Inaugural
Miami Beat The Heat Camp Gets Rave Reviews!
Last
weekend's event at Highlands Christian Academy marked the second time the NUC
visited Miami this year, but following a terrific first event, a shortage of terrific
athletes was far from a problem this time around. The event size was not the
same as the preceding event, but those who showed up beat the heat and defied
the odds all at the same time.
One of those
very special athletes was F.W Bucholz' Marquis Noble. At 5'5.5 144 as a rising
senior, Noble is easy to miss; that was until he thoroughly dominated
throughout the event's duration. Noble reigned supreme during the athletic
testing, with a 32.5 inch vertical, 9'8 broad jump, 4.27 shuttle run and 4.51
40. He also was an absolute beast during the 1 on 1's running great routes and
making a number of good grabs while displaying the kind of quickness the
defense simply couldn't contain. His lack of size is definitely going to be a
concern for a number of programs, but his talent can't be questioned.
Standout DB
Miles Campbell (The Kings Academy) created plenty of frustrations for the
offense during the 1 on 1's with his well rounded talents. The 5'9 157 lb
prospect excelled at covering the deep ball, had a great backpedal, strong
jamming skills and terrific instincts. His athleticism also guided him
throughout the day, a 30 inch vertical, 9'4 broad jump, and 4.36 shuttle were
efficient enough to scare those on the other side of the ball.
Linebacker
Robert Hayes (Charlotte HS) was atop the charts for his position throughout the
combine. The 5'9.5 220 lb prospect had great strength, a quick reaction time,
nice closing speed and pro style awareness, giving him the look of a run
stopping machine. Haynes also did a good job during testing, running a 4.46 shuttle
while jumping 8'5 on the broad.
Upper
Echelon Underclassmen
Rising
junior James Brooks of Ocala Forest HS capped off a talented underclassmen
session by taking home the Overall MVP award. Brooks set the tone during the 1
on 1's with an array of impressive catches, quick feet and good moves to shake
off the db's. The 5'9 192 lb Brooks was also an elite athlete, with a 33.5 inch
vertical, 9'3 broad jump, 4.34 shuttle and 4.5 40 powering his well rounded
performance. Brooks, who still has two more years of high school football left,
should develop into a nice prospect.
Randy
Johnson (Miami Norland) shares a name with one of this era's top baseball
players, but unlike the 6'11 strikeout machine, this kid brings fire to the
football field. The 5'9 169 lb Johnson earned the Combine King and Fastest Man
awards after dominating during the testing events, with a 37.5 inch vertical,
10'0 broad jump, 4.41 shuttle and 4.47 40. Johnson is nearly flawless
athletically and plays both RB and WR, making him a major asset to any offense.
Superstar
freshman Ryne Rankin of East River high school was clearly top player from the
class of 2013. The 6'1 188 lb linebacker had good size for a freshman, terrific
ball skills, great acceleration and unprecedented strength, enabling him to
stand out throughout the combine. He also made a name for himself during the
testing by bench pressing 135 lbs 24 times and jumping 29.5 inches in the
vertical leap. Rankin displayed the necessary skills to succeed for many years
to come and is going to get bigger and stronger.
As is the
case in other locations such as Atlanta, Dallas and Las Angeles, Miami's talent
is so good that multiple events are necessary to showcase all of their top
players.
