U.S. Army All-American Bowl (January 5th, 12:00 CST, NBC)
The U.S. Army Bowl will take place at the Alamodome in San Antonio, and as
usual, there is a strong contingent of West Coast prospects playing in the game.
Here is a look at the prospects, all on the West, representing the Western part
of the country in the 13th annual game.
Offense
Leading the way offensively for the West is the nation's premier quarterback and
running back as well as fullback (who will likely play on defense).
Sammamish (Wash.) Skyline quarterback Max Browne is the second Spartan
quarterback selected to the game. The nation's #1-ranked passer follows Jake Heaps in leading the West. He'll head to USC the week following the game
for early enrollment.
Los Angeles (Calif.) Cathedral quarterback Hayden Rettig joins Browne on the
West roster, completing a remarkable comeback from a junior season that was lost
to injury. Rettig is committed to LSU, one of a number of future Bayou
Bengals in the game.
In the backfield, the nation's top running back, Justin Davis from Stockton
(Calif.) Lincoln will lead the group. Like Browne, Davis will enroll at
USC following the game. Davis was at the U.S. Army Combine a year ago and
was arguably the best running back there.
Joining Davis in the backfield is another five-star running back in Thomas Tyner, the Oregon commit from Beaverton (Ore.) Aloha who had a record-setting
senior season.
Chans Cox, from Lakeside (Ariz.) Blue Ridge, is the nation's #1 fullback by
Scout.com, but he will likely be playing linebacker this week.
At receiver, Mission Hills (Calif.) Alemany receiver Steven Mitchell joins the
mix, another future Trojan, who also shined at the U.S. Army Combine last
January.
Up front, three offensive linemen dot the roster, all tops at their position in
their states.
In fact, Parker (Colo.) Ponderosa offensive guard Chris Fox, a Michigan commit,
and Bellflower (Calif.) St. John Bosco offensive tackle Nico Falah, a USC
pledge, top their respective groups in the region.
Rounding out that group is Honolulu (Hawaii.) St. Louis offensive guard Reeve Koehler, the lone uncommitted prospect from the region on offense.
Defense
Defensively, up front the West has a pretty stout group, with a pair of Scout
300 defensive ends, a four-star defensive tackle and a five-star defensive
tackle.
The headliner here is Auburn (Calif.) Placer five-star defensive tackle Eddie Vanderdoes, a top 10 player overall nationally, and now, uncommitted, having
publicly announced he's decommitted from USC. Vanderdoes is still
considering the Trojans, along with Notre Dame, UCLA and Washington.
Next to him will be Scott Pagano from Hawaii, who's headed to Clemson and the
top defensive linemen in Hawaii
At defensive end are a couple of Inland Empire prospects in USC verbal Kylie Fitts from Redlands (Calif.) East Valley (though it's uncertain if he'll play
after mid-season surgery), and Upland (Calif.) defensive end Joe Mathis, who's
set to announce during the Army Bowl, from a group that includes Washington,
UCLA and Alabama among others.
At linebacker, Bellevue (Wash.) four-star Myles Jack, the top defensive prospect
in the Northwest, and a commit to UCLA, was one of the standouts last January at
the U.S. Army Combine, and despite Bellevue's success nationally the last
decade, he becomes only the second Wolverine player ever selected to the Army
Bowl.
Joining Jack at linebacker is Michael Hutchings, a four-star from Concord
(Calif.) De La Salle, who's committed to USC. Like Jack, Hutchings comes
from one of the premier programs in the country, but one that hasn't sent a lot
of players to the Army Bowl.
In the secondary, the nation's top ranked safety, Su'a Cravens from Murrieta
(Calif.) Vista Murrieta, will anchor a strong contingent of defensive backs.
The future Trojan is one of a handful of USC commits in the game.
Rancho Cucamonga (Calif.) teammates Chris Hawkins, a four-star cornerback
committed to USC, and four-star safety Tahaan Goodman, who's uncommitted, team
up for possibly the last time as preps.
Special Teams
Colorado Springs (Colo.) The Classical Academy kicker Daniel Carlson, a pledge
to Auburn, and fellow Colorado native, punter Miles Bergner, who's committed to
South Dakota, will handle the kicking and punting duties respectively.