Florida Gators

CORNELIUS, N.C. -- The 2013 Nike Football Training Camp tour continued in the Charlotte area on Saturday as many top players from the Carolinas and beyond showcased their skills at Hough High School. With deep running back and linebacker groups set to go head-to-head, the weather ultimately might have been the big winner. In spite of cold temperatures and a chilling rain, several players earned MVP honors and many more stood out.

Recruiting Nation writers Miller Safrit and Kipp Adams attended the camp. Here is what they learned:

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ESPN 100 No. 3 overall prospect Julius Randle (Dallas/Prestonwood Christian) has cut NC State and Oklahoma from his list of finalists, ESPN.com's Dave Telep has learned.

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In the coming months, you’re likely to hear the name Grayson Allen (Jacksonville, Fla./Providence School) quite a bit. By now, you know 2014 prospects Theo Pinson, Justise Winslow and Rashad Vaughn. Those guys sit at the head of the table in terms of available junior wings, and that’s cool -- they deserve it.

Then there’s Allen, a 6-foot-4 junior shooting guard who enters the spring armed with ammunition. He has himself a state championship and his team went 31-1. The only loss was to Arlington Country Day (Fla.) and Allen didn’t play in that game due to an ankle sprain. This kid can pass, drive and shoot it enough to be in contention to squeeze himself into a seat at the head of the table.

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ATHENS, Ga. -- Considering that running back Jacques Patrick (Orlando, Fla./Timber Creek) is only in his second year of high school but already has 25 scholarship offers, the case can be made that Patrick is one of the most coveted prospects in the Class of 2015.

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It has been an eventful couple of weeks for ESPN 100 No. 3 overall prospect Julius Randle (Dallas/Prestonwood Christian). First, he returned to the court three weeks ago after being out since November with a fractured foot. Then on Monday he announced he would make his college decision March 20.

And on Wednesday, the McDonald's All American Games announced Randle has been added to the McDonald's roster as a 25th player. He will suit up for the East squad in the game, which will be played April 3 at the United Center in Chicago and televised live on ESPN at 9:30 p.m. ET.

The McDonald’s All American Games released the following statement: “Today, the McDonald’s All American Games Selection Committee is pleased to name Julius Randle of Prestonwood Christian Academy to the 2013 McDonald’s All American Team. As promised, we’ve been closely monitoring Randle’s play since his return to the court in February, and it’s been an inspiring return to watch. Randle has not only proven that he is capable of competing at the highest level, but truly deserving of the title McDonald’s All American.”

Why did this happen and what does it mean?

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ROCKLEDGE, Fla. -- Watch List defensive back Quincy Wilson (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla./University School of Nova SE) has recently picked up new offers from Arizona, Ole Miss, UMass and NC State.

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Interest is growing in Braxton Berrios.

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The Spalding Hoophall Classic held near the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass., is annually the nation’s best in-season high school basketball event -- and this year may be its best field ever. Which is saying something considering the likes of Kevin Durant, Anthony Davis, Jared Sullinger and Kyrie Irving have played in the showcase.

The elite national matchups will get rolling on Saturday and then really kick into gear on Sunday and Monday, when six games will be televised across ESPN, ESPNU and WatchESPN. In those six TV games alone, 25 players ranked in the ESPN 100 and seven teams ranked in the ESPN 25 Power Rankings will be featured, including the No. 1 and No. 2 prospects, six of the top 12 recruits in the country and a showdown between the No. 1 and No. 2 teams. Recruits for Kentucky, Duke, Florida, Syracuse, Indiana, NC State, Georgetown, Washington, Baylor, BYU and more will be on display.

To get you set for all the action, here are the players to watch for each of the 12 teams playing on TV this weekend.

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ATLANTA -- Two of the Peach State’s top outside linebackers recently met in the backfield of the Rising Seniors Bowl game and threw down the West team’s quarterback, Brooks Barden (Cartersville, Ga./Cartersville). Bryson Allen-Williams (Ellenwood, Ga./Cedar Grove) came of the right end and Dante Sawyer (Flowery Branch, Ga./North Gwinnett) crashed the left side and both caught Barden before he could slip away. While it was clear Barden never had a chance, credit for the sack was a highly-contested debate.

“Oh, that was my sack.” Allen-Williams said. “Look, Dante and I had a little bet going on to see who would get the most sacks, so we ended up tying on them. So you know [when] there are two good ends on this field, you’re bound to have a good pass rush every now and then.”

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ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- George Campbell (Tarpon Springs, Fla./East Lake) has the luxury of experience, even if it is not his own.

The 6-foot-5, 200-pound sophomore athlete is leaning on his 2014 teammates offensive lineman Mason Cole and wide receiver Artavis Scott for advice. And while those two are still just juniors, they have been well exposed to the recruiting process already.

"Experiencing this with Mason Cole and Artavis Scott has helped me a lot," said Campbell. "They are helping me figure this out a lot."

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SAN ANTONIO -- In recruiting, players can hate the process one day, love it the next.

ESPN 300 defensive end Joe Mathis (Upland, Calif./Upland) has seen both sides, but is looking to make the process a past discussion.

Mathis is one of seven players expected to announce where they’ll play college football during Saturday’s U.S. Army All-American Bowl at the Alamodome. While many feel he’s leaning toward one school, Mathis said he’s eyed four schools fairly evenly.

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GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- The Florida Gators landed a commitment from arguably their top overall 2014 target as ESPN Watch List quarterback Will Grier (Davidson, N.C./Davidson Day) gave his pledge to Florida today.

Grier, a dual-threat quarterback, chose Florida over in-state programs North Carolina and NC State, as well as Tennessee.

The 6-foot-3, 185-pound signal-caller is the son of Davidson Day's coach and has all of the intangibles a team could want from a quarterback. He is a strong-armed, accurate and athletic quarterback.

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