The US Army All-American Bowl is a football tradition and with so much superstar NFL talent including the likes of Adrian Peterson, Andrew Luck and Odell Beckham Jr. making stops there one their way to the NFL over the years it really is no surprise that there are so many eyes on the game every single year. This year’s US Army All-American Bowl was no different as a new era of playmakers showcased their talent, including five standout recruits that committed to college teams at this year’s game. Here is a look at the top five recruits from this year’s US Army All-American Bowl and where they decided to commit.
Dylan Crawford, Wide Receiver
Michigan Wolverines
The four-star wide receiver had offers from Michigan, Oregon, Miami and UCLA but ultimately chose to take his talents to the Wolverines where he will get the opportunity to play under Jim Harbaugh. An elite talent with considerable size, speed and catching ability, Crawford’s addition means Michigan joins LSU as the only college teams that will have 14 four-star recruits on their roster next season. Crawford’s ability to stretch the field will be key as the Michigan offense looks to add another dimension and become a more dangerous vertical passing team.
Ross Blacklock, Defensive Tackle
TCU Horned Frogs
The Missouri City, Texas-product considered Texas A&M and Houston before settling on TCU, becoming the second four-star defensive lineman to commit to the Horned Frogs in this year’s class. Blacklock is the son of a former Harlem Globetrotter. so it only makes sense that he is an amazing athlete and he has the strength, burst and hand technique to dominate at the point of attack. TCU has done an excellent job adding to its front-seven this offseason and Blacklock appears poised to become a star at the college level.
Donnie Corley, Wide Receiver
Michigan State Spartans
Corley went down to the wire when making his decision with Ohio State and Michigan both in the mix as well but ultimately, he settled on Michigan State. Corley is coming off a stellar high school career and he was outstanding in the US Army All-American Bowl game – including the winning Hail Mary catch as time expired. Corley is 6’2’’ and 185 pounds with elite speed and hands so it’s no surprise that he has been talked about as one of the best wide receivers coming out of high school and the next big thing headed to Michigan State.
Javon Mckinley, Wide Receiver
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
The third four-star wide receiver on this list opted to take his talents to Notre Dame and it wasn’t a surprise as the Fighting Irish appeared to be the most likely destination for him throughout the entire process. McKinley made a name for himself as one of the most prolific wide receivers in high school last year and his aggressiveness and precise footwork is what many experts feel will set him apart from the other top pass catchers in this year’s class. McKinley isn’t very tall at 6’1’’ but he is 194 pounds of pure muscle and his elite combination of speed and outstanding hands will make him a star at Notre Dame. They’ll need someone to replace the strong contributions of Will Fuller, who has departed for the NFL and should be a first-round pick.
Isaac Nauta, Tight End
Georgia Bulldogs
Nauta was recruited heavily by Alabama and Michigan but the five-star tight end ultimately decided to take his talents to Georgia where he will play closer to home under Kirby Smart. Some criticized his decision to pass up on the opportunity to play under Nick Saban at Alabama or in a tight end-friendly system under Harbaugh at Michigan but that doesn’t mean he won’t dominate for the Bulldogs where he should have friends and family on hand every single week. A complete tight end that can dominate as both a blocker and as a pass catcher, Nauta will continue to refine his technique at Georgia and should ultimately dominate at the next level as another 2016 US Army All-American Bowl participant.
