ATLANTA -- Close to 1,500 players competed at the Atlanta Nike Football SPARQ Combine, held at the renovated Lakewood Stadium, for what turned out to be biggest event in the tour's history. While many had great performances, only 24 were good enough to make the All-Combine team.
Note: Selections are based upon combine performance as well as past and projected on-field performance. Athletes must have completed two of the four combine tests to be eligible for selection. Athletes are in the Class of 2013 unless otherwise noted.
OFFENSE
QB: Donovahn Jones, 6-2, 189, Dutchtown (Hampton, Ga.)
Results: 4.69 40, 4.12 SH, 31-0 PB, 35.3 VJ, 95.25 SPARQ
Breakdown: Last season, Jones accounted for over 1,700 yards of total offense en route to being named All-Region 3-AAAA.
RB: Travis Custis, 5-11.5, 207, Lovejoy (Ga.)
Results: 4.67 40, 4.35 SH, 37-5 PB, 36.6 VJ, 105.60 SPARQ
Breakdown: Excellent power back with 4.6 speed. Custis ran for 1,839 yards and 32 touchdowns as a junior; holds seven offers and calls Miami his dream school.
RB: Chaz Thornton, 5-8, 170, Stephens County (Toccoa, Ga.)
Results: 4.55 40, 4.16 SH, 37-0 PB, 34.0 VJ, 103.98 SPARQ
Breakdown: The Class 3A All-State selection has great speed and quickness; rushed for 2,187 yards last fall.
WR: Ryan Jenkins, 5-11, 177, Lassiter (Marietta, Ga.)
Results: 4.53 40, 4.01 SH, 36-0 PB, 41.3 VJ, 122.88 SPARQ
Breakdown: Clemson and Louisville have offered the explosive speedster. Jenkins figures to increase offer list, as the recent Lassiter transfer will be catching passes from UCLA commit QB Eddie Printz this season.
WR: Deangelo Yancey, 6-1.5, 200, Mays (Atlanta, Ga.)
Results: 4.66 40, 4.25 SH, 41-5 PB, 34.9 VJ, 116.61 SPARQ
Breakdown: Yancey posted a 91.95 SPARQ rating at the Mobile Nike combine last week.
WR: Joshua Smith, 6-0.5, 184, Christian Academy (Knoxville, Tenn.)
Results: 4.58 40, 4.37 SH, 40-0 PB, 33.3 VJ, 103.47 SPARQ
Breakdown: Posted sensational junior numbers with 96 receptions for 1,911 yards and 22 touchdowns.
WR: Corey Winfield, 6-0.5, 175, Riverview Gardens (St. Louis, Mo.)
Results: 4.71 40, 4.30 SH, 36-5 PB, 38.0 VJ, 99.00 SPARQ
Breakdown: Winfield has picked up an early offer from Northern Illinois and is hearing from Missouri and Nebraska.
OL: Austin Golson, 6-5.5, 277, Prattville (Ala.)
Results: 5.40 40, 4.61 SH, 41-0 PB, 24.6 VJ, 86.19 SPARQ
Breakdown: The FSU commit impressed with his lateral quickness and upper body strength. Top rated offensive lineman among a deep field in Atlanta.
OL: Harley Vaughan, 6-3, 257, Dawson County (Dawsonville, Ga.)
Results: 5.27 40, 4.78 SH, 37-5 PB, 24.0 VJ, 69.27 SPARQ
Breakdown: Named to Region 8-AA first team in 2011.
OL: Jordan Harris, 6-5, 340, Dutchtown (Hampton, Ga.)
Results: 5.44 40, 5.05 SH, 31-0 PB, 21.2 VJ, 66.69 SPARQ
Breakdown: This monster guard is tough to move along the interior. Harris is hearing from Florida State and several SEC schools.
OL: Chuck Rouse, 6-2, 303, Wando (Mount Pleasant, SC.)
Results: 5.60 40, 5.04 SH, 36-0 PB, 22.9 VJ, 66.42 SPARQ
Breakdown: Excels as a run-blocking guard and finishes hard on every play.
ATH: Trey Burks, 5-8, 184, Greensboro (Greensboro, Ala.)
Results: 4.63 40, 4.11 SH, 38-5 PB, 38.6 VJ, 116.04 SPARQ
Breakdown: Burks has a low center of gravity and above-average burst and is also a dangerous punt returner.
DEFENSE
DL: Christian Harris (2014), 6-5.5, 259, Collins Hill (Lawrenceville, Ga.)
Results: 5.12 40, 4.44 SH, 37-0 PB, 25.5 VJ, 81.75 SPARQ
Breakdown: Superb shuttle for a player his size and good vertical; came in as a relative unknown, but destined to breakout after his showing.
DL: D'von Isaac , 6-4.5, 289, Henry County (McDonough, Ga.)
Results: 5.43 40, 4.87 SH, 42-0 PB, 22.8 VJ, 81.90 SPARQ
Breakdown: Benefitted from playing alongside Class of 2012 Alabama signee Dalvin Tomlinson. Clemson and Georgia are showing interest.
DL: Brian Whitaker, 6-3, 231, Westside (Macon, Ga.)
Results: 4.98 40, 4.78 SH, 35-0 PB, 35.1 VJ, 83.76 SPARQ
Breakdown: Great vertical jump for the 231-pound rush end. His brother Jeff plays defensive line for Auburn.
DL: Marques John, 6-1, 234, Loganville (Ga.)
Results: 4.91 40, 4.75 SH, 39-0 PB, 31.3 VJ, 86.55 SPARQ
Breakdown: Spends time at outside linebacker, but attacks off the edge.
LB: Kevin Holmes, 6-0.5, 214, Salem (Conyers, Ga.)
Results: 4.90 40, 4.25 SH, 40-0 PB, 31.0 VJ, 99.33 SPARQ
Breakdown: Tough middle linebacker that may grow into a defensive end. He's the son of Kevin Holmes, Sr., who played at Minnesota and spent time in the CFL.
LB: Kellen Ash, 6-1.5, 194, Parkway South (Ballwin, Mo.)
Results: 4.69 40, 4.34 SH, 35-0 PB, 32.3 VJ, 89.55 SPARQ
Breakdown: Wreaked havoc on opponents in the fall while racking up 19 sacks and 39 tackles for loss.
LB: Chequan Burkett, 6-0, 200, Jefferson Davis (Montgomery, Ala.)
Results: 4.87 40, 4.25 SH, 41-0 PB, 33.6 VJ, 105.78 SPARQ
Breakdown: Finished in the top ten on the strength of his power ball toss and fast shuttle time.
DB: Jalen Ramsey, 6-0, 186, Brentwood Academy (Brentwood, Tenn.)
Results: 4.63 40, 4.04 SH, 41-0 PB, 40.3 VJ, 130.32 SPARQ
Breakdown: Earned the day's top SPARQ rating and secured a coveted spot to Nike Football's The Opening for his efforts.
DB: Shaun Rupert, 6-0 178, Carver (Montgomery, Ala.)
Results: 4.71 40, 4.28 SH, 40-5 PB, 37.7 VJ, 110.13 SPARQ
Breakdown: As a sophomore, Rupert registered 78 tackles and three picks; increased rating 37 points from last year.
DB: Brendan Langley, 6-1, 181, Kell (Marietta, Ga.)
Results: 4.61 40, 4.19 SH, 36-0 PB, 36.3 VJ, 103.71 SPARQ
Breakdown: Second team all-state performer impressed with 100-plus rating. Alabama and Georgia stand out on his list of offers.
DB: Paul Davis, 5-11, 200, Cairo (Ga.)
Results: 4.69 40, 4.38 SH, 39-5 PB, 35.0 VJ, 103.38 SPARQ
Breakdown: Stocky, hybrid defender participated in the Rising Seniors Bowl last December on ESPN3.com.
ATH: Lawrence Austin ('14), 5-8, 173, Lamar County (Barnesville, Ga.)
Results: 4.66 40, 4.06 SH, 31-0 PB, 37.1 VJ, 98.07 SPARQ
Breakdown: Two-way star is a solid running back, but college future is in the secondary. Austin reports an early offer from South Alabama.