ESPN.com - #UAGame practice: Day 3 notebook

ESPN.com: On The Trail

Wednesday, January 2, 2013
#UAGame practice: Day 3 notebook

By Corey Dowlar and Derek Tyson and Kipp Adams

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- Things heated up at Disney's ESPN Wide World of Sports for Day 3 of practice. With the temperature rising to nearly 80 degrees Wednesday, friendly competition and the battle between prospects to prove themselves escalated. And the first commitments -- and decommitments -- of the Under Armour All-America Game were made. To see the impact of those moves, check out our updated class rankings.

LaRue parts ways with USC

ESPN 150 wide receiver Sebastian LaRue (Santa Monica, Calif./Santa Monica) announced via Twitter that he decided to part ways with the USC Trojans just after UA Game practice, as the Skills Challenge began. The four-star prospect has officially visited Washington State and Ohio State and has trips scheduled for Notre Dame and Texas A&M. Washington and UCLA figure to battle it out for his fifth and final official.

UNDER ARMOUR GAME 2013

Keep up with live blog posts, video, breaking news and more all week from the Under Armour All-America Game in Florida. Blog
• Top 2 recruits Nkemdiche, Lawson
• Fact or Fiction: Liner, Foster, more
• Spread offenses reduce RBs' spotlight
• Who has impressed the most?

Brantley decommits from Florida

Four-star defensive tackle Caleb Brantley (Crescent City, Fla./Crescent City) made a surprise decommitment from Florida after practice. The 6-foot-4, 305-pound defensive tackle declined to comment, but indicated that he was unsure of which schools he intends to visit. He originally committed to the Gators on Jan. 28, 2012.

Bain, Folston make first commitments of event

The first commitments from the Under Armour All-America Game have been made. ESPN 150 athlete Tarean Folston (Cocoa, Fla./Cocoa) pledged to Notre Dame, while ESPN 150 defensive tackle Maquedius Bain (Fort Lauderdale, Fla./University School) chose LSU.

Though listed as an athlete, Folston plans on starting out at running back, but he is open to playing at defensive back. It all came down to his visit to Notre Dame.

Bain, meanwhile, chose LSU over Oklahoma, Louisville, Miami and Marshall. The four-star felt a degree of familiarity while on his visit in Baton Rouge, La.


	The nation's No. 1 prospect, Robert Nkemdiche, praised several O-linemen, including 4-star center Darius James (left), after practice.

Trending: No. 1 prospect Robert Nkemdiche (Loganville, Ga./Grayson) has dominated UA Game practice against some of the nation's best offensive linemen. The 6-foot-5, 275-pound prospect talked about which of the All-Americans lining up against him on Team Highlight made an impression on him:

“Darius James really stood out to me among the offensive linemen,” Nkemdiche said. “He is really good, built thick, and if he locks onto you, it gives defesive linemen problems. He could play center or guard in college. I was able to have success against him by keeping his hands off me and smacking his wrists down, and I got around him pretty easily.”

Among the guards, an Alabama commitment impressed the defensive end.

"Grant Hill plays to the whistle, and that is what I like about him,” Nkemdiche said. “I am glad to have him on the team because he is going to give the other team problems. He might be our best pure guard.”

Nkemdiche liked the pure stopping power of one of the top uncommitted offensive linemen in the country.

"Denver Kirkland is good because when he gets where he is going he is able to use his size and strong hands to stone his man off the ball,” he said.

Day 3 awards

Best offensive lineman: Offensive tackle Denver Kirkland (uncommitted)
He displayed a strong initial punch and was praised by opponents on the other side of the ball, including the top-rated Robert Nkemdiche.

Play of the day: Wide receiver Rashaad Samples (committed to Oklahoma State)
He had a sweet touchdown catch in one-on-ones as he slid underneath tight coverage by Jeryl Brazil (committed to LSU) and laid out in the corner of the end zone to make the play while keeping both feet in bounds.

Hardest hitter: Inside linebacker Reuben Foster (uncommitted)
The nation's top-ranked inside linebacker has lived up to his billing all week, lighting up any prospect who comes across his face. Other players have nicknamed him "Uncle Reuben," because he looks like a grown man.

Most consistent arm(s): Quarterback Christian Hackenberg (committed to Penn State) and Brice Ramsey (committed to Georgia)
Hackenberg has been the most consistent quarterback, but Ramsey has kept pace. Ramsey, usually a slow starter, has come out firing from the beginning.

Top Tweets of the Day

Decomitted from USC.
— Sebastian LaRue (@SebastianLarue1) January 2, 2013

Just Decommitted from Florida by text message !
— Caleb Brantley' ! (@_TheKidd34) January 2, 2013

Notre Dame commits Alex Anzalone and Tarean Folston. #NotreDame #Irish twitter.com/DerekTysonESPN…
— Derek Tyson (@DerekTysonESPN) January 2, 2013