Football Recruiting
Report
Friday, April 24, 2015
By Sammy Batten |
|
Recruiting Wars: Wide Receivers
By
Sammy Batten
©2015 Bonesville.net
All rights reserved.
(NOTE: This is the third
in a position-by-position series where we take our first look at high
school or junior college prospects East Carolina has offered
scholarships to already in the recruiting Class of 2016.)
Few Football Bowl Subdivision coaching
staffs have done a better job identifying and developing wide receiver
talent than East Carolina during the five seasons under Ruffin McNeill's
guidance.
We all know the story of Justin Hardy's
rise from walk-on to the career receptions leader in FBS history. But the
successes for McNeill's staff at receiver don't end there.
They also plucked Lance Lewis out of the
junior college ranks for a late addition to their first recruiting class.
Lewis went on to produce 149 catches for 1,716 yards and 22 touchdowns in
two season at ECU. Then there's the development of walk-on Cam Worthy into
an NFL prospect, plus the signing of stars-in-waiting like Trevon Brown and
Isaiah Jones, the latter of whom has caught 143 passes for 1,434 yards 10
scores in his first two college seasons.
It should also be noted that although
McNeill's staff didn't recruit the great Dwayne Harris, he did enjoy his
best season for the Pirates under the current coaches in 2010 with 101
receptions for 1,123 yards and 10 touchdowns.
Hardy and Worthy are the only two players
from last year's receiving corps to have completed their eligibility. But
with six receivers scheduled to exit the program over the next two years,
the Pirates will be in the market for three to four prospects at those
positions as they pursue the Class of 2016.
Here's a closer look at the 12
receiver/tight end prospects who have already reported scholarship offers
from ECU, and early projections on how serious these players are about
playing for Pirates. The players are listed in alphabetical order.
IAN BOYD (6-3, 203) Apex HS,
Apex, NC
NOTABLES: Boyd is a two-sport
star who also excels on the basketball court. In football, he played varsity
as a freshman, but really asserted himself during a sophomore year in which
he caught 29 passes for 412 yards and two touchdowns, while also rushing 73
times for 452 yards and two more scores. Boyd followed with 36 catches for
580 yards and five touchdowns, plus 48 rushes for 340 yards and a score last
season to earn first-team All-Southwest Wake 4-A Conference honors in 2014.
He's twice been selected to the All-Southwest Wake 4-A team in basketball
after averaging 14 points as a sophomore and 21.5 points as a junior.
COLLEGE OFFERS: East Carolina,
Old Dominion, Virginia Tech.
THE ECU ANGLE: Boyd wants to play
basketball and football in college, which could work to ECU's advantage.
Currently, only Radford has offered him for basketball. The Pirates, who
extended a football scholarship offer to Boyd last May, consider him a HIGH
INTEREST prospect. But it's going to be a dogfight to the finish as more
programs offer Boyd after he makes the rounds at the summer camp/combine
circuit.
DIVINE DEABLO (6-3, 195) Mount
Tabor HS, Winston-Salem, NC
NOTABLES: Deablo is a receiver in
the mold of current Pirate, Trevon Brown. He's tall, plays physical and has
speed (4.45-seconds in 40-yard dash) to beat defenders deep. Deablo started
his prep career as a JV quarterback before moving to receiver on the Mount
Tabor varsity where he emerged as an All-Central Piedmont 4-A Conference
pick last season.
COLLEGE OFFERS: Clemson, Duke,
East Carolina, Florida, Georgia, Louisville, N.C. State, North Carolina,
Ohio State, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest,
West Virginia.
THE ECU ANGLE: Deablo listed
Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia Tech as his top four
schools in early April. This is one prospect, however, I think will
eventually become more serious about ECU as the process unfolds. So despite
limited contact with the Pirates so far, I consider Deablo a MEDIUM INTEREST
recruit for ECU.
MYLES DORN (6-2, 195) Vance HS,
Charlotte, NC
NOTABLES: The son of former UNC
and NFL player, Torin Dorn, Myles is a major college prospect at wide
receiver and safety. He's been a Vance varsity player since his freshman
year when he was the team's backup quarterback and safety. Dorn claimed a
starting safety job as a sophomore, making 77 tackles and intercepting six
passes. But as a junior he established himself as an offensive star, too,
making 74 catches for 1,274 yards and 18 touchdowns. Dorn continued his
strong play on defense as well with 75 tackles and five picks. The
performance earned Dorn a spot on the Charlotte Observer's All-Area team.
COLLEGE OFFERS: Boston College,
Charlotte, East Carolina, Duke, Elon, Miami, N.C. State, North Carolina,
Tennessee, Wake Forest, West Virginia.
THE ECU ANGLE: North Carolina is
clearly the frontrunner for Dorn, but he hasn't stated any favorites because
he's yet to visit many of the other schools that have offered. Still, his
ties to UNC are strong, which probably makes him a LOW INTEREST prospect for
ECU and everyone else.
MIKE HARDY (6-3, 195) LaGrange
HS, LaGrange, GA
NOTABLES: Hardy is another
dynamic dual-sport athlete who also excels in basketball. On the football
field, he's a tall, explosive receiver capable of making big plays. For
example, in the regular-season finale for LaGrange last season, Hardy showed
his athleticism and big-play abilities in the opening quarter. On the team's
first possession, he out-jumped a defender to make a 52-yard catch that set
up a touchdown. On LaGrange's next possession, he hauled in a 49-yard
scoring pass.
COLLEGE OFFERS: Central Florida,
Cincinnati, East Carolina.
THE ECU ANGLE: Hardy is one of
those sleeper'' prospects that the Pirates have had great success
developing into solid college players. He hasn't talked much about the
recruiting process, but I'd still rate him a MEDIUM-TO-HIGH INTEREST
prospect for the Pirates.
GRANT HOLLOWAY (6-2, 190)
Grassfield HS, Chesapeake, VA
NOTABLES: Holloway is one of
Virginia's top track and field athletes. He recently set the state indoor
record for the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 7.19 seconds and has recorded
a high jump of 6-foot-11 and 1/2 inches in competition. On the football
field, Holloway used his 4.26-second speed in the 40-yard dash to earn
all-league honors as a junior. In early April, he dazzled scouts at the
Rivals Camp Series stop in Richmond, VA, earning wide receiver MVP honors
and was rated the camp's second-best overall performer.
COLLEGE OFFERS: Clemson, East
Carolina, Mississippi, N.C. State, Old Dominion, Penn State, Tennessee,
Virginia, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest.
THE ECU ANGLE: N.C. State, Penn
State, Tennessee, Virginia and Virginia Tech have been the schools Holloway
has mentioned the most through early stages of recruiting. But the Pirates
do have a strong record of football and track success to sway Holloway.
However, at this stage we believe he's a LOW INTEREST prospect for the
Pirates.
EMMANUEL JONES (6-3, 180)
Asheboro HS, Asheboro, NC
NOTABLES: Jones is the kind of
receiver who can turn a swing pass or handoff into a big play, or he can use
his speed (4.5 seconds in the 40-yard dash) and size to beat people deep. He
emerged on the Asheboro varsity as a sophomore when he averaged more than 26
yards a catch on 23 receptions and scored nine touchdowns. Those statistics
remained steady during the 2014 season when he caught 40 passes for 693
yards and eight scores. Because he's so versatile, some schools are
recruiting Jones as an athlete, who could play wide receiver or in the
secondary.
COLLEGE OFFERS: Charlotte, East
Carolina, N.C. State, West Virginia.
THE ECU ANGLE: The Pirates were
the third school to offer Jones in December behind N.C. State and West
Virginia. Those schools, as well as North Carolina, were Jones favorites in
early April. He's definitely a HIGH INTEREST prospect for ECU at receiver
and defensive back.
DIONDRE OVERTON (6-5, 195) Page
HS, Greensboro, NC
NOTABLE: In fraternity terms,
Overton is what's known as an ECU athletic legacy. His father, Darrell,
played basketball for the Pirates from 1988-91 and his older brother Montese
will be a senior linebacker for the purple and gold next fall. Diondre
originally had his eyes focused on following in his father's footsteps and
becoming a college basketball player, which is why he didn't play football
as a freshman or sophomore at Page. He began displaying his potential on the
court playing at Southeast Guilford High as a freshman before transferring
to Page where he averaged 8.2 points and 4.1 rebounds as a sophomore.
Overton had stopped playing football in middle school after suffering a leg
injury, but decided to give it another try as a junior last season. The
experiment paid off in a big way as he caught 62 passes for 1,187 yards and
eight touchdowns on the football field. He then headed straight to the
basketball team where he averaged 14.6 points and 6.2 rebounds last season.
COLLEGE OFFERS: Boston College,
Clemson, Duke, East Carolina, Kentucky, Louisville, N.C. State, North
Carolina, Old Dominion, South Carolina, Wake Forest, West Virginia.
THE ECU ANGLE: Obviously, there's
the family connection at ECU, and the strong possibility to make an impact
in basketball and football quicker than many other places. Despite those
factors, Clemson has established itself as the early frontrunner for Overton
with N.C. State and Tennessee ranking next. But the Pirates are still very
much in the mix, making Overton a HIGH INTEREST prospect for the Class of
2016.
PHILLIP PATTERSON (6-1, 175)
Bayside HS, Virginia Beach, VA
NOTABLES: Patterson is such an
effective two-way player in high school that he earned second-team
All-Coastal Conference honors on both sides of the ball as a junior. He
compiled 403 yards and five touchdowns as a receiver last year, while also
contributing 43 tackles and six interceptions at defensive back.
COLLEGE OFFERS: Duke, East
Carolina, Illinois, Massachusetts, Navy, San Diego State, Virginia Tech,
Wake Forest.
THE ECU ANGLE: Patterson picked
up his offer in late January from ECU, which has a strong presence in the
Tidewater area of Virginia. Duke and Virginia Tech have emerged as his early
preferences, but I still expect the Pirates to be a player for Patterson
through the summer months during which he'll be a HIGH INTEREST recruit.
KALEN RILES (6-1, 174) Rickards HS,
Tallahassee, FL
NOTABLES: Riles is a clutch receiver who is capable
of playing inside at a slot position or as an outside receiver. He became a
prominent varsity contributor as a sophomore when he made 33 catches for 452
yards and eight touchdowns. As a junior, he worked at receiver, quarterback
and in the secondary, but it was at wide out where he excelled, making 32
catches for 372 yards and seven scores. A bright student who carries a 3.5
grade point average.
COLLEGE OFFERS: Akron, Buffalo, East Carolina, LSU,
South Florida, Southern Miss
THE ECU ANGLE: Riles was previously committed to
South Florida, but backed off that pledge in late March. That could be an
opening for ECU, which offered Riles back in May 2014. The Bulls are still
the favorite, so for now he's a MEDIUM INTEREST prospect for the Pirates.
But that could change quickly over the summer.
DONAVEN TENNYSON (5-11, 170)
Benedictine School, Richmond, VA
NOTABLE: A speed merchant who has
been timed at 4.4 seconds in the 40-yard dash, Tennyson produced big plays
receiving and returning kicks as a junior. He caught 41 passes for 841 yards
and 11 touchdowns, while also returning three kickoffs for scores to help
lead Benedictine to its first state title. Tennyson earned first-team
all-state honors at wide receiver.
COLLEGE OFFERS: Boston College,
East Carolina, Illinois, Marshall, Michigan State, North Carolina, Old
Dominion, Pittsburgh, Temple, Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Virginia, Wake Forest,
West Virginia.
THE ECU ANGLE: The Pirates got
involved with an offer in December, so in some ways they're still playing
catchup with Tennyson. He hasn't had a chance to make the rounds and visit
many schools to date, so he has no list of favorites at this statge. When
that time comes, however, watch for ECU to be a factor with Tennyson, who we
think will be a HIGH INTEREST prospect.
ANDREW TRAINER (6-7, 235) St.
Stephens & St. Agnes School, Alexandria, VA
NOTABLES: Trainer is a
three-sport athlete who plays tight end and defensive end in football. He
hauled in 17 catches for 226 yards and two scores on offense as a junior.
He's also a first-baseman/pitcher for the baseball squad and averaged 9.5
points and 7.5 rebounds in basketball as a junior.
COLLEGE OFFERS: Buffalo,
Connecticut, Cornell, East Carolina, Harvard, Illinois, James Madison, N.C.
State, Pittsburgh, Wake Forest, Virginia, Yale.
THE ECU ANGLE: Trainer is another
guy who make take a crack at playing basketball and football at the next
level. He's forged a strong connection with the ECU football coaching staff
since receiving a scholarship offer back in January, and has consequently
visited Greenville unofficially already. The Pirates are a player for this
HIGH INTEREST prospect.
BENJAMIN VICTOR (6-4, 173)
Coconut Creek HS, Coconut Creek, FL
NOTABLES: Victor is a matchup
nightmare for high school defensive backs because of his size and length. He
played his sophomore season at Northeast High before transferring to Coconut
Creek last season. At Coconut Creek, he hauled in 44 catches for 811 yards
and 12 touchdowns.
COLLEGE OFFERS: Alabama, Auburn,
Cincinnati, Clemson, East Carolina, Florida Atlantic, Florida International,
Florida State, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisville, Massachusetts, Miami,
Michigan, Mississippi, Mississippi State, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Ohio State,
Rutgers, South Carolina, South Florida, Syracuse, TCU, Temple, Tennessee,
UCF, Wake Forest, West Virginia, Wisconsin.
THE ECU ANGLE: Beyond an offer
from the Pirates, there hasn't been a noticeable connection with Victor. At
present, he seems clearly focused on Power Five conference schools,
especially the one at Florida. Maybe ECU can make some headway with Victor
by upsetting the Gators in their matchup next fall. Until then, he's a LOW
INTEREST recruit.
GARRETT WALSTON (6-4, 225) New
Hanover HS, Wilmington, NC
NOTABLES: Heads and shoulders the
top tight end prospect in the North Carolina high school ranks this season,
Walston has been a varsity starter at New Hanover since the fifth game of
his sophomore season. He's a true pass catcher at tight end as evidenced by
the 44 catches for 847 yards and 10 touchdowns he compiled as a junior.
Walston is also a pitcher and an outfielder for the school's baseball team.
COLLEGE OFFERS: Boston College,
Charlotte, East Carolina, Maryland, N.C. State, North Carolina, Northwestern
Virginia Tech, Wake Forest.
THE ECU ANGLE: Walston's college
decision is expected shortly, and from all indications it'll come down to
North Carolina and N.C. State. Georgia has entered the picture recently,
too. The heavy interest in those schools makes him a LOW INTEREST prospect
for the ECU.
Five other receiver/tight ends offered by
East Carolina have already made verbal commitments to other schools. They
include:
MARK BIRMINGHAM (6-3, 230) Briar
Woods HS, Ashburn, VA (Duke)
MARQUEZ MCNAIR (6-1, 180) Hinds Community College/Magee HS, Magee, MS
(Southern Miss)
CORNELL POWELL (6-1, 190) Rose HS, Greenville, NC (Clemson)
MARCUS SIMMS (6-2, 180) Sherwood HS, Sandy Springs, MD (West Virginia)
E-mail Sammy Batten
PAGE UPDATED
04/25/15 02:02 AM.
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