The East roster is loaded with plenty of four-star prospects and BCS commitments. This year's tackle group is highlighted by four-star tackle Jake Meador, a 6'7 305 pounder from Whiteland High School (IN). Meador is committed to Ole Miss and is rated the No. 33 tackle by Rivals.com. He also held offers from Kentucky, Missouri, Louisville, Kentucky, and Indiana.
"Meador is a massive tackle with great length and potential to play in the NFL, " said Offense-Defense Director of Player Personnel Josh Buchanan, "He is a guy we are extremely excited to get."
Joining him at tackle will be four-star Clemson commit Javarius Leamon, a 6'6 305 pounder from Woodruff High School (SC). Leamon is the #54 rated tackle by Rivals.com and held offers from Auburn, East Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee.
"The NFL is always looking for tall, long, athletic tackles who can bend and Leamon can certainly do that, " said Buchanan, "He has the most upside of any lineman on the East."
Duncanville High School (TX) tackle Adam Butler, a 6-5 290 pounder committed to Vanderbilt will also play some center and rounds out the tackle group. Rivals.com rates Butler as the 44th-best tackle in the nation by Rivals.com and his list of suitors included Iowa, Oklahoma State, UTEP, and SMU.
"Butler is rated lower by many scouting services but is a guy who can play guard or tackle and has some athletic ability, " offered Buchanan, "Once he gets stronger he has a chance to play a lot at Vanderbilt."
While Butler will play some center as well he will be joined by Douglass High School (OK)'s Cayman Bundage, a 6'2 293 pounder committed to Arizona. Bundage is rated as the 21st-best center in the nation by Rivals.com.
"Bundage had a great year and gives us a solid player with a lower center of gravity who can get under the pads of bigger linemen, " said Buchanan, "I believe he will be a very good one for Rich Rodriguez after he gets stronger and bulks up some."
The East guards are all four-star prospects this year. They are anchored by North Carolina commitment J.J. Patterson, a 6'4 310-pounder from Roanoke Rapids High School (NC) and the #10 guard in the country by Rivals.com. Patterson fielded offers from NC State and East Carolina.
"Patterson caught my eye early on because of how he is so dominant and demolishes everyone in his way, "explained Buchanan, "His strength, size, and ability to plow big holes will make him a potential impact player for UNC."
Auburn High School (AL)'s Caleb Peterson, a 6'5 295-pounder committed to Southern Miss is the 47th-best tackle in the nation by Rivals.com but is projected to guard at USM and will make the transition in the game. Peterson held offers from Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Duke, Georgia Tech, Mississippi State, Stanford, and Vanderbilt.
"Peterson is a steal who brings great size, athletic ability, and outstanding intelligence to this group, "said Buchanan, "He turned down some great programs to play for USM and will no doubt be a big time player."
The West squad will be led in size by 6'9 300 pound Minnesota commitment Jonah Pirsig from Blue Earth High School (MN). Pirsig received offers from Auburn, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, and Wisconsin. Rivals.com rates him as the No. 47 tackle in the nation.
"Pirsig is a mammoth human being who had an impressive offer list and has unlimited potential, "said Buchanan, "He is smart and has a chance to be really good for the Golden Gophers."
Joining Pirsig will be Oklahoma State commitment Greg Brantley from Carthage High School (TX) and uncommitted Cedrick Poutasi, a 6-5 320-pounder from Desert Pines High School (NV). Poutasi is the 7th rated guard and No. 222 overall by Rivals.com while Brantley, a 6-7 310-pounder, is the 75th rated tackle by the service. Poutasi's top three choices are Washington, Arizona State and Utah. He also holds offers from Boise State, Fresno State, Nevada, Oklahoma State, Oregon State, UCLA, UNLV, Washington, and Vanderbilt.
"Brantley is raw but a massive kid with long arms and the ideal physical tools and Poutasi has had a lineman of the year type season for Desert Pines, " said Buchanan, "Both of them have a ton of potential and could be big time starters for their programs."
Auburn High School (WA) center Cory English has also accepted an invitation to the game. English is a 6'3 285-pounder who has yet to commit but has offers from Oregon State, Washington, Washington State, and Idaho. He will be joined some at center by guard/center prospect Denzell Dotson, a 6'3 310-pound prospect from Cactus High School (AZ) who has committed to Washington State. Dotson held offers from Arizona State, Air Force, and Wyoming. Both are 3-star prospects and Dotson is rated as the No. 43 guard in the country by Rivals.com.
"Both English and Dotson are guys flying under the radar but have the frame to fill out more and become good interior players in the Pac-12, " Buchanan detailed, "Neither are coming from high visibility areas but have a chance to move up the board at our game."
Two highly rated guards have also accepted invitations in four-star prospect Brandon Fanaika, Poutasi's cousin, a 6'3 293-pounder from Pleasant Grove High School (UT) and Texas A&M commitment Kimo Tipoti, a 6-3 330-pounder are both slated to play in the game. Fanaika is the No. 6 guard and 193rd best player in the nation by Rivals.com. Fanaika has offers from Arizona, Arizona State, BYU, Stanford, UCLA, Utah, Washington, and Washington State. Tipoti is the No. 19 guard in the nation by Rivals.com.
"Tipoti can play tackle or guard and has great girth for the inside position while Fanaika is a massive kid who delivers a strong punch, "said Buchanan, "Fanaika could have the strongest punch of any player in our game and Tipoti is a physical kid who I believe will be a standout in the SEC."
The Offense-Defense All-American Bowl is part of the largest Youth All-America Event in the country known as Offense-Defense Bowl Week, a series of events taking place during the last week of the year culminating in the nationally-televised high school All-Star game on December 29th. The game has in the past seen the on-field talents of a wide swath of football stardom including Dez Bryant, Cameron Newton, Stephen Garcia, Rolando McClain, and Joe Haden among many others.
In addition to the high school game at Cowboys Stadium, events will include a Youth All-American Game, a Youth National Tournament, a High School Junior game, and a Youth Football Convention, all within the confines of Arlington, TX. The Youth Convention will be held at the Sheraton Hotel in Arlington on December 26-28 starting at 10am on the 26th. The event is expected to bring over 8,000 families from across the country to the region.
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