That's the question that a few lucky schools are hoping the answer will be "A helluva lot". Currently, the favorites in the lottery for Pryor seem to be Michigan and Ohio State, but with Oregon, LSU, and Florida all charging in the latter stages in recruiting, for the duties of the Pennsylvania product.
But it's no surprise that everybody is after the current quarterback for the Pennsylvania state champion Jeannette High School Jayhwaks. Pryor put together a flat-out prolific season, with the culmination of 3, 691 yards from scrimmage, accompanied with a remarkable 60 touchdowns, but the one thing I'm worried about is what all the build up will do to him when he actually plays.
Whenever he sees the field for the first time, a buzz will be all around whatever stadium he's in. The question is, will he fall flat on his face or stand strong and have poise? I'm sure all the coaches that are recruiting him, his friends and family, and high school teammates hope he doesn't pull a "Jimmy Clausen" and just look helpless.
Yeah, he's dominated the state of Pennsylvania for a while, but it's a horse of a different color when a 6-6 300 pound defensive tackle from USC is the one running him down, and not 5-11 200 pound Bobby from down the street. Fortunately, he will get at least part of the culture shock out of the way through fall practice. I guess we just all have to wait until National Signing Day, when the young man makes his decision of what school he will grace with his unbelievable potential.
Until then, lets watch the critics analyze every move, phone call, and email he even thinks about making.
This list will contain college football's up and coming stars. Kids that might be new to programs, or seasoned veterans who are foaming at the mouth for next year after a solid '07 campaign. Give whatever opinions you all feel necessary to the post.
10. Juice Williams QB- Illinois
Juice Williams was coming off of a modest 2006 freshman year, coming into this season where the Fighting Illini were having some expectations of at least being an annoyance to Michigan, Ohio State, and Wisconsin. A year later, he's coming off of a solid, at sometimes shaky, sophomore season that featured a resounding upset victory in Columbus over the Buckeyes, a 9-4 record, and an appearance in The Rose Bowl. His completion percentage, yardage, touchdowns, and QB rating all sky-rocketed. Look for some clutch performances and a stellar year.
Game he made a statement in... 11/10 @ Ohio State
9. Stafon Johnson RB- USC
I personally have a gut-feeling that the running back stable at So Cal will set the turf on fire wherever they play. The Trojans return Joe McKnight and Johnson, who will flourish with more carries. Stafon only got the chance to bear the rock 98 times, but didn't disappoint any of those times with a 6.9 yard average, 673 yards, and 5 touchdowns. Sounds less than impressive maybe, but just throw into consideration that he missed a couple of games and that he will garner more carries with the explosive McKnight to complement him greatly.
Game he made a statement in... 9/15 @ Nebraska
8. Mohamed Massaquoi WR- Georgia
If this kid can pull it together and provide Matthew Stafford with a Go-To-Guy, then look for The Dawgs to be making a strong case for the national championship come December. Massaquoi turned in a decent year with 491 yards on only 32 receptions, and 4 TD's, but hen you look at him, he's got everything you want in your ideal SEC receiver. He's 6-2, about 200 lbs, and has got decent speed. He came into Athens as a four star prospect out of the highly respected Independence High School in North Carolina. If the 84 yard bomb he reeled in against the Gators was an indication of a coming out party then big things are in the future.
Game he made a statement in... 10/27 Florida
7. Terry Grant RB- Alabama
When he rolled, the Tide rolled. When he was flat....uh....yeah. I think you get the point. Quietly, Grant put together a pretty good year with nearly 900 yards and 8 touchdowns, but he could have been better. He showed he can shoulder the load when needed with 180 carries with a 5 yard average per. He was also able to manage 76.6 yards per game in SEC play, so the pieces are in place for him to become another great Crimson Tide back. If he becomes more balanced and less of a skat back, he'll develop nicely.
Game he made a statement in... 10/20 Tennessee
6. Arrelious Benn WR- Illinois
Benn is one of The Zooker's most prized recruits in his short career at Illinois, but he's already making some noise. The former five-star prospect played nicely this past year as a freshman. Taking into consideration the limitations most first year players hit coming into the college level, his numbers and season are better than what meets the eye. Fifty four receptions and 674 yards, with a pair of touchdowns, is a good start, but I expect this year to be a launching pad into national consideration as one of the Big Ten's better receivers.
Game he made a statement in... 9/29 Penn State
5. Noel Devine RB/Ath- West Virginia
Noel Devine was arguably the biggest home run hitter in the Big East, and one of the most explosive freshmen in the nation, and it would be generous to say he was given a "supporting" role, because he was not seen nearly as much as the Mountaineer fans would have liked. But with every touch he got, everybody in the stadium would hold their breath. To possibly comprehend
this kid's pure, uncomparable speed, you just have to watch how he
leaves people in their tracks. I personally realized he had a bright
future when the Mountaineers were playing at Maryland. The game was a
struggle for both teams, but then Noel took the field.
He bust a 76 yarder that soon after proved to bust open the game. This guy just has game-breaking ability that you can't teach.
Game he made a statement in... 1/2 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl - Oklahoma
4. Percy Harvin WR/RB/Ath- Florida
Harvin will have to harbor some serious Heisman consideration this coming season. The youngster made Global Warming look like a thermostat malfunction when he turned up the heat in The Swamp. His blazing speed would constantly leave defenses wondering whether to pick up their jocks or keep running. It became a
no brainer for Urban Meyer to utilize him as much as possible. So, for much of the season, Harvin became the main rusher on the team, and seeing that he was able to compile a whopping 1753 total yards from scrimmage, along with 10 TD's, it was a wise decision. This strategy of getting the ball to Harvin is actually very smart, considering that it makes it very difficult for the defense to key in on him since he is doing so many different things. I believe this season Harvin will start to challenge Tim Tebow for the most attention from ladies down in Gainseville.
Game he made a statement in... 9/15 Tennessee
3. Eric Berry DB- Tennessee
Eric Berry was undoubtedly the most talented player on this UT roster for the 2007 season. Berry had one of the finest defensive freshman seasons in all of college football with 86 tackles and 5 interceptions with 222 return yards. The moment America started taking him seriously was the Florida game when he picked off Tim "Superman" Tebow and scampered back 96 yards for a touchdown that put the Vols back in the game.
This is coming from a freshman that was going to be thrilled to see the field momentarily on nickel packages, and the problem is I can't give him all the credit he deserves by writing a description. I was lucky enough to see in person the swagger and big time potential of this young man, and believe me, after he leaves Knoxville his name will be somewhere on campus. Whether it's "Eric Berry Hall" or something of that nature, he will leave a lasting impression on Tennessee. But for now, fans will just have to settle for bone crushing hits, blurring speed in coverage, and the ability to change the game at any moment. Everybody, mark it down, Eric Berry will be on your T.V. and in your houses all 2008.
Game he made a statement in... 10/27 South Carolina
2. Jeremy Maclin ATH- Mizzou
2469 total yards, 14 touchdowns, 176.36 total yards per game....oh and he's a freshman. Need I say more? Where is Missouri without Jeremy Maclin? Probably on the street begging somebody to kick start their offense. All year long Maclin proved to be an X-factor for the Tigers and if he can continue doing what he did this year, he will also need to get some serious hype as a Heisman Trophy Candidate, and with the way the Tigers' roster is looking for 2008, that might be a strong possibility. Sure, they lose their top running back, but the Heisman finalist quarterback is returning and enough on defense to stay consistent. If head coach Gary Pinkel takes a page out of Urban Meyer's book and utilizes Maclin more as a rusher then the offense will flourish. Also, any team will look like a fool after kicking to him on a punt or kickoff.
Game he made a statement in... 11/17 @ Kansas State
1. Knowshon Moreno RB- Georgia
If I had it my way, I would sit here all day and watch tapes of Knowshon running all over opposing defenses. He has that classic SEC running style that is similar to when Carnell Williams was destroying everybody in sight at Auburn. That kind of running where it's controlled chaos and every juke he makes it seems as if his limbs are flailing everywhere. I just love it. And even though Moreno will be getting most of the attention from scouting defenses next year, I see him having a great year. The freshman from New Jersey hit an absolute white hot streak at the season's midpoint and never looked back. Overall, he earned over 1334 yards along with 14 touchdowns.
The key in 2008 for Knowshon will be if Stafford can provide him with something to fall back on and to make the offense balanced so Moreno doesn't run into defenses that bring the whole kitchen sink into the box to stop him. If things break right for him, I definitely think he could make some noise in the national award picture, but more importantly I think he has the power to lead his team to a national championship.
Hello folks. I'm just a young buck from the southeast that appreciates simple living and living for sports. I will try my hardest to keep my bias out of my posts, but if I don't , call me on it. Now lets try to have some intelligent conversations .
