This post is courtesy MVPToday.com

The NFL Draft takes place from April 22-24 in its first year of the new three-day format. There aren’t many NFL Draft prospects with roots to the Valley, but what the group lacks in quantity, it makes up for in quality. MVP Magazine provides a look at the NFL Draft prospects who played high school football in Arizona.

Danny Batten, DE/LB, South Dakota State, Mesa (Mesquite H.S.)
Ten teams visited Batten’s Pro Day. An accomplished, versatile player but at Division I-AA. Projected 7th round.

Kyle Calloway, OL, Iowa, Vail, AZ
Huge at 6-7, 323 pounds. A steady, versatile offensive linemen who should have a solid NFL career. Projected 6th round.

Everson Griffen, DE, USC, Avondale (Agua Fria)
First-round talent, but inconsistency and question about work ethic may cause him to drop. Could be a star NFL pass rusher. Projected 1st round.

Max Hall, QB, BYU, Mesa (Mountain View)
NFL teams rarely draft a QB that is only six-feet tall with questionable arm strength. Hall hopes Drew Brees’ success will reflect on his potential. Projection 4th round.

Keaton Kristick, LB, Oregon State, Fountain Hills (St. Mary’s)
A smart, active player but lack of ideal size and strength will hurt draft value. Projected 7th round.

Shelley Smith, OL, Colorado State, Phoenix (Westview)
Good strength and footwork with the ability to be a pulling guard. Some scouts questions his physical play at the point of attack. Projected 6th round.

Ekom Udofia, DL, Stanford, Scottsdale (Chaparral)
A strong, passionate player with good natural instincts who can take up multiple blockers. Better than his numbers indicate. Projected 6th round.

Arizona State University Prospects

ASU has produced its share of stud NFL Draft prospects but this year isn’t one of them. No ASU player figures to be drafted before the fifth round although there are a few players who could go on to have solid NFL careers. Only time will tell if any of them becomes a standout like former Sun Devils Terrell Suggs, Zack Miller or Jake Plummer.

Player POS Projection Comment
Thomas Altieri C Undrafted Knee injuries plagued this talented center.
Dexter Davis OLB Rd. 6 3.5 sacks as a senior will hurt draft value.
Shaun DeWitty RB Undrafted Fast but not an NFL back.
Travis Goethel ILB Rd. 7 An underrated player whose stock is rising.
Shawn Lauvao OG Rd. 4 An anchor on a poor offensive line.
Ryan McFoy SS Undrafted Solid ASU career, but won’t be drafted
Chris McGaha WR Rd. 6 Sure hands, athleticism too good to ignore.
Dimitri Nance RB Undrafted Solid career but never met expectations.
Mike Nixon OLB Undrafted Age works against a talented overachiever.
Danny Sullivan QB Undrafted Never got on track in his one year as starter.
Jovon Williams FB Undrafted Versatile but not an impact player.
Kyle Williams WR Rd. 7 Speed and athleticism may get him drafted.
Jarrell Woods RB Undrafted Only had 18 carries in three years at ASU.

Historically San Diego County has developed some the best running backs to ever play the game of football, with a list that includes Heisman Trophy winners: Marcus Allen, Rashaan Salaam, Ricky Williams and Reggie Bush. NFL great, Terrell Davis, one of five 2,000 yard rushers at the professional level, could also trace his roots back to the area. Even with the area’s rich history at the position, San Diego’s running back class of 2010 is arguably the most talented group ever to be coming out of any single location, let alone San Diego County.

Currently on Rivals, Dillon Baxter (6’0 205lbs), is ranked as the top overall all-purpose back in the nation and the only one with a five star rating at his respective position. As a Mission Bay Bucaneer, he led his team to a perfect season by playing both running back and quarterback. On the season, Dillon rushed for nearly 3,000 yards, scored 50 TDs rushing, 25 TDs through the air and had an impressive average of 11.4 YPC. He went over 300 yards in three different occasions and his lowest rushing mark of the year was 100 yards. As expected, Dillon was recently announced as the National Player of the Year. Dillon will be playing close to home with a commitment to USC.

Close on Dillion’s heels on the Rivals all-purpose back rankings is Brennan Clay (6’0 200lbs), who is currently holding the number two spot. During his junior year at Scripps Ranch, Brennan was a dual threat running back, surpassing 1,000 yards both rushing and receiving. He is a home run threat every time he touches the ball and is an explosive return man. Brennan recently signed with the University of Oklahoma.

Now look at Ricky Seale (5’10 190lbs), a big play back coming out of Escondido High School whose production over the last few years surely speaks for itself. His breakaway speed paired with superior vision has enabled him to amass 2,400 rushing yards and 30 touchdowns in each of the past two season. Towards the end of his senior year he became the leading rusher in CIF-San Diego Section history and first ever in the section to go over 6,000 total rushing yards. He was highly recruited within the PAC-10, and ultimately signed with Stanford.

Then, there is Damien Williams (6’0 200lbs), a newcomer to the list of star running backs leaving San Diego County this year. Everyone always knew that he had talent, but grades and changing schools prevented him from demonstrating his talent early on. During his senior year at Mira Mesa he established himself as a top-tier back by rushing for nearly 2,300 yards, 24 TDs, 9.9 YPC and closing out the season strong with a string of eight consecutive 200 yard performances. Damien is now signed with the Arizona State Sundevils.

Don’t forget about Tony Jefferson (6’1 205lbs), from Eastlake High School, he has rushed for 5 yards shy of 2,000 with a 8.95 YPC and 25 TDs on the season. The scary thing is Tony was being recruited as a Safety and not a running back, so that speaks volumes about his potential to play on both sides of the ball. After being recruited and showing high interest in playing for Michigan, Oklahoma or USC, Tony decided on Oklahoma.

These young players have history on their side; San Diego County has produced more Heisman winners than any other place in the country. Is there something in the water? Maybe it’s a little too early to be speaking about the Heisman, but each one of these players has a chance to be something special, so make sure you keep an eye out for them in the next few seasons.

Each year the first week of February and the National Signing Day for college football becomes the pinnacle of years of hard work for many of the most prestigious football programs in the country. This year the world of college football has been shaken up by notable coaching changes and even health issues and the lure of the NFL. At SportsForce we are heavily involved in the recruiting goals of numerous top student-athletes. Because of this unique relationship we build with student-athletes and families are able to learn firsthand of many of the recruiting decisions and thoughts that families have when deciding what college is the right fit for them.

The USC Trojans (9-4) were recently voted the college football program of the decade and captured two national titles under Pete Carroll’s reign. With the departure of Carroll to the Seattle Seahawks, the University of Southern California should be prepared to lose some of their top- ranked or at least potential recruits. Recalling Lane Kiffin back to USC leaves much to be desired and could prove to be disastrous. His one-year stop at Tennessee (7-6) was quite disappointing, especially if you consider the reputable and expensive coaching staff. Following the uncertainty at the coaching position both Dillon Baxter and Kyle Prater were second guessing their decisions to play for USC, but Lane Kiffin deserves credit for persuading them to stay. Lache Seastrunk, a once potential high-profile recruit for the Trojans cancelled his visit altogether and for the moment looks as if he is headed to another PAC-10 powerhouse in Oregon.

Florida (13-1) faced a similar scenario as Head Coach Urban Meyer announced his resignation due to health reasons in late December, but a day later decided to take an indefinite leave of absence instead. The expected return of Meyer must have been a key factor for Ronald Powell, the top ranked recruit in the 2010 class, when he picked Florida over USC. It is believed that Sharif Floyd, another highly sought after recruit may have discussed college choices with Powell and chosen Florida so the two can play alongside each other. The pairing should provide the Gators with an extremely solid defensive line for the next couple of years.

Not only will these coaching changes play a role in determining the outcome of the recruiting class, but it also may be a factor in whether college players chose to stay for another year or enter the draft. When Notre Dame let Charlie Weis go, it probably made it easier on Jimmy Clausen and Golden Tate to leave as underclassman. As signing day quickly approaches keep a close eye on how these coaching changes and uncertainties are affecting player decisions and team dynamics.

Sport: Football Positions: QB / DB Height: 5’9” Weight: 180 Class: 2010 School: Francis Parker High School San Diego, CA

Deon Randall was a one-man human highlight reel as his Francis Parker Lancers came up just short in the CIF State bowl series against Modesto Christian 44-40.  The speedy 5’9” 180 lb quarterback was nothing short of spectacular.  He accounted for 30 of his team’s 40 points, totaled 5 touchdowns: 2 through the air, 3 on the ground, and gained 386 of his team’s 437 total yards on offense.  Often cited as too short to play the quarterback position at the collegiate level, Randall’s leadership has never been questioned.  Head coach John Morrison told the North County Times, “I want the ball in his hands with the game on the line.”  While his Lancers may have come up short, Deon Randall was anything but.

To view Deon’s complete SportsForce profile click here – http://www.sportsforceonline.com/athletes/drandall

Scouting report courtesy of SportsForce – Home for college Sports Recruiting Videos, Tips, Tools and Premium Services – www.sportsforceonline.com

Sport: Football Positions: WR / FS Height: 6’1” Weight: 185 Class: 2010 School: Oceanside High School Oceanside, CA

The Oceanside Pirates struggled to find any production on offense in the CIF San Diego Section DII Championship game, so they turned to their defense and Devin Taverna.  Taverna single-handily secured Oceanside’s sixth straight division title.  The 6’1 senior free safety recorded two interceptions, one returned for a 47-yard touchdown, and recovered a fumble in the end zone for another touchdown.   Oceanside coach John Carroll took notice telling the North County Times, “thank God our defense and special teams came to play.”  With the victory the Pirates have now won a remarkable 38 games in a row and will face San Jose Bellarmine Prep in the state D1 game this Friday at the Home Depot Center in Carson, CA.  Regardless of how the Pirates fair in the state playoffs, they can look back at this game as the day Devin Taverna rallied his team from certain defeat and willed his team to victory. Visit Devin’s SportsForce profile to learn more about this star athlete.

Scouting report courtesy of SportsForce – Home for college Sports Recruiting Videos, Tips, Tools and Premium Services – www.sportsforceonline.com

Positions: RB / DB  Height: 5’10” Weight: 170 Class: 2010 School: Santa Fe Christian High School Solana Beach, CA

Sam Hoekstra may have played his last game for Santa Fe Christian, but he went out with a performance to remember.  Hoekstra rushed an exceptional athlete with speed and quickness rushed for 313 yards and 4 touchdowns on only 13 carries for a mind-boggling 24-yard per carry average in a losing effort against Mission Hills last Friday.  Hoekstra finished his senior year with over 2,000 all-purpose yards and 24 touchdowns.

Visit Sam’s SportsForce profile for more statistics and details

Scouting report courtesy of SportsForce – Home for college Sports Recruiting Videos, Tips, Tools and Premium Services – www.sportsforceonline.com

Positions: RB / LB Height: 5’10” Weight: 200 Class: 2010 School: Mission Hills High School San Marcos, CA

Chad Dobbins and the Mission Hills Grizzlies ran their way into the semifinals of the CIF San Diego DII playoffs last Friday with a dominating 35-7 victory over Grossmont.  The 5’11 200 lb senior running back set a career high with 192 yards and 3 touchdowns on only 13 carries.  Dobbins has gone somewhat under the radar this season as his grind it out style doesn’t receive the same exposure as the flashy style of a Ricky Seale.  Dobbins told the North County Times, “I don’t usually have those big, flashy runs like Ricky does. I’m one of those running backs who chips away. Today, maybe I turned that around.”  And turned it around is exactly what he did with touchdown runs of 76, 54 and 32 yards.  With his stellar performance, Dobbins eclipsed the 1,000 rushing yard mark for the season.  Dobbins may need a little more of the flash he showed against Grossmont as his Grizzlies take on the #1 ranked, undefeated Oceanside Pirates in a semi-final showdown this Friday night.

Check out Chad’s SportsForce profile here

Scouting report courtesy of SportsForce – Home for college Sports Recruiting Videos, Tips, Tools and Premium Services – www.sportsforceonline.com

Positions: RB Height: 5′ 11″ Weight: 200 Class: 2010  School: Mira Mesa High School San Diego, CA

The CIF playoffs are finally here, and Damien Williams made sure his Mira Mesa Marauders weren’t going to have an early exit.  The 5’11” 200 lb running back ran all over the Carlsbad Lancers, rushing for 275 yards and 2 touchdowns as he led his team to a 48-29 victory.  Lancers head coach Bob McAllister was well aware of the explosive ability of Williams telling the North County Times, “He’s the real deal, we knew we had to stop him, and we didn’t. We just had to tackle better than we did.”  Williams now has 2, 285 rushing yards with 24 touchdowns on the season.  Next up for Williams and the Marauders is a date with the #3 ranked Escondido Cougars in a division 1 showdown this Friday.  With Williams and the all-time CIF San Diego rushing leader Ricky Seale positioned to receive a lot of carries, both defenses might want to brace themselves for an all out rushing assault for the ages.

Visit Damien’s full SportsForce profile

Positions: RB Height: 5′ 8″ Weight: 165 Class: 2010 School: Mt. Carmel High School San Diego, CA

Kenneth James Jr. ran, and ran, then ran some more, and didn’t stop running until he had rewritten the record books.  The 5’8” 165 lb running back out of Mt. Carmel High School set the CIF San Diego Section single-game rushing record by torching the defense for 424 yards and 4 touchdowns last Friday, while beating the Westview Wolverines 49-32.  James edged the previous rushing mark set back in 2003 by 14 yards.  Mt. Carmel football coach Sanford Carvajal told the North County Times, “If the opportunity presented itself, we were going to ride that horse until he fell over dead.”  As it turned out it was the defense that looked 6 feet under, allowing rushes of 84, 70, 63, 39, 34, and 21 yards by James.  James, however, was quick to share the glory with his teammates telling the North County Times, “I just hit the holes, and everyone made their blocks. Everyone played a part in it.”  Now, James and his Sundevils can only wait and hope their impressive victory will be enough to vault them into the playoffs.  After witnessing James’s spectacular performance, Coach Carvajal is positive his team will receive a playoff bid saying, “I can’t see us not getting in now.”  Very few would be inclined to disagree.