The first edition of the ESPNU Top 150 for the Class of 2009 debuted today with Trojan verbal Matt Barkley (QB, Mater Dei) leading the way as the #1 prospect on the list. USC is tied with LSU for most players on the list with nine verbally committed players.
Here's the press release from ESPNU:
In anticipation of the forthcoming high school football season ESPNU revealed the ESPNU 150 Class of 2009 (formerly the ESPN 150) during a special edition of ESPNU Recruiting Insider: ESPNU 150 on the network this evening. The ESPNU 150, a nationwide ranking of top prep football prospects, pulls from scouting information and evaluations of nearly 2,200 prep prospects compiled by ESPN Scouts Inc.
Leading the ESPNU 150 ranking as the top ranked high school football player in the country was Quarterback Matt Barkley from Mater Dei High School in Westlake Village, Calif. Barkley was joined in the top five by No.2 Russell Shepard (ATH/Cypress Ridge High School, Houston, Tex.), No.3 Aaron Murray (QB/Plant Senior High School, Tampa, Fla.), No.4 Devon Kennard (DE/Desert Vista High School, Phoenix, Ariz.) and No.5 Dre Kirkpatrick (BD/Gadsden High School, Gadsden, Ala.).
Of the top five in the ESPNU 150, the top three have already committed. Barkley has committed to play at the University of Southern California, Shepard to Louisiana State and Murray to Georgia.
ESPNU 150 Class Of 2009: Facts, Notes and Trends:
· Louisiana State, Texas and University of Southern California tied for the most number of verbally committed players (nine) ranked in the ESPNU 150. Georgia and Ohio State are tied at second with six ESPNU 150 players committed to each and Clemson is third with five commitments.
· Edison and Seminole High Schools in Calif. and Fla. are respectively represented by three players each on the ESPNU 150. Edison is represented by T.J. McDonald, Rolando Jefferson and Cliff Harris and the Seminoles are represented by Ray Ray Armstrong, Andre Debose and Dyron Dye.
· The ESPNU 150 by State: Alabama -- 6; Arkansas – 1; Arizona – 3; California – 16; Florida – 23; Georgia – 16 Hawaii -- 1; Iowa – 2; Illinois – 5; Indiana – 2; Kansas – 1; Louisiana – 7; Maryland – 2; Michigan – 1; Minnesota -- 2 ; Missouri – 1; Mississippi – 2; North Carolina – 3; New Jersey – 1; Nevada – 1; Ohio – 6; Oklahoma – 2; Pennsylvania – 5; South Carolina – 10; Tennessee – 2; Texas – 19; Utah – 2; Virginia – 8;
The ESPNU 150 and year-long recruiting coverage is available at Recruiting Insider on ESPN.com, which provides in-depth national news and information about the athletes.
The ESPNU 150:
Rank Name Position High School City State
1. Matt Barkley QB Mater Dei High School Santa Ana CA
2. Russell Shepard ATH Cypress Ridge High School Houston TX
3. Aaron Murray QB Plant Senior High School Tampa FL
4. Devon Kennard DE Desert Vista High School Phoenix AZ
5. Dre Kirkpatrick CB Gadsden High School Gadsden AL
6. Manti Te'o OLB Punahou School Honolulu HI
7. Jacobbi McDaniel DT Madison County High Greenville FL
8. Craig Loston S Dwight D. Eisenhower High Aldine TX
9. Jelani Jenkins OLB Good Counsel High School Wheaton MD
10. Rueben Randle WR Bastrop High School Bastrop LA
11. Jaamal Berry RB Miami Palmetto High School Miami FL
12. Trent Richardson RB Escambia High School Pensacola FL
13. Mason Walters OT Frenship High School Wolfforth TX
14. Bryce Brown RB East High School Wichita KS
15. Damario Jeffery S Columbia High School Columbia SC
16. Dorian Bell OLB Gateway Senior High School Monroeville PA
17. Marlon Brown WR Harding Academy Memphis TN
18. Ray Ray Armstrong ATH Seminole High School Sanford FL
19. Devonte Holloman S South Pointe High School Rock Hill SC
20. Vontaze Burfict ILB Centennial High School Corona CA
21. Shaquelle Evans WR Inglewood High School Inglewood CA
22. Sam Montgomery DE Greenwood High School Greenwood SC
23. Cierre Wood ATH Santa Clara High School Oxnard CA
24. Nico Johnson ILB Andalusia High School Andalusia AL
25. Darius Winston CB West Helena Central High School Helena AR
26. Garrett Gilbert QB Lake Travis High School Austin TX
27. Paden Kelley OT Lake Travis High School Austin TX
28. Eric Fields OLB Northside High School Warner Robins GA
29. Stavion Lowe OT Brownwood High School Brownwood TX
30. Andre Debose WR Seminole High School Sanford FL
31. John Martinez OG Cottonwood High School Salt Lake City UT
32. Tyler Stockton DT The Hun School Of Princeton Princeton NJ
33. Kevin Graf OT Agoura High School Agoura CA
34. Richard Brehaut QB Los Osos Rancho Cucamonga CA
35. Washaun Ealey RB Emanuel County Institute Twin City GA
36. A.J. McCarron QB Saint Pauls Episcopal School Mobile AL
37. Jheranie Boyd WR Ashbrook High School Gastonia NC
38. Darren Myles Jr. S Carver High School Atlanta GA
39. Frankie Telfort OLB Gulliver Prep School Miami FL
40. Kendall Kelly WR Gadsden High School Gadsden AL
41. Jarvis Giles RB Gaither High School Tampa FL
42. Prince Kent S Norcross High School Norcross GA
43. Branden Smith ATH Booker T. Washington High School Atlanta GA
44. Montrell Conner RB Ouachita Parish High School Monroe LA
45. Randall Carroll WR Cathedral High School Los Angeles CA
46. Austin Long OT Briarcrest Christian High School Memphis TN
47. Morrell Presley TE Carson High School Carson CA
48. Morgan Moses OT Meadowbrook High School Richmond VA
49. Jamarkus McFarland DT Lufkin High School Lufkin TX
50. Xavier Nixon OT Jack Britt High School Fayetteville NC
51. Corey Adams DT Saguaro High School Scottsdale AZ
52. Xavier Su'a Filo OG Timpview High School Pleasant Grove UT
53. Je'Ron Stokes WR North East High School Philadelphia PA
54. Chris Davenport DT Mansfield High School Mansfield LA
55. Chris Burnette OG Troup County Comprehensive High Sch La Grange GA
56. Barrett Matthews TE North Shore High School Houston TX
57. Chris Payne S Columbia High School Columbia SC
58. Nick Alajajian OG Naples High School Naples FL
59. Darrell Givens CB Lackey High School Indian Head MD
60. Brandon McGee ATH Plantation High School Fort Lauderdale FL
61. Demonte McAllister DE Alonso High School Tampa FL
62. Chris Whaley RB Madisonville High School Madisonville TX
63. Jarvis Jones OLB Carver High School Columbus GA
64. Christine Michael RB West Brook Senior High School Beaumont TX
65. Bryce McNeal WR Breck School Minneapolis MN
66. David Wilson RB George Washington High School Danville VA
67. Craig Drummond DE Morgan Park High School Chicago IL
68. Chris Watt OG Glenbard West High School Glen Ellyn IL
69. David Barrent OT Valley High School Clive IA
70. Byron Moore Jr. ATH Narbonne High School Harbor City CA
71. Gerald Demps S Lowndes High School Valdosta GA
72. Eric Shrive OT West Scranton High School Scranton PA
73. C.J. Barnett CB Northmont Senior High School Clayton OH
74. Darius Jones ATH Marshall High School Marshall TX
75. Thomas Ashcraft OG Cedar Hill High School Cedar Hill TX
76. Janzen Jackson CB Barbe High School Lake Charles LA
77. Gabe Lynn S Jenks High School Jenks OK
78. Marcus Hall OT Glenville High School Cleveland OH
79. Quinton Washington OG Timberland High School Saint Stephen SC
80. Marcus Davis CB Clear Creek High League City TX
81. Joshua Downs DT Bastrop High School Bastrop LA
82. Tom Wort OLB New Braunfels High New Braunfels TX
83. Terry Hawthorne WR East Saint Louis Sr. High School East St. Louis IL
84. Gary Brown DT West Gadsden High School Quincy FL
85. Stephon Gilmore ATH South Pointe High School Rock Hill SC
86. Craig Roh DE Chaparral High School Scottsdale AZ
87. Steve Williams CB Skyline High School Dallas TX
88. Donavan Tate ATH Cartersville High School Cartersville GA
89. T.J. McDonald S Edison High School Fresno CA
90. Josh Nunes QB Upland High School Upland CA
91. Isaiah Bell S Liberty High School Youngstown OH
92. Logan Heastie WR Great Bridge High School Chesapeake VA
93. Jamie Wood S Pickerington Central High School Pickerington OH
94. Justin Chaisson DE Bishop Gorman High School Las Vegas NV
95. Zach Mettenberger QB Oconee County High School Watkinsville GA
96. Victor Marc ATH Hallandale High School Hallandale FL
97. Alshon Jeffrey WR Calhoun County High School Saint Matthews SC
98. Tom Savage QB Cardinal O'Hara High School Philadelphia PA
99. Logan Thomas ATH Brookville High School Lynchburg VA
100. Dexter Pratt RB Navasota High School Navasota TX
101. Dexter Moody OLB Emanuel County Institute Twin City GA
102. Jamal Reid WR Lafayette High School Mayo FL
103. Kevin Brent S South Oak Cliff High Dallas TX
104. Jon Bostic OLB Palm Beach Central High School Wellington FL
105. Zach Martin OT Bishop Chatard High School Indianapolis IN
106. Tana Patrick OLB North Jackson High School Stevenson AL
107. Melvin Fellows DE Garfield Heights High School Garfield Heights OH
108. Kraig Appleton WR East Saint Louis Sr. High School East St. Louis IL
109. Edwin Baker RB Oak Park High School Oak Park MI
110. Patrick Hall ATH Saint Bonaventure High School Ventura CA
111. Keenan Davis WR Washington High School Cedar Rapids IA
112. Ryne Giddins DE Armwood High School Seffner FL
113. Greg Reid ATH Lowndes High School Valdosta GA
114. Jamal Patterson WR Henry County High School McDonough GA
115. Lamar Miller RB Miami Killian High School Miami FL
116. Blaine Dalton QB Blue Springs South High School Blue Springs MO
117. Rolando Jefferson WR Edison High School Fresno CA
118. Tariq Allen ILB MacArthur High School Irving TX
119. Moses Alipate QB Jefferson High School Bloomington MN
120. Antwan Lowery DT Christopher Columbus High School Miami FL
121. Tajh Boyd QB Phoebus High School Hampton VA
122. Jack Mewhort OC St. John High School Toledo OH
123. David Oku RB Carl Albert High School Midwest City OK
124. Bryn Renner QB West Springfield High School Lorton VA
125. Mike Gillislee RB Deland High School Deland FL
126. D.J. Fluker DT Foley High School Foley AL
127. Alex Mascarenas ATH Mission Viejo High School Mission Viejo CA
128. Malliciah Goodman DE West Florence High School Florence SC
129. Drayton Calhoun ATH Tucker High School Tucker GA
130. Kevin Minter OLB Peachtree Ridge High School Suwanee GA
131. E.J. Banks ATH Montour High School Mckees Rocks PA
132. Eugene Smith QB Miramar High School Miramar FL
133. D.J. Adams RB Norcross High School Norcross GA
134. Denard Robinson ATH Deerfield Beach High School Deerfield Beach FL
135. Chad Bumphis ATH Tupelo High School Tupelo MS
136. Eddie Lacey RB Dutchtown High School Geismar LA
137. J.K. Jay OT Christ Church Episcopal High Greenville SC
138. Cliff Harris CB Edison High School Fresno CA
139. Michael Ford RB Leesville High School Leesville LA
140. Chris Bonds DT Richland Northeast High School Columbia SC
141. Tate Forcier QB Scripps Ranch High School San Diego CA
142. Dyron Dye DE Seminole High School Sanford FL
143. Jon Budmayr QB Marian Central Catholic High Woodstock IL
144. Kendrick Hardy RB Lawrence County High School Monticello MS
145. Morgan Newton QB Carmel High School Carmel IN
146. Donte Moss DE Northside High School Jacksonville NC
147. Kevin Newsome ATH Hargrave Military Academy Chesapeake VA
148. Jerrod Askew OLB Oscar Frommel Smith High School Chesapeake VA
149. Alex Okafor DE Pflugerville High School Pflugerville TX
150. Duron Carter WR Saint Thomas Aquinas School Fort Lauderdale FL
