2013 Recruiting: Keanu Neal

(OrlandoSentinel.com)

Position:  Safety

Hometown/School:  Bushnell, FL - South Sumter

Height/Weight:  6'1/205

Rivals - 247Sports - Scout - ESPN

Other Offers:  Auburn, Clemson, South Carolina, USF, Georgia Tech

Report:  Neal committed to the Gators back on Florida's Junior Day in February.  Neal joined Nick Washington as Florida's 2013 commitments at the position.

Neal is a consensus 4-star recruit and Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN all rank him in the top 25 amongst safeties in the nation.

According to his Scout profile, Neal totaled 140 tackles, 4 INTs, and forced 4 fumbles last year for South Sumter.

As you can tell my his measurables, Neal is a big safety.  Some people see Neal as an OLB, but I see him playing safety with the Gators.

To the scouting reports.

We'll start off with the opinion of Scout.com's Chad Simmons.  Simmons touches on Neal's hard-hitting style which is he is known for.

Neal is a very strong tackler and a hard hitting safety. He plays some in and out of the box, but he is best when attacking the football at full speed. His strength is against the run right now, so he will need to improve on his coverage when he gets to the next level. He will need to work on his footwork and his hip rotation. He has the size to play early and he will a hitter people talk about.

Neal was invited to compete with the best at Nike's The Opening.  With the intense media coverage around the event, there are a couple tidbits on Neal's performance that I will share.

Neal's stock was on the rise according to Rivals analyst Mike Farrell($):

Neal is a big safety with good coverage skills and solid ball skills. His deflection to save the game for his team in winning the title after getting beaten for a touchdown earlier shows me he has a short memory, something needed for a defensive back. 

InsidetheGators.com ranked Neal as the best Florida commitment/target at the camp($):

He showed there is a lot more to his game that being a "smash-mouth" safety. Neal showed great instincts in the passing game, and the scary thing is, he did all this without pads on which brings a whole new dimension to his game.

Neal has been invited to some of the biggest national prep events including Gridiron Kings and The Opening.  Fans will get the chance to see Neal play in the Under Armour All-American Game in January.

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Wrapping Up The Rivals Challenge

Rivals hosted their first ever Rivals100 Challenge this weekend in Atlanta.  Caleb Brantley was the only Florida commit that was at the camp.  Rivals ranked the best defensive lineman for the weekend($) and Brantley came in third.  Here is what they had to say about his performance:

The 6-foot-3, 302-pound Florida commit came to Atlanta with a chip on his shoulder. Brantley felt he had something to prove coming in to the Challenge and he made sure the offensive linemen would remember his name. He had an incredibly high motor and did not give up on the play, even when the offensive linemen got in a good punch early. He won most of his 1-on-1 reps and really showed a competitive spirit. The nation's No. 8 defensive tackle was certainly one of the best at his position on Saturday.

While Brantley was the only Gator commit, there were a couple other targets including safety Leon McQuay III.  Rivals listed McQuay as having the third-best performance($) amongst all defensive backs:

McQuay arrived to Atlanta late Friday night, just came off a two-day team camp and normally plays safety. But he showed how talented he is in coverage during the one-on-one drills. The four-star standout has special athleticism, stays in the hip pocket of receivers and competes for every ball thrown his way. Oklahoma running back commit Greg Bryant was the only one to catch a pass on him all day.

2013 Recruiting: Nick Washington

Position:  Safety/Cornerback

Hometown/School:  Jacksonville, FL - Trinity Christian Academy

Height/Weight:  6'0/180

Rivals - 247Sports - Scout - ESPN

Other Offers:  Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Florida State, Miami, Ole Miss, Notre Dame, Tennessee

Report:  Washington committed to the Gators back in February when he was one of four to commit on Junior Day.  Growing up in Jacksonville, Washington lived in a house full of Gator fans.

The four recruiting services all rank Washington as a top 20 prospect at his position.  They also all agree that Washington is a 4-star.

Washington has been contributing for Trinity Christian since he was in the eighth grade.  Washington was an All-Conference performer his sophomore year and was named AP Class 3A first team last year.

Washington has been on the radar of college scouts for awhile.  EliteScoutingServices.com profiled Washington after his junior year.  Here is what they had to say:

He is a versatile athlete. Turn on any game and you are likely to see him make plays on either side of the football. He plays running back/receiver on offense and safety on defense. Physically he has all the tools you want in an athlete. Good size, nice speed and can best yet, Washington makes plays. His upside continues to get better all the time.

Good to hear.  The main concern they have with Washington is if he can keep it going against tougher competition.  Scout continues the praise of Washington:

Washington is a versatile defensive back that could play corner, but safety is where he is at his best. He knows how to put himself in position to make plays on the ball, he has great ball-skills, and he tracks the ball well. In coverage, he needs to work on his burst out of his breaks and his ability to recover quicker. Against the run, he is a solid tackler. 

As with what Scout says, Washington could either end up playing safety or cornerback at Florida.  Here is what FlaGators, editor of AlligatorArmy.com, said about what position he will play:

If he’s going to play safety, he is going to have to add some bulk. Right now, he’s a corner.

With committing so early, there is the obvious chance of him switching his commitment.  However, I wouldn't be too worried about that too much.  He and his friend, Ahmad Fulwood (current UF commit), have always wanted to play on the same team.

Fans who may not have the opportunity to see him play in high school will get the chance as Washington will play in the Army All-American Game.  He was also invited to The Opening.

As you've read above, Washington is a great athlete.  He will also have the chance to play baseball for the Gators and he has said that he would like to.  Center Field will likely be his position if he does decide to play both sports.

Last fall, Washington did sustain a shoulder injury during a game.  However, there is good news for Florida fans as he is good to go after rehab.

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