/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/58181023/6_8006718.0.jpg)
There are 2 major High School Football All-Star Games: the Army All-American Game, and the Under Armour All-American Game. Top players from around the country go to San Antonio and Orlando, respectively, to showcase their talents and compete against other top players.
First up this year is the Under Armour All-American Game. Both this game and the Army AA game have announced the rosters, and we’ll get to that in a bit. A bit of background on the pedigree of players who have participated in this game, from the Under Armour Roster Announcement press release:
More than 100 of the nation’s elite high school football players have been selected by ESPN Recruiting to participate in the eleventh annual Under Armour All-America Game. Over its 10-year history, the Under Armour All-America Game has produced many of football’s best collegiate and professional players. NFL Pro Bowlers like Julio Jones and A.J. Green competed in the inaugural game, while No. 1 overall NFL Draft selections like Jadeveon Clowney (2011), Jameis Winston (2012) and Myles Garrett (2014) are among the players that participated in later years. In total, 160 alumni of the Under Armour All-America Game have been selected in the NFL Draft, including 41 first-round draft picks and 14 NFL Pro Bowlers. The coaching staffs are headlined by former NFL head coach Steve Mariucci (Team Spotlight) and NFL Hall of Famer Deion Sanders (Team Highlight).
The eleventh annual Under Armour All-America High School Football Game presented by American Family Insurance is set for Thursday, Jan. 4, at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Fla. and will be televised live on ESPN2 at 7 p.m. ET.
The Jerseys for this game have already been unveiled, and they’re pretty sweet if you ask me:
A blackout is coming to Orlando. #UAAllAmerica
— Under Armour FTBL (@UAFootball) December 29, 2017
Introducing the Team Highlight @AllAmericaGame uniform. #IWILL pic.twitter.com/m4wcGbifu6
Orlando’s going to be a little warm, so we decided to bring our own ice. #UAAllAmerica.
— Under Armour FTBL (@UAFootball) December 29, 2017
Introducing the Team Spotlight @AllAmericaGame uniforms. #IWILL pic.twitter.com/KsOQupVl4Y
Now that we know what they’ll be wearing, here are the Canes commits and targets who will be participating in this year’s game:
Team Highlight
Signee TE Brevin Jordan - For my money, the nation’s top TE, and he’s continued to prove that he’s an elite player and a matchup nightmare throughout UA game practices this week. The Las Vegas (NV) Bishop Gorman star is playing with his HSFB QB, UCLA signee Dorian Thompson-Robinson, and has put on a show all week during practice. He’ll factor in the game, and early on in his time at Miami.
Also, let me take this time to say that Jordan should absolutely be a 5-star rated player, because he’s that good and shows it on the field. The fact that analysts won’t give him a 5th star because he’s “only” 6’3” — undersized for a TE in their eyes — is ridiculous. But whatever. I’ll take him on my team regardless of where he’s ranked. The kid can ball.
One-handed snag and a wave to the crowd to cap a big day for Under Armour All-American and #Miami signee @Brevinjordan https://t.co/4O7MgnqZJ1 pic.twitter.com/t4vE88kERP
— John Garcia, Jr. (@JohnGarcia_Jr) January 1, 2018
DTR to Brevin Jordan. pic.twitter.com/OFD2jI8fkW
— Andrew Ivins (@Andrew_Ivins) December 31, 2017
Brevin Jordan with another TD catch #UAALLAMERICA pic.twitter.com/AOHN9i3tej
— BrianDohn247 (@BrianDohn247) December 31, 2017
Team Spotlight
Signee CB Al Blades Jr. - This Ft. Lauderdale (FL) St. Thomas Aquinas DB is a Miami legacy — his father of the same name and uncles Bennie and Brian all played for Miami. He’s got good size and decent skill, but he’s stiff in the hips and can struggle with speed. I’ve always thought Blades Jr. was a Safety and not a Corner, and I stand by that. Obviously, a strong showing at the UA game would be a good thing.
Signee S Gurvan Hall - One of the best Safeties in the country, Palm Beach Gardens (FL) star Gurvan Hall is on track to start at FS for Team Spotlight in this game. Hall is tough and PHYSICAL, but can struggle in coverage at times. He has adjusted quickly in coverage this week in Orlando, and if he’s able to do that when he gets to Coral Gables next week, Hall should find his way onto the field early in his freshman year.
Signee OG Delone Scaife - this Miami (FL) Southridge has been flat dominant during UA game practices this week. He, like Jordan, is better than his ranking suggests, though maybe not a 5-star. Scaife is one of the more versatile linemen you’ll find, and has worked at both guard spots and right tackle this week. He should see significant playing time on Thursday, and could work his way into a starting role at Miami in 2018.
Delone Scaife vs. Austin Fontaine. pic.twitter.com/GBUuuVayiG
— Andrew Ivins (@Andrew_Ivins) December 31, 2017
Delone Scaife (@youngbull_51) got a lot of work at right tackle today. Cleveland Reed (@55clevelandreed) was lining up next to him at right guard.
— David Wilson (@DBWilson2) January 2, 2018
Signee OG Cleveland Reed - A standout lineman from Fort Meade (FL), Reed is a prototypical guard prospect at 6’3” 327lbs. As seen above, he’s worked at RG next to Scaife, and that’s where he’ll likely stay. Same as I said with Scaife, but Reed should see significant playing time on Thursday, and can work his way into the same in Coral Gables for the 2018 season.
Video: Miami OL signee Cleveland Reed and others going through 1-on-1s during Day 2 of @AllAmericaGame practices. https://t.co/g3vFp0n3RQ pic.twitter.com/OSTe5l9srp
— Andrew Ivins (@Andrew_Ivins) January 2, 2018
OT Nicholas Petit-Frere - This 5-star prospect is among the best offensive linemen in the country. Hailing from Tampa (FL) Berkeley Prep, Petit-Frere could commit to any school in America and they’d take him. At 6’6” 272lbs, Petit-Frere has great height and length and the frame to carry 300+ pounds to help with his strength at the point of attack. Miami is working to get NPF on campus for an official visit, but that’s still up in the air.
Make no mistake about it: if Miami gets Petit-Frere on campus for a visit that’s a huge win. If they get him to commit and sign, that’s a seismic recruiting win, the likes of which have seldom been seen in recent years for the Canes (yes, even with the kind of players they’ve battled for and gotten to sign this year.)
Now you know who to watch, but I’m sure there will be much more. Tune into the Under Armour All-American game on Thursday evening at 7pm on ESPN2 for all the action.
Which Canes signee are you most interested in watching? Hop in the comments and let me know.