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The National Underclassmen
Combine returned home to New
Jersey after holding its initial
events in the Dallas/Fort Worth
area. The two day event, which
was held in the Sports Factory
in Lincoln Park, produced a
number of impressive
performances, but none greater
then that of Damien Thigpen, who
started off the morning session
on Saturday by breaking two
combine records.
Thigpen, a sophomore from
Stonewall Jackson High School in
Virginia, dominated in both the
combine events and 1-on-1s and
deservedly walked away with the
Overall MVP. Measuring in at
5-foot-9 and 165-pounds, the
cornerback set a new National
Underclassmen Combine record
with a 102 ½ broad jump and in
the 40 with a blazing 4.34, but
also excelled at the other
events with a 4.08 shuttle, and
20 reps at 150-pounds. He was
also step for step with every
receiver during the 1-on-1s.

Damien Thigpen, Overall MVP with
Coach Schuman
Gwynn Park High School in
Maryland came out of the morning
session with two MVP winners.
First was DB MVP sophomore
William Speight, who at
5-foot-10 and 160-pounds, ran a
4.79 40, 4.44 shuttle, and had
an 87 broad. Similar to
Thigpen, he also gave receivers
fits throughout the 1-on-1s.
Joining Speight on the MVP stand
was teammate sophomore Nygee
Carmichael, who was the top
running back in attendance
during the morning session.

William Speight with Coach
Schuman
Carmichael, 5-foot-7 and
149-pounds, was amazing during
1-on-1s and reminded many in
attendance of the performance of
past MVP Cameron Saddler from
Gateway High School in
Pennsylvania. For his small
stature, he also showed off his
athletic ability during the
combine events with a 91/2
broad, 4.22 shuttle, 4.57 40,
and 18 reps at 150-pounds.

Nygee Carmichael with Coach
Schuman
Joining Gwynn Park with multiple
winners was Phoebus High School
from Virginia, which produced
both the DL and QB MVPs.
Sophomore Tajh Boyd, 6-foot-2
and 193-pounds, was a repeat
winner after taking home the QB
MVP as a freshman last year.
Boyd had a 4.40 shuttle, 83
broad, 26.5 vertical, and 28
reps at 150-pounds, plus has the
ability to throw with both
velocity and touch. He
especially possesses a fantastic
fade pass, which always seems to
find its target.

Tajh Boyd with Coach Schuman
Winning the DL
MVP was sophomore Dominick
Davenport, who at 6-foot-1 and
240-pounds, dominated the 1-on-1
portion of the event. He also
showed off his strength by
finishing with 29 reps at
185-pounds, while also having a
25-inch vertical, 4.82 shuttle,
and 4.94 40.

Dominick Davenport with Coach
Schuman
Some players just seem to look
the part, and you can definitely
put LB MVP Lyndel Edwards of
Windsor High School in
Connecticut into this category.
Edwards, a sophomore who
measured in at 6-foot-0 and
195-pounds, was unbelievably
impressive both physically and
athletically. He dominated the
1-on-1s, and during the combine
events had a 33-inch vertical,
98 broad, 4.82 40, 4.42
shuttle, and 26 reps at
150-pounds.

Lyndel Edwards with Coach
Schuman
The tightest MVP race of the
morning was at the wide receiver
position, where both sophomore
JeRon Stokes of Penn Charter in
Pennsylvania and sophomore
Patrick Young of Princess Anne
High School in Virginia battled
it out until the end during the
1-on-1s. At the end, Stokes,
6-foot-1 and 171-pounds, was
named the MVP, with a 28-inch
vertical, 88 broad, 4.49
shuttle, 4.62 40, 21 reps at
150-pounds, and a number of
circus catches during 1-on-1s.
Young, 6-foot-0 and 180-pounds,
went step for step with Stokes
during the 1-on-1s and also
excelled during the combine
events, which was highlighted by
a 95 broad jump.
Two New Jersey players rounded
out the MVP awards for the
morning session. First was OL
MVP sophomore Mark Brazinski of
Immaculata, who was actually the
top offensive lineman during the
entire two-day event. At
6-foot-5 and 279-pounds, he had
a 28 ½ vertical, 81/2 broad,
4.62 shuttle, 5.21 40, and 21
reps at 185-pounds. The final
award went to Freshman MVP
Austin Medley of Delsea Regional
High School. Medley, 5-foot-11
and 175-pounds, is a great
athlete, was fabulous during
1-on-1s and is also very easy
to coach. He also had a 28-inch
vertical, 9-foot broad, 4.69 40,
4.67 shuttle, and 29 reps at
135-pounds.

Mark Brazinski with Coach
Schuman
Finally, a special mention to
freshman QB Troy Ruediger of
Franks Cox High School in
Virginia. Ruediger, 6-foot-3
and 180-pounds, had an 8-foot
broad, 4.70 shuttle, and 24 reps
at 135-pounds, but what really
made him a special mention were
his talents during the
1-on-1s. Ruediger is
fundamentally sound, excels both
as a drop back passer or rolling
out, and consistently delivers
the ball to the right spot. He
is definitely a quarterback
worth watching.
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