I had the pleasure of attending Champagnat Catholic's practice today as they prepare for a big playoff game this week. In only the football program’s fourth season of existence, the Lions are two wins away from a 2A state title. The team will travel to Largo, Florida to face Indian Rocks Christian on Friday in the state semifinal matchup. Although most Miami fans only know Champagnat because of DT commit Travonte Valentine, this is a program loaded with talent for years to come. It is amazing what this program has to endure to even put a team out there. The school does not have a weight room or a practice field. Practices are conducted a few blocks from the school at Cotson Park. There are 138 students in total at the high school.
**First off, here is a quick Travonte Valentine update before my full interview with him is posted tonight. Head Coach Mike Tunsil insists that his credits issues will be cleared up by the time he needs to enroll at Miami saying, “Qualifying will be easy for him.” As far as his commitment status to the ‘Canes, Tunsil says that although LSU and Alabama are making strong runs at him, he still expects Travonte to sign with Miami in part because he’s a “momma’s boy”. In the interview I will post tonight, Valentine did have good things to say about LSU, but remained consistent with saying he is solid to Miami and got excited talking about the future of the ‘Canes defensive line.
**Miami still needs to add another safety in this class and every time I watch Champagnat’s Michael Johnson I come away more impressed. Johnson is a Louisville commit without a Miami offer and the ‘Canes staff did not seem very interested in him, but Tunsil said that he is still trying to figure out if Miami would make a move on Johnson because his star safety remains very interested. Johnson is a legit 6-2, 185 right now and will explode once he hits a college weight room.
**2016 WR Darnell Salomon is an absolute freak at 6-3, 187. He will be a top 5 prospect at his position nationally and he already holds offers from LSU and Alabama. Strangely, Miami has not reached out to him yet in any capacity and the ‘Canes are already playing catch-up. Aside from the two big offers he has, Florida is close to offering him as well. There is no doubt we will be hearing his name over the next two years.
**2016 ATH Antwan Webster is a special talent at safety. A Champagnat coach told me that he has that special “IT” factor that Killian’s JaQuan Johnson brings to the table, except Webster seems to have more physical ability. Antwan is the younger brother of Denver Broncos rookie CB Kayvon Webster, a former standout at Pace and USF. Georgia is the school he likes early on.
**2015 WR Steven Claude is having a very productive season for the Lions and is one of the fastest prospects in South Florida. I need to see more from him to determine whether or not he’s Big 3 caliber, but he is a high-BCS recruit easily.
**I am going to be excited to watch the progression of Champagnat’s QB Kato Nelson (2016) over the next couple of years. Nelson is already about 6-feet tall and has a very live arm to go along with his ability to run the football.
**2015 CB Gerald Robinson is a stud who loves Miami. Robinson holds offers from Kentucky and UCF already and is the nephew of former Hurricane Ethnic Sands.
Non-Champagnat Notes
Here are a couple non-Champagnat related things I picked up from Dade County coaches who were at practice.
**This is not groundbreaking news, but Calvin Ridley and Shawn Burgess-Becker are a package deal 100% for next year’s class. The two of them grew up in the same foster home and are living together now as well. Also on Burgess-Becker, a 7-on-7 coach of his told me he believes he is a safety at the next level.
**I received more confirmation today from a Carol City coach that Trayone Gray will need to head to either Prep school or a Junior College. I also asked the coach what position Gray should play in college and he says it will be receiver. Gray has never played defense in his life and that would be a tough transition to make for the college level. At running back, the coach thinks Gray runs too high. I made note that Gray looked a lot faster this season and the coach told me they have timed him running in the 4.3s.
**Dade County’s best-kept secret is about to blow up. 2015 Carol City CB Rashad Fenton led the county in interceptions this season with 6 and that has caught the attention of schools like Alabama, LSU, Florida, Florida State, and Miami. Fenton transferred to Carol City from Norland prior to the season and stands at about 5-11, 175. The Carol City coach told me Fenton has special ball skills and all he needs to work on his getting more physical in the run game.
**First off, here is a quick Travonte Valentine update before my full interview with him is posted tonight. Head Coach Mike Tunsil insists that his credits issues will be cleared up by the time he needs to enroll at Miami saying, “Qualifying will be easy for him.” As far as his commitment status to the ‘Canes, Tunsil says that although LSU and Alabama are making strong runs at him, he still expects Travonte to sign with Miami in part because he’s a “momma’s boy”. In the interview I will post tonight, Valentine did have good things to say about LSU, but remained consistent with saying he is solid to Miami and got excited talking about the future of the ‘Canes defensive line.
**Miami still needs to add another safety in this class and every time I watch Champagnat’s Michael Johnson I come away more impressed. Johnson is a Louisville commit without a Miami offer and the ‘Canes staff did not seem very interested in him, but Tunsil said that he is still trying to figure out if Miami would make a move on Johnson because his star safety remains very interested. Johnson is a legit 6-2, 185 right now and will explode once he hits a college weight room.
**2016 WR Darnell Salomon is an absolute freak at 6-3, 187. He will be a top 5 prospect at his position nationally and he already holds offers from LSU and Alabama. Strangely, Miami has not reached out to him yet in any capacity and the ‘Canes are already playing catch-up. Aside from the two big offers he has, Florida is close to offering him as well. There is no doubt we will be hearing his name over the next two years.
**2016 ATH Antwan Webster is a special talent at safety. A Champagnat coach told me that he has that special “IT” factor that Killian’s JaQuan Johnson brings to the table, except Webster seems to have more physical ability. Antwan is the younger brother of Denver Broncos rookie CB Kayvon Webster, a former standout at Pace and USF. Georgia is the school he likes early on.
**2015 WR Steven Claude is having a very productive season for the Lions and is one of the fastest prospects in South Florida. I need to see more from him to determine whether or not he’s Big 3 caliber, but he is a high-BCS recruit easily.
**I am going to be excited to watch the progression of Champagnat’s QB Kato Nelson (2016) over the next couple of years. Nelson is already about 6-feet tall and has a very live arm to go along with his ability to run the football.
**2015 CB Gerald Robinson is a stud who loves Miami. Robinson holds offers from Kentucky and UCF already and is the nephew of former Hurricane Ethnic Sands.
Non-Champagnat Notes
Here are a couple non-Champagnat related things I picked up from Dade County coaches who were at practice.
**This is not groundbreaking news, but Calvin Ridley and Shawn Burgess-Becker are a package deal 100% for next year’s class. The two of them grew up in the same foster home and are living together now as well. Also on Burgess-Becker, a 7-on-7 coach of his told me he believes he is a safety at the next level.
**I received more confirmation today from a Carol City coach that Trayone Gray will need to head to either Prep school or a Junior College. I also asked the coach what position Gray should play in college and he says it will be receiver. Gray has never played defense in his life and that would be a tough transition to make for the college level. At running back, the coach thinks Gray runs too high. I made note that Gray looked a lot faster this season and the coach told me they have timed him running in the 4.3s.
**Dade County’s best-kept secret is about to blow up. 2015 Carol City CB Rashad Fenton led the county in interceptions this season with 6 and that has caught the attention of schools like Alabama, LSU, Florida, Florida State, and Miami. Fenton transferred to Carol City from Norland prior to the season and stands at about 5-11, 175. The Carol City coach told me Fenton has special ball skills and all he needs to work on his getting more physical in the run game.
