CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Nearly 200 athletes with more than 60 college offers descended upon W.A. Hough High School on Sunday for the Charlotte Nike Football Training Camp. And eight players emerged with invites to The Opening from the talent-rich field. There were several stellar performances, but only 24 can be named to Charlotte All-Nike Camp team.
Note: Selections are based upon feedback from NFTC position coaches as well as past and projected on-field performance. Athletes are in the Class of 2013 unless otherwise noted.
TOP PERFORMER
LB Larenz Bryant, 6-0.5, 204, Vance (Charlotte, N.C.)
Bryant had a superb all-around day. The rangy outside linebacker showed defensive back ball skills in the half-field 7-on-7 portion of camp. He has great change of direction and lateral speed. Has the ability to mirror RBs and TEs down field. Showed big-play capability and excellent football instincts. Did a nice job in pursuit drills taking proper angles and not false stepping at the snap. Snagged a spot to The Opening following his strong effort.
TOP UNDERCLASSMAN
RB Elijah Hood ('14), 5-11.5, 209 Charlotte Catholic (Charlotte, N.C.)
The rocked-out sophomore has a chiseled frame and great upper body bulk. Hood is likely to add weight, but that shouldn't diminish his 4.55 (Nike Combine verified) speed. He was outstanding in the chase drills and was able to get the edge with ease against would-be LB's. Ran for 1,982 yards and 35 touchdowns last fall on his way to being named to the All-Mecklenburg County team. He reports early offers from Duke, East Carolina, UNC, NC State, Vanderbilt and Wake Forest.
OFFENSE
QB: Brice Ramsey, 6-2.5, 196, Camden County (Kingsland, Ga.)
Breakdown: The UGA commit won the QB MVP award, secured an Elite 11 invite and nabbed a golden ticket to The Opening. Not a bad day for the future Bulldog.
QB: Riley Ferguson, 6-3, 180, Butler (Matthews, N.C.)
Breakdown: MVP runner-up to the aforementioned Ramsey, Ferguson was accurate, consistent and spun it well all afternoon. Alabama is showing strong interest.
RB: Khris Francis, 5-8.5, 195, Hillside (Durham, N.C.)
Breakdown: The UNC pledge picked up the RB MVP. Francis is a compact runner with good start-and-stop ability. Rushed for more than 2,220 yards with 32 scores as a junior.
WR: Tramel Terry, 5-11, 193, Goose Creek (S.C.)
Breakdown: Smooth receiver with solid hands. Terry loses focus at times, but his upside is tremendous. The UGA recruit is a big-time playmaker and was selected to The Opening.
WR: Cameron Phillips ('14), 6-0, 176, DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md.)
Breakdown: Surprise MVP winner in a deep group of pass-catchers. Phillips displayed good route running technique and gained separation on defenders in one-on-one drills.
WR: Ryan Switzer, 5-9, 169, George Washington (Charleston, W. Va.)
Breakdown: Explosive all-purpose player has verbally committed to North Carolina. The West Virginia Gatorade Player of the Year grabbed a spot to The Opening on Sunday.
WR: Braxton Berrios ('14), 5-9, 172, Leesville Road (Raleigh, N.C.)
Breakdown: Berrios draws comparisons to Switzer because of their body type and skill set. The underclass wideout does a nice job locating the ball in flight and hand-catching passes. If he keeps improving, he has the ability to be a national recruit next year.
TE: Josh McNeil, 6-4.5, 226, Hillside (Durham, N.C.)
Breakdown: Big tight end has only played football for a season, but that hasn't stopped him from receiving 30-plus offers. Landed a coveted spot to The Opening after dominating LBs in one-on-one drills.
OL: Mike Sutton, 6-2, 297, Panther Creek (Cary, N.C.)
Breakdown: The OL MVP had the best day against a powerful DL group. Sutton is looking for his first offer and his performance should help gain the attention of college coaches.
OL: Brandon Smith, 6-6.5, 327, East Forsyth (Kernersville, N.C.)
Breakdown: Mammoth road grader committed to East Carolina recently. Expect schools to try and recruit him once they see his size and upside.
OL: Blake Porter, 6-0.5, 288, West Charlotte (N.C.)
Breakdown: Porter had a steady showing and held his own during one-on-ones. He is a little on the short side. Uses his size to his advantage to gain leverage and stay low firing off the ball.
DEFENSE
DL: Tyquan Lewis, 6-3, 219, Tarboro (N.C.)
Breakdown: Lewis has a quick first step and nice physique that can easily pack on weight without losing his fast get-off. He was above average with his hands, but he will need to work on pass-rush angles.
DL: Carl Lawson, 6-2, 251, Milton (Ga.)
Breakdown: One of the most impressive DL we've seen on tour. Lacks ideal height, but has a thick, muscular body and is strong at the point of attack. Earned a spot to The Opening following MVP performance.
DL: D.J. Jones, 6-0, 294, Carolina Academy (Lake City, S.C.)
Breakdown: Possesses great athleticism for a player his size. Jones has a good motor and was a force rushing from the inside. The DL position coaches said he was the best defensive tackle at the camp.
LB: Peter Kalambayi, 6-3, 235, Butler (Matthews, N.C.)
Breakdown: Magnificent frame with impressive mobility. Did a great job chaining pass rush moves together during blitz period with the RBs. Excelled in coverage after struggling at the Duke Nike Camp a year ago. Headed to The Opening after standout showing.
LB: Sean Wiggins, 6-2.5, 220, Butler (Matthews, N.C.)
Breakdown: Wiggins and teammate Kalambayi are a scary duo at the second level. The 220-pounder has outstanding lateral movement and does a fine job accelerating to the ball. Last fall, he racked up 137 tackles, six sacks and four interceptions.
LB: Andrew Motu'apuaka, 5-11, 220, Salem (Virginia Beach, Va.)
Breakdown: Intercepted a pair of passes during the camp and was always in the right spot. Finishes every play hard and has good field awareness. Already committed to Virginia Tech.
LB/DB: Holland Fisher, 6-1.5, 203, Manchester (Midloathian, Va.)
Breakdown: Fisher is the prototypical hybrid/rover type defender. Had a pair of pass breakups in the half-field 7-on-7 period and showed good closing speed. The Virginia Tech prospect will look to shine at The Opening this July.
DB: Jalen Latter, 5-10.5, 179, Vance (Charlotte, N.C.)
Breakdown: Picked up the DB MVP award and took a ton of reps during one-on-ones. Accounted for more than 2,500 yards and 15 touchdowns as a QB during his junior season. Future is in the secondary, though, and has the tools to play at the BCS level.
DB: Korrin Wiggins, 5-11.5, 186, Hillside (Durham, N.C.)
Breakdown: Versatile athlete could play safety or corner. The future Tar Heel swivels his hips well and has great leaping ability. High football IQ and showed a good grasp of defensive coverages and adjustments.
DB: Jack Tocho, 6-0, 183, Independence (Charlotte, N.C.)
Breakdown: Tocho closes in a hurry and is a sticky cover corner. Picked off passes in one-on-ones and the half-field 7-on-7. Collected several pass breakups and got better as the day went on.
DB: Desmond Lawrence, 6-0, 173, Charlotte Christian (Charlotte, N.C.)
Breakdown: Lawrence is a rangy safety with long arms. Breaks on the ball well, but will need to add weight to his frame. Should team up well with Wiggins when both arrive in Chapel Hill.