ALDIE, VA – High school football players from as far away as New Jersey and North Carolina joined several of Virginia's best at John Champe High School in Aldie, VA for Sunday's Rivals 3 Stripe Camp presented by adidas.
Part of the Rivals Camp Series presented by adidas, the 3 Stripe Camp marked the conclusion of a weekend of events held at Champe. On Saturday, the Rivals adizero Combine took place there, with participants getting the opportunity to impress the college coaches in attendance with their measurables from on-field testing.
Sunday's event did not include on-field testing, but was an opportunity for over 180 prospects to showcase their abilities through individual position drills and one-on-one competitions while receiving coaching from a handful of well-known professionals.
Among the coaches was former University of Tennessee and Baltimore Ravens star running back Jamal Lewis and former Ohio State and Pittsburgh Steelers standout wide receiver Santonio Holmes.
Lewis helped the 1998 Tennessee Volunteers capture the BCS national championship, and was a member of the Ravens' 2000 Super Bowl championship team as a rookie. He also led the NFL in rushing yards in 2003 and was selected to the Pro Bowl that same year as well.
Holmes was a freshman on the 2002 Ohio State Buckeyes squad that upset highly-touted defending national champion Miami in the BCS title game. After being drafted by the Steelers in the first round of the 2006 NFL draft, he went on to catch the game-winning touchdown pass in their 27-23 victory over the Arizona Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII.
Several of the players in attendance at the camp were excited to have instructors with an NFL pedigree like Lewis and Holmes teaching them more about the game.
"It's a big deal," said Princess Anne 2021 cornerback Tony Grimes, who earned the camp's MVP award for defensive backs. "My goal is to play in the [NFL], and nothing short of that is acceptable. Having guys who have played at that level trying to help you get better is very beneficial."
Grimes currently holds 25 Division I offers from schools such as Clemson, Alabama, Auburn, Florida, LSU, Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Penn State, Tennessee, Virginia and Virginia Tech.
Four-star Cosby 2020 athlete Ethan West, who's already committed to North Carolina, said attending the camp was all about fine-tuning things before his final high school season this fall.
"Even though I've already made my college decision, the work doesn't stop there," said West, who is the No. 5 prospect in the state for next year according to Rivals. "I haven't been playing [wide receiver] very long, so to come here along with all of these other top players and also get the opportunity to be around people who have played high-level Division I football and NFL football, you're bound to learn something."
For other rising seniors who haven't committed to a school yet, Sunday was a chance to increase their stock. One of those players was 3-star Broad Run 2020 running back Tim Baldwin.
"I missed most of last season because of injuries, and because of those injuries I didn't feel like I was at my best in the games I did play," said Baldwin, the No. 11 prospect in the state for 2020. "So for me personally, there is a lot of work left to do, especially when it comes to my footwork and explosiveness."
Baldwin currently holds offers from Boston College, Maryland, Michigan, Pittsburgh, South Carolina, Vanderbilt, Virginia and West Virginia, among others.
Baldwin's teammate, 3-star 2020 dual-threat quarterback Mitch Griffis, earned MVP honors among the quarterbacks in attendance at the camp. The Wake Forest commit is listed as the No. 25 prospect in Virginia for next season.
Aside from West, Baldwin and Griffis, the camp also featured several of the state's other top players from the Class of 2020.
Maury WR KeAndre Lambert, Indian River RB Lamareon James, Salem-Virginia Beach RB Kaelon Black, Highland Springs ATH David Laney and Freedom-Woodbridge OL Vershon Lee were among the players listed in the Rivals Virginia Top 30 who were in attendance. James took home the camp's MVP award for running backs.
Sunday's event was also an opportunity for current freshmen to add to their young resumes.
Paul Hutson, a 6-foot, 240-pound two-way lineman out of Maury, has received early interest from Virginia Tech, Virginia and Clemson, but acknowledged he is only just beginning his journey.
"I want to come out here and show what I'm capable of at these camps," Hutson said. "But ultimately, it's all about getting better. If I keep working hard, I believe things will work out the way they're supposed to."
Shawn Murphy, a 6-foot-2, 175-pound linebacker out of Stonewall Jackson-Manassas, already holds offers from Penn State, Virginia and Virginia Tech, and has also drawn interest from Clemson.
"There's a lot of things that I can get better at," Murphy said. "But my goal is to come to events like this one and win the MVP award at my position. In the meantime, I'm focusing on getting bigger and stronger."
For full results from the Rivals 3 Stripe Camp presented by adidas, click the link below.
