1/03/23
Desmond RIcks turns in strong showing at Under Armour All-America Game week
Desmond Ricks was the most polished boundary corner at Under Armour faring well against outside receivers in practice. The Alabama signee’s stature and instincts made him tough assignment for receivers.
7/16/22
Desmond Ricks turns in solid showing at Under Armour Future 50
The rising junior was perhaps the top corner on hand throughout the morning session at Future 50. Desmond Ricks is technically advanced for a 2024 prospect. He’s smooth in drills and has a readymade coverage skill set. The IMG Academy corner lost a few reps but largely held his own in 1-on-1’s showing the ability to stay in-phase with some smaller, quicker receivers.
6/13/22
Desmond Ricks flashes upside at Overtime OT7
It can be difficult to parse top defensive backs at Overtime OT7, as some teams avoid testing blue-chip cover corners. With that said, we thought five-star 2024 corner Desmond Ricks had a strong day in coverage while playing for the Miami Immortals. Ricks certainly passes the eye test with his stature and reactive quickness in coverage. He consistently stayed in-phase with receivers and we didn’t see him surrender catches in man coverage. Ricks made a high-level play on the ball while covering a two-point attempt from Nico Iamaleava. The five-star corner was in the receiver’s hip pocket through the corner of the end zone and showed good technique in elevating for the pass breakup. We later saw Ricks lose some matchups throughout the weekend as the top receivers gave many of the top corners issues at OT7.
6/13/22
Desmond Ricks a top performer at OT7
Ricks, the On3 Consensus No. 2 player in the country in 2024, was again up to the challenge this week much as he has playing for the Miami Immortals throughout the spring. The five-star cornerback is long and wastes little movement. Ricks stepped up to the challenges of guarding elite pass-catchers during the tournament and came away with an impressive batting percentage and was rarely rattled, and continued to rise to the occasion as the week went on.
3/27/22
Desmond Ricks top performer Battle Dallas
Desmond Ricks nearly came away with an interception on his first defensive snap on Saturday and remained locked in from that moment out. The five-star cornerback ranked No. 2 nationally in the 2024 class is reactive and has exceptional length to take away or contest balls underneath. Ricks also moves fluidly and can cover a ton of real estate, and didn’t miss a beat defending the long ball. For a cornerback, he’s drawn up in a lab and is uniquely poised and always disciplined.
3/21/22
Desmond Ricks rated as a 5-star in initial 2024 On300
Cornerback Desmond Ricks debuts at No. 2 overall in the initial 2024 On300. The 6-foot-1.5, 175-pounder has been a standout on IMG Academy’s defense for the better part of two years. Ricks pairs good stature with high-end athleticism at corner. He’s smooth in his movements and advanced technically. The Chesapeake, Virginia native is battle-tested and regularly holds his own against some of the nation’s best wide receivers.
3/13/22
Desmond Ricks top performer Battle New Orleans
Desmond Ricks is built in a lab at a long 6-foot-1 and 170 pounds. The Virginia notice is lanky with a massive wingspan and is natural and smooth in coverage. The No. 2 overall player in the On3 Consensus, can close in a hurry and is even more impactful in the short field. He stymied bigger receivers routinely and can glide with faster pass-catchers playing a lot like another Virginia native Tony Grimes.