Strong camp performances lead to new offers

With recruiting restrictions finally lifted for college football coaches, the Mega Camp sessions at Lindenwood University on Friday and Saturday figured to provide hundreds of football prospects with opportunities to show what they are capable of. Several took advantage and landed their first scholarship offers or added to their growing lists. Here is a look at a few prospects who turned strong performances into new offers. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="126237" first="Jeremiah" last="McClellan"], WR, CBC, Class of 2024</strong> McClellan, ranked as the No. 15 prospect in the Missouri 2024 rankings, is a player we have profiled here previously because it was only a matter of time before he would be able to showcase his talents on the field and in front of college coaches. McClellan played on CBC’s varsity in the fall, as a freshman, but saw limited opportunities behind a trio of Division I wide receivers – 2021 standouts [player_tooltip player_id="37160" first="Chevalier" last="Brenson"] (Ball State) and [player_tooltip player_id="37216" first="Zach" last="Hahn"] (Missouri walk-on) and 2023 speedster [player_tooltip player_id="99471" first="Dakotah" last="Mayo"]. He has good size (6-0, 185) and athleticism and is coming off a track season where he showed his speed running the 100-meter dash. McClellan didn’t have any Division I offers before his performance on Friday at Lindenwood, but he ended the day with several. Iowa, Michigan State, Arizona State, Minnesota, Miami-Ohio and Austin Peay were the first to extend offers, but he will have plenty more to choose from if he lives up to his potential over the next three high school seasons. <iframe src="//www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/14614385/5fd0e9e2ff02770b687c85ba" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="37659" first="Allen" last="Mitchell"], RB-WR, De Smet, Class of 2023</strong> Mitchell entered Friday’s Mega Camp with a few Division I offers and fresh off an unofficial visit to Kansas State, but the versatile running back-slot receiver’s recruiting took another big step with a pair of Big Ten Conference offers. Michigan State and Minnesota joined Kansas State, Kansas and Kentucky on Mitchell’s impressive growing offer list, a list that will grow to double digits before long as more schools get a look at what he’s capable of. Mitchell has had limited opportunities in his first two seasons at De Smet, but figures to be a guy who gets many more touches the next two seasons. <iframe src="//www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/12850769/5fc9436f64ea1908b4ef689e" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="37530" first="Caleb" last="Merritt"], WR-DB, John Burroughs, Class of 2022</strong> Merritt is a player who has already attracted plenty of attention, including an offer from Navy in late May, but he solidified his standing as a Division I prospect with a strong performance on Friday. Merritt’s performance at Lindenwood, where he self-reported a 4.53 40-yard dash and broad jump of 10 feet 4 inches, led to new scholarship offers from Wyoming and Eastern Illinois. The 6-foot, 180-pound Merritt is another guy who will have plenty of options, including several Ivy League schools, when it comes time to make a decision on his college destination. <iframe src="//www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/8590453/6087985d02b1891750b56041" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="99517" first="Alex" last="Ginnever"], TE-DE, Holt, Class of 2022</strong> Holt High School has several prospects to keep an eye on this fall (and the future) and Ginnever, a 6-5, 230-pound tight end, is one of the most intriguing with his combination of size and skills. The rising senior received his first scholarship offer on Friday from Eastern Illinois, but he should attract plenty of attention as he continues to develop. Ginnever’s junior film shows him split out and running routes and making catches down the field but also shows what he brings to the table as a blocker (in space). <iframe src="//www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/11402503/5fa1b867e97b9f0bf41d7da7" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> &nbsp; &nbsp;