Michigan Wolverines: USC Trojans
Holding more than 40 offers, running back Joe Mixon (Oakley, Calif./Freedom) is arguably the most sought-after recruit in the West region. The 6-foot-2, 205-pound, four-star back is the top running back in the West and the No. 135 player in the country. His offer sheet has seemingly grown by the minute this spring, but he isn't in any hurry to narrow it down.
Despite tweeting out a list of 16 programs several weeks ago, Mixon said Sunday that he only did that to highlight the schools recruiting him the hardest, not anything to be taken as a group of finalists.
"I'm still talking to a lot of people," Mixon said. "The recruiting thing has been crazy the past couple of weeks. I've pretty much been taking it well. I talk to them before school, during lunch and after school. I'm not to the stressful part yet, but the hard part has been staying in contact with everybody."
Despite tweeting out a list of 16 programs several weeks ago, Mixon said Sunday that he only did that to highlight the schools recruiting him the hardest, not anything to be taken as a group of finalists.
"I'm still talking to a lot of people," Mixon said. "The recruiting thing has been crazy the past couple of weeks. I've pretty much been taking it well. I talk to them before school, during lunch and after school. I'm not to the stressful part yet, but the hard part has been staying in contact with everybody."
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Hinsdale (Ill.) Central tight end Ian Bunting listed a top three at the end of February, but that group dissipated nearly as quickly as it was created as several big offers over the next 72 hours made him open it back up.
After visits to several of those schools, the ESPN 150 tight end is closing in on naming a top group once again.
After visits to several of those schools, the ESPN 150 tight end is closing in on naming a top group once again.
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The RN Top 10 will appear throughout the camp and combine season and rank prospects based strictly on their on-field performance at that particular event. It does not reflect their overall prospect ranking.
ASHBURN, Va. – The East Coast and mid-Atlantic states represented well on Sunday as eight players earned invites to The Opening at the Nike Football Training Camp outside of Washington, D.C. Defense ruled the day, led by two five-star prospects from Virginia.
10. Nick Scott
Fairfax (Va.) Fairfax |RB| 5-11, 180
Scott stood out among a field of backs who were overshadowed by the prospects at nearly every other position. He earned the attention of coaches for his strong play and versatility but missed the MVP award, which went to Vincent Lowe (Chesapeake, Va./Grassfield), who also posted the top SPARQ score.
Scott committed to Penn State in February over an offer from Boston College.
ESPN national recruiting analyst Craig Haubert’s take: “He’s got a great frame, and what I like about him as a Penn State verbal, he’s a versatile player. He may not run by you, but he does a good job in route-running.”
ASHBURN, Va. – The East Coast and mid-Atlantic states represented well on Sunday as eight players earned invites to The Opening at the Nike Football Training Camp outside of Washington, D.C. Defense ruled the day, led by two five-star prospects from Virginia.
10. Nick Scott
Fairfax (Va.) Fairfax |RB| 5-11, 180
Scott stood out among a field of backs who were overshadowed by the prospects at nearly every other position. He earned the attention of coaches for his strong play and versatility but missed the MVP award, which went to Vincent Lowe (Chesapeake, Va./Grassfield), who also posted the top SPARQ score.
Scott committed to Penn State in February over an offer from Boston College.
ESPN national recruiting analyst Craig Haubert’s take: “He’s got a great frame, and what I like about him as a Penn State verbal, he’s a versatile player. He may not run by you, but he does a good job in route-running.”
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#BlueChipBattles: ESPN 150 release edition
April, 19, 2013
Apr 19
12:49
PM ET
By RecruitingNation | ESPN.com
Student Sports, ESPN, ESPNSpeedy Noil, Adoree Jackson and Da'Shawn Hand are three of the most coveted recruits in the Class of 2014.
: RecruitingNation summoned its writers from around the country to outline the recruiting battles for the ESPN 150's top 10 prospects.
Plus, rank the battles in SportsNation.
#TopFBMixtapes: Athlete mixtapes are all the rage in this highlight-crazed era of sports. We reached out to our Twitter followers to find out which 2014 football stars had the best highlight reels on YouTube, then had our staff rank and comment on the top submissions.
Tom Luginbill writes
: After talking to many coaches across the country and hearing their frustrations, here are their five biggest complaints about homemade highlight videos.
LOS ANGELES -- Receivers hardly found any open space against Naijiel Hale (Bellflower, Calif./St. John Bosco) on Sunday at the Nike Football Training Camp, so it was only fitting that a strong showing earned the fast-rising cornerback an invite to The Opening this summer.
Hale has scholarship offers from Arizona, Arizona State, Boise State, California, Nebraska and Washington State, but that list figures to grow in the upcoming evaluation period.
“I was shocked when I got the invite,” Hale said. “I thought there were a couple of defensive backs that also stood out. I went out there without too much pressure and I performed well.”
Hale has scholarship offers from Arizona, Arizona State, Boise State, California, Nebraska and Washington State, but that list figures to grow in the upcoming evaluation period.
“I was shocked when I got the invite,” Hale said. “I thought there were a couple of defensive backs that also stood out. I went out there without too much pressure and I performed well.”
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ATHENS, Ga. -- ESPN Watch List wide receiver Demarre Kitt (Tyrone, Ga./Sandy Creek) recently cut his mammoth offer list down to a top-15 group of schools that he will consider.
“It got crazy at one point with almost everybody that offered me trying to talk to me,” Kitt said. “So I had to cut my list down to 15 schools. After spring practice I will cut it down to eight or 10. At the end of summer I will do five and then go from there.”
“It got crazy at one point with almost everybody that offered me trying to talk to me,” Kitt said. “So I had to cut my list down to 15 schools. After spring practice I will cut it down to eight or 10. At the end of summer I will do five and then go from there.”
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Jackson likes what he sees from USC 
February, 24, 2013
Feb 24
11:46
PM ET
By
Blair Angulo | ESPN.com
LOS ANGELES -- A lack of communication leading up to USC junior day nearly prevented ESPN Watch List cornerback Adoree' Jackson (Gardena, Calif./Serra) from attending, but a quick phone call from coach Lane Kiffin on Thursday cleared the air.
Jackson accepted the invite and made the short drive to campus on Sunday to meet the new members of the coaching staff.
Jackson accepted the invite and made the short drive to campus on Sunday to meet the new members of the coaching staff.
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SEC schools recruiting Cleveland Glenville
February, 19, 2013
Feb 19
8:06
AM ET
By
Jared Shanker | ESPN.com
INDIANAPOLIS -- If someone is going to break the Ohio State pipeline into Cleveland Glenville, then who else but the SEC to do it?
ESPN Watch List athlete Marshon Lattimore has an Ohio State offer and several teammates playing for the Buckeyes, but he said he does not have any favorites. Three programs he hopes to land an offer from are Alabama, Florida and LSU -- and one of them has been in touch.
“Alabama has been messaging me on Facebook,” the 2014 receiver/cornerback said.
ESPN Watch List athlete Marshon Lattimore has an Ohio State offer and several teammates playing for the Buckeyes, but he said he does not have any favorites. Three programs he hopes to land an offer from are Alabama, Florida and LSU -- and one of them has been in touch.
“Alabama has been messaging me on Facebook,” the 2014 receiver/cornerback said.
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Jersey RB Hilliman plans several visits
February, 17, 2013
Feb 17
9:05
AM ET
By
Jared Shanker | ESPN.com
With more than two dozen offers, Jonathan Hilliman (Jersey City, N.J./St. Peter’s Prep) has the attention of schools all over the country. He knows some point over these next few months he will have to begin whittling his list down.
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After a personal workout, Wilton Speight could be days away from his first scholarship offer.
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SAN ANTONIO -- Florida State inside linebacker commit E.J. Levenberry Jr. (Woodbridge, Va./C.D. Hylton) said he is sold on the Seminoles, but that hasn’t stopped programs from trying to change his mind.
“Tennessee and Michigan are on me hard,” he said. “USC coaches are interested as well.”
Michigan and Oklahoma were the other two finalists when he committed to Florida State on April 24. So it’s not a surprise that the Wolverines aren’t waving the white flag just yet.
“Tennessee and Michigan are on me hard,” he said. “USC coaches are interested as well.”
Michigan and Oklahoma were the other two finalists when he committed to Florida State on April 24. So it’s not a surprise that the Wolverines aren’t waving the white flag just yet.
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Army Bowl: Wednesday notebook
January, 2, 2013
Jan 2
3:08
PM ET
By
Damon Sayles and
William Wilkerson | ESPN.com
SAN ANTONIO -- Wednesday was a day off for the U.S. Army All-American Bowl teams. Instead of working out and participating in drills, the players took in visits around the city -- including a stop at the Alamodome for photo opportunities and to see their game apparel -- and used the day to recover from two days of practice.
The teams will return to the fields on Thursday in arguably the most important practice of the week. Here are five things to keep an eye on for Thursday’s practice:
The teams will return to the fields on Thursday in arguably the most important practice of the week. Here are five things to keep an eye on for Thursday’s practice:
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U.S. Army Bowl: Tuesday notebook
January, 1, 2013
Jan 1
7:52
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By
William Wilkerson and
Damon Sayles | ESPN.com
SAN ANTONIO – ESPN 150 wide receiver James Quick (Louisville, Ky./Trinity) has drawn plenty of attention for his play through two practices for the East team in preparation for the U.S. Army All-American Bowl.
He’ll garner even more eyes his way on Saturday when he announces his commitment during the game.
The 6-foot-1, 180-pounder said he is down to Louisville, Ohio State and Oregon. Though his decision will come Saturday, it could be finalized by Wednesday morning, as he sits down to discuss his options with his parents, who are in town for the event.
He’ll garner even more eyes his way on Saturday when he announces his commitment during the game.
The 6-foot-1, 180-pounder said he is down to Louisville, Ohio State and Oregon. Though his decision will come Saturday, it could be finalized by Wednesday morning, as he sits down to discuss his options with his parents, who are in town for the event.
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U.S. Army Bowl: Monday notebook
December, 31, 2012
12/31/12
8:51
PM ET
By
Damon Sayles and
William Wilkerson | ESPN.com
SAN ANTONIO -- ESPN 150 outside linebacker Mike Mitchell (Plano, Texas/Prestonwood Christian) isn’t big on speaking publicly. He’d rather let his game do the talking -- and it speaks volumes.
On Monday, the 6-foot-5, 222-pound linebacker officially confirmed that he will announce his college plans during Saturday’s U.S. Army All-American Bowl. Oregon, Texas A&M and Ohio State are his three finalists.
Mitchell said all three schools -- and even a fourth, Oklahoma -- had their positive qualities throughout his recruiting process. It was a feeling of comfort, however, that seemed to win him over.
On Monday, the 6-foot-5, 222-pound linebacker officially confirmed that he will announce his college plans during Saturday’s U.S. Army All-American Bowl. Oregon, Texas A&M and Ohio State are his three finalists.
Mitchell said all three schools -- and even a fourth, Oklahoma -- had their positive qualities throughout his recruiting process. It was a feeling of comfort, however, that seemed to win him over.
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Michigan intrigues ESPN 150 RB
December, 31, 2012
12/31/12
7:35
PM ET
By
William Wilkerson | ESPN.com
SAN ANTONIO - - Six teams are still in the running for four-star running back Derrick Green (Richmond, Va./Hermitage) but his face is overcome by a certain glow when he speaks about one in particular.
That school is Michigan.
“That program, period,” Green said. “Just the history behind the program and their traditions. [Running backs] Coach [Fred] Jackson, Coach [Brady] Hoke is a great coach. He’s the best coach I’ve met so far.”
That school is Michigan.
“That program, period,” Green said. “Just the history behind the program and their traditions. [Running backs] Coach [Fred] Jackson, Coach [Brady] Hoke is a great coach. He’s the best coach I’ve met so far.”
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