruits and nine 4-star. The Tigers have a hard commit from the top player in the nation, defensive tackle Bryan Bresee. He attends Damascus High in Maryland.
At 6’5, 290 pounds he already looks like a pro lineman. He’s dominant and if you have not seen his highlights yet I advise you to check him out.
Another 5-star defensive lineman joining Bresee in Death Valley is defensive end Myles Murphy. Murphy attends Hillgrove in Powder Springs, Ga. He’s 6’5, 260 lbs. so he also looks physically imposing. At The Opening he ran a 4.65 forty and had a 34.10 vertical. He’s the No. 4 recruit in the country.
Quarterback DJ Uiagalelei is the best pro style QB in this entire recruiting class.
He’s like a bigger more powerful version of Tua, standing at 6’4 and 246 pounds. You might be familiar with him from the show QB 1 Beyond the Lights.
He plays for national power St. John Bosco (California). Getting a highly recruited player like him from California shows just how much Clemson has grown as a program. They typically recruit well in the Southeast but rarely get players from outside that region.
DJ also plays basketball and baseball so he’s a good athlete and he moves well for his size. Through 11 games this season he has passed for 3,177 yards, 35 touchdowns and only 2 interceptions. He also completes 63% of his passes.
His team travels and plays several ranked teams from out of state. They also played the top high school team in the nation, Mater Dei so his numbers are impressive.
Running back Demarkcus Bowman (Lakeland, Fl) is ranked No. 3 nationally at his position. He averaged 11.9 yards per carry this season and last season was the same. Through 10 regular season games he has 1,523 yards and 23 touchdowns. He’s a big play threat and his longest run of the season is 88 yards.
Cornerback Fred Davis II (Jacksonville, Fl) is 6’0 so he has good size for the position. He’s ranked third at the position nationally. His official forty time is 4.3 so he’s very fast. He is expected to step on campus and be a shutdown corner.
The final 5-star player is defensive tackle Demonte Capehart from IMG Academy. IMG recruits nationally so being a standout player for that team means he’s an elite player. He’s the No. 4 recruit in the state of Florida.
Capehart is 6’5 and 295 pounds. Many of these players have prototypical size already.
Clemson has been very successful without having top 5 recruiting classes. Now that they are getting this much talent it’s frightening for the rest of the college football programs.
Their defensive line should be the best within the next two years.
