#NUC North Jersey Combine - Barry's Top Performers

Photo by: National Underclassmen Football Combine

#NUC North Jersey Combine - Barry's Top Performers

Courtesy: Barry Every / National Underclassmen Combine           Release: May 15, 2012

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Palisades Park, New Jersey- Over 210 kids from the North Jersey area participated in the National Underclassmen Combine this past weekend hosted by the city of Palisades Park. The camp was split into two sessions with the 7th, 8th, and 9th graders competing in the morning and the sophomores and juniors in the afternoon. Each camper took part in a combine consisting of bench press, broad jump, 40-yard dash, shuttle, and vertical jump. Once testing was complete each athlete participated in individual position drills. The final event involved two-on-twos for the skilled position players and one-on-one pass rush for the offensive and defensive line. It only takes a couple of young physical freaks of nature to make a camp worthwhile and enjoyable which this camp had. Below NUC National Analyst Barry Every breaks down his top performers on the day based on size, performance, and the potential to play college ball at the next level.
	Eric Carter, OL, St. Anthony's, NJ (2015) Official Size: 6-3, 306 Assets: The first thing that stands out about this young lineman is his overall size. He already has the girth and frame to play DI football. Carter spent the afternoon taking reps at offensive tackle. He proved light on his feet and a natural knee bender. When he was locked onto a defender his size and strength were too much for the smaller defensive ends to handle. His efforts earned him the title of OL MVP for the day. Development: Carter could work on improving his overall conditioning just a tad. Right now his ideal weight would be closer to 290 pounds. Like most young lineman he needs to work on continuing to move his feet once engaged with the defender.
	Amir Copher, DL, East Orange, NJ (2016) Official Size: 6-1-1/2, 258 Assets: Copher was unable to attend the morning session so instead he went head to head in competition versus the older kids in the afternoon session. The physical attributes that really stand out about this defensive lineman are his overall size for his age and his wide powerbase. During the one-on-ones he worked out as an interior defensive lineman. He was able to get into a nice low stance and come out with excellent pad level using his hands to keep offensive lineman off his body. I walked away thinking that this young gridiron warrior was a slam dunk for Major DI football.  Development: He has four years of high school left. Barring any major injury he has time to develop into a monster-sized defensive tackle with excellent pass rushing technique. Copher just needs to stay focused and motivated to be the best he can be while starting off his high school years off on the right foot academically.
	Minkah Fitzpatrick, RB, St. Peter's Prep, NJ (2015) Official Size: 5-11, 170 Assets: His body is plagued with plenty of lean quick twitch muscle fiber which is a good thing. His current size and athletic skill allow him to project at several positions at the next level. Fitzpatrick had testing numbers that were superb for a freshman running a 4.73 40, 4.36 shuttle and a 31 inch vertical. During the individual position drills and one-on-ones he proved to have very soft hands while adjusting to the ball while it was in the air. His lateral movement gives him the ability to leave linebackers whiffing at air as they try to catch him in space. Fitzpatrick did not go unnoticed as he easily won the RB MVP award. Development: Fitzpatrick does run a bit upright and may not possess the ideal frame to handle the punishment that backs take at the next level. His size and frame are more consistent with that of a tall corner or slot receiver at the next level. Only time will tell what position he will play in college since with three more years left in high school.
	Jelani Ray Garvin, DB, Paramus Catholic, NJ (2015) Official Size: 5-8, 155 Assets: Yes this is the younger brother of former Florida State football and track star Michael Ray Garvin. The younger Garvin clearly comes from the same speed gene pool as he won the fastest man of the day with a 4.59 40 yard dash. He used that quickness to wow the defensive back coach with his cover skills and recovery speed. Garvin was able to stay low and balanced in his backpedal allowing him to attack the ball during one-on-ones. His strong effort earned him the DB MVP award. Development: Garvin will need to add at least 25 pounds of muscle mass over the next three years in order to have the size and strength to battle bigger receivers. He will need to do this while maintaining his overall speed and athletic ability.
	Rashan Gary, OL, Scotch Plains, NJ (2016) Official Size: 6-3-1/2, 293 Assets: A young prospect like Gary comes around once every five years. His size, strength, and athletic ability put him in the top one percent of one percent for college football prospects his age. Not only does he have excellent overall body structure his testing numbers were off the charts. Gary ran a blazing 5.1 40-yard dash that brought the parents in the stands to their feet. He also ran a 4.87 shuttle, had a 25-inch vertical, and benched 135 pounds 26 times at the tender age of 14. During the lineman one-on-ones he proved to be a natural hip and knee bender. Even when he made a false movement in pass pro he was athletic enough to recover and get back into excellent position. His dominating performance earned him the 8th Grade Overall MVP. Development: The world is just a marble in the palm of his hand when it comes to future potential. Like Copher, Gary needs to stay focused on being the best while getting off to a good academic start in high school. Right now he has spent most of his time as an offensive lineman run blocking. He just needs more reps working at pass protection.
	Justin Hogan, LB, Wayne Hills, NJ (2015) Official Size: 6-1, 193 Assets: Hogan was another one of the double award winners on the day. He won the strongest man for the class of 2015 by benching 155-pounds 41 times. But that was not the only impressive testing numbers for this freshman as he also ran a 4.88 40 and a 4.62 shuttle. He used his skill set to physically manhandle running backs at the line of scrimmage. Hogan was also very adept at moving in space by turning his hips laterally in order to run side by side with almost every back in the camp. His efforts did not go unnoticed as he was the unanimous choice for LB MVP. Development: Hogan just needs to work on continuing to add more size and muscle mass over the next three years while maintaining his superior athletic skills. Look for Hogan to develop into a BCS level prospect.
	Courtel Jenkins, DL, St. Anthony's, NJ (2014) Official Size: 6-2, 320 Assets: Jenkins already possesses the strength and girth needed to play nose guard at the next level. What sets him apart from the other defensive tackles in this camp was his first step which left offensive lineman hastily backpedaling into the pocket. He then uses his size and strength to completely collapse the pocket. In the end he shared a piece of the DL MVP for the sophomore class. Development: Jenkins really needs to lose about 20 pounds of bad body weight and then gradually add more muscle mass over time. This should improve his overall conditioning. I would also like to see him add to his repertoire of pass rushing moves.
	Austin Jones, WR, Iona Prep, NY (2013) Official Size: 5-10, 168 Assets: Jones was one of the faster participants on the day. He ran a legit 4.55 40-yard dash on field turf while having one of the top verticals on the day at 31-inches. But it was his precise route running and soft hands that set him apart from the other receivers in the camp. During the one-on-ones he was able to create space with hard plants and quick cuts corkscrewing defenders into the ground. After the catch he was able to get up field in a hurry turning short passes into long gains. His superior effort earned him Overall MVP for the class of 2013. Development: Right now he is a bit slight in stature so adding additional muscle mass while improving lateral movement will only improve his stock. All FBS and FCS Colleges in the Northeast need to stop by Iona Prep, NY to check him out along with his teammate Aaaqil Sheppard.
	Rich Queen, OL, Bergen Catholic, NJ (2013) Official Size: 6-3, 266 Assets: Queen definitely passes the eyeball test for an interior offensive line prospect. His testing numbers were above average for a DI prospect running a 5.5 40, 4.86 shuttle and jumping 24 inches in the vertical testing. During the one-on-ones Queen was able to get down into a nice low but balanced stance allowing him to win the leverage battle. He used good hand placement to keep defenders from collapsing the pocket. In the end he was the easy choice for OL MVP in the class of 2013. Development: The biggest area of improvement will be adding more upper body strength and size to help combat thick interior defensive lineman. Look for his stock to take off with continued success in the spring camp circuit.
	Cam Queiro, LB, Bergen Catholic, NJ (2014) Official Size: 5-11-1/2, 186 Assets: Queiro's frame is loaded with long and lean quick twitch muscle fiber. Right now he looks like the ideal safety prospect on the hoof. But it was his dominate performance in pass coverage that set him apart from his peers. He did an excellent job jamming running backs at the line of scrimmage thus taking them off their intended routes. When the ball was released he sprang out of his backpedal like a jaguar attacking its prey. Queiro just had a knack for keeping the person he was covering underneath for minimal gains. His performance on the day earned him a share of the LB MVP. Development: The two areas he needs to improve upon in order to become a BCS level recruit are adding size and strength while improving his hip flexibility. If he does this over the next two years he should be a high profiled recruit like his older brother who currently holds around 15 DI offers.
NO PHOTO AVAILABLE	Jason Smith, DL, St. Mary's, NJ (2013) Official Size: 6-3, 276 Assets: Smith surely passes the eyeball test for a potential defensive tackle or offensive lineman at the BCS level. He has little to no bad body weight with a frame that can easily hold another 30 pounds. His testing numbers were good for a defensive line prospect but excellent for an offensive line prospect. He ran a 5.34 40 and a 5.08 shuttle. During the one-on-ones he took reps at defensive end, defensive tackle, and offensive line. The key to success is versatility which he proved to possess. In the end he was the easy choice for DL MVP at the NUC North Jersey Camp for the class of 2013. Development: As a defensive lineman I would like to see him work on pad level at the point of attack. He needs to take advantage of his long arms by keeping offensive lineman off his body. As an offensive line prospect he looks the part of an athletic guard which may be the position he best projects at in college.
	Mac Storm, OL, Northwestern, PA (2014) Official Size: 6-2, 292 Assets: This double award winner surely looks the part of a stout interior lineman with superior strength. He has little to no bad body weight and a real powerful punch. During one-on-ones he was able to not only get underneath defenders but inside with his hands. He also excelled at moving his feet once engaged with a defender. He was the easy choice for OL MVP for the class of 2014 and he won the strongest man with his weightlifting acumen. Development: Storm took every rep at offensive tackle which is what he plays in high school. But unless he grows another two to three inches he will have to project as a guard or center at the next level. This means battling athletes at the line of scrimmage that are stronger and thicker than defensive ends.
	Brandon Wimbush, QB, St. Peter's Prep, NJ (2015) Official Size: 6-0-1/2, 192 Assets: Wimbush already has impressive size for a freshman quarterback. Early on during individual work it was his ability to get good depth in a timely fashion that set him apart from other signal callers in this camp. Once in the pocket he kept his depth while holding the ball high and delivered bee bee after bee bee. Wimbush possesses good arm strength and has the ability to make most any throw required of him. And you have to love the pronation of the wrist which allows the ball to spin out of his hand. His hard work was rewarded with the Overall MVP for the class of 2015. Development: This young signal caller needs to work on decision making by taking what the defense gives him. He had a tendency to fall in love with the low percentage deep ball.
	Juwann Winfree, DB, Dwight Morrow, NJ (2014) Official Size: 6-0, 177 Assets: This giant corner possesses the coveted size that college coach's desire. Winfree ran one of the fastest 40-yard dashes of the day at a 4.59 with an impressive shuttle of 4.48. He used his skill set to dominate the one-on-ones. Winfree used his long arms to reroute receivers and his recovery speed to track down potential big plays when beaten off the line of scrimmage. On top of that he proved to have the ball skills to become a difference maker by picking one off and taking it to the house. His superior effort earned him sophomore Overall MVP. Development: Though Winfree comes out of his backpedal very quickly he needs to work on staying lower. This will only improve his superior reaction time. If he stays focused on being the best he can be at football while maintaining a high effort in the classroom he should develop into a major DI prospect.
Other Top Performers: Ryan Adzima, QB, Bon Bosco Prep, NJ (2015); Adeyemi Da Silva, QB, Palisades Park-Leonia, NJ (2015); Kwami Evans, Co-DL MVP, Piscataway, NJ (2014); Daren Felton, DL MVP, Piscataway, NJ (2015); Jarrett Guarantano, QB, Bergen Catholic, NJ (2016); Darrell Hicks, DB MVP, St. Anthony's, NJ (2013); Malik St. Hilaire, DB MVP, Palisades Park-Leonia, NJ (2014); Abdul-Hassan Neblett, RB, Combine King, Don Bosco Prep, NJ (2015); Charles Simons, Co-WR MVP, Palisades Park Leonia, NJ (2013). Derick Sims, ATH, St. Anthony's, NJ (2013).