RISING STAR WATCH: CARL HOLMES

Carl Holmes II of Valencia High School has tried to market his name in the recruiting world by putting together a solid list of credentials in his brief varsity appearances and by hitting the 7-on-7 circuit. Holmes is a Class of 2017 prospect (photo contributed). 

Time to look and see who could be on the move in the Golden State, as we bring back our “Rising Star Watch” series.

We’ll head down to the Santa Clarita Valley and evaluate Class of 2017 prospect Carl Holmes II of Valencia High School, whose father once ran the football for Pat Hill at Fresno State during the 1997-98 seasons.

The younger Holmes has seen limited action at Valencia after transferring into the school during his sophomore year. But does he have enough field credentials to look like a future lockdown cornerback for a college football program? Here’s a closer look:

WHAT TO LIKE: He has very good speed and will only get faster with continued work ethic. He follows and hovers over a wide receiver during man coverage like a hawk trying to follow and capture its prey. He shows solid hip adjustments when chasing down plays and hustles down the field. He’s unafraid to throw himself into the line of scrimmage to stop the run. He’s held his own against some of the best in Los Angeles County and the Inland Empire. Also excels in the classroom with a 3.7 grade point average. 

WHAT TO BUILD ON: Size might still be a red flag for schools since he’s 5-foot-9. Diminutive cornerbacks are fading at the collegiate and pro level due to the breakout of taller corners. There’s no telling if he’ll continue to grow. Though he’s shown aggression at the line of scrimmage, still need to see more of his ability to jam receivers at the line. Noticed that so far, he’s made most of his pass breakups while playing off of a receiver in a zone scheme.

OVERALL: Holmes looks like he can be a future Omarr Morgan (former BYU cornerback) or Brent Grimes of the Miami Dolphins. He has enough speed to hang with receivers. He’s in a good football region too, as past Santa Clarita players have moved on to Arizona State, Cal, Oregon State and other PAC-12 programs.

Holmes' film can be viewed here.