George Campbell, a wide receiver from East Lake (Tarpon Springs, Fla.) runs for a touchdown catch during Florida State’s spring game. Photo: Melina Vastola, USA TODAY Sports
Only a handful of the 2014 American Family Insurance ALL-USA football first and second-team players enrolled early, but several of those who did are having standout springs.
Natrez Patrick, LB, Mays, Atlanta
Patrick has had to move from outside to inside linebacker this spring at Georgia and the early enrollee had eight tackles and a sack in the G-Day game.
“He’s got good instincts,” Georgia coach Mark Richt told the Macon Telegraph. “Sometimes he was just flat out unblocked and made a play in the hold, but he brought the wood. He laid the wood to people. He’ll strike. He’s a pretty good athlete. He’s a pretty sharp kid.”
Kevin Toliver II, CB, Trinity Christian, Jacksonville, Fla.
Toliver had the only interception in Louisiana State’s spring game.
George Campbell, WR, East Lake, Tarpon Springs, Fla.
Saturday in Florida State’s spring game, Campbell caught two passes for 99 yards, including a 65-yard touchdown on his first catch.
“I thought some of those high school guys – those early entry guys – took advantage of some situations,” Seminoles coach Jimbo Fisher told the Orlando Sentinel. “Thought George jumped out there and made a big play early.”
Jacques Patrick, RB, Timber Creek, Orlando
Saw plenty of reps in Florida State’s spring drills and had an 11-yard touchdown run in the Seminoles spring game. He also had a 68-yard touchdown run in the game that was called back for holding.
Derwin James, DB, Haines City, Fla.
Worked with Florida State’s second team defense during spring drills but started in Seminoles’ spring game and returned an interception for a touchdown in the game.
Malik Jefferson, LB, Poteet, Mesquite, Texas
Had six tackles and forced a fumble in Texas’ spring game:
Josh Rosen, QB, St. John Bosco, Bellflower, Calif.
Has been impressive in UCLA spring drills, and is one of four quarterbacks in the mix for a starting job next fall.
“It’s impressive, it’s very impressive, how fast he developed. Two weeks in, three weeks in, he’s learned the offense and he can run it,” UCLA wide receiver Jordan Payton told the Orange County Register. “That’s why he was rated so high, why he had so much hype behind him, because he can do things like that. He has great potential and I’m excited to see his future.”
Shy Tuttle, DL, North Davidson, Lexington, N.C.
Tuttle has been impressive since the first day of practice at Tennessee, which has its spring game this weekend.
“He came off the football, and you could see the disruptive quickness, you could see the explosiveness, you could see the use of his hands,” Vols coach Butch Jones told The Daily Beacon. “The thing I really liked about it was you could see his competitive nature.”
Jake Browning, QB, Folsom, Calif.
Browning has played well in Washington’s spring practices and gets a chance to show his stuff to the general public this weekend in the Huskies’ spring game.
Tristen Hoge, OL, Highland, Pocatello, Idaho,
Has played well in spring drills at Notre Dame