Golden Recruiting Wire, July 15th 2010

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July 15, 2010 | July 8, 2010

Tedford & Company

• (From left) James Wilder Jr., ATH Plant (Tampa, FL), Marqise Lee, S Serra (Gardena, CA), Frank Clark, ATH Glenville (Cleveland, OH), Kris Frost, ATH Butler (Matthews, NC) were in action at the Nike 7ON National Championship [1][2][3]. Troy Polamalu and Ndumakong Suh attended as spectators. Nike Football has video clips [4][5][6] and photo galleries [7][8][9][10]. SPARQ National Championship also has a photo gallery [11].
  
  Wilder Jr. wants to play RB at the next level.
  

  "Some (coaches) have been trying to push me to linebacker but I just tell them to not recruit me if they want me for linebacker. I have a passion for running back and that's what I'm going to play. You can control the game. If you actually have the football in your hands you can actually control the game. It's all what you do with the ball so I like to have control over the game [12]."

  
  

  Marqise Lee has been running track and playing AAU basketball but it sure didn't look like he had much rust on him Thursday as the Gardena (Calif.) Junipero Serra prospect was one of the best-looking and most-productive athletes all day.

  On offense, Lee ran a bunch of crossing patterns and recent SMU commit Conner Preston hit him for big gains. On defense, he used his athleticism and jumping ability to knock down passes or intercept them [13].

  There were times when Lee, a 6-foot-1, 187-pound prospect, complained about being tired because he isn't in football shape but he didn't look hampered at all.

  "It's just hard work," Lee said. "I'm just playing for my team. The strongest part of my game is my defense and I'm just in the right position to get the pick and during the games that's where I try to put myself. "Through all the running I'm in shape but I'm not in football shape. I'm still in shape to go a long time though. It's just hard work. In practice I go hard so I can be ready to come out here and play hard [14]."

  
  

  Glenville receiver Shane Wynn will be one to keep an eye on Friday. He's super sneaky and fast and then has bursts of speed to separate himself after the catch. Linebacker Andre Sturdivant, wide receiver/linebacker Frank Clark and defensive back Malik Moore also passed the eyeball test [15].

  
  

  Kris Frost was clearly the best player on team Vapor Carbon - the group from Matthews (N.C.) Butler. The 6-foot-3, 210-pound prospect lined up at wide receiver and was open multiple times but the ball wasn't delivered to him. Frost also played defense and made numerous stops. Rivals.com rates him as the second-best athlete and No. 27 in the 2011 class [16].

• DeAnthony Arnett, WR Saginaw (Saginaw, MI) attended MSU camp last week [17]. Camp gallery [18].

• Avery Walls, S Union Grove (McDonough, GA) plans to greenshirt and graduate from Union Grove in December [19].
  

  "He’s [Walls] evaluating each school from top to bottom," [Chad] Simmons [Scout.com] said. "He’s going to go anywhere across the country, so he’s really taking a look at this from a relationship standpoint with the coaches and the academic side.

  "So many kids nowadays grow up with that favorite school, get that offer and then it’s kind of a no-brainer for them. Avery is totally open to every school to find the perfect fit for his future, and that’s what he’s worried about."

  Walls’ criteria starts with a reputable academic program with ample academic support and ends with strong relationships with the defensive coordinator, head coach, position coach and strength and conditioning coach.

  "Each school has different things to show people," Walls said. "We try to treat each visit the same [20]."

  Avery is now deciding if, and where to take official visits during the season.

  "I've visited all of those schools [Cal, Stanford, UCLA, Michigan, Michigan State, U Conn, Virginia, Oklahoma, Tennessee, South Carolina, and Oregon] except for Virginia and Oregon. Hopefully I'll get a chance to see Virginia this month, and I'll do an official visit for Oregon," said Walls. Besides Oregon, he's not sure if he'll take any other official visits. "I'm not sure where I'll go yet. I want to make my decision by mid season, or possibly sooner than that," he said [21].

• (From left) Kyle Boehm, QB Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, CA), Brendon Bigelow, RB Central East (Fresno, CA) both attended Passing Down Elite 7on7 camp. Boehm was named MVP [22]. Speculating whether Bigelow would join Boehm at Cal -
  

  "I met Bigelow, he was there at the 7-on-7 camp this weekend," Boehm said. "We exchanged numbers a few weeks back, so we'd been texting a little bit back and forth. I got to see him again this past weekend, and I feel like me and him are pretty cool together. We get along pretty well."

  Boehm is following Moose's lead to take on recruiting for the 2011 class -

  Competing in so many events this summer has allowed Boehm to help Cal out a bit in the recruiting department. He has in-hand eight or nine phone numbers for Bears receiving targets.

  "Coach Daft from Cal gave me a few numbers of guys that they're interested in, and I've been talking to them, as well, just keeping in touch," Boehm said. "I just talk to them about their interest in Cal and all that kind of stuff. I'm just trying to help out as much as I can."

  One of the players Boehm has spoken with has been three-star wide receiver Ty Montgomery out of Dallas (Tex.) St. Mark's, who is currently committed to Stanford. "He texted me the other day," Boehm said of Montgomery.

  Montgomery is the second Stanford pledged recruit Boehm has befriended to talk more about Cal after Amir Carlisle.
  
  Boehm's recruiting notes from ESPN/Scouts, Inc. (HT gobears725) -

  "There are two things that stand out about Boehm off an initial viewing. First, he possesses tremendous natural arm strength, and second, he is playing primarily from under center which is a real plus for college offensive schemes that showcase a multiple, pro-style set. Boehm has very good size, strength and bulk for a pocket passer that is an adequate enough athlete for the position. This offense requires him to throw the three and five step passing game from under center and also be a competent play-action passer between the tackles as well as on short rolls and designed nakeds. The ball pops off his hand and is sometimes difficult to track on film due to its speed and velocity. He can make any throw on the field at the collegiate level and both when set and balance and when on the move and sometimes off his back foot. Gets tremendous velocity and power behind the throw and can threaten deep and outside the numbers from the opposite hash. Drop speed is sound and consistent in terms of footwork. Can freeze linebackers with play-pass and is more than capable of fitting the ball into tight spots on arm strength alone. Gets set quickly, makes quick decisions and has the quick release to help neutralize pass rushes. Goes through progressions, has good height and can see the entire field. Does an excellent job in terms of changing up velocity, shows good touch when throwing underneath and shows very good accuracy when his feet are set. As impressive as Boehm's pure arm strength and passing ability may be, he can be very inconsistent with his delivery and feet from throw-to-throw. Ball does not always come out clean and he will alter his delivery point from high to 3/4 at times. Elbow will drop when he is not balanced and does not get weight behind the throw. His front leg will often get stiff and not allow for him to plant off his back leg and transfer his weight properly. These fundamental issues will have an affect on his accuracy which can make him somewhat erratic at times. These are also areas that can be corrected with coaching and drill work. Boehm is a very good prospect and he can do some things with the ball that you cannot coach. He is not going to wow you like a dual-threat, but he will surprise you with his ability to buy time and keep a play alive until his arm can do the rest [23]."

   

• (From left) Tee Shepard, CB Central East (Fresno, CA) {2012} and Shaq Thompson, ATH Grant Union (Sacramento, CA) {2012} may be going to the same school in the future [$24]. Shepard has Cal on his mind after visiting Berkeley w/ Bigelow last month [$25]. Scout.com's photo gallery of Passion Downs 7on7 [26].

• Daniel Lasco, RB The Woodlands (The Woodlands, TX) from the 64-team 7on7 Texas State Tournament July 9-10 at Texas A&M at College Station [27]. Lasco has top 4 of Cal, Miami-FL, TCU, and Texas A&M.

• (From left) James Wilder Jr., ATH, Viliami Moala, DT Grant Union (Sacramento, CA), Jordan Richards, ATH Folsom (Folsom, CA), Jesse Hayes, DE Moeller (Cincinnati, OH) and their teams will be featured on ESPN RISE High School Football Kickoff coming this fall [28]. Cal may be the final destination for Moala [29].

• Antoine Arnold, WR Chaparral (Temecula, CA) did not play in the Edison 7on7 Tourney because of a minor injury [30].

• Cyrus Kouandjio, OT DeMatha (Hyattsville, MD) vists Alabama this weekend [31].
  

  "With my brother going there they are going to have something no other school has--family," Kouandjio said of Alabama early in the recruiting process. "That being said, I love Alabama. I like Alabama a lot. I love their facilities. Everything is new age and upgraded. The people down there are great. I love them. It's a great environment. What I like most about them is the coaching staff."

• George Atkinson, ATH is also visiting Alabama this weekend w/ his brother Josh [32].
  
  
• Charles Jackson, CB Klein Collins (Spring, TX) earns offer to Texas A&M [$33]. He attended FOX Sports Southwest 7-on-7 Texas State Championship [34].

  Playing at both cornerback and safety, Jackson showed off his scheme versatility in both zone and man coverage. A player with all the physical attributes to excel at the next level, his backpedal and transition ability is now starting to catch up to his strength and athleticism.

• Jason Gibson, DE Serra (Gardena, CA) has Cal in his top 4 with USC, UCLA, Oregon [$35]. Cal is the presumed leader over USC [36].
  
  

• Nathan Broussard, ILB Plano West (Plano, TX) profiled and compared to DeMarcus Ware [37]. He visited Cal, Stanford, and UCLA on a West Coast trip and plans to visit Kentucky, Duke and Kansas in late July.
  
  

• Ray Drew, DE Thomas County Central (Thomasville, GA) impressed w/ Auburn [38]

  "The location is good, and with the coaching staff that coach Chizik has put in place, they are a strong school right now," Drew said. "I'm looking to see what they do this year and what direction he's going to take the program in. If they continue to improve, you'll have some good things come out of that."

  "In college, the word family is stressed a lot, and I want to go somewhere that is really all about family because they will be my family away from home. I believe Auburn has that, I can see it. A lot of places they talk about family, you see the players walk through the halls and they don't speak to the coaches. At Auburn, every time you see the coach it was, 'hey, how are you doing'. You could see it."

• Amir Carlisle, RB The King's Academy (Sunnyvale, CA) profiled [39]
  

  Carlisle's best strength is probably his field vision. He sees holes as they are developing, not after they have already developed, allowing him to make quick, decisive cuts. He sees the whole field and is able to immediately recognize when a play is breaking down or if he needs to reserve field. Carlisle is patient waiting for his cuts, allowing the game to come to him and doesn't force things even if he gets stuffed two plays in a row.

  In line with his great vision, Carlisle does a great job seeing what angles defenders are coming from and is very hard to get a hand on. Carlisle doesn't have elite strength but his incredibly vision and instincts give him the chance to break plays open and he always seems to be in the right place or make the right cut.

  Carlisle busts out huge runs often and almost never gets brought down behind the line of scrimmage. He has phenomenal footwork which makes him a viable threat as a receiver out of the backfield.

• (From left) Aaron Green, RB James Madison (San Antonio, TX), Charles Jackson, CB named to 2010 Texas Reebok Super First Team [40].
  
  (From left) JerMichael Selders, RB Cypress Creek (Houston, TX), Daniel Lasco, RB The Woodlands (The Woodlands, TX) named to the Third Team.


• Troy Niklas, TE Servite (Anaheim, CA) eliminated Cal and is deciding between Stanford & Notre Dame [41].


• Jacob Brendel, OG/C Plano East (Plano, TX) eliminated Cal and pledged to UCLA [42].
  
  
• Doran Grant, CB Saint Vincent-Saint Mary (Akron, OH) eliminated Cal and has Ohio State, Cincinnati, Michigan State, Michigan, Iowa, USC, Georgia Tech, and UCLA remaining on his list [43].

Montgomery's Crew

• (From left) Jabari Brown, SG 6-3/205 Oakland (Oakland, CA), released their programs of interests. Brown has UConn, Oregon St, Washington, Washington St, Kansas, Cal, Wake, Maryland, Georgetown, ASU, Stanford, Georgia Tech, Arizona [44][45][46]. He wants to hear from Kentucky [47].
  
  

  From LeBron's camp & King City Classic -

  Brown is one of the best shooters in the Class of 2011, and during drills, he did a great job of reading dribble penetration and moving to the open area to deliver his smooth jumper. Brown also looked good shooting off screens and pulling up for midrange jumpers at high speeds. The opposing defense needs to know where Brown is at all times because he can hit multiple jumpers, make a strong move off the dribble or finish above the rim with a clear path [48].

  Jabari threw fire today, plain and simple. He shot the ball better than anybody I saw. He has a quick release and ice water in his blood as well as the desire to take big shots. That said, everyone knows he can stroke it. He also displayed the ability to get to the rim a little, or pull up from mid range [49].

  From Nike Peach Jam in Augusta, SC -

  Brown, rated as one of the nation’s elite shooting guards, erupted for 32 points late Monday night in an 84-67 win over Wisconsin Playground Elite. Rivals.com reported that Cal coach Mike Montgomery, Maryland’s Gary Williams and Bill Self of Kansas all were on hand Monday to watch Brown [50].

  Jabari Brown, SG, Drew Gooden Soldiers- A physical wing who doesn't get enough credit for his overall skill level, he proved to be scorer and facilitator on Monday night. As usual, he burned up the nets from deep but it was what he did off the dribble, as a passer and as a defender. There's no fluff to his game and he's a kid who is about his business and nothing else when he hits the floor. Cal's Mike Montgomery and and Maryland's Gary Williams watched his move. Word is Kansas may be looking to make a move so it wasn't a surprise to see Bill Self tailing him closely. Washington's Raphael Chillious, among others, was on the trail as well [51].

• Kyle Wiltjer, PF 6-9/225 Jesuit (Portland, OR) profiled after U18 FIBA Americas Tourney [52]. stood out at the LeBron camp and King City Classic as well. He has ranked Gonzaga, California and Kansas high on his list of programs [53]. John Calipari is now recruiting Wiltjer [54][55][56][57]. Greg, Kyle's father, played Center at Oregon State. More highlight mixtape [58][59].
  
  At LeBron camp & King City Classic -
  
  

  A gangly 6-9 forward from Portland, [Wiltjer] looks like a 10-year-old boy who recently underwent chemo. I’m not trying to be mean — he’s got a tight buzz cut and a baby face and this sort of permanently flushed complexion. But he’s got pretty good touch in the paint [60].

  If you like old school basketball, you have to come away impressed with Kyle Wiltjer. He's not explosive, not really all that fast, and can't jump out of the gym. So what can he do? He can make three's, pass out of the high post, play on the low block, and defend. The best thing I saw all day was a sky hook coming across the lane. He may have the highest basketball IQ of anyone in the gym [61].

  Kyle Wiltjer- This big man is one of the best three-point shooters in the class regardless of position. Post defenders who automatically run to the lane in transition learn a tough lesson when Wiltjer spots up on the arc [62].

  Best big man: One could not ignore the presence of 6-10, 290-pound DaJuan Coleman from Syracuse, N.Y. He has been compared to incoming Ohio State big man Jared Sullinger, and justifiably so. But he was still No. 2 to 6-9, 220-pound Kyle Wiltjer from Portland, Ore. Wiltjer will have to be careful where he chooses to play, as he is far down on both the speed and athleticism lists. But he's got the hands of a pro around the basket, rarely losing a potential rebound he touches. He has every tool on offense, from the short-corner jumper to the jump hook in the lane to a power post-up. He's automatic with the high-low play. Wiltjer won't go get a blocked shot, but he'll block whatever comes to him. And while he has average speed now -- and will likely get slower as he gets bigger -- Wiltjer does have "big moment" speed where he will blow past a defender who has been lulled to sleep [63].

  Kyle Wiltjer impressed viewers all day with his amazing footwork and great feel for the game. He had good awareness on both ends of the court and showed a knack for getting putbacks due to his willingness to go after rebounds. His ability to knock down the open shot had people raving about his potenial to be very good all around player at the next level [64].

  
  
  At Nike Peach Jam -
  

  Monday night, Wiltjer was suffering from migraine headaches and needed the aid of an i.v. because of dehydration. Tuesday, the super skilled 6-foot-9 forward was making things happen on the offensive end. We really liked that he concentrated on posting up and using his vast assortment of scoring moves to get work done. He went for 29 and 12 in just 20 minutes of action as he and Brandon Ashley destroyed the Gauchos on the interior [65].

• Ricardo Gathers, PF 6-6/235 Riverside Academy (Reserve, LA) {2012} and his Rebels will play in the State Farm City of Palms Tourney [66].
  

  Two of the Rebels’ breakout stars are 6-7 junior Ricardo Gathers (19 ppg, 15 rpg) – who had 23 points, 8 rebounds, 4 steals and 3 blocks in an 84-61 rout of Jonesboro-Hodge in the state title game – and 6-3 junior Louis Dabney. The 220-pound Gathers is ranked No. 15 in the Class of 2012 by ScoutHoops.com’s Dave Telep, who calls him "one of the strongest juniors we’ve EVER seen." Riverside will play in the 2010 and ’11 City of Palms.

  Ricardo Gathers is a physical speciman to say the least. He is extremely athletic and one of the strongest power forwards in his class. He dominates the boards on both ends of the floor and is very good at scoring around the rim. He needs to continue to develop his skills, but he has a decent mid-range jump shot and can usually hit his free throws. He will probably need to grow at least a couple of inches in order to maintain his status as an elite player in his class, but he will be a very good player regardless [67].

• Brandon Ashley, PF 6-8/225 Bishop O'Dowd (Oakland, CA) {2012} has Cal on his list of programs of interest [68].

  "They're close to home, so I have my fan base and everything. It's a real good fit," said Ashley, who turns 16 this week. "At the same time, I don't want to say they're any higher on my list than anybody else at this point."

  The class of 2012 standout came to life on Tuesday and was unstoppable against the New York Gauchos. He runs the floor like a guard and makes a habit of beating his man down the floor to cash in on easy opportunities at the rim. His super hands and quick leaping allow him to be dominant on the glass and he's never lacking for activity. He put up 25 points and 11 rebounds in just 16 minutes of acton [69].

  Ashley and The Soldiers lost 57-82 to Team Takeaway from DC -

  Oakland HS’s Jabari Brown was held to five points on 2-for-8 shooting, Bishop O’Dowd HS’s Brandon Ashley scored two points on 0-for-4 from the field, and Portland’s Kyle Wiltjer had nine points and seven rebounds, shooting 3-for-5.

  The Soldiers, who entered the game as the 24-team tournament’s highest-scoring squad, converted just 31 percent from the field and were outrebounded 45-29 [70].

  Then The Soldiers lost in the quarterfinals 76-82 to the St. Louis Eagles -

  Guard Jabari Brown of Oakland HS had 18 points for the Soldiers, forward Kyle Wiltjer of Portland, Ore., had 23 points and 11 rebounds, and Bishop O'Dowd HS junior-to-be Brandon Ashley scored 12 [71].

• Jahii Carson, PG 5-11/160 Mesa (Phoenix, AZ) named Arizona the leader [72], but ASU, Washington, Alabama, Saint John’s, Indiana and Oregon State are in the mix [73]. Cal eliminated.
  
  
• Nick Johnson, SG 6-2/175 Findlay Prep (Las Vegas, LV) lists Arizona, ASU, UConn, Saint John's, Oklahoma, OSU, Louisville as his programs of interest [74]. Cal eliminated.

People's Park Stories

• Tacoi Sumler, WRColumbus (Miami, FL) recorded electronically-timed 4.24s 40yd dash at Nike SPARQ National Championship in Beaverton, OR [75][76]. Sumler enjoyed his visit to Cal and is waiting for a scholarship offer. He is reportedly interested in Oregon and Stanford [77].

• Andy Staples of Sports Illustrated rides along w/ the top 25 Florida recruits and finds out what it's like being a wanted High School football player in a five-part series [78][79][80][81][82].

• USC FB D.J. Shoemate (Junior) is transferring to UConn [83].

• Tenn WR Da'Rick Rogers (Freshman) and S Darren Myles Jr. (RS Freshman) charged w/ assault in a bar brawl [84][85]. Two people were hospitalized. One victim of the incident was an off-duty police officer who was stabilized. Police questioned four other Tenn Vols involved. Coach Derek Dooley has dismissed Myles from the Tenn squad [86]. DT Chase Nelson (Senior) was the one who started the bar brawl [87].

• A theoretical regional tournament for pride with California, Texas, and Florida recruits [88]