TomVH: Nike Sparq Results

Submitted by TomVH on

There was a Nike Sparq combine held in Cleveland this weekend, and the results are posted on ESPN. There are a few relevant numbers from the results. (The athletes are given a "Sparq" rating at these events, which is a score based off their results at each event)

- Ohio DE Ifeadi Odenigbo finished 5th overall with a Sparq score of 109.02. This was Ifeadi's first combine, and he placed fifth overall out of hundreds and hundreds of kids.

     40 Time: 4.62     Shuttle:  4.25   Vertical Jump: 33.5

- Ifeadi's teammate, OL Benny McGowan (6'4", 300 lbs) was the first offensive lineman to ever score over 100 on the Sparq scale. Ifeadi told me that Benny was injured for most of his season, which is why there aren't more schools after him, but he's a sleeper. Benny also happens to like Michigan, and has them in his top five. You can see a clip of his film here. McGowan is going to try to get in touch with the Michigan coaches soon. Keep an eye on him.

- Michigan DB Leviticus Payne finished 13th overall with a 4.56 forty time, which was fourth fastest at the event. Greg Biggins from ESPN said Leviticus was a rising senior honorable mention winner: 

Payne is a two-way standout who could end up at corner or running back in college. He had a great workout running a 4.56 40 on a slow track, with a 4.25 shuttle, 36-foot power ball toss and a 32 inch vertical jump. His 97.92 SPARQ Rating was good enough for No. 13 overall in the event and it seems only a matter of time before his offer list begins to expand. Iowa and Toeldo have offers so far and Indiana, Cincinnati, Bowling Green, Michigan State and Michigan are showing heavy interest as well.

- RB Marc Cargle from Pontiac held the top overall score with 111.3. Cargle was hurt for most of his season, which is why there hasn't been much hype around him. 

AAK15

February 13th, 2011 at 12:45 AM ^

I went to school with these two and played ball with them. Michigan made an offer to Ifaedi and took Benny up here for an official visit last year vs. UConn (i believe). I can tell you now Benny would almost certainly come here if offered, he is a lifelong Michigan fan. And Ifaedi is eyeing Stanford as #1 as of late, but things change. Hoke is from Dayton and has the home town roots that I believe could sway Ifaedi. He loves tradition, as Centerville teaches you.





Excerpt of mention:



Rising Senior Honorable Mentions



Bennie McGowan, OL, Centerville (Centerville, Ohio)

In all the years of putting on the NIKE Football Combines, there has never been an offensive lineman who scored over a 100 SPARQ Rating. That changed on Saturday lon as the big lineman lit up the event with an impressive 100.53. Bowling Green is the lone offer thus far but look for the talented lineman to see his stock soar through the roof after his standout showing.



Ifeadi Odenigbo, DL, Centerville (Centerville, Ohio)

Centerville has not just one but two elite lineman on the squad, one on each side of the ball. Odenigbo posted a 109.02 SPARQ Rating and is among the most heavily recruited rush ends in the Midwest with offers from schools like Boston College, Michigan, Northwestern, Indiana, Stanford, Syracuse and several others. He has a freakish combination of size and speed.

 

briangoblue

February 13th, 2011 at 1:12 AM ^

Given that Mattison's last Michigan defense featured names like Swett, Irons, Sword, Copenhaver, and Steele, I don't think there's any question that Leviticus Payne goes Blue.

fat_wilhelm

February 13th, 2011 at 10:49 AM ^

And your buddy's squat was geared, which is as much about knowing how to utilize a triple ply suit that three bears have to help you get into as it is about strength.  If McGowan is claiming a 1095 squat, it is definitely with the heaviest gear allowed by any fed and probably to a depth that is about twelve inches too high to be called a squat.  The USAPL raw record for his weight class is somewhere just north of 800 pounds, which is the only sort of max squat number that would have any relation to football.

So yeah, five fakes out of five.  Or maybe six.

ken725

February 13th, 2011 at 4:47 AM ^

The more I hear about Ifeadi, the more I want to have him part of our 2012 class.  He seems like he would be a menace coming off the edge.  

BigWeb17

February 13th, 2011 at 11:09 AM ^

I would give a High School kid the benefit of doing a 1000lb leg press, that I could believe but a 1000lb back squat.  I say 5 fakes outta 5

 

either way, very impressive..

will

February 13th, 2011 at 6:25 PM ^

Tom - I understand I am entirely in the wrong for questioning you on this, but who is this leviticus you are speaking of? Are you sure you didnt mean LEVITICUS PAYNE ? (in all caps....)

Or does the every time his name is mentioned on MGoBlog it happens in caps only happen once he commits?