Southern Stars Shine at Kennedy/CES Invitational

The Inaugural Kennedy/CES Southern Invitational brought the best of the Class of 2006 and 2007 from the state of Georgia and several top players from across state lines as well. Competitive Edge Sports conducted the testing for the combine to the same standards that are done at the NFL Combine, right down to the very same surface that is used in Indianapolis.

There were standouts from across the south, and here are some of the highlights.

Complete Results  

Carlos Brown of Heard County High School was the first running back that I profiled with video this year after seeing him twice in person. He excelled in the combine setting as well. He turned in the fastest forty time on the day 

Carlos Brown

 with a 4.57, and he measured bigger than I expected at 195 pounds on his 5-11.5 frame. Not bad for a player that got in at close to 2:00 AM from his basketball game the previous night.

Super Soph Caleb King is getting bigger every day. He put on a show at the Georgia Dome, and he measured in at 5-11 and 185 pounds. This is going to be one of the top prospects in the south for the Class of 2007.

Speaking of big, Lionel Mapp may be the biggest prospect I've ever seen. At 6-5 and 370 pounds, Mapp carried his weight extremely well. Admittedly, he needs to trim up some, but he's not in bad shape right now, despite the lofty weight. The trainers at CES thought he was in the 320 range when he walked in, because he carries his weight so well. Looking for impressive? How about a 27 inch vertical leap? His forty time 

Lionel Mapp

was better than several linemen I tested last year that have offers from around the country and aren't nearly that size. Mapp will be fun to watch this year.

The quarterbacks got a special treat when quarterback guru Roger Theder helped work the camp. Theder has coaching experience at Cal and in the NFL, and now he is considered the very top of his profession at training quarterbacks. He is in town working out players for the NFL Draft and was gracious enough to work with some of the QB's in the south. Dexter Davidson made the long trip up from South Florida and may have been the most impressive of the quarterbacks. Chris Smelley and Joey Fiegler came from Alabama and Tennessee respectively to show what they could do, and they each did well for themselves.

D'Vontrey Richardson of Lee County was more than I could have expected finally getting to see him in person. He came in at 6-1 and 201 pounds and clocked a 4.65 forty among other standout tests. He had an impressive highlight reel that I will post later in the week. Teams are going to try and pencil him in as an "athlete", and after Saturday, I'm convinced he can play just about any position he wants.

James Patterson came from Noxubee County, Mississippi to work out, and he looked extremely good. The top quarterback in the state of Mississippi came from Noxubee Country two years ago in the form of Omarr Conner, and Patterson looks like he could keep the tradition going.

I have long considered Chris Slaughter the top receiver in the state of Georgia for the Class of 2006, but he is going to have some stiff competition among some huge players next year. Slaughter was unable to work out because of a basketball injury, but Crawford Kilpatrick tested extremely well. He measured 6-5 and 181 pounds, and his 4.2

Crawford Kilpatrick

 shuttle time was outstanding. He also threw in a 35 inch vertical and a terrific 4.66 forty time. 

Timothy Hawthorne made the trip over from Homewood, Ala., and he spent extra time catching for the quarterbacks working out at CES after the combine (I guess we didn't mention the 6-5, 230 pound sophomore QB from Virginia that looked like he was working out for the NFL draft), and Hawthorne showed why he is going to be one of the best receivers in the south with great size (6-2/195) and speed (4.65).

Kristopher Durham had a basketball game later that night, so he didn't test, but he measured a full 6-5 and 189 pounds, and he has a highlight reel that has already earned him college offers.

Richardson's top target Lavalle Parker had a very good day as well. He gets it done on the field and proved that he has the tools to play on the next level as well.

Gabe Crews of Lovejoy is a huge defensive tackle with excellent mobility. At 6-1.5 and 290 pounds, he is going to be a force on both sides of the line. Samuel Chester is a player to watch for Peach County this year as well. Peach's quarterback, Antonio Hinton, as well as Slaughter were banged up, but Chester had  very good day.

Brandon Wood of Haralson County made the trip to Duluth and was one of the most impressive players there. He 

Brandon Wood

accidentally left with his card that showed his results (which will be retrieved shortly), but he measured in at 6-0+ and 240 pounds and ran in the 4.6's. He also dropped off his highlight tape, and that is a treat in itself. Wood plays running back and defensive line for Haralson, but he has the speed to be a huge linebacker if he doesn't put his hand down. He reminded me a little of Phillip Dillard after seeing Dillard in person.

Linebacker Bo Harris of Heritage may have been the surprise of the combine. I knew most of the players already when they got there, but I didn't know Harris. I do now, and so will most of the coaches in the south. He's big, and he can run like a deer. Georgia has been the state for linebackers the past two years, and that doesn't look to change especially with guys like...

Jasper Brooks... The Towers standout weighed in at 6-3 and 210 pounds. I had been told previously that he was a defensive end prospect, but after a day of testing I grabbed him and said he looked like a linebacker to me right now. He said that was where he wants to play on the next level. I'm not betting against him.

Andrew Trowbridge fought lost luggage to make it to Duluth, and he had an excellent day as well. A hugely productive linebacker and running back at Warner Christian in South Florida, Trowbridge showed great quickness in the shuttle and excellent explosion in the vertical. He has ideal size and lateral movement for a middle linebacker or fullback on the next level.

Here are some of the top testers on the day:

Top 10 Shuttle:

Name	POS	School	ST	HT	WT	SH
Grant Gould	S	Millcreek	GA	5-11.5	168	4.19
Crawford Kilpatrick	WR	North Gwinnett	GA	6-5	181	4.2
Gaston Miller	CB	Riverdale	TN	5-5.5	159	4.23
Chris Morris	WR	Plano East	TX	5-10	162	4.26
Derek Slaughter	LB	Mt. Zion	GA	6-0.5	193	4.27
Lavalle Parker	WR	Lee County	GA	6-0	168	4.27
Caleb King	RB	Parkview	GA	5-11	185	4.28
Erroll Wynn	RB	Mundy's Mill	GA	5-10	204	4.29
Demetrice Goode	RB	Troup	GA	5-9	174	4.3
Alan Strong	CB	Douglass	GA	5-8.5	150	4.32

Top 10 Vertical Jump:

Name	POS	School	ST	HT	WT	VJ
Alan Strong	CB	Douglass	GA	5-8.5	150	38.5
Gaston Miller	CB	Riverdale	TN	5-5.5	159	38
Chris Morris	WR	Plano East	TX	5-10	162	37.5
Andrew Trowbridge	LB	Warner Christian	FL	5-11.5	211	35.5
Mario Fannin	QB	Lovejoy	GA	5-10.5	199	35.5
Travis Burks	WR	Union Grove	GA	5-11.5	185	35.0
Bo Harris	LB	Heritage	GA	6-2	210	35
Crawford Kilpatrick	WR	North Gwinnett	GA	6-5	181	35
Carlos Brown	RB	Heard County	GA	5-11.5	195	34.5
Demetrice Goode	RB	Troup	GA	5-9	174	34.5

Top 10 L-Cone:

Name	POS	School	ST	HT	WT	LC
Chris Morris	WR	Plano East	TX	5-10	162	7.21
Caleb King	RB	Parkview	GA	5-11	185	7.28
Lavalle Parker	WR	Lee County	GA	6-0	168	7.31
Joshua Nesbitt	QB	Greene County	GA	6-0	190	7.31
Tim Hawthorne	WR	Homewood	AL	6-2	192	7.34
Derek Slaughter	LB	Mt. Zion	GA	6-0.5	193	7.34
Gaston Miller	CB	Riverdale	TN	5-5.5	159	7.37
Greg Wingfield	WR	North Clayton	GA	6-0.5	163	7.37
Travis Burks	WR	Union Grove	GA	5-11.5	185	7.4
Eric Berry	QB	Creekside	GA	5-11.5	181	7.4

Top 10 (11 with Tie) 40 Yard Dash:

Name	POS	School	ST	HT	WT	40
Carlos Brown	RB	Heard County	GA	5-11.5	195	4.57
Demetrice Goode	RB	Troup	GA	5-9	174	4.6
Chris Morris	WR	Plano East	TX	5-10	162	4.60
Darius Marshall	RB	Baldwin	GA	5-8.5	179	4.63
Alan Strong	CB	Douglass	GA	5-8.5	150	4.63
Caleb King	RB	Parkview	GA	5-11	185	4.64
Gaston Miller	CB	Riverdale	TN	5-5.5	159	4.64
Lavalle Parker	WR	Lee County	GA	6-0	168	4.65
Tim Hawthorne	WR	Homewood	AL	6-2	192	4.65
Bo Harris	LB	Heritage	GA	6-2	210	4.65
D'Vontrey Richardson	QB	Lee County	GA	6-1	201	4.65

Top 10 Standing Broad Jump:

Name	POS	School	ST	HT	WT	Jump"
Gaston Miller	CB	Riverdale	TN	5-5.5	159	116
Alan Strong	CB	Douglass	GA	5-8.5	150	115
Demetrice Goode	RB	Troup	GA	5-9	174	114
Bo Harris	LB	Heritage	GA	6-2	210	113
Crawford Kilpatrick	WR	North Gwinnett	GA	6-5	181	112.5
D'Vontrey Richardson	QB	Lee County	GA	6-1	201	112
Rashaud Slaughter	CB	Minor	AL	5-7	168	110.5
Carson Hill	CB	Baldwin	GA	5-8.5	152	110.5
Donnell Sanders	DE	North Clayton	GA	6-2.5	206	110
Curtis Strong	S	Lovejoy	GA	5-10.5	174	109.5

Complete Results