By Kyle Kensing

Original article at: http://recruiting.scout.com/2/990428.html

Kori Smith is a sophomore to be at Lakewood High School in one of the most competitive regions in the nation, Long Beach, California. Last year as one of the top freshmen in the nation, he began turning heads. Now, he gets the chance to do it at a national level at the Junior Rank Diamond Flight Camp, a national and elite-only football camp held this weekend in San Diego’s suburbs.

Smith recognizes that the national Junior Rank camp, geared for 6th through 9th graders, is very similar to the varsity quality talent he routinely faces.

“The competition [at Junior Rank’s Diamond Flight Camp] is a lot like the competition [in Long Beach],” Smith said.

One of the quarterbacks participating in the La Jolla, camp, Smith went through passing drills Saturday under the guidance of Randall Cunningham. A former NFL star, Cunningham is the stuff of legends in Philadelphia and Smith acknowledges that he can gain plenty from a former star on Sundays.

“Everything’s about gaining experience,” Smith said. “I’ve been learning routes, throwing motions, going through reads.”

When Smith says experience is everything, he explained that as Lakewood’s reserve quarterback next year, he wants to have as much knowledge under his belt when assuming starting duties in 2011 and beyond.

After that he said he hopes to play at Oregon, Texas or Stanford – three programs that run very different offenses, but systems he said he would be very willing to learn.

DAY 2 NOTES

- “It’s always a productive day when you see production out of the kids,” said coach Mike Sims. “Anytime they’re learning something that’s a positive. “

Sims is one of the highly touted coaching staff members on the Junior Rank staff, including several former NFL coaches and stars.

“Tomorrow we’ll look at some of the things we did today and reinforce them,” he added.

- Junior Rank Founder and Diamond Flight camp director Shaon Berry announced at the end of Saturday’s session that Junior Rank would host an “academic bowl game” in conjunction with a to-be-announced college bowl game. The game, Berry said, will showcase young talent excelling both on the field and in the classroom.

- Wide receiver Joseph Linares of Lackawanna, NY impressed in afternoon workouts. The receivers lined up with their quarterback counterparts. Linares exhibited sound route running and trusty hands.

Linares said he hopes to play at Hawaii, and not surprising for a pass catcher, noted liking the Warriors’ pass-heavy spread offense.