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More top 100 profiles
SuperPrep's Allen Wallace, CNNSI.com's official recruiting expert, is spending the summer catching up with members of his preseason top 100 team for 2001. Below are his reports on eight of the nation's top prospects. For more detailed information on these and other players, visit SuperPrep. Antrel Rolle, CB/ATH, 6-0, 190, 4.5, Homestead South Dade, Fla. "He reminds you of Deion Sanders. Really special. Very talented," said one college coach. Rolle is quick, agile and has fine cover speed. He plays a tough corner and looks exciting as a punt returner. Rolle had three interceptions last season and also scored three TDs on special team runbacks. Rolle favors MIAMI (recruiting the hardest, would play SS, 90 percent sure, childhood favorite, team on the rise, 35 minutes from home, "I've been around them for awhile and am very familiar with the school and everyone on the team," he said. "I would have committed a while ago my mom says I need to take my trips. I don't think I'll change my mind. That's where I'm going but I haven't made a verbal yet.") big over FLORIDA (CB), NOTRE DAME (SS/CB), NEBRASKA (CB) and MICHIGAN (CB/WR). Quan Cosby, ATH, 5-10, 180, 4.4, Mart, Texas Amazing junior stats -- 1,500 yards rushing/32 rushing TDs/1,300 yards passing/17 passing TDs/9 special team returns for TDs! "I'm quick and versatile and I can fly," said Cosby. "I consider myself a playmaker. I'm only playing QB in high school and special teams. The colleges want me for wide receiver or defensive back. I prefer wide receiver. Since I'm always playing QB, I don't get much practice catching and I'll probably need to work on that." "I'm looking for a school where I can play as a true freshman. It would need to be a somewhat successful program and a school that will also let me play baseball (CF, .500) and all the schools that have offered me for football have also said I could play baseball." Cosby denies a leader but favors TEXAS (recruiting the hardest, nice weather, familiar with school, one-and-a-half hours from home, childhood favorite), FLORIDA STATE (national champs, likes the baseball program, childhood favorite), UCLA (never visited Calif.), LSU and NOTRE DAME. Airese Currie, WR, 5-11, 180, 4.4, Columbia Richland Northeast, SC. "I mix it up a lot I can make moves if I need to, or I can just power over you," said Currie. When college coaches discuss Currie, they initially focus on one thing: speed. "He is about to blow up on everybody. "Great speed (10.36 100m, 21.3 200m and 48.6 400m.)!" said one recruiter. Last season, he had 35 catches for 486 yds and nine scores. He also scored twice on punt returns, one a 94 yarder. Currie favors GEORGIA (beautiful campus, "The people there are very nice and I like the small town atmosphere," he said) slightly over TENNESSEE, CLEMSON (first to offer in March, "I might want to leave the state though. I don't really like South Carolina. I'm from North Carolina and have only lived here for two years."), NORTH CAROLINA and MICHIGAN STATE. Brent Rawls, QB, 6-5, 200, 4.7, Shreveport Evangel Christian, La. After spending the last three years as Brock Berlin's backup, Rawls takes control of Evangel's pass-happy offense. Rawls played WR last season (55 rec/719 yds/9 TDs) on Evangel's state 5A championship team. He has received little playing time at QB over last three seasons. Last year he completed 24 passes for 536 yds and five TDs. "He's got a great arm. He just needs some polish," said one college coach. "Coaches just tell me they love the way the ball comes off my hand and I'm a good runner and I have a real strong arm," said Rawls. "Brock was scared to get hit. We might even run some option with me there. Growing up, I loved FLORIDA and wanted to go there, but that is where Brock went and they have about five QBs. My parents will be real important to my decision. I want to go to a school that's got great academics and get a good degree there. I want to go to a place where I can play as soon as possible and not have to wait until my JR or SR year. It will help if a school is only trying to sign one QB. "TEXAS tells me they are only recruiting one QB and they are taking the first guy who commits to them," Rawls continued. "LSU and FSU are about even with TEXAS, and I'm also real serious about CLEMSON and LOUISIANA TECH. All have offered me." Kelly Baraka, RB, 6-1, 187, 4.4, Portage Northern, Mich. Baraka has done it all for Northern, playing RB, QB, WR, S and CB. Last season he rushed for 1,574 yards (8 yards per carry) and scored 26 TDs. Baraka is also an all-conference basketball player and was the state champion in the 200m dash as a soph. He camped at ND and MICH this summer. "This guy is the real deal," said one recruiting coordinator. He favors MICHIGAN ("I like their pro-style offense and the versatile use of their backs," he said) just slightly over NOTRE DAME (tradition, "It's always been a great program."), MICHIGAN STATE (visited unofficially in late July --"I feel I would fit in there."), PURDUE, PENN STATE and OHIO STATE (may visit before the end of summer). Rudy Niswanger, OL, 6-5, 270, 5.0, Monroe Ouachita Christian, La. Niswanger is well coached and has excellent footwork, strength (bench presses 345) and quickness. BPs 345. "He is right there with Andrew Whitworth (also a preseason top 100 team member),'' says one RC. "He may be a little quicker than Whitworth. He's got great quickness.'' Rudy favors LSU (parents attended, first to offer in Feb., "I like the coaches there," he said. "Nick Saban seems to really know what he is doing. He is definitely going to discipline the players. The team has already turned around a lot.") solidly over TEXAS A&M (camp), ARKANSAS, NEBRASKA and FLORIDA STATE. Niswanger is an excellent student with a 4.0 GPA. Tim Massaquoi, WR/ATH, 6-4, 215, 4.6, Orefield Parkland, Pa. Massaquoi is being recruited as a wide receiver, tight end, linebacker and safety. "Most schools like me at tight end, but some want to switch me up and put me on defense," Massaquoi said. "He's a great player," said one college coach. "He's big, athletic and runs extremely well. He could even grow into a linebacker." Massaquoi caught 21 passes last season on a team that featured the run. Favors MICHIGAN (tradition, football-oriented, likes stadium and campus) slightly over PENN STATE (only favorite visited), MICHIGAN STATE, NOTRE DAME and NEBRASKA. Bryan Randall, QB/DB, 6-2, 190, 4.6, Williamsburg Bruton, Va. "He's pretty good but he's no Ronald Curry yet," said one recruiting coordinator. Randall completed 80 of 151 passes for 1,386 yards, 11 TDs and five interceptions. On 172 carries he gained 1,025 yards and scored 19 TDs. Named first-team all-state as a DB last year in Group AA, state's second-largest classification (146 tackles, five interceptions, two blocked kicks). Also an all-state basketball player at point guard. Randall favors VIRGINIA TECH (engineering program, recruiting the hardest, "They are a young and building team," he said. "They have a good future and I could go in and make a difference," only two hours from home, also offered for basketball) slightly over TENNESSEE ("I could see myself be like a Tee Martin and they have a great basketball team. I would like to play basketball too and that will be a big factor."), NORTH CAROLINA (childhood favorite), NOTRE DAME and PENN STATE (tradition, TV exposure, "Joe Paterno is a legend and they have great academics."). Allen Wallace, the country's most renowned college football recruiting expert, is a regular contributor to CNNSI.com. For more, visit SuperPrep.
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