Keep your eye on these college football recruits in 2016
I had a few other nuggets from my conversations with college coaches for the biggest impact recruit story.
--Keep an eye on Utah QB recruit Tyler Huntley, a 6-foot-2, 190-pounder from South Florida. Much of the attention for the Utes' recruiting class has been on the arrival of former Washington QB Troy Williams, but don't forget about Huntley. He threw for 42 touchdowns and just 10 interceptions this season and led Hallandale HS to the Florida 5A regional finals for the first time in school history. He threw for more than 9,000 yards in his high school career and 106 TDs.
"I think Utah got the steal of the state," said one assistant coach from a Florida FBS program. "He can run. He can sling it. He's a heck of a player. This kid just has got the juice."
--Offensive guards seldom get headlines, but one veteran O-line coach we spoke to raved about Donavaughn Campbell, a 6-4, 350-pounder committed to LSU. "He's huge, but he's also a dynamic athlete who can move. He's badass."
--If soccer star-turned-WR Drake Davis isn't the best overall athlete in the 2016 recruiting class, then Tristen Wallace -- a 6-2, 225-pounder from Texas -- may be, according to a couple of college coaches. Wallace had been committed to Ohio State to play QB, but flipped his commitment to Oregon in December.
Wallace plays quarterback, but one coach said he could end up starting in college at running back, linebacker, wideout, tight end and maybe defensive end. "He can break 11 seconds in the 100," said one coach. "He's freaky explosive."
--Speaking of versatile athletes, Mique Juarez is another blue-chipper who's sparked some curiosity as to what position he ends up playing in college. "He is a grown-ass man," said one Big 12 coach of the Californian. "He may be more athletic than (Texas star freshman LB) Malik Jefferson." That's high praise, although another coach tempered that by saying he didn't think Juarez was as physical at the point of attack.
A third coach likened Juarez to Myles Jack and also wondered whether Juarez would work out better as a running back -- even though most see the 6-2, 225-pound product of Torrance, California, as a college linebacker.
Juarez is expected to be picking from UCLA, BYU, Alabama and Ole Miss.
--Georgia tight end recruit Isaac Nauta, a 6-3, 245-pounder from Buford, Georgia, almost got one vote from our college panel as the top impact freshman of 2016. That coach said he loved Nauta, especially his maturity and how he approaches the game like a professional. "He's a good athlete, but not a 6-5 or 6-6 guy who runs like a wide receiver. He can really play, though. I think he's going to help them right away."
--Another guy who almost made our list: CB Parrish Cobb, a 5-11, 180-pounder from Waco, Texas, committed to Oklahoma. "He has great feet and instincts," said one longtime Texas recruiter. "He's also very confident and a great competitor."
Bruce Feldman is a senior college football reporter and columnist for FOXSports.com and FS1. He is also a New York Times best-selling author. His latest book, “The QB: The Making of Modern Quarterbacks,” came out in October 2014. Follow him on Twitter @BruceFeldmanCFB and Facebook.