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Under Armour All-America Game 2016: How the Ole Miss recruits fared

Greg Little and Benito Jones showed out all week in practice in Orlando and did not disappoint in the game. See how those two and other Ole Miss targets played in the all-star game.

By Zach Berry
Student Sports

This past weekend saw some of the most talented high school football recruits gather in the Sunshine State for the Under Armour All-America Game. There were plenty of Ole Miss targets involved in the affair and they all made an impact in some form or fashion. Let's take a look at the Rebels' top targets and how their week closed out in the game.

5-star DL Rashan Gary

The big fella from Paramus, N.J. was a man on a mission at practice all week and during the game. Gary was all over the field whether it was in the backfield gobbling up tackles for loss or chasing down dual-threat quarterbacks in the open field. The 6'5, 290-pounder showed off his quickness and power as he was able to fight off linemen with ease and keep his eyes in the backfield to track the ball carrier. Rashan had three sacks in the game (UAAAG record) and took home MVP honors. He and Ole Miss commit Benito Jones were quite the duo for Team Highlight. Gary seems to be down to two schools in my opinion: Michigan and Ole Miss.

5-star OL Greg Little

Well, Mr. Little goes about his business in a methodical way. All week in practice all comers were turned away with surgical precision. The 6'6, 318-pound tackle from Allen, Tex. is able to subdue defenders with his length, initial punch and strong base. In the game there were many times that Team Armour's ends were trying to speed rush Little, but he was able to knock them off their path and recover with the powerful base he has. It's safe to say that the Ole Miss commit solidified his No. 1 OL ranking.

5-star DL Benito Jones

The Wrecking Ball from Wayne County had his struggles on day one of practice, but he quickly addressed those and had an outstanding game. The 6'0, 280-pound defensive tackle and Ole Miss commit finished the game with five tackles, four tackles for loss and one sack. Benito has a tremendous first step and flashed that on Saturday as he was in the backfield all afternoon. Jones is the anchor that Chris Kiffin needs in the middle as he will be an outstanding nose guard who can also shade over and utilize his quickness to get after the passer.

5-star WR Nate Craig-Myers

With the Drake Davis commitment to LSU, Mr. Craig-Myers will be a name you will hear more and more about. The 6'2, 205-pound receiver from Tampa, Fla. had an up and down week at practice as well showing some inconsistencies with his route running but the talent is there. Nate is another perfect specimen for Coach Grant Heard as he is a big, physical target that would be a spectacular player in Dan Werner's offense.

5-star DL Terrell Hall

Unfortunately, the 5-star defensive end from Washington, D.C. did not compete as he was nursing a leg injury and was on crutches all week. The 6'5, 251-pounder has shot up the rankings as of late after an impressive senior year and has been someone that everyone is wanting now. As of right now, it appears that the Alabama Crimson Tide are the favorite but Ole Miss and Coach Kiffin are not going to go down without a fight.

4-star WR A.J. Brown

It didn't take long for the Starkville, Miss. product to make a statement in the game. Brown had himself a nice catch and run early in the second quarter and flashed his strength and vision in the open field that high schools in Mississippi have come to expect. The 6'2, 220-pound receiver showed strong hands and precise route-running in practice and it showed in the game as he was able to find holes in the coverage all afternoon. Brown eventually flashed his strength at the line of scrimmage and snagged a touchdown in the red zone.

4-star WR Drake Davis

Welp. The Drake Davis Sweepstakes is over and Les Miles beat out Hugh Freeze at the finish line. The 6'4, 215-pound receiver from Baton Rouge, La. and iMG Academy chose the Tigers over the Rebels during the second quarter of the game. Davis made a couple catches in the game and showed his exceptional quickness and dangerous ability after the catch. Don't get it twisted, Davis could very well be an instant impact guy at LSU because he can attack you from multiple positions. Davis will certainly play receiver but can also make an impact in the kicking game.

4-star DB Nigel Knott

The athletic corner from Madison, Miss. flashed tons of ability in practice but also flashed some struggles. The 6'0, 170-pound Knott has enough athletic ability to fill a stadium but you can't teach height. Nigel can jump out the gym but he was physically overmatched at times due to his lack of size. Despite his weight limitations, he did flash a couple times in the game with some tight man to man coverage. Knott has something that you can't teach and that's elite quickness. He was able to break on the football many times to disrupt some potential catches.

4-star DB Shyheim Carter

The 4-star athlete from Kentwood, La. was another prospect who unfortunately did not play in the Under Armour All-America Game. The 5'10, 181-pound corner/receiver from the Boot was working primarily at defensive back in practice before aggravating a knee injury. Carter mentioned Ole Miss, Alabama and Georgia the most in interviews and it will more than likely be a signing day decision for him.

4-star DB Deontay Anderson

The big-time safety prospect from Manvel, Tex. had a bit of an up-and-down week in practice. Anderson was able to flash his athletic ability in pass coverage more times than not but he has added some bulk to help in run support and it has slowed him just a bit. Despite this, Anderson is a versatile safety recruit that Ole Miss wants in the worst way. Anderson seems to be down to Ole Miss, LSU and Texas.

4-star DB Carlos Becker

Newly-minted with a fourth star, Becker was a pleasant surprise for coaches in practice. The 6'2, 185-pound corner flexed his muscles in coverage with his length and leaping ability. Becker was a nuisance all week for receivers as he was able to get to some balls for deflections that most defensive backs could not. Carlos was also able to recover in coverage and make plays despite being beat initially off the line of scrimmage. That length is something that Dave Wommack and Jason Jones covet and he is a name to keep an eye on.