The Fab 15

It's gearing up to be a banner season next fall in local high school football, as Oakland County will be home to over half of the state's top recruits in the loaded Class of 2012.

Just to wet everybody's appetite and hold you prep pigskin diehards over until the summer and the start of training camp, here is a list of Burney's Top 15 prep football prospects in THE OC:

 THE FAB 15

1 (tie) James Ross (LB OL St. Mary's) – Best defensive player in the state, could be the best defensive player in the entire Midwestern recruiting region

1 (tie) Aaron Burbridge (WR FH Harrison) – Best offensive player in the state, could be the best offensive player in the entire Midwestern recruiting region

2 Devin Funchess (TE FH Harrison) – 'The Funchise' is a straight freak stretching the field as a clone of former Megawatt Detroit area high school athletic stud and current NFL superstar Antonio Gates 

3 Matt Godin (DE/DL Novi Detroit CC) – Beefy, agile and aggressive line prospect that will end up at a major college program...could be the quickest off the ball line recruit I've seen in the last five years

4 Ron Thompson (TE Southfield) – Scary potential at the tight end spot with only having played one year of organized football….just plain dominates defenders and catches nearly anything thrown his way with his massive hands

5 Mario Ojemudia (DL FH Harrison) – Sleek, savvy and SENSATIONAL pass rush specialist with a crazy high ceiling

6 Leviticus Payne-Brandon Watkins (WR/RB/DB Southfield) – Both Payne and Watkins (who missed most of last year with an injury) are superior athletes that will team with Thompson and returning gunslinger QB Justin Danzy to make the Bluejays legitimate state title contenders in the fall

7 Devin Church (RB/WR Birmingham Brother Rice) – Not much this sparkplug playmaker can't do on the football field

8 Matt Doneth (TE Novi Detroit CC) – Most years Doneth would be the best TE in the county by far….his leadership, work ethic and ability to perform in the clutch set him apart as a recruit….just plain tough

9 Danny Larkins (WR MH Madison) – Big physical receiver with hops

10 Jamal Lyles (LB Southfield-Lathrup) – Instinctive linebacker with speed and grit that packs quite a wallop with his bone crushing hits

11 Tony Annesse (QB/ATH RH Adams) – Defines the word VERSATILITY and the term PRIME TIME PLAYER

12 Dan Gibbs-Neal Page (OL/DL Birmingham Seaholm) – Gibbs is a mammoth OL prospect whose college recruiting is starting to takeoff, while Page is a rush end on the defensive line that is gaining attention for his gutty demeanor

13 Mitch Robinson (QB AH Avondale) – If this Yellow Jacket juggernaut QB can put together another MONSTER campaign like he did in 2010, next year at this time he could be sitting with a BCS college offer

14 Prescott Line (RB/LB Oxford) – One word; WARRIOR……..I see Line leading the Wildcats back into the postseason next year

15 Keon Collier (RB/WR/DB Birmingham Groves) – SUPER SLEEPER!!!!

Twitter.com/Burneystweets