Among the top players in attendance, Dave McClain, a huge offensive lineman from Doyelstown (Pa.) Central Bucks South, was very impressive in the drills and ran great times for a 6-foot-5, 300+ pound player. He did not run the 40 due to a slight hamstring pull, but showed a fierce determination and fire that will help him at Maryland.
A big sleeper entering the combine, Kevin Johnson left with the most buzz around him. At 6-4, and a lean 275 pounds with room to add more weight, the defensive tackle from Newton (N.J.) he ran just over a 5.1 in the 40, 4.5 pro agility shuttle and an unbelievable 7.63 in the figure 8. He dominated the one-on-one drills, and was always the first in line at each event. He will camp this summer at Penn State, but has not received much recruiting attention until now.
Down the road at Neptune (N.J.), they have several prospects, including safety Shamar Taylor. He ran the fastest 40 of the day with a 4.41 time, and he was a lockdown corner in the one-on-one drills.
Fellow defensive back James Williams, from Plainfield (N.J.), also performed very well as he ran a 4.5 40 and did not allow a pass completed against him in the drills. He also caught the only interception of the day.
Another prospect with big offers entering the camp, but previously unknown, was Anthony Barksdale, a fullback from Farmingdale (N.Y.). He entered the camp with offers from Maryland, Michigan State, and North Carolina, but he did not have a leader. At the camp, he had a great frame, ran well (5.0 40), and showed great hands in passing drills.
Local product Peter Tverdov also showed well with a good body and nice speed
in he 40, running a 4.82 on the surface. He is receiving interest from
many schools around the region, including Maryland, and will camp with the Terps.
Overall, the Hofstra MSL Combine made a huge impact for each of the players involved, as they each learned more about their positions and the game overall. The MSL Combines take their setup directly from the NFL Combines in Indianapolis each year. Every event is designed to help the players show their specific skill set for college coaches across the nation. Many new sleepers will come out of the combine, but several already have their feet firmly planted among the Atlantic region’s elite.
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Dave McClain
Kevin Johnson
Shamar Taylor
James Williams
Anthony Barksdale
Peter Tverdov |