Showcase Top Performers Part 3

This is the 3rd and final part of my Showcase Top Performers series. Thank you to all that came out! If you’d like to see the Part 1 or Part 2 of the series you can click HERE for Part 1 or HERE for Part 2.

J’Bore Gibbs: QB Phillips (2018)

I saw Gibbs last year in a playoff game and while he ran rampant on the ground, it was not his best showing through the air. However, it really looks like he’s worked on his mechanics this offseason and the result really showed in terms of his accuracy at the event. Eastern Michigan must have agreed as they offered Gibbs back in March. Really liked his performance out there.

Brett Groves: OL Cary Grove (2018)

Brett is one of those kids that is nice off the field: he comes up to me every time I see him and is very respectful each and every time. However, when you see him on the field, that is definitely not the case. He has a mean streak that goes well with his confirmed 6’6″ 311lb frame. He has great hand placement and moves extremely well for his size. Picked up his first couple FCS offers fairly recently, I’d be shocked if that number doesn’t increase before its all said and done.

Sam Barkalow: TE/LB Forreston (2018)

Measured in at 6’6.5″ 223lbs. Try guarding that. I like him at the TE spot, but he’s a kid that showed the athletic ability to also play the DE spot in college. Who knows, he could put on more weight and even end up on the O-Line. He goes to a smaller high school, but recent big bodied pass catchers out of Illinois Luke Ford (Carterville High School – Arkansas commit) and Logan Lee (Orion High School – multiple Power 5 offers) will tell you small school kids still make it big. Watch out for this kid.

Marco Vitale: WR Ridgewood (2018)

Vitale is one of those average sized receivers that doesn’t get the looks he deserves because he doesn’t wow you with his size (5’11.5″) but can flat out play. He showed out a lot like overall MVP Austin Nagel: good route runner, great hands, excellent at getting separation. This kid is very underrated.

Jose Vazquez: OL Glenbard North (2018)

I’ve had the opportunity to see Jose a few times out at other showcases and am impressed each and every time. He’s every bit of 6’3″ 310lbs and used every bit of his great size to stop DL dead in their tracks. He has trouble at times getting out of his stance and into position, but in the times I’ve seen him, it looks like he’s improved upon that each and every time.

Matt Judd: QB Lincoln Way East (2019)

This is a kid that I had high expectations for heading into the event and he did not disappoint. Only a sophomore and yet to start a varsity game, Judd has been receiving interest from multiple FBS/FCS schools and after seeing him sling it I can now see why. The lefty’s release is very smooth and natural. He made a couple “wow” throws on deep balls that really impressed me.

Ryan Laurenzo: WR Naperville North (2018)

Ryan is another kid that wish I got to see more of, but got caught up in the madness of running the event. He measured in at 6’4.5″ and 189lbs and used his great length to shield off DBs in the couple 1 on 1s I saw. A D2 coach called me up yesterday asking about him and I told him they’d be getting a steal if they could land this kid. I think he’s very under recruited at the moment and the best is yet to come in terms of his recruitment.

Eric Mooney: WR/QB Huntley (2018)

Eric registered for the event as a QB, but is a phenomenal athlete that I thought had his best reps at WR. He ran the fastest 40 of the event in terrible conditions coming in at 4.56. A FCS coach asked me about him on Friday and I said that he has the ability to play multiple positions at the FCS level if not higher. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Mooney pickup some more offers during the college camp season.

Nathan Korte: OL Minooka (2018)

Nathan is another big bodied interior lineman that showed out. In the reps I saw, he got beat by a couple outside moves, but learned from his mistakes and improved upon them the next couple times around. This kid is talented and has the size (6’5″ 303lbs), but there is still room for college coaches to elevate his game even more.

Luke Ricobene: Immaculate Coneption (2018)

At the event, Ricobene told me that he had never ran a timed 40 before. In lackluster conditions, he ran 4.66 on his first try ever, not bad at all. Measuring in at 6’0″ 164lbs, he reminds me a lot of DeKalb QB and Dartmouth commit 2017 Derek Kyler: a 6’0″-6’1″ athletic gunslinger that can really move in the pocket.

Steven Migut: Unity (2018)

Now that I’m writing this, the similarities between Migut and Ricobene listed above are striking on film and also physically..

Migut – 6’0″ 168lbs, Ricobene – 6’0″ 164lbs.
Migut – 4.65 40, Ricobene 4.66 40.
Migut – 29″ vertical, Ricobene 30″ vertical

Both showed exceptional accuracy on mid range balls, whereas I thought Migut’s deep balls were some of the better throws at the event. Another kid I think will get a lot more looks at college camps this summer.

Will Sessa: WR Hinsdale Central (2019)

Measured in at 6’5.5″ and 177lbs and ran a respectable 4.81 in terrible conditions (everyone was about .10 slow in the 40). Sessa needs to pack on some more pounds to fill out his lanky frame. He didn’t play much on varsity as a sophomore, but I wouldn’t be shocked if he’s a big time contributor for the Red Devils this season.

Thomas Motzko: LB Highland Park (2019)

My brother really likes this kid and after watching his film and seeing him a couple times in person I’m on board as well. He’s only 6’0″, but moves very well laterally with the 212lbs he carries. A sure tackler, he’s another that I think will get a lot of looks at college camps this summer.

Kevin Skonning: OL Lyons Township (2018)

There are some things in recruiting that I just don’t get and the Lyons Township linemen is one of them. Skonning, Charlie O’Connor, Andrew Ezell and Mickey Brown are all guys that I believe can play at least FCS football yet have a combined 0 offers between them. Rant over, back to Skonning. Similar to Groves and Korte, Skonning is another big bodied interior lineman (6’5″ 303lbs) that showed well at the event. Skonning moved very well and kept his feet in great position in the reps I saw.

Landen Vesley: QB Newman Central Catholic (2018)

Other than seeing his film, I didn’t know much about Vesley coming in. He played QB and measured in at 6’3″ 212lbs and also ran a 4.66 40, again, in less than stellar conditions. He reminds me a bit of Lakes 2018 SB/MLB and Western Michigan Commit Ryan Selig. Good speed, great athlete and versatile. I would love to see Vesley play some LB moving forward.

Trevor Land: Chicago Hope (2020)

Only a freshman, Land kept up with the best of them at this event tossing a tight spiral and making throws that are usually not made by someone his age. I can’t wait to follow this kid over the next few years to see his stock rise.

Others That Stood Out
Alex Hollensbe: QB Glenbard West (2018)
Khaliq Hammond: WR Rich Central (2018)
Matt Morrissey: QB Montini (2018)
Cam Neely: QB Romeoville (2018)
Devin Blakley: CB Nazareth (2019)
Jake Baxa: DL/OL Marmion (2018)
Peyton Brown: QB St. Charles North (2019)
Tyler Selvig: QB Elk Grove (2018)
Najee Harris: WR Chicago Hope (2018)
Jeremy Puckett: WR Nazareth (2019)
Fabian McCray: WR Phillips (2019)
Jalen Coleman: WR Normal (2018)
Zach Stevens: QB Nazareth (2018)
Giancarlo Volpentesta: WR Highland Park (2019)
John Rossi: WR Ridgewood (2018)
Terrance Hill: RB Effingham (2018)
Ely Grimmer: WR Maine West (2019)
Frank Ramundo: WR De La Salle (2018)
Chris Galloway: MLB Yorkville (2018)
Ryan Marrano: OLB/S Naperville North (2018)
Ross Valenti: MLB Mount Carmel (2019)
Zach Nadle: DB Plainfield North (2018)
Yalon Rogers: DB St. Charles East (2018)
Rad Premovic: QB Mount Carmel (2019)
Patrick Ross: TE/DE Chicago Hope (2019)
Drew Dawkins: ATH Evanston (2018)