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Here are the freshmen that truly caught my eye yesterday.
Couple of things before I get to the list:
First, I did not pick a certain number of players here. I didn't say only the top 5 or top 10. That's not an honest assessment of who caught my eye. These are truly the ones that got my attention.
Second, if a player didn't make this list, it's not an indictment on them. Far from it. I just didn't see enough of them athletically that really caught my eye on day one. For example, Christian Clark and Jerrick Gibson both looked good physically, but I didn't see them do anything other than "look good" to really single either of them out.
The List
WR Ryan Wingo - early leader for most impressive true freshman IMO. Fluid, plus-sized athlete with excellent separation speed downfield (similar to AD Mitchell) and natural hands.
WR Aaron Butler - quick, lots of short space burst and decent long speed, too. Natural pass catcher, even when hands are low and away from the body. An interesting mix between say Xavier Worthy and Johntay Cook IMO.
TE Jordan Washington - this is how you want to draw up long-term TE prospects. Lanky, good athleticism, good ball skills, ability to add smart weight. Seemed focused mentally and coachable.
OL Brandon Baker - clear-cut elite prospect. Not sure if he's super-sized to be a first-round pick but he's an NFL OL at either tackle spot IMO or even guard if he wanted. Excellent feet and body control. Naturally thick frame in both upper and lower body.
OL Daniel Cruz - he "looks" different than every other OL on campus, which is saying something. He looks like he swallowed an oak barrel. Surprisingly quick for that type of body build.
DL Alex January - attentive and focused in practice; good muscle mass, nice body weight for plus-sized player early in his career; abnormally quick with his hands for someone this early in their career.
DE Colin Simmons - he's chiseled from different clay than most. One drill he showed quickness no one else on the edge has. Time will tell if he can play with the requisite toughness to get on the field early.
DE Zina Umeozulu - his arms are looooooooooong. Also athletic. I know some have questioned his toughness out of the gate. But if he can overcome that, he has an elite tool set with length, quickness and speed.
S Xavier Filsaime - I knew he had the speed and frame but he showed some advanced route/ball awareness on one play in particular.
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