Inside recruiting/Linebackers

Recruiting analyst Bobby Burton ranks the top 25 senior prospects.

                                             Town/High school
                                             (schools player is
Rk.   Name               Ht./Wt.    40 Yd.   considering)

 1.   Kevin Simon        5-11/215   4.43     Concord, Calif./De La
                                             Salle (Fla. St.,
                                             Miami, Mich., USC,
                                             UCLA, Tenn., Texas
                                             A&M)

Simon has played most of this season at running back, but it
is his combination of speed and tenacity on defense that has
college coaches clamoring for his signature. His play has
helped extend De La Salle's national-record winning
streak, now at 110 games.

 2.   Michael Craven     6-1/215    4.56     La Quinta, Calif./La
                                             Quinta (Stanford,
                                             UCLA, Miami, Ohio
                                             State, Fla. State,
                                             USC)

 3.   Marvin Simmons     6-0/218    4.39     Long Beach, Calif./
                                             Poly (UCLA, Miami,
                                             Neb., Ohio St., USC,
                                             Tenn.)

 4.   Leon Williams      6-4/232    4.6      New York/Canarsie
                                             (Penn St., Miami,
                                             Syra., Mich., Mich.
                                             St., Ohio St., Tenn.,
                                             Wis.)

 5.   Lemarcus Rowell    6-3/212    4.67     Opelika, Ala./
                                             Opelika (Fla. St.,
                                             Neb., Tenn., Ala.,
                                             LSU, Ga., Ark., S.
                                             Caro., Clemson)

 6.   Jeb Huckeba        6-5/201    4.47     Searchy, Ark./Harding
                                             Acad. (Neb., Fla.
                                             State, Ark., Tenn.)

 7.   Derrick Johnson    6-4/205    4.4      Waco, Texas/Waco
                                             (Texas, Fla. State,
                                             Oklahoma, Ark., UCLA,
                                             Texas A&M)

 8.   Reggie Arden Jr.   6-5/225    4.7      Ironton, Ohio/Ironton
                                             (committed to Ohio
                                             State)

 9.   Scott McClintock   6-3/240    4.58     Belle Vernon, Pa./
                                             Belle Vernon
                                             (committed to
                                             Michigan)

10.   Spencer Havner     6-3/215    4.65     Nevada City, Calif./
                                             Nevada Union
                                             (committed to UCLA)

11.   Joe Dipre          6-5/240    4.8      Erie, Pa./Cathedral
                                             Prep (committed to
                                             Kentucky)

12.   Jonathan Jackson   6-4/220    4.56     Houston/North Shore
                                             (Fla. St., Miami,
                                             Texas, Texas A&M,
                                             Colo., Iowa St.,
                                             Okla.)

13.   Willie Jones       6-2/195    4.5      Miami/Carol City
                                             (Boston College,
                                             Clemson, Fla. State,
                                             NC State)

14.   Brandon Williams   6-2/209    4.45     Port Allen, La./
                                             Port Allen (Fla.
                                             State, LSU, Texas
                                             A&M, Auburn)

15.   Tabugbo Anyansi    6-1/207    4.7      Mabelton, Ga./
                                             Pebblebrook (Ga.
                                             Tech, Clemson, Fla.
                                             State, Miami, Tulane)

16.   Matt Siclair       6-3/240    4.58     St. Louis/St. Louis
                                             University (Ohio St.,
                                             Illinois, UCLA,
                                             Notre Dame)

17.   Doug Justice       6-3/215    4.81     Port Orange, Fla./
                                             Spruce Creek (Mich.,
                                             Fla., N.D., Duke, NC
                                             State, Stan., S.
                                             Caro.)

18.   Chris Rudiger      6-1/230    4.81     La Mirada, Calif./La
                                             Mirada (committed to
                                             Stanford)

19.   Mark Jackson       6-2/218    4.6      Toronto/Western Tech
                                             (Mich., Mich. St.,
                                             Ohio St., Tenn.)

20.   Corey Mays         6-2/230    4.6      Chicago/Morgan Park
                                             (Mich. St., N.D., Ga.
                                             Tech, B.C., Miami,
                                             Neb., Ill., Mich.)

21.   Roger McIntosh     6-4/210    4.6      Gaffney, S.C./Gaffney
                                             Clemson, Fla. St.,
                                             Miami, Penn St., Va.
                                             Tech, Tenn.)

22.   Kevis Coley        6-2/200    4.5      Palatka, Fla./
                                             Palatka (Fla., Fla.
                                             State)

23.   Brent Glover       6-2/235    4.6      Fort Thomas, Ky./
                                             Highlands (Ga. Tech,
                                             Purdue, Penn St.,
                                             Fla., Tenn., Ky.)

24.   Ikiaka Curnan      5-11/230   4.5      Honolulu/St. Louis
                                             Prep (Neb., Arizona,
                                             Hawaii)

25.   LeMar Stewart      6-1/225    4.6      Reading, Pa./Reading
                                             (committed to Penn
                                             State)

RELATED ARTICLE: recruiting dish

The Nike training camp held at USC last summer resembled a veritable "Who's Who" of the nation's best high school linebackers--including Kevin Simon, Michael Craven and Marvin Simmons, the top three on the board. Some think Simon, the most versatile of the bunch, is destined to land at outside linebacker or strong safety, but he could be a great college fullback as well. Craven is the prototypical high-hipped inside linebacker. Simmons is a speed demon who makes a habit of disrupting plays.... Powerhouse St. Louis Prep of Honolulu continues to produce top players. Lombardi Award finalist Dominic Raiola of Nebraska is a former Crusader, as are three starting D-I quarterbacks this season--Washington State's Jason Gesser, Utah's Darnell Arceneaux and Hawaii's Timmy Chang. This year's top prospect is Ikiaka Curnan, who may be the best defensive prospect the school has turned out since current Arizona LB Joe Siofele.

Bobby Burton is the editor of Rivals100.com, a member of the Rivals.com network.

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