This weekend in Charlotte, North Carolina was the fifth stop on the Nike SPARQ Combine tour and for the second consecutive weekend records were smashed. Over 1,500 athletes attended the event at Hough High School and the 2018 and 2019 classes put on a show. This weekend a trio of 2018 athletes tested exceptionally well and took over the top three spots nationally with their SPARQ ratings.
The most impressive 2018 athlete at the combine was DeJuan Ellis, hands down. Ellis, the No.1 QB and No.3 overall athletes in the 2018 Elite 101 earned a jaw-dropping 94.52 SPARQ rating for his performance at the combine. In addition to having the 28th best rating of all the athletes at the Charlotte combine (including high school athletes), Ellis is now the national leader for middle school athletes in SPARQ rating. Ellis showed off the combination of speed and power that has made him one of the most intriguing youth prospects in recent history by scoring in the top five of each combine drill. From start to finish Ellis wowed the coaches by finishing first in the forty (4.68) and vertical jump (37). He nearly missed sweeping each drill by finishing second in the shuttle with a 4.19 and second in the power ball toss with 35.5 feet.
Finishing in second was quarterback Levi Kelly of West Virginia with a SPARQ rating of 81.06. The rating along is good enough for second place nationally but whatâs more impressive is the improvement Kelly showed just a week after taking part in the SPARQ combine in Massillon, Ohio. Kelly improved his SPARQ rating by 14.16 points. The 6â0â, 163 lb. signal caller scored better in every drill than he did a week ago, finishing in the top five of each drill except the vertical jump where he finished sixth. Kelly finished first in the power ball toss with 36 feet and third in both the forty yard dash (4.77) and shuttle (4.32).
Finishing in third and fourth respectively was a pair of prospects from the host-state of North Carolina. Dyami Brown, a 5â11 wide receiver, finished with a 69.96 rating which not only put him third at the Charlotte combine, but also third nationally. Dynamic Dyami finished fourth in the forty yard dash with a time of 4.79 and third in the vertical jump with a 32.3.
Finishing fourth was running back Damarkes Stradford with a SPARQ rating of 65.85 which places him eighth on the national leader board. Stradfordâs top two combine scores were his 4.34 seconds in the shuttle (fourth place) and 31.4 in the vertical (fourth place).
Rounding out the top five was South Carolina wide receiver Montre Miller with a SPARQ rating of 64.77. Last month Miller was named co-MVP of the NUC All-South All-Star game with a three touchdown, 125 yard receiving performance and with his SPARQ rating itâs not surprising in the least. At the combine Miller posted a middle school group-best 4.15 in the shuttle, surprising many in attendance.
As usual the 2018 athletes locked up the top five performers from the middle school group. However, a pair of 2019 running backs are now sitting atop the 2019 SPARQ rating list after a good showing. Cameron Davis of North Carolina represented well for the current 7th graders with a rating of 55.86 while Davon Butler of Maryland finished with a 53.86 rating. Both finished in the top 15 of the middle school group in Charlotte and now sit first and second respectively in the nation for the class of 2019.
DeJuan Ellis |
Levi Kelly |
Dyami Brown |
DeMarkes Stradford |
Montre Miller |
Davon Butler |
SPARQ Ratings
1. QB DeJuan Ellis (Maryland), 2018 â 94.52
2. QB Levi Kelly (West Virginia), 2018 â 81.06
3. WR Dyami Brown (North Carolina), 2018 â 69.96
4. RB Demarkes Stradford (North Carolina), 2018 â 65.85
5. WR Montre Miller (South Carolina), 2018 â 64.77
40 Yard Dash
1. QB DeJuan Ellis (Maryland), 2018 â 4.68
2. RB Shamari Wingard (North Carolina), 2018 â 4.69
3. QB Levi Kelly (West Virginia), 2018 â 4.77
T3. RB Mashion Powell (North Carolina), 2018 â 4.77
4. WR Dyami Brown (North Carolina), 2018 â 4.79
20-Yard Shuttle
1. WR Montre Miller (South Carolina), 2018 â 4.15
2. QB DeJuan Ellis (Maryland), 2018 â 4.19
3. QB Levi Kelly (West Virginia), 2018 â 4.32
4. RB Demarkes Stradford (North Carolina), 2018 â 4.34
5. WR Bryce Wheaton (North Carolina), 2018 â 4.35
Power Ball Throw
1. QB Levi Kelly (West Virginia), 2018 â 36
2. QB DeJuan Ellis (Maryland), 2018 â 35.5
3. QB Noah Williams (Virginia), 2018 â 34
4. OL EJ Humphrey (South Carolina), 2018 â 33
T5. DL Elijah Brown (North Carolina), 2018 â 33
Vertical Jump
1. QB DeJuan Ellis (Maryland), 2018 â 37
2. RB Richard Jackson (Maryland), 2018 â 32.8
3. WR Dyami Brown (North Carolina), 2018 â 32.3
4. RB Demarkes Stradford (North Carolina), 2018 â 31.4
5. RB Cameron Davis (North Carolina), 2018 â 30.6
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