Some thoughts from FNL...

There were an estimated 230 kids in attendance at "The Swamp" last night for Friday Night Lights, the elite showcase camp put on each July by the University of Florida.

Top prospects from all over the country -- TE Junior Pome'e made the trip all the way from California to spend some time with freshman DE Ronald Powell and make quite a statement on the field as well -- made the journey to compete in what is arguably one of the top stops on the summer camp circuit. While the elite-level talent may have been a bit down at the top, there were still plenty of impressive prospects who made an impression on the evening. Among them:

-- Although I did not get a great look at the quarterbacks (many I didn't recognize, due to the fact that it was 2012 and 2013 prospects getting most of the reps on the night), Zeke Pike (6-5, 225, Ft. Mitchell, Ky./Dixie Heights) is obviously a guy that very much stood out on the evening. He's a big kid, with a big arm, and he has to figure as one of the top quarterback prospects in the country for next year.

Another player who had his moments on Friday is Tyler Cameron (6-3, 215, Jupiter, Fla./Jupiter), and he is my early favorite to end up the QB for Florida in the Class of 2012. Cameron is a big lefty (not unlike a certain QB who just left), with good athleticism and the ability to put plenty of velocity on the ball. Like 2011 QB commit Jeff Driskel, Cameron plays on a high school team that has not had much success recently, and that is something that greatly hinders his production on Friday Nights. However, he has a lot of talent, and he is certainly a name to watch going forward.

-- At running back, the presence of Mike Bellamy (5-10, 180, Punta Gorda, Fla./Charlotte) created quite a buzz around the Swamp, and Bellamy did little to disappoint those in attendance. He displayed the incredible speed which has made him one of the top prospects in the entire country. It will be interesting to see what happens with his recruitment over the coming weeks and months. A reliable source at the event last night told me, "it's over yet for Mike." So we will see. Clearly, his situation bears some close watching as we start moving into the season.

While Bellamy made waves with his performance, Mike Blakely (5-9, 195, Bradenton, Fla./Manatee) also stood out as well. Blakely doesn't get nearly enough credit for his speed, and that was clearly the aspect of his game which stood out the most last night. While a common comparison for Blakely is to current Tampa Bay Buccaneers (and former Gators) RB Earnest Graham (a reasonable comparison, I might add), the big difference between the two is that Blakely does display that breakaway speed which separates him from Graham in that department.

Talented 2012 prospect Jamie Gilmore (5-7, 160, Citra, Fla./North Marion) showed the versatility that makes me such a big fan of his game. He can do so many things, which is good, because he doesn't have the build of a true workhorse running back. He will need to contribute as a receiver and a returner on the next level as well, and his performance in Gainesville showed why he will be able to do that. He's fast enough (runs in the 4.5-second range in the 40-yard dash) but it's his ability to change direction that makes him so dangerous with the ball in his hands. You hate to make the Brandon James comparison (because it's so easy to do), but he does fit in that mold.

-- The underclassmen were well represented at the wide receiver position. I've been a huge fan of Angelo Jean-Louis (6-0, 175, Wellington, Fla./Palm Beach Central) since I had a chance to watch him in a 7-on-7 event earlier this year. He's strong (hard to imagine he only weighed in at 173 at a Nike camp earlier this year -- he's got a big frame), tough, and simply understands football. He really has a nose for the ball, and a great feel for the game. While he is not a true "blazer," he has a real knack for finding a way to get behind the defense. Good performance last night, and I expect more out of him in the future.

Although I still see him more as a defensive back in college, Latroy Pittman (6-1, 200, Citra, Fla./North Marion) gets mention here. He passes the "eyeball test" with flying colors, but it's the way he plays the game which makes him so impressive. Pittman is aggressive and attacks the ball as a defender would (owing to his great ability in the secondary as well). Like Jean-Louis, you can't say that the overwhelming vertical speed is a part of his game, but he is still an incredibly impressive prospect who will be one of the top targets for Florida in the Class of 2012.

Florida commitments Javares McRoy (5-9, 170, Lakeland, Fla./Lakeland) and Ja'Juan Story (6-3, 195, Brooksville, Fla./Nature Coast) also took part in the festivities on Friday night. One other prospect to watch out for, who could possibly join the 2011 class down the like is Charles "C.J."Gaines (5-11, 175, Miami, Fla./Central). He is an absolute speedster who can get behind the defense on a regular basis. He also has the hips to potentially get a look at cornerback as well, although he worked out almost exclusively on offense.

-- To me, the tight end position might have been the deepest on the field for Friday Night Lights. Florida commitment Alcorus "AC" Leonard (6-3, 235, Jacksonville, Fla./University Christian) led the way, showing why he is so impressive on the 7-on-7 circuit. It's been mentioned to me in the past that the same things that make San Diego Chargers tight end Antonio Gates so great are very much apparent in the game of Leonard as well. He is a wide body, who really plays the game of football much like a great power forward does on the basketball court. Leonard will tend to "box out" smaller defenders, rendering them nearly helpless in their efforts to get to the ball.

Leonard also has excellent hands as well, the one aspect of the game of Nick O'Leary (6-4, 230, Palm Beach Gardens, Fla./Dwyer) which slightly betrayed him in the Swamp. I know some were disappointed by the performance of O'Leary, but this honestly isn't the stage where he is going to shine the brightest. He will always get it done when the lights come on during Friday nights in the fall. I still think he's a top-five prospect in the state of Florida. Players like him just don't come around too often.

The presence of Cameron Clear (6-6, 265, Memphis, Tenn./Central) and his big mohawk was quite a sight in Gainesville yesterday. The massive tight end falls in line with other jumbo prospects at the position this year who project more along the offensive line down the road (along with Alabama commitment Malcolm Facaine, Troy Niklas and Austin Seferian-Jenkins). Clear got a lot of attention from Urban Meyer during the event, and I would tend to think there is a very realistic chance that he picks up an offer from the Gators in the very near future.

Although he is committed to UCLA, Junior Pome'e (6-3, 210, Moreno Valley, Calif./Rancho Verde) put on quite a show as well. The talented hybrid wide receiver/tight end (in the mold of Cornelius Ingram) had quite a performance at Friday Night Lights. A former high school teammate of Ronald Powell, Pome'e clearly was hoping to make an impression on the Florida coaches, and seemed to make such an impact on the evening.

Even the 2012 class was represented at the position, with Sean Price (6-4, 205, Citra, Fla./North Marion) putting together a nice performance as well.

-- I wasn't overly impressed with the offensive line talent on hand to compete, although typically, the strength in Friday Night Lights has been in the skill positions more often than not. The standout for me, was easily Kyler Kerbyson (6-4, 285, Knoxville, Tenn./Catholic). Kerbyson was able to get a good punch and move defenders off of the ball in most of his match-ups. I would hesitate to call his showing "dominant," but he looked as if he could potentially slide into this class as a center or guard.

Another name to watch on the interior is Marcus Jackson (6-2, 290, Vero Beach, Fla./Vero Beach), who is currently committed to Miami. Although he has been quoted in the media as saying he is strong in his verbal pledge to the 'Canes, Jackson also maintains he will take official visits. Jackson also stopped by a spring practice earlier in the year, and attended a Junior Day event back in February. He continues to be a player who will hold a place on the board for the Gators over the coming months.

Finally, the play of Uneik Crumbley (6-3, 345, Americus, Ga./Sumter) deserves some mention as well. Crumbley is an absolutely massive human being. He does clearly need to reshape his body a bit, but he moves decently for his size. Obviously a project on the interior of the offensive line, he should start to pick up some mid-major and lower-level BCS offers in the coming weeks. There is definitely some potential in the enormous frame of Uneik Crumbley.

-- The strength of the line was clearly on the defensive side of the ball on Friday night from what I saw, as two 2012 prospects really stole the show during one-on-one drills. Dante Fowler (6-3, 237, St. Petersburg, Fla./Lakewood) and Jordan Jenkins (6-3, 235, Hamilton, Ga./Harris County) simply dominated the competition, regularly getting past the blockers tasked with preventing the pair from getting to the "quarterback." Jenkins is still lean, and looks to have plenty of room to add weight. Fowler is a little more stout, but not even 16 years old yet, according to his coach. In any case, I would fully expect both Fowler and Jenkins to be at the very top of the defensive end board for the Gators when they start looking ahead towards 2012.

The performance from Curt Maggitt (6-3, 210, Palm Beach Gardens, Fla./Dwyer) should not be overlooked either. He was very active, and made things difficult for a large majority of the offensive linemen in one-on-one drills. He is still getting back to 100 percent after having labrum surgery earlier in the year. Maggitt got a lot of one-on-one attention from Dan McCarney and former Gator great Kevin Carter, who worked the camp as well over the course of the evening.

Moving back to the Class of 2012, Quayvon Hicks (6-2, 255, Blackshear, Ga./Pierce County) is starting to pick up some attention, and it's not hard to see why. He is a high-motor guy who will cause a lot of disruption on the interior of the defensive line. He clearly projects at tackle, but still doesn't have a whole lot of bad weight on him, which is impressive for a player of his size. He looks the part, and figures to fit squarely into the mix for Florida's plans on the defensive tackle board for next year.

-- On paper, this had the makings of a stellar group to work out at the linebacker position. In the end, it was pretty average by the time the lights came on last night. The biggest name to participate would be A.J. Johnson (6-3, 235, Gainesville, Ga./Gainesville), who continues to look as if he will eventually be destined to play defensive end as he adds weight. Johnson moves well enough for his size, but he just continues to have the look of a player who will eventually on the defensive front in college.

USC commitment Kent Turene (6-2, 230, Lauderdale Lakes, Fla./Boyd Anderson) made an appearance at Friday Night Lights, but did not work out. Despite his pledge to the Trojans, he appears to still be an option on the board for the Gators at this point in the game.

If an option or two runs through at linebacker for Florida in the 2011 class, Anthony Harrell (6-1, 225, Tampa, Fla./Jesuit) could be a player to keep an eye on. The son of former Florida linebacker James Harrell, the younger Harrell is currently sitting on 20 offers, although he is still looking for some major BCS programs to extend an opportunity to play football at the next level. An interesting side note -- Harrell is very tight with star recruit James Wilder, and the two would more than welcome the opportunity to play alongside each other once again. Certainly an item to take note of moving forward...

-- The defensive backs were a mixed bag. While many heralded the presence of Charles Jackson (5-11, 185, Klein, Tex./Klein Collins), it was clear that Alex Dixon (6-0, 185, Clearwater, Fla./Countryside) and Nick Waisome (5-10, 170 Groveland, Fla./South Lake) also rose to the occasion as well. Dixon needs some tweaking in terms of his technique, but he possesses some nice physical tools that you don't see in just any cornerback prospect. The talents of Waisome need little mention in this space, as I have long discussed his abilities as a cover corner. He is still moving towards an August decision. Although Florida State continues to make a late push, Florida is still the leader for Waisome at this point.

At safety, Chris "Juice" Johnson (5-9, 205, Ocala, Fla./Trinity Catholic) clearly displayed the 10 pounds he told me he had gained this summer during a Thursday interview. Johnson, who is nearing a decision, walked off the field with Coach Heater. Could he be nearing a commitment to the Gators? Only time will tell...